Lessons I have learnt in life

Recently I have been trying to appreciate the little things in life. Today I am writing this post remind myself of things I have learnt and maybe even inspire others to do the same. We learn best from our mistakes.

Lesson number 1:
When something is written down the tone in which you wrote it can be lost.

This is something I learnt back in primary school. I remember my group of friends wrote a letter to our teacher saying we didn’t like the way that he favoured other students in the class (It didn’t turn out well. Not my proudest primary school moment). Moral of the story if you have something important to tell someone try and do it in person or over the phone (gasp! Actually talking to someone rather than texting them!). When you are actually speaking to a person there is opportunity to listen and also to explain what your view.

Lesson number 2:
Sometimes it is better to relax and go with the flow.

I must admit up until this year I was terrible with just being patient and seeing how things turned out. I always planned things way in advance not leaving anything to chance. It would always make me slightly uncomfortable when someone says ‘let’s just meet up at … and see what we feel like doing’ because how am I supposed to know if I should bring my swimmers or my running shoes? I think this is why I have such a big and heavy handbag, I’m prepared for everything. When I was younger and stressing about something (usually dance) mum would recite a verse from Desiderata a poem by Max Ehrmann:

‘You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.’

I found the last line of this poem comforting. Over the last year the relaxed approach to life of my friends and boyfriend has rubbed off on me. Something just clicked in my brain that not everything had to be planned. Surprisingly my favourite memories from this year have been the ones where there were no plans.

Lesson number 3:
Assignments or projects of any kind should not be left to the last minute.

I learnt this lesson many, many years ago but after 13 years at school and 3.5 years at uni I am still not able to get things done in advance (for example writing this post rather than the nutrition presentation I am giving on Sunday). I tell myself it is just because I need the pressure of the deadline being a day or an hour away to do my best work.

Lesson number 4:
Attitude is everything.

I find when I start my day with a positive attitude I am more likely to have a good day. If I have a determined attitude before going out for a run I will push myself to run that little bit harder. Changing your attitude is easier said than down but it is worth the effort.

I hope you have had a great day,
Bridget x

How To Fix Moisture Craving, Sensitive Skin

This year the winter weather has dried out my skin like never before. It got to the point where I had a very unattractive red dry patch on my cheek. I have very sensitive skin. Anything with a nice scent or colour will make my skin burn. I was previously using a face moisturiser by the brand simple. It didn’t irritate my skin but it also didn’t seem to be helping it.

Last Monday I paid a quick visit to Lush. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this incredible store they sell fresh handmade cosmetics. I love their bath and shower products but had never really tried their face products (other than a Cupcake Face Mask. Yum!). I asked the shop attendant for advice on which products would be most moisturising and soothing. We eventually settled on two products a face moisturiser, Celestial and a Fresh Face Mask, Oatifix.

Celestial is made specifically for sensitive skin. It acts as a barrier cream so that moisture can’t escape from the skin. It is also supposed to have a calming effect. The scent is light, clean and reminds me a bit of milk. It is more on the thick side compared to some other moisturisers but it doesn’t feel heavy on your face. I have been using this moisturiser morning and evening. It comes in a 45g container. I find I only need a tiny bit to cover my whole face. In Australia it will cost you $27.95. The ingredients: Vanilla Water, Almond Oil, Almond Milk, Glycerine, Cocoa Butter, Fresh Singapore Orchid Extracts, Propylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Oatifix is said to ‘cleanse, soften and moisturise dry sensitive skin’ exactly what I needed. I have used this three times so far and I am really enjoying it. The only thing I am not a fan of is the chunky texture which makes it hard to spread evenly and can be a bit messy. It smells like banana and cinnamon porridge. When on the skin it feels relaxing and calming. I leave it on my face for the full 10 minutes because I need all the moisture I can get. The Fresh Face Masks have to be kept in the fridge because they have a short shelf life of about 3 weeks due to the fresh ingredients used. The shop assistant suggested that it is best to use this face mask 3 times a week.  It comes in a 75g tub and costs $16.95. The ingredients: Glycerine, Fine Oatmeal, Fresh Organic Bananas, Water, Ground Almonds, Illipe Butter, Kaolin, Talc, Vanilla Pod, Vanilla Absolute, Sandalwood Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Coumarin, Benzyl Cinnamate, Linalool, Perfume, Gardenia Extract.

Within 2 days of using these products my skin was already looking fresh and moisturised. There were no dry patches in sight. I love Lush products and would recommend them to anyone. The staff have always been very helpful and knowledgeable.

What are your favourite Lush products?

Food Labels Explained

Food labels are a useful tool when it comes to choosing which products to buy. The majority of food products have nutrition panels. The only exceptions are foods that don’t come in packaging such as fruit and vegetables, food that is packaged at the point of sale or foods that carry little nutritional value such as tea. My aim of this post is to give a brief overview of how to use these food labels most effectively. So go to your pantry now and find any food product with a label and have a look for these things.

The ingredients list

The ingredients are arranged with the most predominant used in the product to the ingredient with the least amount used. This includes any additives and preservatives. Each preservative and additive has a number written next to it, these numbers can be used to look up and reference what that particular additive does in the food additives list provided by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. The ingredients list is a quick reference for what the product is made up of and in what proportions. This is also vitally important for people with food allergies.

Allergies

Food companies are required to make the consumer aware of any allergy causing ingredients used in their products. This statement can usually be found near the ingredients list. In addition to this the phrase ‘May contain traces of…’ is used when the manufacturer thinks that there is a chance that small amounts of an allergy causing food could be present.

The Nutrition Information Panel

This is made up of a number of things. 

- Average serving size= This number is decided on by the manufacturer of the food product. It is what they recommend is what one adult would eat in one meal. it can often be unrealistic (I’m not aware of anyone who only eats 3 chocolate malt balls at a time).

-Serving per package= The number of the nominated servings that you can get out of a pack.

-In the nutrition information table there are at least 3 columns. The first column lists the nutrients that contribute to the total energy measured in kilojoules (kJ), as well as other significant nutrients measured generally in grams (g) or milligrams (mg). The second column is ‘quantity per serve’ these are the numerical values that correspond to the nutrients in the first column. They are based on the nominated serving size. The third column is ‘quantity per 100g’ and this also contains the numerical values corresponding to how much of each nutrient is in 100g of product. The per serve column is useful to determine home many kilojoules you are consuming. The per 100g column is a helpful tool when comparing similar products from different brands.

-Some packaging contains a % daily intake per serving and this can be deceiving because it is calculated for a specific height, weight and activity level. I don’t think I have ever based a product selection on this information because only being not very tall and female the information if irrelevant to me.

This is only a brief post and I think I will have to write another one like this with more detail in the future.

I hope you have found this helpful,

Bridget x

Delicious Candles

With winter here and the cold weather has taken over. I have decided to embrace the season and appreciate the little things. Today I am going to share my most favourite candles and melts. There is nothing like being cosy with a delicious smell in the air. All 3 of these candles make me happy.

This candle’s scent stays true to its name, Crѐme Brulee. When I light it the room is filled with creamy caramel and vanilla (yum). The label describes this candle as ‘indulgence in a jar’. I bought it on sale for $30 from Dusk. It is a two wick candle from the Temptations collection. Sadly I think this collection might have been discontinued (hence the sale). It has a burn time of 60 hours. If you can find one of these candles I would highly recommend it.

Another product from dusk that I love is the Pink Butter Icing melt. These little melts go into the top of an oiler burner with a tea light underneath. As they melt the scent is released filling the room with another delicious scent. I would describe it as a very sweet, girly, vanilla cupcake (I know a terrible description but that is seriously what it smells like). They are my go to scent when it comes to candles. You can find them as part of the Connoisseur collection from Dusk. The melts are $3.99 each or you can buy 5 for $15. I prefer using the melts because I feel like I am less likely to burn the house down with a little tea light. It is suggested that you should not burn the melts for more than 3 hours at a time. I use the same melt for a week or more before changing it over to a new one.

My final favourite is the Sweet Grace melt from the Bridge Water Candle Company. One day last year my mum went for a trip to Bowral (a little town in New South Wales) and came back with these melts. From first sniff I was obsessed. Recently I was surprised with my very own one. It is quite a strong scent hence why I have cut it in half. I would describe it as a fresh, floral scent. It kind of reminds me of the Miss Dior Cherie perfume. The website describes it as ‘passionate fruits radiating with sparkling tea and classic patchouli’. They are sold for $1.50 each.

I prefer Crѐme Brulee and Pink Butter Icing in winter and Sweet grace in summer.

What are your favourite candle scents?

Make Your Own Muesli Bars

When I need a quick snack in the afternoon I find myself reaching for a muesli bar.

I found this recipe on Taste.com and made a few alterations. The grains and seeds provide lots of good fats but I must I admit after working out the kilojoules (calories) they are not the healthiest snack you could choose. I originally wanted to make healthy muesli bars but it didn't go to plan and this is what I ended up with.

Make approx. 15 bars

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup desiccated coconut

1/2 cup LSA (ground Linseed, Almond and sunflower seeds)

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup sunflower kernels

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup of semi dried apricots cut into small pieces (You can make variations and try different ingredients here)

70 g butter

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

How to make it:

-Put oats, coconut, LSA, sesame seeds, sunflower kernels and pumpkin seeds in a pan. On a medium heat, stir continuously for 8 minutes until it is a golden brown colour. Leave to cool in a bowl. Stir through apricots.

-Place butter, Honey and sugar in a saucepan. On a medium heat stir for 3 minutes or until the sugar dissolves.

-Bring to the boil and then turn the temperature down so that the mixture is simmering. Let it simmer for 7 minutes without stirring. To test if the sugar mix is ready drop a small amount into icy water and it should form a soft ball.

-Add Sugar mixture to dry ingredients and stir until combined.

-Line a slice tin (I used a 21 cm x 30 cm tin) with baking paper. Spread the mixture evenly and press it firmly into the tin.

-Once cooled, cut into bars and store in an airtight container.

I wrapped the bars individually in cling wrap so that they are ready to go when I am in a rush.

Changes I made from the original ingredients include using LSA instead of wheat germ (only because I couldn't find any at the shops), using apricots instead of sultanas (I’m not a big fan of sultanas) and reducing the amount of butter and sugar.

The Muesli bars are really tasty even my boyfriend liked them (and he is a muesli bar connoisseur). Some suggestion on how to make them even healthier include: substituting coconut for something else and finding healthier ingredients to bind them together. Maybe in the future I might play around with these ingredients.

I would have liked for the bars to hold together better. I think this was the result of reducing the sugar.

Do you have any good healthy muesli bar recipes? Any suggestions for ingredient substitutes?

Milk and Exercise?

Recently there has been a lot of research done focusing on drinking milk after you exercise to quickly rehydrate and replenish nutrients in the body.

Why is hydration important?

Keeping the body hydrated even if you are just going through the motion of daily life is important to keep all the body systems functioning. When exercising your hydration needs are increased because of sweating and a higher breathing rate.

What about nutrition after exercise?

Depending on the intensity of your exercise different energy sources are used. The 3 main nutrients to replace are carbohydrate, protein and electrolytes. Carbohydrate will replace the lost energy stored and protein will help to rebuild muscles.

What does the research say?

• When compared to sport electrolyte drinks, milk is better at retaining fluid in the body.
•   The optimal time to refuel the body is in the first 30 minutes- 2 hours after exercise.
•  It is likely the most effective absorption of carbohydrate occurs when it is ingested with a small amount of protein.
• 10g of protein post exercise is ideal to stimulate protein synthesis. This could be 600mL milk, or 300mL milk and 200g yoghurt.
• A study found 500mL Fat free milk post exercise helped the participants to gain more muscle mass, strength and they also lost the most weight when compared to soy milk or a sugary beverage.
• Milk has a combination of carbohydrate and protein that can be absorbed quickly and effectively.
•  Milk is less expensive than buying a protein powder.

This research is forever changing.  Please don’t take this post as the final word on refuelling the body after exercise. There are many different ways this can be done with lots of different factors to consider. It is important to experiment (maybe not right before an important competition) and figure out what works best for you.

I hope you found this interesting
Bridget x

Have any of you tried using milk to rehydrate after exercise?

My Days At Dance

Hi Guys,

I mentioned in my first post that I danced. I wanted to write a post on what was a big part of my life. I tried to keep it short but I found it hard to summaries.

I did Irish Dancing for about 15 years starting at age 8. Now before you go and get the wrong impression maybe search on Youtube for World Irish Dancing Championships and see what it is all about.

I still remember my first day at dance class. It was held in a primary school classroom. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing and spent the lesson skipping around having a blast.

The years passed and I just loved to dance. My parents tell me that I used to dance around the house, the shops and even up and down the netball court (a little embarrassing to admit now).

About 5 years in I was given the opportunity to dance in the Australian Irish Dancing Championships (mainly for the experience because I wasn’t that good). The training was a huge work load for a 12 year old. I am pretty sure in the lead up to the competition I had at least one emotional breakdown (drama queen much?). I ended up having the best time at nationals with my friends and wanted to do it all over again.

I competed in the national championships every year after that with my last year being 2012. I had some great successes and some disappointing results over the years but Irish dancing is subjective. You quickly learn to just accept that your results are based on a few people’s opinion and it is not the end of the world if you don't get what you want.

Presentations at the Australian Irish Dancing Championships 2009

I have also been fortunate enough to travel to America 3 times and Scotland once toI competed in the North American Irish Dancing Championships (twice) and the World Irish Dancing Championships (twice). Every trip overseas was a great experience, very successful and I learnt a lot.

Training for nationals or an overseas competition was not easy. It required hours and hours of practice every week. To be part of the team we all had to sacrifice our social activities to make sure we were at class. I won't deny that sometimes it all seemed too much and I would go to my mum and cry about it but I never wanted to quit.

It wasn't all competitions and serious business. We also had a bit of fun with concerts and even a tv show (which didn't end up airing) giving Irish Dance a modern twist.

At the end of last year I felt it was my time to finish up dancing I had found myself not feeling motivated for class and I didn't really love what I was doing. It really upset me that I was starting to feel this way about something I thought I could never give up. I think I stopped at the right time. I only wanted to dance if my heart was 100% in it. I still love to teach and watch the dancing but I also enjoy being able to experience life without restrictions.

Dance has given me lifelong friends. I have also learnt valuable skills such as resilience, organisation, patience and how to work hard to achieve a goal. 

My best friend Caitlin and I a tiny bit delirious after a a whole day of dancing 

My dance teacher always said 'it is the memories that you remember not the placings' and she was right I will never forget the good times I had at dance.

Have you ever danced? Have any of you had a similar experience with your sport or hobby?

I Hope you have a great day 

Bridget x