Feeling blue? Today is the most depressing day of the year

source

Psychologist Dr Cliff Amall has calculated that the Monday of the last full week of January is the most depressing day of the year – Blue Monday. Yes that’s right, today is supposedly the worst day of the year due to factors such as weather, debt, low motivation and failed New Year’s resolutions.

I’ve definitely failed a few of my resolutions, so today marks my do-over day, where I’ll attempt many of them again – particularly my health kick resolution, courtesy of some healthy snacks and exercise gear from XLS Medical Fat Binder.

But with the January Blues well and truly set in, getting fit probably isn’t going to kick them. However John Bell & Croyden have selected their top products to perk us all up and beat those blues!

Aduna Boabob Fruit Powder contains lots of nutrients to support energy levels and reduce tiredness and fatigue. The snow has given me the perfect excuse to spend copious amounts of time in bed so something that will perk me up a bit wouldn’t go amiss!

Karma St Johns Worst Extract is said to be effective as a treatment for mild forms of depression, so if you are feeling down today – or anytime! – then it’s an inexpensive, natural supplement that might help you.

BetterYou Vitamin D Spray gives your body the Vitamin D that our bodies aren’t able to produce during the winter months due to bad weather and lack of sun. It’s responsible for our calcium absorption, which we obviously need for healthy teeth and bones.

DoMatcha Tea contains 137 times more antioxidants than green tea and raises energy levels, so perfect if you’re on a health kick, or trying to get back on track like myself!

SAD Solutions Blue LED Light is a portable light treatment for those suffering with SAD. So if your mood is the result of a bit more than Blue Monday then this treatment could improve it.

So those are John Bell & Croyden’s top picks for beating the blues on the Most Depressing Day of the Year.

What do you do to perk yourself up a bit?

---

Review: Jenny Craig Weight Loss Plan - Weigh in #1

For the last week I’ve been on the Jenny Craig diet*. Jenny Craig is a plan that delivers diet food to your door. Every week you’re provided with 21 meals and 7 snacks, which are also supplemented with fruit and veg (and some other bits, too) that you buy yourself.

Along with your food you’re sent a folder of all the info you’ll need for your time on the plan. You’re also assigned a consultant who you speak with on a weekly basis (or more if you need it!) to help you with the plan.

My Experience

The week has had its ups and downs. The diet itself is relatively simple and easy to follow. Broken down into three meals and three snacks, there’s plenty of food for you to eat from day to day.

The food itself is all pretty tasty, although the JC portions in my opinion are particularly small. I don’t think they look very appetising but like I said they’re quite nice to eat.

The first day was bad. I had a massive headache all day and although I was eating often, I wasn’t feeling full and found myself counting down until the next time I was going to eat.

So for the second day I decided to put my meals and snacks together, so I was having 3 largish meals a day. I realise that if you look at the list above that sounds like a lot of food, but if you have a look at most of the pictures they were fairly regular sized meals. My consultant was on the fence about my doing this, but it has worked for me so I’ll probably continue doing it next week too.

The major down of the week was the appearance of Auntie Rose after two days on the diet – if you catch my drift, ladies. I was really disappointed. Mainly because I always gain weight around this time – in fact I bloat up like a puffer fish and in the past have gained up to 7lbs! I thought that my efforts of the week would be completely destroyed – especially because I always crave evil carbs and may have indulged in a few things I shouldn’t have …

The Weight Loss

I’m sure this is the part you’ve all been waiting for. This week I lost a total of 1.2lbs, which obviously very modest. However considering I usually gain around this time, and my puffer fish body hasn’t felt up to any exercise at all I don’t think 1.2lbs is too shabby.

I also measured my body before starting, and I’m really pleased with the inches I’ve lost.

Hips: 0

Waist: -2"

Bust: -1"

Thigh: 0

Arm: -½"

Three and a half inches lost, 1.2lbs down, lots of food eaten, and no exercise done?
Don’t mind if I do, ta.

My goals for this week are to stick to the diet and get some exercise done. I’ve just downloaded the Nike+ app and ordered some Neoprone Workout Shorts so it’s all systems go this week!

For more information about the plan then check out the Jenny Craig website.
If you'd like to any me any questions about the plan then feel free to catch me on Twitter - @iamLolaStar

---

Jenny Craig: First Impressions

I’m sure that from the title that most of you will be able to guess what this post is about, but before I crack on with it let me give you my ‘diet history’.

There’s probably not a fad diet in existence that I haven’t attempted – lemonade, sacred heart, baby food, slimming world, and even starvation (fear not, I didn’t last long!). I’m the Fad Diet Queen.

source

Without giving you a sob story, I’ve always been ‘big’. I was bullied a lot for it when I was younger and my weight fluctuates more than share prices.

Last year I went on the Dukan diet and lost three stone. I felt amazing, and I looked a lot better – or at least I felt like I did, which is the main thing, I guess. But I moved away from home and my flat was above a deli – yes yes, disaster. Two stone crept back on – through a cycle of losing and regaining. And then just gaining …

So queue Jenny Craig. I’m sure you’ve all seen how amazing Mel B looks, and she claims it’s all down to Jenny Craig. Well the lovely Jenny contacted me recently (I wish! But her lovely PR team did!) and offered to provide me with two weeks worth of their eating plan to try.

After speaking to someone at their call centre on Tuesday evening, this massive package arrived on Thursday. Just so you really comprehend how big the box is, that’s my iPhone on the right.

The mahoosive box wasn’t just food though, it contained lots of information to help me make the best of the plan.

I was most impressed by the sheer variety of the food. Pasta, chicken tikka, korma, mashed potato – it’s hardly what I’d class as diet food, especially when comparing it to my previous ‘diets’.

I was also given a measuring spoon to help me with portion control – not for my JC meals, but the extras that you can add. The blue folder is full of a lot of information about the programme and your eating habits. It doesn’t just deal with losing weight, but also the reasons behind unhealthy eating habits. I really like this as I’ve always said that it’s something that’s inherently missing from other diet plans – they tell you what food to eat, but don’t address the reasons why you might make the wrong food choices.

I went shopping yesterday and got the extra things I’d need – vegetables, fruit, starches, fats, etc. and will be starting the diet today. Obviously I’ll keep all of my readers up to date with how I’m doing – and more importantly the weight loss!

The plan is available to buy from the Jenny Craig website, and is currently priced at £50 per week, which provides you with three meals a day. If you’ve got any questions about the plan, or you want some more information on in then make sure you check out the site.

---

This trial has been provided free of charge for review consideration.  As always, PR sample or not, my review will be 100% honest, innit.