My Big Fat Diet Secret

Now pay attention, girls.

I'm going to reveal the secret to losing those unwanted pounds.

It's actually quite obvious and simple.

You see, the secret is that there isn't a secret.


I'll be the first to admit I've read pretty much every diet book going in hope to discover the big secret to losing weight efficiently, maintaining it and basically eating my way to Miranda Kerr's body.

I've munched on mackerel, cottage cheese and a boiled egg for lunch and survived on a chicken breast and yogurt for dinner thanks to Mr Dukan. Yes, I did successfully shed half a stone in two weeks and yes, I did regain half stone (and more) one month later. See my point?

I've spun my ass off, and then rewarded my efforts with a gigantic double chocolate chip cookie. 'I totally burned 500 calories in that spin class and the cookie was only 364 cals...!' Sound familiar?

So, girls, here's the plan:
- Put down the Dukan manual, you're not going to find a weight loss secret in there.
- Forget about rewarding yourself with naughty treats after exercise.
- Get out of the frame of mind that X amount of time spent exercising equals X amount of calories, it won't get you anywhere.
- Actually forget about the calories altogether.

Instead, start thinking healthy. Good healthy food is an excellent start. Add exercise to that and you're on to a sure thing.

It's all about balance.

And, like I always do, listen to Mummy Sprowson. 'Too much of one thing is bad for us,' she says. That goes for pretty much everything: exercise, dieting, chocolate, even spinach!

I'm pooped after shooting a fashion story for Now magazine today, so please excuse my fleeting visit but I promise I'll be back with (1)healthy tips from the personal trainers at the Sexy and the City
bootcamp, (2) where and how I exercise and (3) lots of healthy recipes ideas.

Hello Hottie: David Beckham for Elle

You're busy. I'm busy.

I don't care how busy you are. Every girl MUST stop and take a break to drool/ gaze/ fantasise over Becks in all his topless glory in Elle's latest issue.

I predict a magazine sell-out.

Elle July 2012.

Healthy Snack Alert :Seaweed

Eat them & you'll look like the girls on the packet. Ok I'm lying. Eat them because they're yum.

Check them out at 32 calories

 If you were a fly on the wall in the Now fashion department you would mostly find me and Alison (Now's Style Editor) either drinking tea or crunching on Itsu's new Crispy Seaweed Thins. 

At 32 calories we treat them as our sharing mid-morning snack. Perfect to stave off the tummy rumbles until lunch time.

Health benefit alert- seaweed is known for helping with weight control, is a blood sugar regulator and a good source of nutrients- read why here.

I'll admit they're a bugger to eat- imagine trying to fit a whole oblong thin into your mouth, avoiding smudging your coral lippy and breaking it at the same time.

It's like Operation (the board game) but with your mouth. Saying that I'm actually pretty glad you're not a fly on the wall in the Now office.

 

Happy 30th Birthday Next!

Champagne & cupcakes, don't mind if I do!

  

Celebrating turning 30-years-old is a memorable milestone in life and I was pleased that Next decided to celebrate it with an almighty big bash at Somerset House last week.

After one of the hottest days of the year so far, I was super excited to throw on my dancing shoes and party with London's coolest fashion folk in one hell of a location.

So this is how we partied...

I drank champagne.

I ate steaming bowls of poached quail eggs, baked salmon and asparagus (as you can imagine I was in my element).

I danced to Mr Hudson DJ sets.

I gossiped with the lovely Next press officer girls.

And yes, I know I'm a lucky little ducky!

Somerset House, the perfect party destination

Stop the press! New Look AW12

It's been press show mania over the past couple of weeks.

If I haven't been slurping early morning coffees with the lovely fashion PRs of London, I've been sipping the fizzy stuff whilst browsing all the wonderful Autumn/ Winter collections in the evenings.

Exciting stuff.

Just so you don't feel left out I'll fill you in with daily blogs containing my lust-have pieces from each brand.

Today's has gotta be New Look's tweed short suit. ( Price and store date to follow shortly)

Hello Chanel.

Actually forget Chanel. The high streets finest can have you looking hotter than Alexa Chung for less than a train ticket up north.

With a super hot pink thread running through it, frayed edges and lots of zip detailing, what's not to like?

I'll be wearing this rocking short suit with tights and brogues by day and naked legs and fierce ankle boots by twilight. You like?

If you want to see more of next seasons hottest pieces then follow my Instagram Stylistontherun feed for live updates.

Hungry Stylist: Naughty Forty Trifle

 My sister turned 40 at the beginning of May.

 So what better way to leave the dirty thirties than with a boozy trifle.

She revealed to me, post party that she welcomed herself to the naughty forties by filling her face with the remaining trifle just before bed.

Nigella eat your heart out.

Wanna know my secret ingredient? A (very) generous glug of Chambord.

Yep the girl on the left is forty? I know I don't believe it myself!

Here's how to make it:

Naughty Forty Trifle

Serves 8

 Ingredients

Small swiss roll, sliced
Large punnet of strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 pack of strawberry jelly
1 wine glass of Chambord
200ml double cream
50g milk chocolate
35g custard powder
400ml of milk
1 Tbsp sugar

Instrructions

1. Lay out the Swiss roll on the bottom of a good-sized glass bowl. Scatter over the strawberries and drizzle with the Chamboard.

2. Tear up the strawberry jelly squares, put them in a measuring jug and add around 300ml boiling water. Stir until dissolved, then add 300ml cold water. Pour the jelly over the sponge, place in the fridge and allow to set.

3.Pour a little milk into a separate bowl with the sugar and the custard powder and mix until dissolved and forms a smooth paste. 

4. Heat the remaining milk in a saucepan until it simmers, then add the custard paste until it resembles a thick custard.

5. Once cooled spoon the custard and smooth over the jelly. Allow it to set.

6.Whip the double cream until you get soft peaks, then spread it over the custard. Cover in remaining strawberries and grate chocolate of to finish.

Estimated nutritional info per serving- Kcal: 303  Fat: 10.4g  Sat Fat: 7g

Wearing: Holly Willoughby's actual £2300 dress

Do you rate Willoughby's busty dress?

So what were your initial thoughts on Holly Willoughby's lace dress on The Voice a couple of weeks ago?

My immediate reaction was: 'Wowzer, look at Holly's Willoughboobies!'

There they were, like two little dumplings squished together. Not that that's a bad thing, Holly looked super hot.

The sexy presenter sure knows how to flaunt that stunning hourglass figure. The Chantilly Suzanne Neville lace dress fitted in all the right places with a sexy plunging neckline, fitted body skirt and nipped-in waist.

Intrigued by the super flattering dress, I speed-dialled Suzanne Neville HQ and sweet-talked them into sending over Holly's exact dress to see, well, how it would look on me!
Squealing with delight I slipped on the curve-hugging, bust-revealing frock that actually still smelt of the Willoughby's perfume.

Admittedly, I had to pull it in at the back to fit my size ten frame and slipped in some chicken fillets in a weak attempt to achieve a full-er bust and - voilà - Holly Willoughby eat your heart out.

My verdict: the tight fitting frock felt amazing, it clung to every curve that I owned but in the flattering contouring way, not a bumpy lumpy way.

The only change I'd make is I'd wear it shorter.

Do you want to feel like a million dollars and have over two grand to spare?

Then you must invest in this body-con dream, otherwise my advice is to enter Now's exclusive competition to win the dress in your own size.

Hungry Stylist: Hey Fishy Fishy!

Worth the 15 quid

On Friday, after the longest four day week on earth the Now style team  treated ourselves to a delish lunch over at The Table on Southwark St.

The girls gobbled down Salt Beef Hash with Poached Eggs, creamy Nettle and Pecorino pasta and a rather scary looking Cuttlefish and Polenta (it was covered in squid ink).

I kept mine clean and lean, of course, and went for the Grilled mackerel, Courgettes and Romesco- yum diddly yum.

The courgettes were the highlight of the dish, marinated in a lemony olive oil or something equally as delicious.

I will admit the menu by the new chef is a little bit fancy schmancy (we had to ask the waiter for the meaning of pretty much every dish) but it did do the trick for five stylish ladies who lunch.

Thetablecafe.com

83 Southwark St
SE1 0SU

Wearing: A Stella trackie

It's finally hit me that the Olympic Games are coming to London.

It will be a once in a lifetime experience and I'm ready to embrace it.

I'm starting off  with the Adidas Gold collection by Stella McCartney.

Not only is Stella the Creative Director for the official British Team kit, she's designed this capsule collection Gold to support the athletes 'going for gold'!

I haven't worn a trackie since my apple green Benetton number when I was 8 years old. But I actually think I could wear this Gold suit out of the house- teamed with heels and lippy of course.

My favourite details are the cowl neckline on the hoodie and the flattering cut of the stud vest.

In stores and online from 18th June. 

1.Hoodie  £64 Adidas Gold by Stella McCartney
2. Vest £40 (Same as above)
3. Joggers £44 (Same as above)
4. Wedges £64 Chockers
5. Necklace £18 Next

Lust Location: Cool Runnin in Miami

 

Today's morning jog in the sun had me thinking about the places I've been lucky enough to run in the world.

My most favourite location has to be jogging along South Beach Miami just as the sun is coming up.

Nothing beats running past Gianni Versace's house!

Where is your most favourite place to run in the world?

Healthy Stylist: Diet Coke Makes You Fat!

Not anymore!

 If like me you thought you were making the healthier choice when you were slurping down that diet fizz then think again.

Over the years I've ignored the stories on how bad diet drinks are for me.

I've pretty much been on and off a diet for the last couple of years and believed I deserved my sweet treat in the form of sweented soda.

But what I didn't realise was that I was actually making dieting more difficult for myself by guzzling the cola.

The penny finally dropped.

Diet Coke may be free of calories but not free of consequences which come in the form of diabetes, weight gain, a fat tummy, headaches and worst of all cancer- all caused by evil sweetners.

Over the past couple of weeks whilst I've been treating my body to a pretty Clean & Lean approach to food (I will cover this next week) and I'd successfully managed to cut my intake of  fizz down to just three glasses over this period.

This week I've decided I'm going to cut my biggest vice out altogether.

Do you think I can do it?

Need more persuasion? Then read this article to see what a threat Diet Coke has on your health and your waistline.