Have you ever had that feeling of sheer panic of having a Facebook notification pop up that someone has tagged you in a photo? It seems ridiculous to some, but for me and many other women that I have spoken to over the years that notification was enough to make your heart rate increase and your chest tighten.

But why do so many of us hate photos so much? Why do we hate the thought of the people we know seeing an unflattering snap of ourselves? After all most of the people on our social media know us, they already know what we look like? What are the reasons for us not accepting ourselves in photographs?

Firstly, other people may know what we look like but we don’t, the image we most often see of ourselves in a mirror is inverted, the same goes for selfies, it just isn’t the same as what we’d see in a photograph that someone else would take of us. We really aren’t used to seeing ourselves as we really appear, so the image of ourselves in a photo someone else has taken is going to look not quite right to ourselves.

Secondly, like me, you have probably participated in decades of negative
self-talk, where we have told ourselves that how we look isn’t good enough and therefore it never is.

So that covers what could make you hate pictures of yourself, but what can help you to start accepting yourself in photographs?

Just a heads up, it may take some time. If you have spent years being heavily critical of how you look in photos, chances are that this won’t be an overnight fix. But here are some things that can help you find acceptance.

1. Start following people who look like you on social media. Normalise your body!
   
2. Get someone you trust to start taking pictures of you, I am not talking a big glamorous photo shoot here, I mean just on days out etc. You don’t have to show them to anyone else or even look at them yourself. This is one of the main things I did to start becoming more comfortable with seeing myself in pictures. Initially I didn’t want to look at them at all, then gradually I’d get my husband to send the pictures to me, eventually I felt happy sharing pictures of myself that weren’t selfies.
   
3. Remind yourself that the people that know you, the ones whose opinions you actually care about, know how you look, they know if a picture is a bad picture of you anyway.
4. You may think that you will miraculously like pictures when you reach a certain weight but chances are you won’t. In fact you probably won’t allow yourself to like them unless you meet an ever changing target. So aim to accept yourself as you currently are.
   
5. See the best in others – when someone puts up a picture of you that you hate I promise 99 percent of the time they didn’t do it to show everyone that you ‘look horrible’. If it’s just you in the picture, chances are that they either think you look fab or that they love the memory that they associate with the picture. If it’s a group picture that they are in, it’s probably one where they think they look great. They don’t think you look awful and they aren’t trying to hurt you.
   

 

Happy new year!

The biggest sign of us entering a new year is that adverts for yummy treats have been replaced with ads for protein shakes and weight loss programs.
It's a weird ritual we all go through every year, enjoy yourself in December but be sure to shame and guilt yourself about it in January.

I've spent so many December's not moving very much (It's bloody cold) and eating until I felt uncomfortable, then writing myself a grueling regime for January and by the 3rd week either burning out , feeling more rubbish about myself than before or both.

I'm not going to tell you not to exercise or not to eat a little healthier if that is what you are happy to do but I am definitely not going to add to the many voices urging you to pay some sort of penance for having a nice Christmas. Take some time to figure out what you want for yourself and speak kindly to yourself!

Emma xxxx

I’m sure you have goals, most of us do, but are you really clear on what they are and how you will achieve them? How else will you know when you have arrived at your destination? This isn’t just writing out your SMART goals either, though we will cover that, here are some questions you may want to ask yourself to help you get clear on what your goals are, grab a pen and paper and scribble your answers down:

Tell me what you want, what you really, really want?
I am assuming you have a rough idea of your goal in your head. Now ask yourself honestly – Is it something you really want or is it something you think you should want, is it something you are passionate about or do you think it will make people respect you more?  If getting stronger is your goal, is it because you want to feel powerful?  Will it help you enjoy a better quality of life? Or have you seen ‘strong is the new skinny’ banded about so you feel as though it is something you ‘should’ want? If you only had 6 months to live would you still pursue this goal, would you feel as though it was worthwhile? Is it something you feel excited about? And why now? What has started the ball rolling with you wanting to achieve this goal?
 
What is the destination?
What will reaching your goal look and feel like? If your goal is to lose weight what does it specifically look like, it’s not just about losing weight surely? If it is, have a poo and walla, you have lost ‘weight’ congratulations your work here is done! But if it is about more than that – what is different about your life when your goal has been reached? Can you walk for longer, are you feeling more confident? Wearing different clothes? If your goal is not aesthetic related – say you want to get fitter – what are you doing when you’ve reached your goal? Walking upstairs without feeling breathless? Being able to do a pull up? Going on long bike rides comfortably? Running a marathon?
What will make it feel like “Yes, I’ve done it!” ?
 
Where are you starting your journey?
Is this the first time you have attempted this journey? Or like many of us when trying to reach goals, have you had a few false starts? If you have tried before and you didn’t make it, don’t be disheartened. Everything in life is trial and error and if you have had false starts you are in a very good place to assess what you have done in the past, what worked for you and what didn’t? Don’t let fear of failing again trap you in your comfort zone!  What you have done so far to get to your goal? Don’t berate yourself if it is nothing, just start trying some things, learn what works for you!  
 
Who am I?
What is your goal and does it fit with your values? Does it fit in with your priorities? Are you able to make the sacrifices such as getting up an hour earlier to workout or changing your diet, do you have the time to put in the work to make it happen? Are you willing to change and grow to make it happen?

Is my goal SMART?
Can anyone who looks at my goal know exactly what my goal is within 5 seconds? SMART goals are
Specific (Who, what, where, why)
Measurable (You should be able to track your progress)
Achievable (Goals should be challenging but not completely out of reach)
Relevant (Is the goal relevant? Does the result benefit you?)
Timed (You need a deadline)
 
Don’t get dragged down by over planning!
You have probably heard “ If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” and while that is true some of us fall into the trap of over planning which can delay us from actually starting the journey to reach our goals. Map out your SMART goals and take action right away!
 
Do you believe you can do it?
When you think of the goal you have set, do you really believe it is possible? Lack of self belief will hinder you, expect to be successful. I’m not saying you aren’t going to have any doubts, some doubts are fine initially but you must believe that you’re going to succeed.

1)Take a break
Even if we are facing something very real, feeding your own panic only fuels intrusive and unhelpful thoughts and feelings. To gain a realistic perspective take breaks from social media and from googling news stories.

2)Take care of your mental and physical well-being.
In uncertain times it is quite easy to drink more alcohol than you normally would, so keep an eye on such things. Exercise, stretch, meditate and try to ensure you are getting enough sleep. (I write this as someone who uncharacteristically drank whisky on a week night last night and who had a very disturbed night’s sleep. I will do better this evening, chill evening, no booze and bed for me)

3)Find a way to chill out!
Try to do activities you enjoy or find new ones.

4)Stay connected
Make use of whatsapp, texts and the minutes you never use on your phone plan. Talk to people you trust about how you are feeling and don’t shame each other. We are all human and all have different ways of dealing with things

5)Eliminate feelings of helplessness
Don’t focus on what you can’t do but on what you can do. Focus on what you are able to control.

1) "Anthems" by Broccoli content is a collection of original manifestos, speeches, stories, poems and rallying cries written by exceptional women.
Being under 10 minutes each, it's great to start your day with, each podcast is themed with a word that you can use to focus in on and inspire you!

2) The guilty feminist discusses topics that all 21st century feminists agree on while confessing their insecurities, hypocrisies and fears that undermine them.
As well as being incredibly funny, this highlights issues facing women today. Myself and one of my best friends definitely bonded over this podcast.

3) The MIBA podcast is hosted by Leona Burton and Estelle Keeber, two incredible women who grew a £250,000 women's business network in a year. A true definition of 'women supporting women' they speak to inspirational women who we can all learn from.

4) Championing women's voices presented by June Sarpong OBE features women from business, sport,  entertainment and activism to learn how to inspire and support each other. It's a great and inspiring listen for any commute.

5) Sex with Emily. Emily is a sex and relationship expert. Every woman deserves to own their sexuality and while not just aimed at women, Emily's non judgemental and excellent advice can really give you the confidence to know and ask for what you want.

Yay, It's pancake day on Tuesday! (P.s these are not American style pancakes, but the style served to me as a kid, I am from Wales, they are more like crepes if you're American)

These are my 'Vegan Protein Pancakes'

Enjoy

The Ingredients:

• 1 Cup of Plain flour
• 1/4 cup of plant based protein powder (Pea, Hemp, soy etc)
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Syrup (Maple, agave etc)
• 2 Cups of cashew milk

What you need to do:

• Mix dry ingredients together (I find it easier to use a large jug so you can poor the mix directly into the pan later)
• Add syrup and gradually add the milk as you beat it all together with a whisk.
• Pour into a hot non stick frying pan, when bubble appear and the pancake looks kind of firm, flip over and cook for a few minutes on the other side.

Serves 2 people, you get 2 pancakes each yippeeeeee.
Per Serving:
375 KCAL
19.4g Protein

 1) Tabata Timer

There’s nothing more annoying than having to check your timer while trying to immerse yourself in a HIIT workout. This app is a lifesaver, it has a very basic interface which lets you easily input and start a workout in one click, it has different ‘bell’ sounds for work and rest, so there’s no need to look at your phone until your workout is done.

Basically it’s a nice, simple, easy to use app.

2) Sweatcoin

This is a great app to motivate you to walk more, it’s basically a step counter that converts your steps into ‘Sweatcoins’ and you can use them to buy or purchase discounts on fitness and nutrition related products. I’ve managed to get some lovely things on here, such as a simply cook pack, magazine subscriptions and healthy snack bars for my little one. It just runs in the background of your phone and your ‘sweatcoins’ build up fairly quickly. You can also pool your ‘sweatcoins’ with family and friends to use them to purchase expensive items such as holidays.

3) Zombies, Run!

Look, I know not everyone is a Zombie fan. But I literally hate running, I’m more of a weight lifting type of gal, but this app makes me want to run!!!

It’s more of a game than a fitness app, you run to a storyline, you can use your own playlist (I purposely created a ‘metal’ playlist as I felt this to be more Zombie friendly - LOL)
Each time you run you complete a mission and get to be the hero, collecting supplies as you go to grow your base.

The only downside is that I got very attached to some characters and ermmm well it’s a zombie game isn’t it, don’t mean to do spoilers, but there obviously will be casualties.

4) The Walk

From the same creators as Zombie, Run! So I was obviously going to like this one. For days when a run seems too much or you’d just rather a long walk instead.

If Zombies aren’t your thing you may also prefer this one.
Basically you’re given a package that could save the world and end up walking the equivalent of the length of the UK. It’s really fun if you like immersing yourself in a story and you want to make walking a bit more fun.

5) Hussle
I love this app, it allows you to go to different gyms without being tied into a monthly membership. It’s also great if you are traveling.

Myself and my husband use it to have a cheap spa day (lots of gyms include gym, swim, sauna, steam rooms and even spa pools) Nuffield Health and Village are very lovely fitness centres to visit.

Firstly, What is a gratitude journal?
It's what it says on the tin. It's a diary in which you record things that you are grateful for.

So what are the benefits of physically writing down the things that you are grateful for?

1) It helps you to improve your self esteem.
Keeping a daily journal of things that you are grateful for , helps you to appreciate the things you have and appreciate all that you have achieved - no matter how big or small. It can help you zone in on your own life and to stop comparing yourself to others.

2) It can help you to become more positive in your daily life!
When you see all the things you love about your life in written form, you tend to spend less time and energy focusing on negative things that are out of your control. Becoming more optimistic and giving most of your energy to positive things can have an amazing impact on your life.

3) It helps you to banish self limiting beliefs.
What we expect from life is what tends to show up. If you constantly think "Things will always go wrong for me" the that is what you will keep zoning in on. You stop looking for and seeing the opportunities around you.
However, If you are constantly showing yourself evidence of all the awesome stuff that happens in your life, you will start to expect it, start to spot the opportunities and start taking them!

It hasn't gone to plan. So first week and I have only been on one run and a bit of daily walking.... the shame. Sorry it's not much of an update..... must do better :/

The first thing you need to know about me is that I am not a runner. I like lifting weights but I hate running and I am crap at it. So let's go back to the beginning of August this year I'd won some fancy booze, mainly whiskey and bourbon and I luuuuuuurve whiskey and bourbon, this is where the trouble began.
        I was joyous and merry, chatting with the husband and he says that there is a 10k trail run in Bristol in October, on the weekend of our anniversary, wouldn't it be romantic to do that together. Now on a normal day I'd tell him he was out of his fucking mind. But I was joyous as hell and felt capable of anything, also another thing you should know is that I love a bargain, I am a fully fledged 'yellow sticker warrior' and tough runner happened to be offering a discount over the next hour. I signed up there and then.

I started training the next day and oh my God, afterwards I was absolutely crapping it. I downloaded a coach to 10k app, which was 14 weeks in length, (I had less time than that) and it started with walk/run drills, the running drills were a minute long and I couldn't run for a minute.
I was panicking but I persevered and to my surprise every time I got better. I was so lush to see my progress on my fitbit app.
I did the 10k at the end of October, I got a medal - yippeee. Have I run since? Have I fuck!
Which is criminal after the joy I got from seeing my progress going up!

Therefore, I am starting #MondayMiles to keep myself accountable. Each Monday I will share with you how many miles I have managed to run in the week prior, along with the ups and downs. I will warn you now - I'll moan about it - a lot........