Fall in love with taking care of YOU!

14th February 2016

It's all right to have butterflies in your stomach, just get them to fly in formation. Rob Gilbert

Good morning BeYOUtiful, just woke up and realised it's the day of love!  Who or what do you love?  I'm guessing family, friends, pets, food and drink, possibly your job or maybe its experiences like chilling out with a good book, having a relaxing bath.  We're all pretty similar in the things we love, the real question is are "YOU" on that list?  I'm on mine!

What do we tend to do when we love someone or something?  If you've ever had something new, whether it's a car or a pair of shoes?  What do you always do when you get them?  You take care of it, same goes for those people we love in our lives, I bet you take care of your kids really well - or are you neglecting them and throwing a bag of crisps and a bar of chocolate at them for breakfast!

If you didn't immediately come to mind when I asked you what do you love, then maybe you need to think about how putting yourself high on that list might help you succeed with your weight loss and getting healthier.

What could you do to make sure you love yourself just that little bit more?  Do you need a bit more you time?  I know I have no issue with chilling out and having me some quality time but I don't have enough time in there to do the 'stuff' that should be done on a weekly basis, notice the word 'should' that's what stops me, housework and stuff, it's not fun so I don't enjoy it, so I don't prioritise it, chilling out, knitting, watching tele, I enjoy, so I have no problem doing that.  I am aware that I do need to get my balance a bit better though because there is stuff I want to do but just can't be bothered, at the moment, I'm not sure if that's a time issue, an energy one or just the fact its winter and I just don't want to but once the weather gets better I'll be okay.  If it doesn't then I need to look at the time and energy thing!

The problem for so many of us with time is we have to work to pay the bills and that leaves us tired and with less time, some of us work ridiculous hours, some because they like to, but others because they absolutely have not choice or the bills don't get paid - this isn't good!

Back to loving ourselves, I've get sad when I hear my members don't love themselves, maybe because I remember that feeling myself from many years ago and I don't believe anyone should feel that way.  Remember you are good enough, you are a perfect version of you and so many people love you, so you should love yourself.  Loving yourself shouldn't be dependent on what you look like, it should be unconditional, so let go of those negative thoughts, focus on all the positive traits you have and love your physical self - yeah, love how you look.

Let's just think about that body of yours for a moment, how amazing is it, what it does every day for you, mine has just slept for 8 hours and recharged itself while I was out for the count, it's now typing on a keyboard without me even having to look at my fingers why I type - isn't that incredible.  It proves inside my head is a brain that's pretty good, I might not be Einstein but I have the same hair colour!  Those same hands sat knitting a blanket last night, wrote down all the weights of my members at the scales yesterday, loaded my car after going shopping, made a sandwich for my mom's lunch so she wasn't hungry.  They massaged Alfies bad back on the evening, and poured me a glass of wine. 

What! Are you thinking what is she going on about?  Well we all put such incredible importance on the way we look, that we're not actually focusing on the importance stuff, what we do!  What makes a person BeYOUtiful in my eyes is WHO they are not what they look like.  What they do, how they behave and how they make me feel is so much more important than whether they're eyebrows have been plucked to within an inch of their life, whether they're wearing size 10 skinny jeans, or whether they've brushed their hair! 

When I think about all the BeYOUtiful people in my life, I get a feeling, not an image!  I don't care what they look like, I do care how they make me feel.  I don't care what I look like, I do care how I behave, how I make others feel, how I act and you know what, I am damn BeYOUtiful, actually I'm incredible, and yes I will say it myself and no I'm not conceited, I'm not vain, I'm not a bighead, but I am a person who does what  I can to be the best I can be, that's true beauty in my eyes.  I care about how others feel, I want to make them feel good, I want to make a difference, I don't just want to look good when I walk in a room.

I'll stick to caring about my healthy and happy, loving life, taking care of me and everyone in it, I can do that whatever I look like and whatever size I may be and so can you, you BeYOUtiful creature!

Now go look in the mirror and admire your awesomeness!  Look at yourself, say 'I Love You' and start to mean it!  The world is a better place when it's filled with love, so start with yourself and work outwards xx

Let's finish with the other thing I love - FOOD, here's today's Smart Point recipe and I thought as it's Valentine's day and there is likely to be chocolate around, maybe you could use some of it to make these delicious Sticky toffee brownies;

Sticky Toffee Brownies

Serves 15 - 7 Smart Points each

125g dried, pitted dates

125g low fat spread

100g sugar-sweetener

2 eggs

50g dark chocolate

100g self-raising flour

pinch of salt.

20g pecans

35g caster sugar

30ml light double cream

Preheat the oven to 160oC/fan140oC/Gas 3 and line a 30cm x 20cm brownie tin with baking parchment.  Roughly chop 125g dried, pitted dates and place them in a small saucepan with 100ml water.

Heat gently for about 10 minutes or until all the water has evaporated. 

In a bowl, cream together 125g low fat spread and 100g sugar-sweetener, blend until pale and fluffy. 

Add 2 eggs, mixing until combined, then stir in 50g melted dark chocolate and the dates.

Fold in 100g self-raising flour and pinch of salt.  Pour into the tin and bake for 15 minutes.  While baking, roughly chop 20g pecans and mix together with 1 tsp caster sugar.  Sprinkle over the part-baked brownie, then return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.

While the sponge is cooling, make the caramel sauce.  In a small saucepan, heat 30g caster sugar until it has turned a pale amber colour, then add 5ml light double cream and stir.   Be careful, as the heat from the sugar may cause it to spit.  Gradually add 25ml double cream.  Once the sauce has cooled, drizzle it over the sponge using a spoon and slice into 15 brownies to serve.

mmmm.