I've lost 6kg in 4 months and feel great! This all thanks to one (!) change I made. It wasn't that I'd decided to lose weight or the dietary changes or increase in exercise - though I did all that too!

The one change that had my pounds fall off my hips one by one was daily weighing (probably not so secret after all..). Every day before the shower I'd step onto the scales and record my weight. I happened to use the TargetWeight app on my iPhone (free in the App Store) to display my daily weight info in a nice graph and bold number display. Though a little graph on a notepad would have had the same effect.

 

What this daily weighing did for me was the following: I started to listen to my body again. Somehow over the years I'd managed to override my body's feedback loop. The cakes were just too appealing, or through growing up I'd learnt to always finish my plate (even though I hadn't filled it myself). Whatever the reasons, the feedback loop was skewed to repeatedly suggesting that I needed more of all that food, and generally too much of the unhealthy stuff.

This one new daily habit of mine triggered a number of profound changes in my life. I suddenly had the urge to move more (my exercise of choice is running) and eat more healthily. I stocked up on salad, fruit, healthy granola bars (I love Nature Valleys bars) and fresh coconut pieces. I usually replaced one meal (lunch or dinner) with one of the bars and otherwise tied me over with fruit, coconut or yoghurt. I don't believe that anyone should ever diet by going hungry - that can only end in tears!

However, these dietary changes are all details and may not work as well for anyone else.

None of these subsequent actions would have worked without the daily feedback and reminder of where I stood in regards to my weight goal. That was the motivator behind all my smaller actions that led to the actual weight loss. It taught me again how much food I needed and had me fall in love with the healthier choices again - my feedback loop is now more or less intact again.

I believe, that's why so many promising diets usually don't do the trick! They get lost in the details of what actions to take (eat only this or that, exercise more etc.) without helping you discover and trigger your own motivator. Because you know exactly what actions are right for you - the one missing piece is the motivator that'll have you charge off to create your desired reality!

But what I find most striking is this: The same rule applies to any larger goals that clients often come to us life coaches with! Once you trigger the one internal motivator, any outcome is - seemingly easily - achievable! May that be my example of weight loss, or changing career, starting up a business, overcoming fears etc. Once you've discovered and triggered your own motivator to create that new reality in your life, there's no stopping any of us! :-)

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Early mornings aren't for us. As a family, we like to snooze the early mornings away. Even our 18-month old daughter happily stays in bed until 8.30am or later.

However, we do like to do things, get excited by new projects, experiences and adventures. But by the time the evening arrives, the family (mainly the 18-month old) is dressed, fed, changed, undressed, bathed and back in bed, all our energy is gone! We got into the habit of watching telly until bed time. That even after our conscious decision to rid ourselves of all tv sets and all its paraphernalia. But that's a different story.. Time seemed to flow through my fingers in a kind of "Groundhog Day" way.

Now, a few weeks ago my boyfriend read this article by James Altucher: "How to be THE LUCKIEST GUY ON THE PLANET in 4 Easy Steps". And after a few sleeps (and snoozes) on the ideas, he turned to me with the most unlikely of suggestions: "Shall we get up at dawn every day?"

That's how we started our experiment: Go to bed by 9pm-ish, get up at 6am* and use the first couple of hours of the morning to do things that are important to us! Like writing blogs, setting up an etsy shop, exercise etc.

And I never thought I'd say this: I love it!

>My creativity is flowing again. Now I get to decide again what I want every day to be about, starting first thing in the morning. It makes such a big difference! And you know what the best thing is? The telly is back where we want it to be: as an option when we consciously choose it

*Ok, it's not quite dawn, but it's good enough for us ;-)

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Recently it's been bugging me that I had no organised way to see my jewellery and get to it easily when choosing my outfits every day. After researching the internet for both shop bought and DIY solutions, I designed and created my own jewellery cabinet. What I needed was a solution that I could use without having to drill holes into the wall or wardrobe doors (especially useful when renting). What I've come up with is a solution that I can easily move to a new place. Just need to slide the front panel in and it's ready to for the move.

Tada, here it is!!!

Being at times a little impatient, I bought a wooden wine box from our local off license and got the hooks from Robert Dyas. If you want a truly eco jewellery cabinet, you could look out for an old wooden drawer, get eco friendly wood paint (like: Eggshell (Pro Aqua) (probably the taster would be enough for the whole box) or Auro Eco Paint 160 Woodstain @ Ecotopia.co.uk) and re-use old hooks which will add to the rustic look. Below is a quick step by step guide on how to re-create this jewellery cabinet.

What you will need:

• Wooden Wine Box (38.5cm W x 35cm H x 13cm D) - made for 4 bottles
• Sanding paper (coarse and smooth)
• Wood paint & brush
• 9 white round cup hooks 20mm
• 10 white square hooks 25mm
• 2 Command Mini Hooks with Adhesive Strips
• Some kind of ribbon or giftwrap string

Step-by-step DIY guide:

1. Use the sanding paper inside and out, coarse one first, then smooth. This will prime the wood for the paint layer to come.
2. Paint your wooden cabinet the way you like it. I chose to keep it simply in white as I knew my jewellery would add colour.
3. Now add the screws to the side and the top of the cabinet. Here are some tips first though: I've found the hooks need a minimum of 3cm/1.2" space between them for screwing them in as well as hanging jewellery on later. For bracelets I found they need a minimum of 9cm/3.6" height space. I didn't add any hooks to the back of the wine box, as the wood there is too thin and it would have split. Even the sides and top of the cabinet were slightly too thin so that I ended up not screwing the hooks in fully; otherwise you'd have the ends come through.
4. I screwed the square hooks into the sides to hang necklaces and bracelets on.
5. The round cup hooks I used for what is now the ceiling of the jewellery cabinet; that's where most of my necklaces hang.
6. Towards the bottom third of the back of the cabinet I attached adhesive hooks, relatively close towards the edges, with the opening to the outside (facing away from each other). 
7. Around these adhesive hooks I tightly wound the string to have a dedicated hanging place for my earrings. I am considering to re-do the string as I'm sure it'd be even better if I had tied a knot or two along the length of the string. That way both lengths of the string would behave more like a single string.

That's it, done! I'd love to hear how you find this and what solution you've found for your jewellery.

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At times I get very dry cuticles, and one of the best cuticle creams I've found is "Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream"! That's it! Simple & effective!

Best is that it's a natural product and "earth friendly" (self proclaimed).. If you're unsure why you might want to choose a natural product, the "Story of Cosmetics" can give some insights. Now I'm more convinced than ever to keep using natural and 'earth friendly' cosmetics. 

I'd love to hear what you think of this cuticle cream, or what you think about the "Story of Cosmetics" - feel free to leave a comment.

Cheerio, Carola.

 

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eBay is still gaining more and more ground in online shopping for both used and new items. Especially kids' clothes I found very easy to buy on eBay successfully. As kids grow so very quickly, their clothes usually have only seen limited wear and are generally in great condition still. But my positive shopping experience hasn't been limited to baby clothes (check out my articles "On finding an eco winter coat" Part 1 and Part 2).

Though, I know that the whole auctioning aspect can be a little daunting, it can also be quite exciting. Having only recently re-discovered eBay for shopping, I am very aware of the steps that I've taken to buy a few bargains successfully - and all from the comfort of my own home.

Below are my 10 top tips that have helped me to make a bargain or two ;-):

1. Set up your searches and adjust according to your requirements (for example "Condition: Used" if you want to watch your carbon footprint, or "Sort: Distance: Nearest First" if you're looking at large items that you'd prefer to pick up yourself)
2. Think of different search terms for the item you'd like to buy. You might set up searches for "PJs" as well as "Pyjamas" and "Sleepwear". Or search for "Ladies hat" as well as "Women's hat" etc.
3. If you're lucky enough to have an iPhone or similar, I'd recommend getting the free eBay app as it'll give you the opportunity to bid on an item when you're out & about (do set your notifications so that you can be alerted of new opportunities).
4. When you've found something that you're ready to bid on - be patient! I've found it best to wait until the last 30 seconds or so to place my bid. 
5. Then, be clear on what you'd prepared to pay for it. The price you place as your bid will be your maximum bid. So, if you have already outbid the other bidders it won't increase your bid to your maximum bid.
6. Best further is to have researched the price of the item that you're interested in - it would be pretty disappointing if you actually paid more for a used item on eBay than you'd have to pay for the new item in the shop.
7. Do take the cost of postage into account. Some of the eBay sellers cheekily ask for extortionate postage costs. So, again, research roughly how much it would cost to post the item to you.
8. If the price that you're prepared to pay is say £3, bid £3.13. Psychologically, most people will be thinking in rounded amounts, so you might be in luck if your maximum bid is by that odd bit higher.
9. If you want to make sure that you're getting the best bargain, you can watch a number of items similar to the one that you're interested in. Then watch what price they're fetched at in the end. That gives you an idea of the top price that you are prepared to pay.
10. If the auctioning part is still not comfortable for you, you can search for "Buy it now" items in your chosen category. That way you bypass the whole auctioning process and you can still get a good bargain; but nevertheless, do research elsewhere how much the item is actually worth.

I hope you've enjoyed reading my personal top tips for eBay shopping. You may also be interested in eBay's Top Tips which I found an interesting read too. I'd love to hear what you'd include your top tips in the comments below. :-)

All the best, Carola.

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You may have read my previous ponderings on getting an eco-friendly Christmas tree. I really was at a loss at the time as we couldn't find a christmas tree service that would hire out a live tree.. 

But as with many things, letting them rest for a while to check them out later with fresh eyes did the trick! Yesterday, my better half and I were ready to buy a cut Christmas tree independent of its eco-credentials. We nearly went up to one of the local nurseries that offered free mulled wine while browsing (= very attractive offer!).

Then Google outdid itself (or, more likely, we finally must have used the correct search terms)! There it was, The Little Tree Company, offering Christmas tree hire across the UK. We didn't hesitate and are expecting delivery of our Norway spruce this Wednesday. So, this tree will be in a pot, delivered and picked up again, and most importantly, very likely survive the stay in our home over Christmas. Result!

The only concession we had to accept is that the tree will be delivered over a long distance to get to us. But maybe next year more people will buy into the concept. Then either a local service will have opened up or a larger number of trees will be delivered in bulk to our area from The Little Tree Company. :-)

I'll be letting you know how we get on with our hired tree, but for now I'm off to dig out our Christmas decorations ready for Wednesday!

A festive goodbye, Rolaa.

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After my ponderings a few weeks back on what to do about getting an eco-friendly winter coat, I've now succeeded. I've found a lovely used winter coat that fits me well and will keep me warm.

I'm glad have found one just before the cold snap forced me to buy a coat on the high street. I was not far off from succumbing.. I had looked at the eco-retailers, been going to the charity shops in town for a few weeks and in the end found one where I hadn't even thought of looking before: eBay!

I had my reservations about using eBay for a sizeable (and sizeably priced) item, as I know I wouldn't have the perseverance to return it if it hadn't worked out. So, I was prepared to either sell it on or give to charity if it turned out terrible (and write my eBay feedback to the seller accordingly!).

Now, I did go a bit overboard with the whole eBaying experience: I went ahead and bought 3 coats! Though still far cheaper than one (!) coat on the high street..

Here is my verdict of my three purchases:

1. Great coat, will keep me warm for at least this winter,
2. Ok coat, will wear it occasionally and
3. Great jacket (though advertised as a coat), so I'm looking forward to sporting it in Spring.

All in all, I'm rather chuffed! The positive experience has even made me sell a few items on eBay already. I'm sure my eBay excitement will eventually wear off, but for now I'm a convert. ;-)

I would love to hear from you, what thoughts this article sparked in you.

Wishing you to stay warm, Carola.

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Last year we bought a live tree in a pot because we thought this ought to be better than cutting a tree down for our homely Christmas pleasure. Then in the summer it died! And we had to drive it up to the local recycling station to be 'buried' with all the other green waste.

This year I'd love to rent a Christmas tree and have it delivered and picked up again. It appeals to me as I don't need to become an expert on how to care for a Christmas tree and it's taken off my hands again when we pack away all the Christmas paraphernalia.

However, I've done some research on that matter and there doesn't seem to be anyone offering Christmas trees for rental in the Oxfordshire or surrounding area. Sadly the much acclaimed Christmastreeman is not offering his services this year either and no other service has come up during my research.

Now, I did see a site (Love-Eco) that offers fair trade trees at a reasonable price. These fair trade trees are from Tlugi, Georgia, and the The Fair Trees® project aims to "improve social conditions and the standard of living in Tlugi, Georgia and also to counteract unequal trading conditions between small farmers and international seed distributors." 

I do like the concept and it's social impact. Though, I'm not sure about the eco-credentials. The trees are cut, then shipped miles and miles to reach their intended interim home before being discarded at the end of the Christmas season.

After all this, I'm none the wiser.. What do you think we should do?

 

>>> UPDATE -- 06 Dec 2010 <<<
We have found a solution to our eco-friendly Christmas tree conundrum - check out Part 2 of my ponderings..

 

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I've got this idea in my head that I want to go the eco route for my new winter coat. I've worn my old high street coat for three or four winters now and sadly it looks worse for wear.

I've looked at all the eco retailers I could find online (Howies, Peopletree, Braintree to name a few) and couldn't find a nice, fashionable coat that would keep me warm for a number of winters to come.

I've also been looking in our local charity and vintage clothing shops, and again drawn a blank. Either the style was off or the size was wrong.

You might think that I may be too choosey here, and if I really wanted to I'd just get something. True, but I really don't want to look like a scarecrow just because I'm going for the eco choice!

Now with the days going colder and wetter by the day, I'm forced to consider buying a 'normal' coat on the high street. One side of me argues that it'd be relatively eco-friendly as I'd likely choose a coat that I'll care for and wear for many winters to come.. But I'm reluctant (or stubborn?)!

What do you think I should do? What would you do?

Ta, Rolaa

>>> UPDATE -- 05 Dec 2010 <<<
I've since found a lovely 'eco' winter coat (and more) since - read the story here.

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There are lots of products out there that are eco-friendly and there are also lots of products that are practical or effective. Though there aren't that many products that fall into both categories: eco-friendly AND practical/effective. When I find a product that is both then I'm very chuffed!

Too many times are the eco-friendly products still not fully thought through, or the only really effective products are the ones that pollute this earth.

That's one of the reasons why I write this blog: When I do find something that just works on both fronts, I feel like shouting it off the rooftops. May it be about an actual products on the market, or a remedy that works without having to purchase and use pollutants.

With this in mind, I'm now off to research how to unblock the bathroom sink without using harsh chemicals - unless one of you have got a tip for me?

Bye for now..

 

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Wow, how exciting: you're pregnant, you've made it through the scary first 12 weeks and it's all becoming very real.. There is a baby on the way, growing in your belly. 

One of the many things to get your head around is what to wear for the next six months while your body is blooming and the seasons are changing. Below are my top tips on how to get your wardrobe adjusted to the wonderful new situation without breaking the bank.

1. Check your current wardrobe: I was surprised to find how many of my clothes in my wardrobe actually saw me through my entire pregnancy; so keep checking what might look nice with your blooming new shape.
2. Borrow, borrow, borrow: If you're lucky enough to have family or friends who have gone through pregnancy just before you AND they wear the same size, borrow their maternity clothes.
3. Check your local freecycle/freegle network: I keep seeing maternity wear being offered in my local freecycle network and wish I had seen it when I was pregnant. What a fab way to keep these 'specialised' clothes recycled. www.uk.freecycle.org | www.ilovefreegle.org
4. Buy second hand: There are plenty of ways to buy maternity clothes second hand. Here is a list of places you could check out:
   • Charity shops: Try your local Oxfam or similar charity shops to see if they have any maternity wear for sale.
   • Maternity Exchange: This site is a specialist resource for second hand maternity wear at great prices; if you're local to Marlow, Oxon, you could even go there to try the clothes > www.maternityexchange.co.uk/
   • Preloved.co.uk: A site full of products other people are selling on. This is a fab platform to find maternity and baby products being sold nearby and where you can agree on the price prior to buying it > www.preloved.co.uk/
   • NappyValley.co.uk: Similar to Preloved, and definitely worth a look! I find this one useful as their search makes it easy to find products nearby where you live > www.nappyvalley.co.uk
   • BloomingBumps.co.uk: Another specialised reseller of maternity wear > www.bloomingbumps.co.uk
   • eBay: Many people sell their maternity wear - especially the branded ones - on eBay. So, if you don't mind the bidding business, you might be able to get a good bargain > www.ebay.co.uk
5. Shop in moderation: It can be quite appealing (and fun) to go out and buy lots of new maternity clothes to celebrate the new phase in your life. However, as ones goes through quite a few seasons and sizes during pregnancy, it's a good tip to add new items whenever you actually need them. That way you get to enjoy it all.
6. Hire for special occasions: If you're off to a special event where you need to dress up, you might want to look into hiring your outfit. Check out these sites for their selection > www.doesmytumlookbiginthis.com | www.swellegant.co.uk
7. Try the fake bump: Many of the specialised maternity wear shops like Mamas & Papas have a 'fake bump' in their changing room - try these out to get a sense of your future size; or just because it's fun! ;-)

Please add a comment to share what is working for you, where you have looked and what tips you would add!

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If you are lucky enough to have a patch of courtyard/gravel patch/patio you may struggle with getting rid of those weeds. It seems easy to buy some weed killer at the nearest garden centre, but that has never appealed to my 'eco' side.

I'm keeping my 'garden' (as I like to call my little gravel patch) weed free by pouring some boiled water over them. A day later or so it should have killed the weeds and you can pull them out with their roots.

Please do not try this on any green garden patches as it will also be too hot for any other plants that you may want to keep.

I'm always interested in your eco / green tips around the house and parenting - keep them coming!

Happy gardening :-)

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Our baby daughter Sophie had cradle cap for quite a while after she was born. At the time it felt like she had it forever, but in hindsight it was quite a short time really. But nevertheless it was something that I wasn't quite sure how to deal with it and - most importantly - how to 'cure' it. Until my GP said in passing that using a lice comb had helped with the cradle cap of her kids. After that it was just a matter of time for the cradle cap to disappear.

Every evening after the bath we put some olive oil onto Sophie's scalp and let it sink in for a little while. Then we'd take our lice comb and carefully comb off the looser skin flakes. With time there was less and less build-up and it eventually stopped to re-appear at all. If just everything was as easily dealt with as this. :-)

What has worked for you to deal with cradle cap? Have you tried the olive oil & lice comb combo? How did you get on?

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Do you want to be comfortable in your maternity clothes? Are you convinced that you should be able to nurse your child easily and in style? Then the Swedish maternity and nursing design company Boob might be right up your street!

I wish I had found that brand much before my 8th month of pregnancy, as their clothes are simply so comfortable and practical. I just adore my long sleeve nursing top that is made of organic cotton with some lycra. The colours are lovely, the style is faultless and it makes me feel feminine in the most feminine time of my life.

I'm lucky, as Bump & Baby stocks Boob clothes and it's is local to me in Marlow. If you're curious whether there's a store near you that stocks Boob clothes, check out their store locator. Also, I've just noticed that there are a few sale items to be found on Amazon.co.uk.

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After a little break from blogging, here is finally a new post..

A while ago I discovered these lovely baby sun hats that are being locally produced by Oxford-based company "Organics for Kids". Sophie simply looks gorgeous with it (if I may say so ;-))! The same company also does lovely romper suits, reversible blankets and lots more. The material that they use is very soft, fairly-traded and organic - perfect for delicate baby skin. :-)

And, should you be wondering who took that cute picture, it's the fantastically talented Charlotte Snowden, based near Henly-on-Thames..

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The summer's here, yay! With it those intense rays of sunshine. Now, most manufacturers of prams, buggies and strollers advertise their very own colour-coordinated parasols.. 

Though personally, I can't stand them! The idea of having to re-adjust the parasol at every turn to keep the little one in the shade does not appeal to my practical side. That's why I've looked into a solution that covers the whole of the pram seat (we've got a Quinny Buzz), giving the most UV protection to our Sophie. I've looked at the following solutions on the UK market: Outlook's Shade-A-Babe, Prince Lionheart's Sunshade and Koo-di Sun & Sleep Shade. 

Outlook's Shade-A-Babe:

I bought it and returned it as soon as I could make it back to the shop. I did not like the very coarse looking and feeling material that gives the sun protection all over, which also made Sophie disappear behind it. Also, the way it fastens to the frame (we've got a Quinny Buzz) is really awkward - my partner and me tried it together and separately and gave up in the end..

The product description states:

"The UPF50+ sun visor has the highest UPF fabric rating around. A double mesh layer/glare shield beneath the visor helps protect from sun and glare when the visor is pulled back. The lower mesh offers protection from insects and wind and filters UV rays entering through the lower half of the pushchair whilst still offering good vision and ventilation."

Prince Lionheart's Sunshade:

This Sunshade has a fine mesh that makes it easy for both Sophie to look out and us to see her inside. It opens up by releasing the rubber band around it which makes it spring open. It then sits on the prams's hood and fastens with velcro strips in convenient places which should fit most prams. It's less than half the price of the Shade-A-Babe too and I really do quite like it, though I find the pop open frame a little annoying.

The product description states:

"Protects Baby from sun, wind and insects. SPF 50 fabric reduces sun's harmful UV rays by up to 97%. Pops open in a flash and folds down just as easily! Mesh construction provides plenty of ventilation for a comfortable ride. Fits most pushchairs fitted with a hood"

Koo-di Sun & Sleep Shade:

This I bought because I saw some mums around town with them and it seemed to tick all the boxes. It's lightweight, fits into its own integrated pocket, has a mesh that's slightly coarser than the Prince Lionheart's Sunshade but feels gentle to the skin and it fits snuggly over the pram hood and seat, ensuring that the sun doesn't burn Sophie's feet. The Koo-di Shade gets mine and Sophie's whole-hearted thumbs up! Oh, and I like that it's a UK based company. :-)

The product description states:

"The compact  Pack-It Universal Sun and Sleep Shade is ideal for storing in the basket of a stroller or in your bag at all times to protect your little one from the sun, or just cover your stroller for a quiet nap. Fits most pushchairs including 3 wheelers. Easy to fit and adjust. Blocks 93% of all UVA and UVB rays. Handy pocket on the hood. Packs quickly and neatly into the integrated pocket. Machine washable."

Currently these two sites have a good offer on the Koo-di Shade, but it's probably best to research it who does at the time offer the best deal:

• Bubs Boutique 
• Tesco Direct 

What experience have you made to protect your baby from the sunshine? What pram shade solution works best for you? I'd like to hear from you..

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