Advice for Mother of the Bride outfits for 2012

Having been asked to talk about this very important subject on local radio - how to find that perfect dress if you are attending a wedding this year 2012, I have listed my advice. Living in Guernsey has it's delights but we all know that finding clothes that flatter our figure, and look on trend is not an easy job. Just because we are of a certain age - thirties onwards doesn't suddenly mean we have to lose all sense of our style and fashion.

Read on, and do post any questions via our Guernsey Weddings Facebook - I will do my best to help:

So Carole Middleton seems to have made a good decision about her outfit - colouring, cut, hat, but not all of us are attending a royal wedding and we really have many choices when it comes to finding that perfect dress.

Top tips:

1. Make the experience enjoyable and not a chore. Start flicking through images in magasines, and online photos and create your own mood board. By putting together your choice of looks in a scrap book or large piece of paper is not only enjoyable, but you will soon see a pattern forming in terms of style and colour - sit back look at your newly created work of art and then the hunt begins.
2. Understand your perfect colour palette - what colours do you look healthy and glowing in, and which colours drain your face and age you.
3. Understand your proportions and body lines. I am talking about your larger and smaller areas in terms of shoulders waist, and legs, and also we need to understand where we have curves or no curves. We can create illusions with colour to create larger and smaller focus, we can create a more flattering effect by choosing stiffer fabric or drapier fabric.
4. Now armed with more of an understanding about your body shape and colouring, you can now approach online shopping or local shops by ignoring half the choices immediately - those colours that will not suit you, and the cut and fabrics and necklines that would not flatter you.
5. Trends for this summer 2012, pastels, florals, mixing plain jackets with floral dress (if you like this look). Aqua is a great colour is is coral (but coral only suits people with a warmth to their skin, hair or eyes).
6. A general rule, avoid anything too short, bright or tight, Use accessories to add brighter colours.
7. Hats are in, recent news is that fascinators are out, but smaller hats are the way forward.

If you have spare cash to invest in yourself ( as a mother of the bride) or if you want to treat your mum to a one to one consultation then do contact me. Every client of mine receives their personal style file with best colours, fabrics, and cuts. They can also have a one to one shopping trip, and if there really is nothing to find in Guernsey I will provide my clients with a suggested online shopping guide in terms of their budget, style and occasion. Inspire others if your mum had her outfit spot and and contact me directly with a photo and I will upload to the www.guernseyweddings.co.uk.

Good luck

Julie

My top 10 reasons why running changed my life

Well here's a thing, running can change your life !

You don't have to be born a runner, or as light as a feather, or one of those people who is just naturally thin, leggy and light on your feet - running is for anyone who wants to make a DRAMATIC change to their lives.

I started to run when I decided to teach my eldest son (now almost 20years old) how to ride his bike, little did I know that my thighs would end up fitting into a size 10 in clothes.......

My top 10 reasons why running did indeed change my life (and I could go on to a lot more):

1. Thin thighs - so I can wear what I want to whenever I want to
2. Greater confidence - you look a lot better, wear what you want.......dress to impress
3. Feeling of personal achievement
4. Goals and results - half marathons, Race for Life (even when 28 weeks pregnant
5. Weight loss - and now I can be pretty relaxed about what I eat and drink now 2.5 stone lighter than I used to be
6. Energy - lots and lots of energy - so much so that I am now a qualified personal trainer and choose to spend hours each day running, and weight training my clients - many of who are many years younger than me

Energy - I am obsessed by that word and I wan't you to become as excited as I am about ENERGY !

ENERGY brings about far more than I ever thought possible. For me personal success beyond what I ever thought possible...

Formally a Director in finance - working in the finance industry for 19 years I fundamentally believe that those with energy stand a far higher chance of career progression - when you ooze energy when you walk in that door it is infectious to those around you - sorry this is a subject for another day - part of my fitness and performance consultancy work now leads me into driving energy into teams and businesses to take their businesses to a new level !!!








Back to running:

7. Lower stress levels - I used to suffer from that knotted stomach when things became stressful - a half an hour run cures me every time
8. Reduction in my asthma
9. A focus when life becomes somewhat repetitive
10. An ability to go to a spinning class full of 20 somethings and keep up with them all....

I run small group and one to one running sessions to pass on "the running bug" - one pair of running shoes, a good running bra (for the girls) and baggy pants and a TShirt is all you need to have to get started.

I urge you to consider your goals and needs: Fitter body, better health, less stress, new focus, new hobby, new partner, new conversation, new friends, a reason to cut down on the wrong food, a reason to cut down on the booze, a reason to travel to take part in a race, a reason to buy a new pair of running shoes, a reason to feel proud of whatever effort you put in by just getting your feet across the doorstep even for 10 minutes....................At least think about this, and let me know how you get on.

Good luck

How can I lose weight and tone up for my Wedding Day

As some of you may know I own Guernsey Weddings online directory - all good fun seeing newly engaged couples and advertising all of our wonderful local wedding providers.

What do brides and grooms do to get fitter, lose fat, and tone up for that big day? So often I have seen brides to be (sorry girls more often than not the girls rather than the guys) starving themselves - through stress or just thinking that is the easiest way to look stunning in the dress.

Anyone ever looked back at the wedding photos thinking look how thin you were and then realising that very quickly when you started to eat again that you have put on extra pounds (if you are lucky) as it could be stones)?

Weight loss/ fat loss is achievable if you review your intake of calories - adjust whilst always respecting the fact that your body needs protein, carbohydrates and fats (all be it in a control planned manner), increasing your bodies ability to burn off calories whilst merely living, and doing regular exercise.

So simple, so why revert to starvation as a sensible option??

By merely setting out a plan, reviewing your calorie intake, adjusting the level of carbohydrates you consume (usually the big offender), eliminating alcohol (I know but it's a real baddy in a number of ways and a whole subject for future discussion), and following a resistance training, cardio training and interval training plan, you will reach your desired results.

Make it fun, prepare your fitness journal, work with your friends/ family members and start now.

I myself used to be a size 16, now a size 10 - so what's the secret?

I had a goal, and I created a visual journal as to how I wanted to look. OK I then qualified as a personal trainer and spend a large amount of my time teaching my clients how to run, and the huge body changing effects resistance training has on your body - you don't need to change your career to get the same results as me - just take action !

Join me on my up and coming workshops to create your own pre wedding weight loss journal, learn about my fast track fat loss and inch loss program and then watch the inches drop off.

Email julie@partneredsolutions.co.uk for the dates

How can I help you lose weight and fast

Whether you are considering joining a gym, hiring a personal trainer or training in the privacy of your own home or garden you need to understand how fast weight loss and increased fitness works.

I see too many people training in the wrong way, wasting time focussing on the wrong exercises and diets, and then giving up within a matter of weeks (if that) because the results are just not happening.

So how do you get from this photo to this delightfully thin and toned body (ok I have chosen an extreme example but you get what I mean).

1. You need a plan - what are you trying to achieve - yes a challenge is good but let's be realistic we each have a body shape so let's focus on how to achieve the results that are achievable. I like to use visuals for this part of the goal setting - words pictures- this is your own journal and can be updated and read as often as you want to.
2. You need to listen to the experts - there is a science to a fast fat loss program - 3 simple steps and once understood your calorie intake, and training plan will be designed for you, and based on your current fitness levels (there is a trick here though - your fitness will improve very quickly and that's why we need to progress your training plan)
3. You need to get started - safe and effective training plans to follow, to own and to measure against
4. You need to monitor your progress - keep reviewing your progress - small steps but capture your daily successes

My role is to help you understand what to do, and why you are doing it. My role is to help keep you on track, celebrate your achievements and re set your plans, and of course to demonstrate what exercises you need to do, and the safest way to avoid injury.

To clarify why I call myself a fitness and performance consultant as opposed to a personal trainer is to emphasise that 70% at least of my role is in education and motivation - the other 30% is walking, running, boxing, resistance training, ab training and of course the love of my life TRX training.

My message to you today - yes consider what environment suits you best, but give careful consideration to signing up to a new gym membership until you are clear on your goals....

Email julie@partneredsolutions.co.uk to request your goal setting questionnaire, to enquire about my 7 week kick start to weight loss workshops, or to enquire about my one to one and small group fitness and weight loss sessions