Keeping fit and keeping it fun!

Hi all!

Many of you know I have recently lost weight using Diet Chef (check out our online brand page for more info). I have also taken up some light exercise in the form of belly dancing! It's so much fun. It's women only, all ages, all shapes and sizes and it has a very interesting history.

Belly-dancing exercise

Many people think of belly dancing in an erotic or titillating way but its origins are a far cry from today's Westernised view of it. It was originally done in a long kaftan-like robe and only in front of same sex groups. It has evolved and branched out in different directions like all things do.

The classes I go to are based on original Egyptian belly dancing. They put on shows regularly and I have been invited to take part in a dance display in November at the Ashcroft Theatre in Croydon! I haven't yet decided if I am brave enough to bare my belly and shimmy my stuff but watch this space and I'll let you know.

Old photographs

I was looking through some old piccies and getting all soppy about my little babies who are not little babies anymore, being 15 and 17 now, when I came across this photo (right).

It really made me chuckle, not least because of the hideous decor - it was not my choice! Just one of the drawbacks of rental properties! Tom and Chrissie were pretty inseparable when they were small and they wanted to do everything I did.

You can see me using baked bean tins as weights and my creative son using his Thomas the Tank Engine trains. My girly Chrissie chose Barbie dolls as her weights. It just made me smile seeing it again. It also brought a little tear to my eye to think they're growing up so fast. Jeez, I love my bonkers kids so much. Just love 'em and wanted to share.

So what do you do to keep fit? Have you taken up some unusual form of fitness or dance? I 'd really love to hear from you.

See you soon!

Love,
Catherine x

Reunited!

Hi everyone!

In my life time I've always moved around and been to countless schools but the one I definitely have the most memories of is my dance school from back in the 80s.

I left home at fifteen to join the Melody Urquhart Master School where we lived-in and learned all sorts about variety performance. I was soon being sent out on assignments at holiday camps, cabarets and abroad dancing my little socks off (take a look at me in Pontins when I was 15, right).

Well, the last time I saw most of the people from MUMS was around twenty years ago. Thanks to our fab music teacher, Tony Young, we have been reunited at last. We spent a whole weekend reminiscing, having girly chats 'til the wee small hours and dancing 'til we dropped (see top left)!

The long-awaited Diet Chef programme

It's been seen on TV, talked about on the radio, featured in magazines and newspapers, and it's coming to QVC at the best price imaginable! We'll have a whopping saving as opposed to buying direct from Diet Chef, for a month's programme!

Does it work?

Saving money means nothing if it doesn't work though, so does it work? Well I have to say I've been massively impressed with not just my weight loss but the inch loss! Inches from my bust, hips, waist and thighs have melted away and the feedback from my colleagues who trialed it has been the same too!

Join us on Monday

You'll get to see several of our before and after piccies during the presentations on Monday 24th August when the diet is launched. Kathy Tayler's piccies are phenomenal!

I'll be with you for the midnight show on Monday morning and then 4pm and 7pm later in the day on Monday. I can't wait to show this system off.

How does it work?

It's so simple. It's like having a personal chef, like the celebs do! All your meals and snacks are delivered to you. All you have to add is a bit of fresh fruit and veg. I like that there's hardly any washing-up to do, too. Lazy me, eh?

Seriously though, I've had people asking me repeatedly how I've lost this weight and when the diet is coming so here you are.

The wait (and the weight) is almost over!

See you then! Lots of love,

Catherine xx

Find out more in our Diet Chef forum

Ailments galore at Chez Huntley!

Well, what a week or two it has been! The cats are currently the only beings in this house without some kind of affliction.

My eyes had been very irritated for the past couple of weeks so I went to see my optician when they had gotten quite swollen, light sensitive and were causing headaches. I was started on antibiotic eye drops and packed off to the eye casualty department at my local hospital.

I'm told it's some sort of adverse allergic reaction to something. I'm now on steroid eye drops for a week and desperately hoping I've not suddenly developed a severe allergy to cats! Having four of them, that would be quite a big problem but I think I'd look quite fetching in one of those head-to-toe anti-contamination suits!

Race for Life 2009 - running for Marcelle

Hi everyone, I just wanted to share with you that I have signed up for this year's Race for Life. Like so many people I've lost family members to cancer and my aunt is currently battling breast cancer.

I am taking part this year specifically in memory of a brave lady, Marcelle (left), who lost her battle with cancer in December. It has to be every parent's worst nightmare to contemplate leaving their young children but that is what so many parents have to face up to.

This was Marcelle's situation and so, in tribute to her and in support of her children, Charlotte, Sam and Taylor, I'm asking for your donations and/or participation in this very important fundraising event. I'd love to see you there if you can make it, please come say hi if you see me.

I shall be there with Marcelle's closest friends and we plan to have a fun and uplifting day in her honour. I certainly won't be doing any 'racing' though, I'm told it's fine to saunter, it's not a marathon. This is a relief as I came last out of all the girls in my school in cross country when I was about thirteen!

I'll remind you again nearer the time but feel free to sign up or donate anytime, even the smallest amount can make the biggest difference. Please check the Race for Life website for more information.

Love Catherine x

Pilates, Pixie and Popsie, and Paul McKenna

Welcome to my very own shiny new blog! A new blog for a new year.

This year I have made a few resolutions and, so far, I'm doing well to stick with them. The main one was to make more of an effort to spend time with family and friends as time slips away too fast.

I know this only too well after the loss of Steve's grandfather over Christmas and then, less than two weeks ago, my grandmother passed away too.

It makes you realise that life is very precious and we ought to give ourselves the best chance at a happy, healthy and fulfilled life. This leads me on to another resolution and that is to get back on my pilates machine (even my cats are excited about it!) and to get those Paul McKenna CDs and DVDs back into my routine.