skinny latte strikes back: the podcast + giveaway!!

Hello friends!

2011 has been full of surprises for me so far - and so I thought I would give you guys one too :)

Welcome to my very first podcast!

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Finally, a chance for you to hear the voice behind the blog.....oh, don't hold your breath though!  I don't think I am the most natural of presenters, but hey, it's all a bit of fun.  No point sitting back in life and thinking "I'd like to give that a go," and then never doing it :)

The special guest on my very first podcast is health writer Hazel Courteney, who I was privileged to meet in London a few weeks ago.  She has just released a new, fully revised update of her book 500 of the Most Important Health Tips You Will Ever Need.  Hazel has an amazing story - she spent most of her early life chronically ill and led a very unhealthy lifestyle, until she had her penny-drop moment where she knew things needed to change.  She started researching natural and alternative therapies to heal herself, and in doing so, realised that so many conditions can be prevented with the right information and education.  Since then she's gone on to become of the UK's most popular and respected health writers.  She believes in common sense, looking after ourselves and enjoying life - my kind of person, really :)

I had a great time chatting to Hazel and quite easily could have sat with her all day - the woman really is a fountain of knowledge!

And, the Nutri Centre (where the launch was held) is a mecca for health nuts!!  Yoga books!  DVDs!  Shelves and shelves of every vitamin and mineral you can think of!  If you live in London, go, go go!

The book is one of those "dip in, dip out" compendiums, perfect for nutrition nerds (!), and anyone interested in being a bit of a health detective, wanting to explore some more alternative ways of optimising their health.  I really like Hazel's ethos of self responsibility when it comes to our health and well being.  It's amazing what you can do when you're really determined.  Finding the motivation from somewhere deep inside you, the you that wants to live your best life possible, that is what makes lifestyle changes stick for the long term.  I cannot tell you how much my life has improved since making that decision to sort my life out and get happy and healthy - well, I can, and have, in about 1000 blog posts over the years!

You have to want to do it for you.  You can't do it because you think you "should", or to please other people. I know that this is the most cliched thing I could possibly say.  I know you've probably heard it many, many times before.  But believe me, there is a difference between being told you must do it for yourself, and actually arriving at that moment where you KNOW you must.  Sometimes you won't realise that moment has come - it feels like any other time you've stood on the scales, been horrified and thought I'm sorting this out once and for all.....


But in the meantime, why not be happy?  Why not start filling your life with things that will bring you joy?  Start savouring.  Stop watching everyone else have all the fun.  Don't think you have to wait.  Explore.  Laugh.  Take risks.  Go to the travel agents and book a holiday.  Go to a library and spend all day there reading, or to a gallery and lose yourself in someone else's thoughts.  Breathe.  Look around.  Dream.  Think big.  Don't settle.  You deserve to be happy.

*****GIVEAWAY ALERT ********GIVEAWAY ALERT*****

Hazel Courteney has very kindly given me a signed copy of her book that we discuss in the podcast to give away to one lucky reader of this here blog!  All you have to do is leave a comment (please make sure your email address is in there somewhere if you don't have a blog or a blogger profile).  If you're a lurker, this is the perfect time to say hello!  Just say hi, tell me where you're from, and what you might like me to talk about in the next podcast (if you think this one is any good!)

The giveaway is open to all my beloved readers, worldwide.  I will draw a winner on Friday 18th February 2011 at 6PM UK time.  So get cracking!!

Thanks for reading - and listening!!!! :) x

PS: A huge thank you to my wonderful husband for helping me!