#Whatsinyourhandbag

This post started out as a bit of fun and an entry into a competition run by MoneySupermarket.com but I’ve found it really interesting to tally up just what’s in my handbag!

There’s my handbag above, no-one who knows me will be surprised that it’s purple.

Lets start the tally….

Firstly, the handbag above, it’s by Ted Baker and I think it retailed at £120. I bought it with some John Lewis vouchers I won in a Waitrose monthly draw. Yes, jammy madam……kerching!

But what’s in it?

First up we have the iPads, one is mine, one is D’s. Mine is like an extension of my phone, D’s is more for leisure and calming activities. Retailed at £399 and £329 respectively….kerching!

Next is my phone, used for texts, tweeting, blogging, playing music and taking/making the occasional call too. I couldn’t be without it. Apple suggest a retail price of between £15-449 for an Apple 4s. I’d veer towards the higher end as it’s invaluable….kerching!

With my phone are my Bose headphones, cannot fault the sound quality. A present from Hubbie a while back. £69….kerching!

My purse: a Ted Baker present a couple of years ago. Think it was £99. I only tend to carry between £10-30 cash in there at any one time as I’m a take-the-cash-out-if-you-need-it-girl. So £129….kerching!

My sunglasses and glasses: I now have to wear a prescription and carry both pairs around due to our weather! Bought from Boots on a two-for-one deal. £189 + £25 insurance.

My keys: sentimental value obviously but to replace them all…?£50….kerching!

And lastly, Bunny (or @AutismBunny), she’s been with D since birth. Was £6.95 but is absolutely priceless. Similar sell on ebay for up to £20 but Bunny cannot be valued.

So, what’s in my handbag…..flipping heck! £1736.

Two obvious comments arising from this:

One, I’m pleased that we have individual items cover on our contest insurance and
Two, thank goodness Mr Bluecrisps hasn’t read this, otherwise he’d be hiring security!!

Fat Family Tree #WobblesWednesday

Even though it’s Thursday, I’m linking this in with the Wobbles Wednesday support group, founded by Kate at the nakedmum.co.uk as I found the programme very interesting.

Here’s the 4 on demand link to the programme.

I took some notes whilst I was watching, once a PA, always a PA and they’re below:

The programme focused on a mother and her two daughters, all overweight, with a family history of excessive weight. The grandchildren of the family were heading that way too unfortunately and bullying had already started.

The adult females had all gained weight from teens onwards and were concerned as they’d tried diets without success and there was a history of weight-related illnesses and deaths in the close family. The mother/grandmother had recently been told she was on the verge of diabetes, almost certainly weight-related.

The purpose of the programme was to look at the women’s genes and create a science-based diet that would (hopefully) reduce their weight and a lifestyle change that could both be adhered to and reduce the risk of weight-related illness.

The scientists were predominantly testing for “fat” genes which:

* affect how signals are sent to brain to say when full,
* genes that affect where you store fat, * genes that test how much pleasure you get from eating,
* genes that encourage over eating.

The test results agreed that the women had the “fat” genes and, as such, there was a high likelihood that the grandchildren did too.

The idea of the scientific diet was to reduce the amount of fat consumed and refined carbs which don’t create feeling of fullness.

The diet rules were:

1. Look out for hidden fat ie 3 tablespoons worth in granula cereal

2. Walking helps cut the amount of fat levels in the blood by up to 38%, take more steps!

3. If you must snack, go for fermenting carbs

Choose foods that will keep you fuller for longer.

Choose the right type of carbs, unrefined carbs ie porridge.

Refined carbs leave stomach quicker so you feel hungry quicker. Examples of refined carbs are white bread, white pasta, cake and crisps.
Change to: Fermenting carbs (gas producing!) as they keep you fuller for longer!

4. Drinks don’t trigger the fullness signals that food does, food stretches your stomach.

Eat your fruit rather than drink it.

So additionally: cut out the liquid calories because they do not fill you up.

The women all followed the diet for 4 months, all reported a weight loss and the mother/grandmother’s diabetes risk had gone.

I found the programme very interesting and the benefits and results for the women were very visible.

The Rules detailed above are certainly easy to follow and I know most people will think “aah, common sense” but the fact it was a scientific experiment made it interesting viewing.

Ecover sending out a “Message In Our Bottle”

Recycling is something we participate in actively in the Bluecrisps household. Plastics, tins, foil, paper, cardboard are all sorted and left out each week for the council workers to collect. Glass goes to the bottle banks. Plastic food wrapping and carrier bags are taken to the container in the supermarket and we attempt to re-use and up-cycle as much as possible. But however hard we try, we’re all responsible. Our materialistic chuck-it-away-and-get-another-one lifestyle isn’t helping the planet.

It’s frustrating when we walk past other houses on rubbish/recycling collection day and you can see the cardboard, the tins, the glass and the paper through their flimsy bin bags. Walk past the area near the local secondary school and the plastic bottles and rubbish are discarded carelessly, even though there are bins nearby and no doubt recycling facilities within school.

Our planet is so beautiful and we all need to preserve and nurture it for future generations. Any initiative that a household name commits to can only be a benefit, which is why I’m supporting wholeheartedly the Message In Our Bottle campaign with Ecover.

The information contained in the image below speaks for itself.

Cleaning the seas, one bottle at a time. Visit The-Splash for more information and to read our pledge.

I’ll be supporting Ecover’s aim to “clean the seas, one bottle at a time”, please join me, for all our sakes.