I watched a new film this weekend, called 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. Just kidding, it came out in 1993, but I did watch it for the first time this weekend. If you haven't seen it, it was Tim Burton's last good film (CONTROVERSIAL) and it's set in a place called Halloween Town. The inhabitants are witches, ghosts, monsters, generally creepy creatures and they live every day as Halloween. This is until the anti-hero, Jack Skellington (pictured above) discovers anothe

You did, didn't you! And I'm pleased you did. Short one today: Life doesn't always need to be lived within the lines. Neither does it have to be conducted in the same way as your neighbour. Or your boss at work. Or that guy in the gym. Find your natural rhythm and [hang on, this is getting into hippy shit territory] RECALIBRATING........... Just because a magazine (fitness or otherwise) says something is true, it really doesn't mean it is. That's better. Stop doin

Dear Father Chestmas, I hope you are well. As someone who is also elf-employed (sorry, couldn't resist), I appreciate your time is precious, so I won't keep you. I have been a really good boy this year, helping lots of people get fit and strong as well as helping some new people begin their journey to a Fitter You (gotta crowbar the brand in somewhere). I also believe I've been helping the good people of my mailing list with their mindset and just to feel good in genera

I know I have. How much are you paying for your gym membership? Is it in the budget range? £20 a month? Mid-level at around £45? Or are you splurging on a premium chain at £100+ a month? Now how many times a month on average are you using it? However, let's not bore each other with the maths, because: A: We are not Carol Vorderman and B: It's not just about that When you walk into your gym, are you greeted by someone who knows your name, uses it (and remembers the

This is so simple to do, though it may take a few goes to make it stick. It's this: Just remember, that no-one is actually looking at you. If you're feeling self-conscious, think about how you feel and realise that everyone else is feeling exactly the same. EXACTLY. THE. SAME. So while you may have opened this email thinking it had a workout for your 'stubborn areas' or worse still, that it was going to body-shame you in some way (I will never EVER write emails that d

Just saw 'Arrival' and it was very good indeed. I love thoughtful sci-fi (actually I love dumb sci-fi too), but this is a high quality, intelligent movie. Very quick summary: Spaceships arrive on earth Something inside them is trying to communicate with us Amy Adams plays an amazing translator who is called on to interpret whatever is being 'said' That's it Only it's not Even though the US Army calls Amy Adams in, they're under lots of pressure from the top brass who quickl

We're regularly 'sold' stories of overnight successes. Uber. AirBnB. Deliveroo. The TOWIE 'star' who lost two stone in a month. The thing is, it just isn't true. The company/person/thing either worked insanely hard for a good few years before breaking through to mass success, or they faked it, and lied to you. But the behind-the-scenes parts of both versions of these routes to success aren't pretty, sexy or that exciting, so all we see are their fast-tracked race

I had such an amazing response to the first collection of salads I shared, that I had to do some more - and don't say I never listen! Two people asked for fishy ones, so you have three fish options here (and one beef, because it's my blog). Bon appetit!