I’ve had a problem with alcohol for as long as I can remember. My first drink was a sip of the froth from the top of my dad’s Colt 45, aged 6. My parents always drank at home, daily, wine with dinner, liqueur coffees, it was the norm.

My parents were devout yet hypocritical Jehovahs Witnesses, I was brought up with very strict rules like I couldn’t socialise with anyone outside of the religion.  We didn’t celebrate Christmas, birthdays, valentines, easter, bonfire night, nothing, zilch, zero. My mum was very ill and I was her carer from a very young age. My dad was a violent man, I was abused in many ways.

Unsurprisingly living in this sort of environment I developed eating disorders as my weight was the only thing I felt able to have any control over. The drinking picked up pace from about age fifteen, mainly to make me feel brave or to make me forget.

I met my knight in shining armour at sixteen through work, I fell deeply in love and doted on him, couldn’t imagine a future withou...

If you have been a party girl for a significant time, going alcohol free can seem a bit daunting.

Initially you probably take a break from alcohol because you need to, because you feel like you are drinking too much, and you have found yourself asking questions like "I drink a bottle of wine every night am I an alcoholic?". Or you feel shit, sick of the hangovers, spending way too much money, the feelings of not quite remembering what happened, embarrassment, the wasted days, the list goes on.  So, you are fired up, motivated, you can do a month and you feel great.

I have been drinking too much and I want to stop. What next?

If you are used to going out every weekend and having a fully booked social calendar; this can feel like a big lifestyle change.

I know, I have been there.  Always a party to go to, always something to celebrate, often drinking too much, the whole year booked up.

When you stop usually you don’t hang out with your old friends so much. Particularly if they all s...

Hello to all the personal trainers out there, I need to tell you something.

Quite frankly a lot of you are making a massive mistake and doing your customers a disservice.

I am guessing you do this job because you want to help people get fitter, feel healthier and happier, right?

All of that stuff?

I have seen quite a few blogs and posts recently from different trainers advising how to incorporate alcohol into your fitness programme.  I mean seriously, come on.

Just read that sentence. Yes, Personal Trainers and Fitness Experts teaching their customers how to still drink alcohol and achieve their fitness goals.  I wonder if they would say its ok to eat a cream cake everyday if you want to lose weight?

Personal trainers listen up.  There is nothing in alcohol that has any use for us.

I know you have heard about the anti-oxidants in the red wine and you have been telling your customers its ok to drink red wine because of this.

Let’s get this straight. For you to gain the benefits ...

When you stop drinking or take a break from booze, if you are not careful it can feel like you are depriving yourself.

This is not the point.

I know for some, there will be a period of time when you may need to just stay away from the action and get your head down.  That’s ok for a few weeks, well even a few months if it’s been a big issue.  In fact, if it’s a big issue. You know, a big health scare, serious depression, anxiety, affected relationship or criminal record. I would advise that you do stay away from alcohol altogether for as long as possible.

That’s doesn’t mean you can’t have treats though, reward yourself.

This is so important.

The “I have had a hard day with the kids, a hard day at work, I need a drink” feeling. I deserve it I have worked hard, this Is for me. You know the type of thinking.

You’ve taken the booze away so what are you going to do instead.

If you don’t put anything else in, trust me, you are going to get pissed off and reach for the bottle.

Now the...

Dealing with weddings alcohol free or at least not getting hammered.

I feel like all year round is wedding season these days. I’ve never been a massive fan of them, some of them go on so long. It’s all the waiting around for the next thing to happen that gets me

I don’t go to many as I have a mostly alternative friendship group where they are not married. I’m not even sure if we are that alternative anymore as less people are getting married.

I have had a few this year, weddings that is.

All very different, which is nice.

What’s clear is weddings are a massive boozy affair. Some more than others, I would love to see an alcohol-free wedding.  If you have been to one or are planning one let me know.

Anyway, because I have been to a few it’s got me thinking about how to enjoy a wedding without being carried out on a stretcher, and remembering what happened after 6pm.

Alcohol Free.

Let’s tackle the alcohol free one first.  Maybe you have taken a break or stopped completely and y...

Last week in my facebook groups we have been talking a lot about how to change how you feel.

Well, let’s face it; we will be talking about this regularly I think.

This isn’t the case for everyone, but bare with me.  You have had a bad day, an argument with your partner, a run in with your boss or your teenager is being a teenager.  Anyway, life happens, stuff happens, sometimes every day and it can provoke negative feelings in us.

If you have been a drinker or a drug user, then you could have got into the habit of pouring a glass of wine to take the edge off a bad moment or day to change how you feel.

It’s quick, it’s effective.  It doesn’t take much effort or planning.  You may not even realise you are doing it for that reason.

You open the bottle, pour a glass, take a sip and you feel better, or you forget.

But maybe you have reached the point where alcohol isn’t your friend anymore.  You have had enough. Enough of the hangovers, feeling like rubbish, drinking too much and n...

We need to talk about this, because people get really upset.

It’s one of those things that people don’t want to talk about.  I get it, no one wants to say they messed up.  People feel like they are a failure.  There are so many negative words and feelings attached to this.

People call these events relapses, slips, going backwards etc. Lots of horrible, negative words that make us feel bad. 

Here’s the thing, we are not perfect and life isn’t perfect.

Very few people actually give up something and then never do it again.  Even people who are incredible healthy, healthy eaters and fitness lovers etc. eat ice cream from time to time, or have a take away.

Abstinence, for some people is the only way but for most people it won’t be.

When you first stop drinking, or whatever your poison is.  Maybe you will have set a goal.

You could be planning to stop for 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, a year or even alcohol free for life.  Whatever time frame you have set, there is a chance that you will...

We need to talk about sleep and relaxation or down time.  I don’t mind what you call it.

Those of you that know me, know I do a lot of work with women.  Women of all ages and all walks of life.

Women with partners, husbands, children, caring for older relatives, career women, you name it there is every type of woman in there.

There are a few common themes that come up a lot.

One of them is feeling tired and before anyone says anything, I know I know, I am one of the worst for pushing myself and keeping myself going.  That also puts me in a good place to talk about it because I know.

I feel like we have been sold something that is unattainable.  You know the “ we can have everything dream”.  Now don’t get me wrong, if you want everything you can have everything if it’s that important to you and I am not going to stop you.  But it’s not real, let’s be clear, no one can do everything and be everything.

It’s a funny world we live in.  Some of us have to work, we may already have chil...

Or Alcohol free grown up drinks as I call them.

For the first time ever I am quite excited about the range of alcohol free drinks on offer.

Maybe they have been there all the time and it’s just me living in a cave in Devon.  But it seems like the world is getting the idea.

Some of us don’t want to drink alcohol, well actually more of us all the time.  How exciting is that.

But as we know, the range of alcohol free drinks has been a little bit poor , even terrible if you are not sugar mad.  Let’s face it pretty much all soft drinks are very sugary.  Which I am not a fan of.  After a while your mouth gets a bit furry.

I hear rumours though that some of these aren’t too sweet and taste like they may be suitable for grown-ups.

Purchasing them in your local supermarket may still be an issue.  But the fact that they are there means someone has thought about us, it’s a step in the right direction. And we can buy it off the internet. Actually, if you like one, pester your supermarket to ...

I recently I asked my audience what can I help you with the most?

The biggest thing you want is more top tips for quitting.

I know I go on about booze a lot, for so many reasons, but essentially these tips can be translated for any substance that is causing you a problem in your life today.

I have many favourites as you know.

Eat healthy foods, don’t drink or take drugs, exercise, sleep, spend time with the people you love, laugh, be in nature.  You know all the simple things that we know work.  Fundamentals I call them.  Get your basics in place.

If you have trouble getting your basics in please work with a suitably experienced and qualified coach.  Seriously it will really help and save you so much time.

Are you ready, drum roll………

My number 1 tip for when you take a break, or stop using anything is get out there and do something different.

I mean it really.

I know it’s tough when you first stop and the last thing you want to do is meet and be with new people that don’t drin...