When it comes to health and fitness, personally I've always been a fan of the notion that wearing three-inch heels helps to strengthen your calf muscles, in the same way that carrying a Celine tote, filled to the brim, helps to define your biceps or Acne jeans, worn a little too tight, transform the motion of sitting down into a stomach-clenching lunge.
Obviously, I'm joking. I've run a fair few marathons and run like a bat-out-of-hell several times a week. That is, of course, until now. Recently, a steady body of research including Swedish, Dutch and American health studies, has indicated that those individuals who frequently undertake prolonged periods of exertion might, in fact, live shorter lives than those who enjoy moderate exercise. This theory and the recent smog in London, supposedly caused by desert dust from the Sahara, has proved enough temptation for me to temporarily stop pounding the pavements in favour of supper at The Folly. Drama queen? Maybe. I've also stocked up on natural, all-in-one supplements from UnBEElievable Health which are said to support the body's well-being and immunity during times of fitness training, illness and stress.
In the absence of as much lymphatic-boosting cardio and under the guise of 'research' I'm relying on Skinny Tan, a revolutionary new product which is 100 per cent natural. It combines the ingredients of a firming lotion and a tanning agent to tone and bronze overnight.
You could be forgiven for thinking I'm enjoying the momentary fitness break, but I recently came across the work of Carole Ann Rice and The Real Coaching Company which is a gateway to motivation and healthy living. Far from prompting corporate types to don flowery robes and dance around a campfire on Hampstead Heath with credit cards symbolically encased in concrete, Carole works on a practical level to give encouragement and support for those craving change or fulfilment: Usually, clients contact her with career-related woes, or issues which are tied to a lack of confidence, but telephone and face-to-face sessions have seen sedentary City workers down tools and complete Iron Man-style triathlons on the side, just for fun.
Brits - and honorary Brits - will like her just as much as our transatlantic cousins, as she's good - and very funny.
A tip for you however, is not to suggest to a friend that she may need a life coach, however good your intentions. She will not thank you for it. My idea that a few sessions might help T keep an open-mind on the dating scene (which invariably bores her and reduces her to tears with equal frequency and in turn, has been known to bore me and reduce me to tears) went as follows:
T: (standard love life related woe)
Me: "Would you ever consider seeing a life coach?"
T: "Is he attractive?"
Me: "No, for advice. To help you figure out what you want."
T: "Oh."
Me: "So would you?"
T: "If he was attractive."
...I am glad she misunderstood.