The Inbetweeners

It's that time of year when we all feel a bit in limbo! Those few sacred days between Christmas and New Year when we are still munching mince pies, picking at leftovers and too many chocs but finding time to research the latest detox, promising not to drink a thing after Jan 1st, and go for that much needed run! Oooh if only it weren't so cold, wet, miserable. I am just going to keep curled up on the sofa with mugs of tea and shortbread until New Years Eve, when I shall get dolled up in glitter and party until the cows come home. I am of course, making up for the lousy Christmas I just had. Knocked sideways by the worst bug ever (at one stage we thought it was the dreaded S Flu!), I am now looking forward to 2011 and all it has to offer. I am determined to be fighting fit and having started knocking back the Monavie too! My poor husband who didn't receive one gift from me, as I was too ill to go shopping, needs some TLC.

We have some great gifts for our sugar VIP's which shall be reaching them by the end of Jan along with their VIP cards. This is the 3rd lot of cards we have had designed ladies. Thank you for your patience but they were just not quite right. Now we have exactly what we wanted and are excited about the offers in store for our members. From vouchers at Bordello, to a free "vintage" style session at Love Is Boutique, it's well worth becoming a member of the club.

January events kick off on 12th in Eastbourne , we shall then be in London (Kensington) on 19th, followed by Hastings and Tunbridge Wells. The theme is all New Year New You, a chance to get back on track, become who you really want to be and maybe try your hand at a new interest or hobby. It will be great to see so many sugar ladies again. We have missed you.
sugargroup has also been asked by the Federation of Small Businesses to meet with an MEP to discuss what women really want in the workplace. How exciting. More news on that shall be tweeted shortly!

It leaves us to say, HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE and may all your wishes and dreams for 2011 come true.

VaVaVoom a la Hoxton

A HUGE thank you to everyone who came along to Hoxton Hotel last night. We had a great time. Rag & Bow vintage were fabulous and it is always lovely to hear the gorgeous Hazel speak about her great concept. Rag&Bow can be taken to any home, office, party or club so if you are interested in hosting a pop up vintage shopping experience, do let us know. Nicci was the lucky winner of the great vintage clutch.

What can we say about Bordello?! The lingerie is just divine and the girls sexy in a great "girlfriend chat about anything way"! Not intimidating, just very knowledgeable about all things booby and busty, sexy or comfy.......bra measurements were up for grabs, and they were very generous giving us all a voucher to go spend on something delicious in the boudoir! Amy won a pair of sexy panties, which i am sure she will have a lot of fun with.

Thank you to all our guest speakers and do remember to try things out and let us know how you get on. For more info regarding anything on offer last night, do get in touch.

More groups to attend include Brighton on November 3rd at She Said for style, sushi, art and more plus Eastbourne on 10th November at the Cavendish Hotel where we shall be talking all things "geeky" with the web guys from Rockett media. Tunbridge Wells see us at Love Boutique on 24th November for vintage stylin.

Watch this space too for news of our Christmas Parties...........

xoxoxoxox

Autumn news

Thank you for all your lovely comments re the group and our recent articles. We are expanding as you know with a great launch in Brighton on 30th September, that showcased some amazing talent. We are looking forward to the next one on November 3rd........

Hoxton Hotel is the destination for our Big Pink Party with lingerie and bra fittings from Bordello, pink bubbles for Tsarine and delicious canapes.

In a few weeks we shall have a new website. We are excited and our new site shall showcase all that sugargroup has to offer plus amazing news from our members. Do join as a VIP to get the full benefit from the group. In addition, we are taking some space in sunny Shoreditch to complement our offices by the sea. Do pop by if you are passing either one, it would be lovely to see you!

xoxoxox

Busy summer.......

Well, it's certainly cooling down outside but we are hotting up at sugar HQ! There is just so much going on right now; all good stuff. We are busy organising events for our ladies and kicking off with a bit of a do at Hye House, in the East Sussex countryside. Join us for a lunch amongst the vineyards of this beautiful country spa and retreat. Come and take a peek and see what's inside. The House offers a full range of treatments, detox programmes and diets, to get you feeling ship shape. If that all sounds just a little bit too good for you, you can try out the wine on offer and be a little naughty!

We are then back to Space NK soho for a Autumn treat with colour, style and make up tips for the new season. All accompanied by bubbles and canapes......these are a few of our favourite things.....Brighton is our next area for sugarladies, closely followed by Eastbourne and Tunbridge Wells and a lot more London events too.

sugargroup were recently asked to take part in a media roundtable at the Haymarket Hotel. As well as making good friends with the lovely journalists, we met with some charming men folk: Ollie Chivers from T-Mobile, picked up tips from Andrew Cave of the Federation of Small Businesses as well as Tim Campbell; winner of the Apprentice who has now launched the initiative; Bright Ideas that will give 1 million per year to aspiring young entrepreneurs. Bikeworks were also present; the brains behind this imaginative social enterprise Dave and Jim are charming. Read more about what they do at www.bikeworks.org.uk Sugargroup has also featured in www.startups.co.uk follow the link to read more at http://www.startups.co.uk/6678842907676452835/sugargroup-geraldine-brooks.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Our VIP ladies have just been invited to a little party on September 1st with a very lovely celebritiy chef. He has just launched a great place in the East Sussex countryside and sugargroup will be there. It's never too late to become part of the club........click on the VIP section.

On a personal note our fitness regime is on holiday....oh dear. Roll on September so we can get back on track. It's time to pack away the sarong ladies put never fear, we're thinking boots, coats and cardi are the perfect cover up!

Bye for now......

Summer sugar news

It's all happening at sugarhouse......we are busy arranging lots of exciting events for our ladies once they return tanned, toned and beach gorgeous! Yes, the summer is upon us and although we shall not be meeting in August do not fret, we shall all be getting together again in September.

Our Hastings and Bexhill group has an exciting event to look forward to at the Old Rectory which shall shortly be known as the New Luxurious Gorgeous Rectory! Yes, the owners of the fabulous Swan House in the Old Town have taken over this historic property and are creating something delicious and much needed in the area, and sugargroup will be there first to have a nose! Join us in September ............. keep an eye out on line for date and time.

In addition; our lovely Brighton duo Rachel Gedney and Lynda Thain are launching sugargroup Brighton and Hove. Their launch party is taking place at a divine organic eco spa, with organic drinks and canapes to complement the surroundings.....the toe polishes on offer are as close as you can get to "au natural", imagine baby blue or purple toes that are actually good for you!

London will see an exciting event that's vintage and more tea vicar! The "almost famous" but very adorable Angel Adoree recently featured on Dragon's Den and in the Times Sunday Style mag, shall be helping us host a decadent vintage tea - iced earl grey laced with gin anyone?! There will also be clothes, vintage make up and style tip, so if you are nostalgic for the Goodwood Vintage weekend visited in August, September's London event will soon put you back "in the mood!"

Sugargroup is expanding fast with groups in Brighton and Hove, Eastbourne and Tunbridge Wells. We are also hosting VIP events in London. These will be special events with a key guest speaker and are open to our sugarclub members only.........don't miss out, so roll up roll up and join up and let the circus begin! Click on the VIP section of our website for membership details - cost is only 50 quid for the year and includes an on line profile, so you can blow your trumpets ladies as loud as you wish.

PR for the group is picking up too.....sugargroup was recently interviewed by the Mail on Sunday for on article on networking and the T Mobile Challenge. We are now lovin the Blackberry and are keeping on top of the admin, much to the delight of our sugarladies!!!! sugargroup shall also be featuring on BNet; the online business forum for management and entrepreneurs.........

Remember ladies, we are growing thick and fast and want to have feedback so we can give you what you want. Shortly our VIP members shall have their say in what they would like from the group. Hope you like our stylish new logo, sugar's growning up, check it out on the website, we hope you love it!

Have a perfect summer of cloudless skies, warm seaside days, and laughter and see you in September x

I have been chosen to take part in the T Mobile Business Nonsense Campaign......to work from different locations each day, break business conventions, norms and rulesand take part in 'Mobile Communications Challenges'
Over the week I shall be set numerous tasks to complete using a Blackberry; a device that is NOT touch screen.
Getting used to the equipment is the hardest thing. The buttons are small and I have the desire to keep touching the screen to no avail....
So, with Blackberry in hand on Friday night after a two hour meeting with the folks at Brands2life; I got to work. First things first; I turned it on! That was a great achievement. I then sent a text and called my husband from my other phone (touch screen!) to make sure he had received it. He had and he replied. So far so good......
James at Brands2life has told me to download as many apps as I wish...um, like a kid in a sweet shop I browse through Blackberry App world....don't really fancy Scoremobile after Englands' recent performance, or Brazil World footy, there's Smarter Wallpaper, Call Time Tracker so I can log calls, capture more time and track billable hours. Wow, how did I cope before?! There's ebay, facebook and twitter - now we're talking. One that is interesting is the Business Card reader, perfect for my sugargroup event tonight at One Alfred Place - I can be terribly techno and take a business card, photograph it and all the data will magically appear in my database.....if only I get to download the app!

On a plus note I have "tweeted" and "facebooked" from the comfort of my bed and the camera was useful during a meeting yesterday where we photographed parts of an old pub purchased by a very famous chef! Now how to download the photos is another thing.....

My aim of taking part in this project is to gain exposure for sugargroup but also break the mold of the women of a certain age and technology syndrome.
Wish me luck ladies, by Friday evening with a glass of sauvignon in hand, I am sure I shall be doing very nicely, thank you.

Sugar news

Thank you ladies for all your support at the recent HACC/sugargroup event at the new Sussex Coast College. We enjoyed drinks and canapes in great surroundings whilst being entertained by talented guitarist, singer and student Jack! What a star - let's hope he remembers us when we need to blag tickets to his concert at the O2.
The night before we hit the runway for the students fashion show - what amazing talent...without a doubt some of those design students shall be big names one day.
We are putting on our own little show ourselves at the gorgeous White House Hotel. Let's hope the weather holds as we long to sip sweet bubbles in the garden surrounding by the gorgeous flora whilst looking out to sea. Tickets are discounted to sugarladies at £20 each, and include champagne, a decadent afternoon tea and a FREE raffle ticket with a chance to win a shopping spree (vouchers) and a night for two at the White House. Raffle proceeds go to cancer research ladies, so come along and join us. Call 01424 205470 for discounted tickets.

We joined in the Bikini camp last Thursday and have only just stopped aching to get ourselves out of bed and into the office! My goodness, Claire can be tough. We all had a great workout in the airy yoga studio a the Wellington. The sun shone and Harry Connick crooned as we bent, stretched and squatted for England!

Diet tips of the week ladies; vodka and slimline instead of white wine! We are still trying very hard and refer to Alison Levinson's manual when the going gets tough. The oat cake affair is still going strong, especially with Stinky Bishop cheese on the top! Slightly defeating the object somewhat but it tastes soooooo good....

London is rockin ladies with a host of great events coming up. We are meeting at private members club; One Alfred Place on July 6th. Why not come join us for handbags, stylin and make-up tips?

Summer is a comin......

A huge well done to everyone who took part in Race for Life at the weekend......Jo (a super sugar) did it in 40 minutes! We are so proud. Hoorays to all the others who enjoyed the park on such a sunny day and all for such a great cause.
We are busy at sugargroup organising many different things for you to come along to and enjoy. On June 17th we are getting together with the HACC at the shiney and new Sussex Coast College next to the station. Come and enjoy relaxed drinks and canapes in great surroundings. If you are a sugar member it's only a tenner - and you know what that means - more money to spend on shoes!
Our London sugargroup on July 6th will be all about style .......... gorgeous handbags from Atelier Annick plus style tips and nibbly bits at the private members club; One Alfred Place. Check out the website for more info.
Times are hard as we know and we all want a little bit of luxury every day or every now and then.......why not help others too. We are organising a wonderful charity fashion show and delightful afternoon tea at the White House on July 2nd. The fun kicks off at 2pm so do tell all your friends. There's some great ticket prizes too - like a night for two and the hotel.

Our boot camp with Claire is growing and we are getting more toned as the weeks move on. Diet and nutritional tips from Alison Levinson are helping us get back on the straight and narrow! Our next meeting is next week - so the tape measure and scales shall be at the ready. We have been rather naughty lately and enjoying far to many party bits and BBQ's..........

sugargroup is also launching it's members club - the sugarclub on July 1st. For the month of June you can join for a discounted fee of only £40.00. Brilliant!

Is it really worth it?!

The dieting and fitness regime is all for a purpose..........a wedding, a birthday, a trip to a beach, not even a deserted one this summer, to show off some toned flesh here and there! In my dreams. The weekly workouts are tough - take our recent boot camp where we headed off to the beach. We know only the fittest work out on the shoreline, but hey, we are tough ladies - we'll try anything once. Darling sweet Claire has a whistle - we don't like her whistle. She made us clamber and I mean clamber, up the beach, running through the stones........it was hideous. We had to do this ten times, not once, not twice but ten times. The legs became a quivering mess, the mind was thinking of lunch and dinner, and the mouth....well,we really wanted to tell Claire where to go run and jump but found it hard to speak! Finally it was the end. As we've said before, the best part of any workout is the end..............but yes, there is a purpose to this and a good reason. Later that week we zipped up a dress we hadn't worn in years. Sadly it is so last season, it shall only be worn in secret and is so dated it could pass for great vintage, but the joy of slipping into a mere slip of a thing (a size 14 for the record!) is certainly something to whistle about......

Another reason for stepping up the workout is the food sugargroup has consumed recently. We have discovered chips covered in melted cheddar. Yum, there is nothing quite like a cheesy chip accompanied by a cool glass of sauvignon blanc on the terrace of the White Rock. We did confess to Alison, our super nutritionist about our naughtiness and it was met with "OOOh not to worry. You have to do it every now and again. I was bad last night too - too many Doritos and red wine, never mind". Alison we love you, and yes every now and then a little naughtiness is just what the doctor ordered!

Roll up roll up and join us at Race for Life.......come and walk, jog or get round the course any way you can this year......

Join us to on the sugargroup expansion...if you cannot make cocktail hour, we are hosting a lunch in Rye and a coffee morning soon. More in London then Tunbridge Wells and Brighton to follow.

We shall also be launching the sugarclub. For just £40 for the year, you get a sugarclub card, discounts, club only events, a profile including a link to your website and access to the notice board.....in addition a fiver off 2 sugargroups a year.......how sweet is that?

Oh the joy!

What makes us happy? The simple pleasures - I have now discovered mine. Only dunking one digestive biscuit in tea and not wanting another, slipping into smaller jeans (not really smaller, just newly washed and a little bit tighter), the ad for John Lewis (if only life were that simple), the smell of my children after their bath when nit combing has been done, dancing with my hubby in the kitchen to Michael Buble (yes I really do!!! sorry), running without actually thinking about breathing, dying and keeling over! Running and enjoying it - taking in the smells, the trees, birds and park wildlife, ooh and most importantly, running past other runners

(I LOVE doing that). I did it just ONCE, but I did it. He was about 90 and whistled as I jogged past. I have not been whistled at in years."Hey, you made my day" I said. He looked bemused. Took out his ipod earphones and replied "I always whistle when I run, it's my teeth, they don't fit properly." My heart sank. Still, I continue with the running.

The workouts with Claire from Paragon Personal Training have taken a turn for the worse. Just as I was whizzing through the toughest of reps, she changed the routine! Now it's hard. On some we have skipped stage 2. We are onto stage 3. We do 8 reps and then the final number which I call "die". There is no "9" just "die". It is the hardest thing, but I confess, I feel wonderful when finished. That's the best part about my sessions - the end. Claire smiles throughout, chats away and knows exactly when and how to distract me. I put myself through this punishment twice a week and throw in a session of Boot Camp with other sugarladies just for the fun of it! I am the most useless one at Boot Camp and blame it on the sessions with Claire earlier in the week. So far I have got away with hiding at the back. Despite my moans and groans, I have seen results and fast. Claire is a sweetie and the incentive to have a toned bottom like her twentysomething toned bottom, keeps me lunging and squatting til the cows come home! Do join us for the most Bootylicious of Boot Camps @ 9.30 every Friday morning in the gardens of St Leonard's. All levels welcome - especially the really unfit who I can hide behind!

My love affair with oat cakes is still going strong. I have discovered sweet ones - Stem Ginger are just divine with a cup of Earl Grey. Substituting all things white with brown or orange is working too (switching white maltesers for milk chocolate ones works a treat)..........and I really have bags more energy. The lovely Alison Levinson and I are meeting again next week for the big fat weigh in - that gives me 6 days of cabbage soup and water (only kidding A!). Once again, the scales shall be chucked out the window if they have not budged a little. The partners in crime (Alison and Claire have joined forces to get you healthy and fit in no time) keep telling me muscle weighs more than fat.....HOW much more is the question? Still, I persevere and it is amazing how many cravings are no longer. I have also become a better cook and Alison's book of recipes is a godsend. Good food, especially good bread is key according to Alison so I am still wolfing down slices of warm sourdough from Judges completely guilt-free!

All's busy and well at sugar headquarters. We have our second London event next week, and planning groups in Brighton and Hove. The lovely Jane is busy in the office and coming up with all sorts of great activities for the sugars. A fashion show, film night, cocktails and lunch are all on the cards. Our group is growing and growing, so do spread the word. Karl ( yes we do use the services of a man every now and then) is changing the website for the better and we shall be taking advice too from Fiona of FAT promotions, so soon we shall have a fabulous site for you to browse. We are also taking over a broom cupboard of an office in London town........

Congratulations are in order for a few lovely sugars - Amber Rudd a true blue and a little bit pink sugarlady, well done you - we look forward to you making Hastings an even better place to be and the duo from the Black Rock; Tracey-Ann and Lesley - you so should have won girlies, we all know that!

This week we are loving the queen of the wrap dress; Diane von Furstenburg....her shimmering new gold dress on Net a Porter is to die for! It's surely time for a mani/pedi too. Head to "Treat" or the students at the new college; South Coast College Hastings do a grand job so I hear. They will certainly have their work cut out with the sugar hooves.........

Check out our events and see you there...........

sugarnews

How often should one update a blog? Not enough has been the answer at sugargroup. Our apologies, we shall endeavour to change our updating habits........once a week should suffice, after all, there is nothing more dull than a daily updated dull blog! We certainly haven't been dull at sugargroup. Last week we launched in Rye, East Sussex at the fab White Vine House. The Hotel Manager; Gilly Dore is a scream, and our first Rye sugargroup went off with a bang. The canapes were delicious and we chatted and mingled with the ladies of Rye. We are looking forward to the next one......

London will see three exciting events over the next few months; from bespoke perfume and organic beauty products to vintage shopping with Rag & Bow. Check out our website for details.

Hastings is a wonderful place to live....the sea has been the brightest of blue for the past week, and we have spent time sunning ourselves at nearby Pett. Let's hope we have a wonderful sunny summer to look forward to! Our Hastings ladies shall be getting together at the Wellington Centre on Thursday 20th May. There will be a taster treatment for everyone and demos too. Of course, the bubbles and canapes will be delicious.

We shall be partying with the Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce on June 16th at the new Sussex Coast College. This will be an event for men and women; and if we all get on, we may do it again!

Our Bootylicious camp is going great with some new ladies joining us in St Leonards Gardens. Come along on Friday mornings and have fun and get fit with Claire from Paragon. Her workouts are great and after our five week session, it was time for the sugargroup measurement test!!!! We have lost an unbelievable 4 inches all over.....a result of a great routine and diet and nutritional advice from Alison Levinson. We are now going to supplement all of this with Pilates at the Wellington - fingers crossed; we may be in a bikini for summer!!

Enjoy the sunshine ............

Sugar soho and beyond!

What a whirlwind, so much to see, so much to do.....last Thursday saw the launch of sugar in soho. We LOVED Space NK, the make-up, the scents, the hand massages, it was just so fun.....
Now back on the South Coast and it's Hastings this Wednesday 31st at the new Hastings College. Sue Middlehurst the Principal shall be telling us about future plans, plus Lisa Armitage shall be talking Feng Shui. Felicity Lerouge shall be chatting about her book; Changing the Channel.
All this washed down with lovely drinkies and divine canapes. Cannot wait.........
Talking of weight, slowly, slowly it seems to be shifting....am sticking to Alison Levinson's diet plan religiously (Sunday's only!) I must admit, I am not missing "all things white" as there are plenty of pink bubbles out there and gorgeous red wines too! Potatoes are now orange and sweet, which is all very apt for sugargroup dontcha think?! The oat cakes and I are still very fond of one another, which is good. My next weigh in with Alison is on Good Friday. I have asked for permission to come with choccie eggs and hot cross buns...hopefully these will distract the lovely Alison when it's time to step up on the scales.

To help things along I have started working out with trainer Claire....remember her? The delightful, blonde, gorgeous Claire. We jog together at the amusement of others (she runs, I pant several feet behind). She once tried to annoyingly jog behind me to egg me on, but I threatened to punch her, so we have put a stop to that little game. I must admit it is working, and as hubby lay sleeping at 7.30am on a Saturday morning completely over-hung, I did the unthinkable and got out of bed, into my tracckie and trainers and headed to the park! If you see a vision of what you think is mother and daughter jogging through the daffodils, give us a wave, as it's probably me and Claire!

It is the time of spring and new beginnings so at sugargroup we are trying to get everyone on the fitness trend. We shall be starting our Boot(y) Camp the first Friday after Easter, so work off all those Easter eggs and come and join us.....in addition the very flexible Nina from Yoga@home shall be offering sugarladies a chance to try before you buy and bend before you spend. Try a class and see if yoga is your cup of Chai. Check out our website for details coming soon.
If not, Pilates may be your bag. There is a trial induction at the Wellington Centre at a discounted sugarprice...

Time to clear out the work cupboard and learn some new tricks. Join us at the sugar surgery on April 19th.....see site for details. It's all about the marketing and we have the best of the bunch to tell us their secrets to success.

Happy Easter to all xxxxxxxxxxxx

Sugar news

Don't want to sound monotonous but - what a great sugargroup at the Wellington Centre. We munched on delicious canapes from Judges, sipped sparkling organic fizz from Italia, saw a great yoga demo, talked Pilates and found out what really happens during a colonic! Some ladies also enjoyed taster treatments from the centres fab therapists and everyone left with a Dr Hauschka goody bag. If you didn't get an opportunity to try a treatment this time, please contact the centre directly on 01424 442520 and you can book yourself a "taster". Do remember to quote sugargroup when booking.



Our next Hastings get together will be at the new Sussex Coast College on March 31st.

Sue Middlehurst, the college Principal shall be our guest speaker along with Lisa Armitage - PA to the stars and feng shui expert.



If that seems a long way off and you fancy a trip to Bexhill or London in between, then do join us at our other "sugar" locations. We shall be meeting at Quakersmill, Bexhill on 17th March and Space NK Soho on March 25th.



Sugargroup are also launching our Sugar Surgery and the first one will be a marketing workshop on April 19th at the beautiful boutique hotel - the Black Rock. A delicious organic 2 course brunch shall be served, along with sound advice from the best marketeers on the market. We shall be covering different marketing techniques including web marketing and direct marketing. You shall leave this workshop armed with new skills to sell yourself and your business, plus a sugar goody bag. The session will end with tips on dressing for success plus a hand or shoulder massage too; this will certainly be a seminar with a difference.

Spaces are limited, so let us know if you would like to join us. Cost £40 per person.



All the hard work with Alison Levinson is paying off. Sugargroup is a pound lighter!!! After the initial disappointment (expected at least 7lbs!), we have tweaked the plan slightly. A secret source has informed us that vodka with slimline is the drink of choice. The encouragement texts from Alison are a godsend and really keep you on the straight and narrow. We have increased the exercise and shall be making an appearance at Race for Life this year. Come and join the sugar gang and get fit for summer. To get us prepped, we shall shortly be launching a morning jog, run or walk in Alexandra Park....will keep you posted!

Sugar Sugar

So excited about sugargroup! Not only do we have a fab event this Thursday 25th at the Wellington Centre with great food, drink and pampering treatments, but in March, there's 2 yes, 2 new locations! Bexhill on the 17th at Quakers Mill and London on 25th at Space NK Soho!!!!!
In addition, spent a very busy day in London yesterday with Michael Boadi of Boadicea the Victorious - THE most divine perfume ever!!!! Sugar ladies will have something to look forward to in May when we have been invited to their "oh so private" showroom for an evening of decadence!!!! Michael's perfume is a fave with Madonna, Lady Gaga and the First Lady, who snapped up three bottles on a recent shopping trip to Harrods. I sprayed and sprayed away and received a couple of lovely comments about my smell on the tube too!

Sadly, being in London and with it being London Fashion Week and me wanting to celebrate the return of the fuller figure to the catwalks; I broke the healthy eating plan just a tad and had chips! Chips Chips Chips - white, fried and served with ketchup and mayo. No No No and I have been so good. Clothes are def not so tight and I certainly feel like I could run a marathon (I just said feel not want to) ....but will make do with the Race for Life 5k instead - Ladies, who's up for it?

A friend came to stay at the weekend and commented on my skin and slightly baggier jeans, which helped considerably and made me not grab the crisps and nuts with my glass of Cab Sav and settle for rice cakes instead. My relationship with oat cakes is growing - I adore them and they adore me but before we go and set up home together, I just want you to know that they are a great substitute for a sticky bun if needs be! (Remember to put something delicious on top like smoked salmon - thanks Alison a life saver!)

My next consultation with the lovely Alison Levinson is at the end of this week. I am hoping that her scales will be kind to me............

Sugarnews

Thursday 25th Febraury brings another sugargroup to the Wellington Centre in Wellington Square. Join us for organic bubbles, great canapes from Judges, talks on Pilates and colonic irrigation plus taster treatments - a chance to try out the talented therapists.
It kicks off at 6.30pm so do come along..........

Sugargroup is helping Haiti by hosting a coffee morning and birthday cake on International Women's Day at the Zanzibar hotel. Join us on March 8th at 10.30am. Bexhill High School are building a school in Haiti and are busy fundraising and sugargroup are eager to help them. Come along and for a small donation, enjoy coffee and cake it great surroundings! It's our first birthday too...........

I have been following Alison Levinson's eating plan for exactly one week today!!! After banning all things white, I managed to eat a pub sunday roast sans yorkshire pud and roast potatoes!!!! Last week I did falter and the lovely Alison was only a text away! Having left the office late, I was cold and hungry. After a bowl of chicken and vegetable soup; my husband appeared with rhubarb crumble and custard........I could not resist and as the last spoonful entered my mouth I frantically texted Alison! Her advice was wonderful - she told me not to beat myself up, to savour every mouthful and ENJOY it. I certainly did, and for the first time in a long time, I walked away feeling good. The following morning I jogged a little longer than usual. In moments of weakness, I refer to Alison's excellent manual and guess what?........it's working. Hopefully you shall be seeing a lot less of me soon.

Sugar News

Who can believe this weather?!!!! I LOVE snow when I am sitting in front of a roaring fire doing little else....or in a ski resort perfecting my parallel turns....but I do not care for it much when the schools are closed and work has to be done! Still, the sun is shining...perhaps spring is finally on the way.

So, for those of you who came along to our last sugargroup at the gorgeous White House will remember that I was just about to start on my new healthy eating plan with Alison Levinson. I kept a food diary for a week and was as honest as could possibly be!!! Looking back, I was actually quite shocked at how much I managed to put away on an average day.......it certainly made Alison giggle..............so we met and had a lovely discussion about my BMI (not printable at this stage) and my waist measurement (are you SURE it's not cm's instead of inches Alison?). The plan I was given was tailor-made for me. It came in a shiny purple folder and there were pages and pages and pages of the stuff!!!! Alison and I discussed key points including ; foods to cut out, foods to cut down on and foods to eat more of. Some days, I wasn't even having my 5 a day!

Alison is a fabulous listener, never criticizes and is very sweetly allowing me to still indulge in a guilty pleasure every now and then. Now for the bad part - for the moment I am not allowed to eat anything white.......so if you see me along the seafront with a bag of chips in hand, do stop by and say hello but don't tell Alison! No potatoes, no pasta, no risotto, no croissants, no french sticks, no cakes and no crisps. Fortunately, wine wasn't on the list but as Jane said, I am quite happy to switch to red should need be!

So far, so good. I am certainly feeling better, more energetic and slightly flatter-tummied. I did have a headache for a day or two, but that could have been the red wine. I am eating more regularly, which is certainly helping and Alison has said I can snack on oat cakes and smoked salmon...two of my fave things. Dairy was lacking in my diet and now I have a taste for organic yoghurts and I have even borrowed a friend's bread machine............just in case the craving hits and I don't make it to Judges in time.

Today is day four. Sadly, today I am craving all things white....perhaps that is why the snow has been sent from above!

Our next get together is on February 25th at the Wellington Centre. Come and have a look around and hear what's going on in the world of Pilates and Colonic Irrigation! Also sample some fab treatments from the talented therapists. The event can be booked via the website and cost is £15.00 for drinks and nibbles.........see you there.....

Next event 25th Feb

A huge thank you to everyone who came along to the White House - what a swell evening it was!!! Suzie and her crew were amazing, we had a fantastic time, the bubbles flowed and the canapes were yummy!!!! Lucky winner of the night for two; you shall be pampered until your hearts' content.

Thank you to the wonderful guest speakers - we were inspired to clear our minds, clear out our in-tray and get taxes done, clear out our systems with a healthier diet and still find time for lots of raw chocolate in between! I am focused and excited and have not touched a drop since Thursday!!!!! Cheers to the new me!!

We shall be getting together on February 25th at the gorgeous Wellington Centre for an evening of LOVE! Celebrating the month of love by taking time out for ourselves. The canapes will be delicious, organic sparkling from Judges and treatments galore from the loving hands of the Wellington Therapists. There shall also be guest speakers and a chance to win fab prizes too!

WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE?!

Join us at 6.30pm (£15 per person) Don't forget to rsvp and tell your friends

Sugar event 21st January 2010

It's time ladies to pack the wellies away, get out those heels and head down to sugargroup this Thursday evening. We shall be getting together at 6.30pm at the White House Hotel. Come and nose around this gorgeous heavenly haven tucked away in Hastings. If the sun shines and you venture out to the pool area; it's easy to think you are in Cap D'Antibes!!!!! The views are delightful ..............
Bubbles shall be flowing and there will be delicious canapes to enjoy as we listen to Alison Levinson about why diets don't work and how to still enjoy food and get rid of those extra pounds!!!!! Tessa Levey shall be telling us all about raw chocolate and Ashdown Hurrey shall be giving us money saving tips for black January!!!!

There is a chance to win great prizes too from a night for two at the White House, vouchers to spend with Alison Levinson and dinner for two at the Hope Anchor in Rye - perfect for Valentines!

See you there and remember you can book on-line at www.sugargroup.co.uk and click on the tiny till at the top of the page!!!

snowed in

What a beautiful white winter wonderland! Hope you are having fun and are not stuck somewhere feeling cold wet and a little chubby!!! Which brings me to my next point - why not join me for a quest for a bikini bod (or a swimsuit bod at least - even wetsuit will do) by joining me on my weight loss plan with Alison Levinson? Alison shall be helping me to shift the pounds (stones!) for the summer. Check out Alison's website at www.alisonlevinson.co.uk for more info. If you would like to join me, Alison is offering a discount for sugar ladies so do take advantage of this great offer until the end of the month. Sadly, my initial appointment with Alison was postponed due to snow, so I have been using the time wisely until my next appointment munching digestives, stilton and oat cakes, red wine and of course, the leftovers from the Roses tin!!!! The snow is melting slightly and the appointment is looming so wish me luck!

Finally, why not ignore black Monday, tight waistbands, the January credit card bill and that yukky post-Christmas feeling and join us on January 21st at The White House Hotel for our first sugargroup of 2010.......you can book on-line too. Hope to see you there where it's all about a new year new you........we'll toast to that!!!