The importance of self(less) of help

This May we at QVC are putting the spotlight on health and wellbeing.

I think people have generally fallen into one of two camps over the last year or so. You’ve got those who have undergone amazing transformations. You know the ones – they’ve taken up running, perhaps gotten into yoga, dusted off the bicycle and maybe made huge changes to their eating habits for the better too. They’ve probably thrown in some meditation and mindfulness as well. If that’s you, I salute you and give you my full blessing to feel smug. I wish I could say I’d done the same!

The other camp is the one I’m in. I started with great intentions and quickly fell into a world of boxsets, PJs and takeaways! Throw two incredibly time-consuming, but gorgeous, new furry family members (brothers Bowie and Ziggy) into the mix, and any motivation I did have has quickly evaporated as I’ve been working hard on integrating them with my sweet girl, Popsiecat.

In truth, I actually don’t even remember human toddlers being as demanding as these two boys, ha ha! I have more child-locks than I ever did with Tom and Chrissie, as the boys can, and do, get into everything. Eyes in the back of my head and a couple of spare pairs of arms would be useful! That being said, they’re totally worth it and bring plenty of joy to the Huntley household.

The boys have been keeping me so busy, that there’s been little time left for me to keep up with my health and fitness. That’s not a good thing. The irony is that when we are at our busiest and have the most demands upon our time, that’s the time we need to stop, take stock and carve out a little time for some self-care.

I’ve always thought of self help and self-care as being extremely valuable to our wellbeing. We can, mistakenly, think it’s a selfish thing to take some time for ourselves when we still have other demands in our lives, but I believe it’s the opposite. It’s not a selfish act. It’s self-LESS. If you keep running on empty and putting sub-standard fuel in the machine (in my case, too many takeaways) then don’t be surprised if you end up breaking down without enough energy to take care of the other important things in life. Taking time for you will help you to deal with life’s demands better.

I know that if I’m eating well, sleeping well and taking regular exercise, I soon start to feel a lot better and have more energy. So, for starters, I have dusted off Freddie Fitbit (aka my Fitbit Versa) so I can track my sleep patterns and aim to get into better sleep habits. Of course, it also encourages me to take more steps, as I can see at a glance how many I’m taking (or not taking). This means I might just walk a few lengths of the presenter lounge to pick up a few more steps or take the stairs instead of the lift. It’s all the little things that can add up to a big difference. I’m now at the biggest and heaviest I’ve ever been. Whereas I’m all for the body positive movement, I also want to feel healthier and live a long life. Therefore, I’m determined Freddie is going to be my little fitness friend and keep me on track.

I, like so many others on the presenting team, love my Pilates Reformer. I make all the excuses that you may be familiar with for not getting on it… no time, gotta get a wash on, clean the car, have a look at social media, boxset, takeaway etc. It soon descends until I’m sat on my backside on the sofa. Truth is though, just five minutes a day using the cardio board (like a lying down trampoline session) would make a huge difference! Maybe I’ll start small and just do every other day, it’s only five minutes! I dread to think how many hours I spend a week looking at various cat toys and blogs online! Five minutes a few times a week will be a good start.

Supplements are important to me. I love the choices we have at QVC. Prime Fifty is a brilliant range aimed specifically at the over 50’s, which will be me in June of next year! I try to take my supplements every day, but I am stepping up my game and remembering that the buying of them will not make a difference to my health, I must actually take them! The ones I currently have as my supplement staples are Doctor Seaweed’s Weed & Wonderful, 8 Greens effervescent drinks and Your Zooki Vitamin C sachets. They’re easy to take, especially as the latter two are taken as drinks.

My one non-negotiable self-care treat has always been a good soak in the bath. I find it replenishing to my spirit and it also allows me time to use some of my beauty products. One of my all time favourites from Elemis is the Aching Muscle Super Soak. I need to invest in some of the Korres bath and shower products, too. Some of the fruity ones smell particularly divine. I’ve seen a cucumber bamboo body wash on our website, which I think sounds especially soothing. I expect it’d be a good after sun bath-time product in the summer.

In summary, I’d just like to say that needing a little time to take care of you is not selfish. It’s vital. Whether it’s a walk to get some fresh air and headspace, a healthy smoothie to start your day (we have some great blenders if you’re on the lookout), a new piece of home gym kit or even some lovely new bedding to freshen your sleeping space, a little investment in yourself will make a world of difference not only to you, but also to those who rely on you to stay well, both physically and mentally.

I wish you wellness, happiness and peace as we look forward to spring together.

Lots of love,

Catherine xx

Check out our Feeling Good Together campaign too, where we’re regularly updating the page with fitness inspiration, wellbeing top tips and expert interviews to help support and inspire you throughout 2021.