A good calorie and wallet saving hack is to half your portion size and add a large serve of fibre-filling vegetables. Use a homemade dressing (no sugar) to make it extra tasty. If you are still hungry, have some healthy snacks available between meals (see healthy snack options).
4. Go for Consistency Not Perfection
We all know what is good for us and bad for us. Aim for mostly good, occasionally treating yourself to things you love, and do this consistently. Restricted diets may lead to extreme ups and downs. Rather take a slow, and steady approach to good nutrition, making long term, sustainable choices. If you had a binge, don't stress. Move on and go back to the plan.
5. Drink in Moderation (I Feel Like a Party-Pooper)
It's temping to hit the bottle in times of distress but alcohol contains high quantities of sugar and affects quality of sleep. Sleep is important for weight control and good mental state. Try to limit your intake, perhaps keep it for weekends only or limit to one glass per night.
6. Sleep
7 - 9 hours of unbroken sleep is optimal. Sleep is crucial for mental performance, body repair and weight regularity. It can be tempting to stay up at night if you have nothing on the next day but maintaining a consistent sleep schedule is important. Setting up your intention for the day (see 7 Mind Hacks) will commit you to a wake-up time. Calculate what time you need to be a sleep by and start to unwind at least one hour before hand. Quick tips on creating a good sleep environment:
- Dark room with block out curtains
- No noise
- Cool room
- Declutter your mind of worries. Use mediation or a journal to write out your thoughts.
7. Getting Moving for One Hour Per Day
If your gym is closed or your weekly game with gals is off the cards, make sure you find one hour to exercise per day. Don't worry about making it perfect, just keep moving. If you don't feel motivated to take your online gym class, opt for a brisk walk!
What healthy habit hacks have you used in the last couple of months? We'd love to hear from our community and keep spreading ideas. Comment below or drop us a line.
Keep fit, fabulous and fashionable,
Nicci Pawlowski
Founder of Eighteen Eves
BONUS
Healthy and yummy snack options:
Savoury
Sweet
Google snack portion size for each of these items
]]>There’s a long road ahead of us with people at different stages and on difference journeys. As a hyper-active person, I write this with a heart full of gratitude and some honesty with my struggles to stay present and not feel defeated at times.
I thought I would take the time to share with our community who I know are full spirited, active women some tips I have found useful to stay grounded and make the most of the situation.
1. Get Up and Get dressed!
Doesn’t matter if no one is going to see you. Pyjamas off, jump in the shower and put on a complete outfit (yes this includes pants). The key is to continue the normality. If you normally dress up for work, keep dressing up, if your normally wear make-up, continue to wear make-up, if you like to dress casually, keep dressing casually. Psychologically you are telling yourself, business as usual, nothing to worry about here as well as looking good makes you feel good.
2. Schedule You Day
There is nothing more intimidating than staring into a barrel of nothing to do all day. And what’s worse more time to think about things you may not be able to control. Start by scheduling out the things you need to get done for the day. Next schedule at least one physical activity, one social activity and one productive task. And then schedule in some leisure time with things that will bring you joy. You will be amazed at how quickly you can fill your day, that will fly-by leaving you with a feeling of accomplishment.
Example:
9am – 10am Go for a walk
10am – 11am Get ready for the day
11am – 12pm - Call a friend
12pm – 1pm – Cook myself a nice healthy lunch
1pm – 2pm – Take my online course
2pm – 4pm - Do some sewing
4pm – 5pm - Read a book
5pm – 6pm – Go through wardrobe, donate or sell unused clothes
6pm – 8pm Cook myself a nice, healthy dinner with a sneaky glass of red
8pm – 10pm - Netflix binge!
3. Keep Moving
Studies show that it’s hard to be in a negative state of mind when you your body is physical. Schedule in at least one hour of exercise, a walk will do or if you have injuries speak to your Physio about suitable exercises. Be aware of your lounge time and set yourself a cap. The goal is to stay vertical not horizontal.
More on keeping fit and healthy during restrictions.
4. Get Social
I can't tell you how much I hate the phrase “social distancing”. What a terrible and negative thing to be filling our minds with. While we need to "physically" distance we DO NOT need to socially distance. Some really fun ideas I have seen and participated in include virtual drinks, Houseparty (an app where you can play games online together) and a virtual murder mystery party. As restrictions ease, make time to have a cup of coffee, meal or walk with a friend. Just keep your social contact up as much as you can, however you can.
5. Control the Controllables
With so much uncertainty about the future of “nomality” it can lead to feelings of anxiousness and frustration. Whether your travel or special plans are on hold, your job situation has changed or your business is affected, there are some things you simply can't control the outcome of. First of all, don’t be too hard on yourself! Trust that you are making the best decisions, you possibly can for an unprecedented situation. No one is getting it 100% right so don’t feel alone. Feel what you are feeling, you have the right to be pissed off, angry, hurt, scared, depressed. Then, take out pen and paper and start writing down what you can control and map out a plan.
What government support is available?
What financial support is available?
What can I re-negotiate?
What opportunities will arise out of this for me?
What have I always wanted to do but never had time for?
How can we do this in another or even better way?
For me personally I have taken the opportunity to eat better and drink less with fewer distractions available. I have learnt to sew and taken online hip-hop classes. For business I have taken the time to focus on building a larger community of women and looking for ways to add joy.
6. Tackle That Chore List
What are all those tasks / chores you have not had time for? Or been putting off?
Now is the opportunity to tackle that task list and donate unwanted items, organise a space, makeover a room, add a new coat of paint, organise your books in order of colour (guilty) etc etc. How good does it feel to have a decluttered and organised environment!
7. Learn Something New, Pursue your Passions
What have you always had a burning desire to learn? What about your passions that have taken a back seat to your busy schedule? There are millions of FREE videos and courses on all sorts of topics available online. Even Harvard has free online courses!
What’s been keeping you busy the last couple of months? We’d love to hear your thoughts on how you have you have handled lock down via the comments below.
Stay safe, connected and caring and we look forward to seeing the fairways full again soon!
BONUS
Turn off the News!
Limit your news consumption by subscribing to one, trust worthy, media source for the need to know updates. There's no need to be drowning in endless bad news stories, remember no one has a crystal ball or all the answers right now. Keep it balanced and check out The Happy Broadcast on facebook or Insta - they only share the good news stories and there are some really good stuff happening at the moment.
1. Get Up, Get Dressed
It doesn’t matter if no one is going to see you. Pyjamas off, jump in the shower and put on a complete outfit (yes this includes pants). The key is to continue normality. Put on what you would normally wear to work and apply your make-up (if you normally wear make-up). Psychologically you are telling yourself, business as usual, as well as looking good makes you feel good. Plus you'll be ready for those impromptu Zoom calls.
2. Use that Usual Commute Time for Exercise
Now that you have saved an extra hour in commuting, use that time to start your day with some movement. If you are missing the work crew, starting the day with some exercise will help maintain a positive state of mind. Even better, why not sign up to an online gym class and sweat it out together!
3. Get your Internet Sorted!
There is nothing more frustrating than being on a Zoom call where you or the other people are cutting in and out. If your current internet provider isn't hitting the mark, try calling a regional based internet provider who may have a better product / solution instead of your generic providers. If all else fails, find your self a local, co-working space or at least book in your Zoom meetings there.
4. Set up Your Office
Carve out a room (ideally) or space for your office. When you step into "your office" it's work time. When you step out of your office it's home time. Do not blend the two. This means no personal distractions in the office. And no work distractions outside your office. Set up a desk, comfortable chair and treat yourself to some nice desk accessories. Keep it clutter free by not printing, and scan / save documents to your computer where possible. Store physical work items, neatly in labelled boxes and store away if you can.
5. Set Boundaries
Setting the expectation with you family members that when you're in your office space, this is your work time, is easier said than done especially with young children! If possible schedule a sitter or day care around meetings and critical thinking time. Or if this is not possible, print your work schedule for the week blocking out times in red, when you are on calls, meetings or not to be disturbed.
6. Set your Intention for the Day
Whether your business is frantic or a little on the slow side, it's important to set your intention for the day to stay productive. Write down three - five things that are going to achieve which will make the most impact for the day. Keep the email, wattsapp, slack checking to a minimal. Be proactive and let your boss and team mates know what your priorities are, and if there is anything is urgent to pick up the phone and call you.
7. Keep it Social
Just because you are not all together for knock-off drinks, the party doesn't have to stop. Why not make every Friday at 5pm, virtual knock off drinks. Make it fun by jumping into a virtual online game. Or even better, let the boss know that Jimmy Brings can deliver the team some drinks via their team drinks app.
We'd love to hear how your digital transformation has gone over the last couple of months. What has worked for you, have you found the change positive or negative? Share your thoughts via the comments below to help spread some ideas.
Keep focused, fierce and fashionable
Nicci Pawlowski
Founder of Eighteen Eves.
BONUS
Get Virtual Meeting Ready
Here'a quick checklist to make sure you're ready for virtual meeting once and for all:
The natural fibre myth...
Most likely you would have been told, natural fibres good (breathable), synthetic fibres bad (not breathable). While this holds some truth, good quality synthetic materials such as moisture-wicking fabric out performs their cotton competition.
While a natural fibre like cotton is breathable, once the cotton becomes moist it will maintain the moisture.
On the other hand, synthetic fibres give that feeling of stickiness and overheating which feels yucky!
Introducing your new best friend and secret weapon of performance wear, "moisture wicking fabric", the new definition of cool on the golf course and we mean literally.
What is moisture wicking fabric?
A moisture-wicking fabric absorbs (or wicks) the sweat from the outer layer of the fabric while the other layer rapidly dries it providing comfort to the wearer.
So how does the material ACTUALLY magically get rid of sweat? Moisture wicking fabric is made up of tiny little grooves (like little rivers), quickly drawing sweat away from your body, sending it down a little sweaty river. The spread of moisture makes it easier to evaporate unlike a big puddle of sweat.
The fibres are hydrophobic coated (yes it literally translates to hates water). Skipping the class on atoms and molecules, hydrophobic molecules are non-polar molecules meaning they do not have charge and will physically not bond with polar molecules such as water. This gives the result of the fabric repelling water instead of absorbing it.
How to pick a good, quality moisture wicking golf shirt?
Lots of brands will claim to use the magical fabric but be weary. Here's a couple of tips to help select your shirt that will keep you looking cool and fabulous.
1. Price
Good quality fabric this will bump the price up of manufacturing which means that the consumer will be pay more. The old saying, you get what you pay for usually reins true in this case. Be rest assured that if you take good care of your shirt, it will take care of you for a long time. This fabric can often be far more durable than cotton which will provide better value in the long run.
2. Fabric brand
Check the fabric brand. A lot of brands will tell you the fabric brand used to produce the shirt if the quality is a high as it provides credibility. For example, Eighteen Eves women's golf shirts use Subli-Cool, you can read up on the fabric here.
3. Cop a feel
You can kind of just tell. Have a feel of the fabric and gauge the smoothness. Is it silky to touch? If yes, that's a good start. If it's course, then not so good.
Also give it a good stretch. Does it easily become see-through and feel fragile like. If so, give it a miss. You're looking for a durable feel when you stretch it.
Other benefits of moisture wicking fabric
And of course as a fashion brand, we can let you go with out telling you the fashion benefits of this wonder fabric.
These fabrics are easy to print on which means some brands like Eighteen Eves will offer a range of fun, feminine and fashionable prints for you to style and coordinate.
The fabric also allows paneling. Eighteen Eves uses paneling in their designs to give a more fitted look suitable for all body types.
And lastly, this fabric also allows for an "off-course look". Eighteen Eves clothes are not only for the golf course. Our vision is to provide all-day wear for women of all ages, who want to look their best at all times, while feeling equally as comfortable.
In conclusion we hope that we have converted you to a better way of golf and life. Don't put up with sweaty clothes and boring polo shirts. And don't compromise style and comfort. Thanks to technology and design, you can have it all!
Until next time, happy golfing xoxo.
Nicci
Founder of Eighteen Eves
In this edition of Girls on the Green, I’ll be sharing with you some tips on how to care for your Cabretta leather golf glove so you get more wear out of it.
The first thing you should know is that you should never put your leather golf glove in the washing machine and avoid using your glove in heavy rainy conditions. Exposure to excessive moisture will dry the leather out. However, this doesn't mean that you can’t wash your globe using water. Here’s some tips on how to do this while maintaining the condition of your glove.
GENERAL CARE
After each use, clean the surface dirt by wiping it off with a damp cloth and then rubbing it with a dry cloth.
AVOID MOISTURE
Dampness will reduce the life of the golf glove. Avoid exposing your golf glove to excess moisture. Use your towel, rather than golf glove to wipe your damp head, face and forearms and use your bare hand to handle wet balls at a ball-washing station.
INVEST IN A SECOND OR THIRD GLOVE
It’s always a good idea to have a couple of gloves in your golf kit to rotate preserving the life of your golf gloves! Plus with Eighteen Eves amazing selection of glove patterns, you’ll be perfectly coordinated with every outfit in your golf-robe!
FOR A DEEPER CLEAN
As we know, the cost of playing golf can add up. By investing in a good quality golf equipment like Eighteen Eves gloves and looking after them, can help keep your playing costs down.
Thank you for reading my blog post, we’d love to know your thoughts via the comments section below and please subscribe for more golf fashion related articles.
Happy Golfing xoxo
Nicci Pawlowski
Eighteen Eves founder
]]>Here’s a little blog post I’ve put together for our friends new to golf or for those still feeling a little unfitted. We’ll cover why it’s important to wear a golf glove, synthetic vs leather golf gloves, which hand to buy and how to pick the right size.
Why wear a golf glove?
Not only can your golf glove make an accessory statement to your golfing outfit, like our Eighteen Eves gloves, but it also serves a practical purpose to improving your game, and protecting your hands.
When you wear a golf glove it provides friction with your club grip. As you can imagine, a club flying out of your hands and hitting your fellow player on the head is not a good thing (unless you are trying to wipe out your competition). A strong grip is the essential foundation to your swing setup.
You will also notice those nasty little calluses over time that form just under the bottom of your fingers and top of your palm. I still get them occasionally, but find wearing a glove definitely helps reduce calluses and provides overall comfort throughout my game.
Bonus hint! In your post game shower, grab a pumice and lightly run it over the affected areas. I use Heros, it’s $3 from your local chemist and works wonders. Finish off with your favourite hand cream.
Which hand do I buy?
When you purchase your golf glove, you’ll have the option to purchase a left hand, right hand or some brands will offer pairs like our Eighteen Eves gloves. If you are:
Right handed - purchase a left
Left handed - purchase a right
Sounds counter-intuitive? As a right hander the dominant part of your grip is with your left hand and the opposite goes for left handers. This is why you need a glove for your opposite hand. Some golfers prefer to wear a pair and is certainly something you may consider to provide extra protection while making a fashion statement on the fairways!
Synthetic vs leather golf gloves?
Most gloves are made from synthetic or leather fabric. You will come across the term “cabretta leather” which is leather made from sheep’s skin and is ultra fine providing a ‘second skin’ feeling. They both have pros and cons and it will usually come down to your personal preference with what fabric you choose.
Here’s some general thoughts to consider:
Leather
Pros |
Cons |
Durable |
Not recommended to machine wash |
Stylish |
Will create glove envy on the course |
Second skin feeling, moulds to your hands |
May not want to take them off |
Here’s what one of our customers sent us two year later after they purchased their Eighteen Eves glove.
“I just want to share some photos of my Eighteen Eves glove that I bought over two years ago. It has been used at least twice a week (and probably hit more shots than most women) and is just now beginning to show signs of wear. I'm off to your shop to buy a new one! They are fabulous!
Eighteen Eves Customer “
Synthetic
Pros |
Cons |
Vegan friendly |
Not as durable |
Machine washable |
May feel sweaty |
Some brands, such as our Eighteen Eves gloves have a Lycra backing which provides a little more flexibility. Some of our customers with arthritis have written to us to say they are easier to take on and off.
How do I pick the right size?
It’s important that the glove is snug as you don’t want to the glove to be moving when you swing your club as this will cause grip slippage. You also don't want the glove to be too small that you can’t form your grip properly. We suggest to our customers at glove fitting days, to try the glove on and check the finger length of the golf glove more or less matches your finger length. If the rest of the glove is tight and made from leather, that’s OK as they will stretch pretty quickly after a couple of holes.
Most brands will offer S - L, some will offer S/M and M/L. Our, Eighteen Eves gloves come in sizes XS - XL, offering a very tailored fit for all hands sizes including women golfers who may have had to buy men’s gloves in the past.
If you are ordering online, measure your hand from the bottom of your palm to the top of you middle finger and refer to the sizing chart provided.
We also recommend you check the website’s return and exchange policy in case you need to swap the size.
I hope this blog post has demystified the task of shopping for your new golf glove. Using a glove will help with a sticky grip while protecting your hands.
Whether you decide to use synthetic or leather, make sure you allow for a snug grip (leather will stretch more) and look for the right length in your fingers as a starting point.
Thank you for reading my blog post, we’d love to know your thoughts via the comments section below and please subscribe for more golf fashion related articles.
Happy Golfing xoxo
Nicci Pawlowski
Eighteen Eves founder
]]>