My appearance in the Times – talking about IVF

Jennifer Aniston and I have a lot in common!! ❤️

I have never really opened up before about my journey through IVF and how I felt going through it, so when I was approached by the @thetimes I was nervous.

But when asked so sensitively about this topic and with the subsequent passing of time, it made me think it was ok to say out loud … “Not being able to have children!” and to discuss what I went through – both funny and sad! and if can help just one person, then I was going to do it.

And I have. You can read the article in The Times here.

After 2 failed IVF attempts it was on the last attempt that we were told in no uncertain terms that I would not be able to have children as I was in the menopause.

To be told I wasn’t going to have children was a shock but to hear that I was menopausal was another … a double whammy – I was only 32!

I was told to go away and grieve for the children I would never have AND at the same time try to navigate my way through menopause! This was very much alone, as there wasn’t the exposure it has now.

At that point, my world fell apart!  As I said to lovely Anna the journalist from the Times

“It’s just Shit!”

I was mourning the mother I would never become but also trying to accept the changes in my body (and mind). I felt far too young and alone in this situation.  I wasn’t in the ‘baby club’ and deemed too young to be in the ‘menopausal club’.

I have so much more to say and I will over time but for now …

The reason I wanted to post this additional text to the article published today is for anyone having gone through it, or is currently going through it, I empathise and I understand.

You WILL laugh again, and you WILL find happiness and strengths you never knew you had!

In my life I always try to make people smile, as I think when you have been through ‘stuff’ you have a new found empathy and can certainly look at life differently and live it!

My husband, family, friends, clients and obviously my Online Workout Family are now those I nurture.

Life throws you curveballs and the path you envisioned might not have come to fruition, but that doesn’t mean it will be less happy – it’s just different.

Grief walks alongside me every day, thankfully now silent. Sometimes it will get in my way and trip me up – but I always get back up and carry on!

So, it’s ALWAYS important to remember, NEVER EVER judge anyone, as you never know their story behind the smiles!

Jennifer Anniston I hear you ❤️

Please save and share this article if you think it may help someone.

Jo ❤️

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Small business spotlight – Rey House

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I always love to champion small businesses and so this month it’s all about Rey House …

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Rey House was born out of a love of well made, well fitting clothes that feel good, look good and last. The kind of clothes you come back to time and time again because you know you never have to tug at a hemline or adjust a shoulder seam – and you’re guaranteed a compliment.

“When worrying about what to wear for various occasions, I realised that I always turned to the same, older items from my wardrobe. Items that I trusted, fitted me well and were made beautifully. The styles were mostly ageless in design and ageless in terms of who could wear them. It became apparent that friends and colleagues from the world of fashion felt exactly the same way. Talking more about what women of our generation wanted and needed from fashion and how if it couldn’t be found then perhaps we should make it happen ourselves. Rey-House was born right there.”

As you transition out of your 30s, one thing becomes abundantly clear – life is way too short to wear clothes that don’t fit properly.
That’s why we’ve torn up the so-called rule book and gone back to what’s important: quality fabrics, flattering designs, and timeless tailoring techniques.

DESIGNED FOR EVERY BODY

Forget apples and pears. Women are diamonds, cut to a shape that best reflects the many beautiful facets of who we are.

WHO SAYS WE HAVE TO GROW OLD GRACEFULLY?

Our collection is being created in consultation with real women. Women from their 40s to their 60s. Our friends and our family. Women just like you. Because it’s not enough to create clothes that look great – we want them to feel great too.

IT’S ALL IN THE FIT

We are all unique, in every aspect. When it comes to what we
We’ve all experienced it. The frustration of ‘our size’ being different in every shop. Seams in the wrong places. It shouldn’t have to be that way. That’s why we’re developing a unique sizing system that represents real women rather than dressmakers’ dummies.

DESIGNED TO LAST

Looking good isn’t enough. We want to feel good too. And that means using only the best materials available, from Italian yarns, luxury silks to organic cottons. The bonus is these materials last longer, giving you a more sustainable wardrobe that stands against fast fashion.

Sign up on our website https://rey-house.com/pages/community and join our community. Tell us what kind of Diamond you are and feedback on what frustrates you when buying clothes. Join our community and receive special discounts.

An exclusive offer for Jo’s Workout Club members!

Logged in members can see an exclusive discount below. If you’re not a member or logged in – you’ll see a different message.

The content you are trying to access is for the Jo Tuffrey Workout Family

Please either login or refresh your page to view if you are already part of my Workout Family.

If you would like to become a member sign up, I would love to have you join the club.

JOIN NOW

It's time to get motivated! #letsmove

Worried you’re missing out on great offers and great workouts? Take a look at the Club here.

xx

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Small business spotlight – Cape Cove

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I always love to champion businesses that I love and I love fashion!

In the past within this wellness/ lifestyle section I have highlighted brands/people who I always go to for my fashion buys This month is no exception as I highlight the brand that is …. Cape Cove.

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Founded on a combined love of the water and a connected purpose for doing better, Cape Cove, a feel good brand offers relaxed, throw-on-style clothing that is focused on sustainable methods.

The brand’s purpose is underpinned by ethical practices and three commitments that aspire to drive real positive change; caring for the earth, supporting community and raising awareness of mental health.

Created by three fashion and beauty industry experts who began their buying careers in the noughties. Clare Surplice, Suzannah Hatch and Jo Bennett have a combined 30 years of experience; their lives and families intertwining as their careers progressed.

Through a shared joy of the water, love for art and an aspiration to make a true difference in the world; Cape Cove was born.

What makes Cape Cove unique is its use of print, colour and textiles.

All embroideries are hand drawn and prints sourced by Clare, who alongside her buying experience has a background in art and textiles, she finds her inspiration from the natural world and a connection to people.

Further designs, colour ways, prints, and waterproof fabrics will be added throughout the year in line with the customer demand, all part of the thoughtful and seasonless design ethos that Cape Cove embodies.

We adore Jos commitment to community and her passion for movement and great energy.  Having known Jo for more than a decade her passion& dedication for balance in life is amazing – particularly her love of water & wine 😂

Cape Cove is available direct to consumers via www.cape-cove.com and John Lewis.

An exclusive offer for Jo’s Workout Club members!

Logged in members can see an exclusive discount below. If you’re not a member or logged in – you’ll see a different message.

The content you are trying to access is for the Jo Tuffrey Workout Family

Please either login or refresh your page to view if you are already part of my Workout Family.

If you would like to become a member sign up, I would love to have you join the club.

JOIN NOW

It's time to get motivated! #letsmove

Worried you’re missing out on great offers and great workouts? Take a look at the Club here.

xx

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Recipe of the month – Slow cooker spinach & lentil soup

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Katie Bishop is back with another recipe to make your mouth water.

I’m so grateful to her for doing this – I really hope you enjoy it!

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This colourful, hearty soup is packed with flavour. It’s also made in a slow cooker – so it’s really easy and faff-free.

Lentils and plenty of veg make this a nutritious, balanced bowl of goodness – perfect as a warming lunch or meal, and an excellent option during the menopause. I like to use rapeseed oil as it is rich in omega-3 fats – but use olive oil if you prefer.

You can also make this soup with either chicken or vegetable stock; and I like to serve the soup with a grating of Parmesan on top too, just to add a little calcium as this is so very important during menopause.  If you’re vegetarian, use a suitable hard Italian-style cheese instead and keep the stock veggie.

Don’t have a slow cooker?
Simply sauté the garlic and vegetables together until softened, then add the herbs, tomatoes, and rinsed lentils, followed by the stock.  Bring to the boil, before simmering very gently until completely tender. Add the spinach right at the end.

Fab for the freezer:
Leave the soup to cool completely before transferring to freezer proof containers, then covering and freezing for up to 3 months. Defrost before reheating gently on the hob until piping hot throughout (never reheat things in a slow cooker).

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Photo credit: Steve Baxter

Overview

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook: 3-4 hours (in a slow cooker)

Ingredients

75g brown or green lentils

Rapeseed oil, enough to cover the base of the slow cooker 1-2mm

1 clove garlic

1 red onion, finely diced

1 celery stick, finely diced

400g can chopped tomatoes

2 sprigs thyme, leaves only

1 bay leaf, broken

2 litres chicken or vegetable stock

125g baby spinach leaves

Rapeseed oil or basil oil, to serve

 

Let’s get cooking …

  1. Rinse the lentils under plenty of cold water and drain thoroughly. Pour enough olive oil into the slow cooker to cover the base with a depth of about 1-2mm.
  2. Peel the garlic, then using your thumb, press the garlic firmly to bruise it. Add it to the dish with the oil.
  3. Add the lentils and mix to coat in the oil. Stir in the onion, celery, tomatoes, and herbs. Don’t season the soup at this stage, as salt could toughen the lentils.
  4. Pour in the stock. Cover with the slow cooker lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until the lentils are tender.
  5. Using a slotted spoon remove the garlic and herbs. Mix the spinach into the soup and stir until the leaves are just wilted. Season to taste.
  6. Ladle into warmed bowls and drizzle with a touch of extra virgin olive or basil oil before serving with crusty bread or toast.

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Katie will be back next month with something else delicious to try.

In the meantime, you can find out more about her at https://katiebishop.co.uk or follow her on Instagram at @ktbishopcooks

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“Fall asleep fast” – a guided meditation with Amanda

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It’s time to bring you our regular meditation, courtesy of Amanda Penalver.

Amanda is a meditation expert and founder of True Rest®. Her work is devoted to challenging, inspiring & motivating her clients to live a more growth-full, rich & deeply fulfilling life.

Amanda offers True Rest classes & guided meditations to uplift, restore, replenish & re-energise you to live on purpose, fully awake, fully embodied & deeply connected.

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“Fall asleep fast” –  meditation

Take a deep dive into the medicine of inner peace within yourself.

Description: Fall asleep quickly. This meditation is here for you, to support and guide you into a deep and peaceful sleep fast. This Yoga Nidra-style meditation will soothe your body, calm your mind and nourish your soul.

Find out more about Amanda’s brilliant work at mandypenalver.com

 

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Book review of the month – The Measure by Nikki Erlick

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Hi! I’m Helen Gambarota and I am delighted to be back with Jo’s Weekly Workout Family to share my love of books with you.

I am a total book nerd and an avid reader and a compulsive book buyer, although I do need to slow down on the book buying as there are piles of books all around the house. I started reviewing books on Instagram as @BestBookFoward almost 4 years ago and I love chatting about books and sharing my passion for reading.

Each month I bring you my recommendation of a must-read book. I read a variety of genres so it could be anything from fiction, non-fiction, romance, historical fiction or a thriller and I really hope that you’ll enjoy each of them as much as I do.

If you’d like more book inspiration you can find my reviews on my Instagram account which is @BestBookForward, on Facebook or on my website bestbookforward.org

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I know we’re not officially in autumn but for me as soon as the calendar flips over to 1st September its autumn vibes all the way.  You just can’t beat curling up with a cosy blanket, a cup of tea and a really great read and I have a cracking recommendation for you this month.  It’s The Measure by Nikki Erlick (out now in hardback) and I really hope you’ll love it as much as I did.

This is the story of eight ordinary people in an extraordinary new world.

The story starts with the world waking up to every adult receiving the same box on their doorstep one morning.  Inside the box is a piece of string and the length of that string determines how long you will live. Nobody knows where the boxes have come from but as news spreads people are faced with the questions, what do they mean and should they open their box?

Over the coming weeks, with data gathered scientists confirm that the strings are accurate and create a website that will tell you, given the length of your string how long you have left to live.

Now you’re probably thinking this sounds pretty grim, and I’ll admit that when I first heard the premise I wasn’t sure whether it would be one for me but it is a brilliant read, so utterly unique and compelling.  I have read a lot of dystopian novels recently but this one stood out.

I love the way Nikki explores the impact the strings have on people’s lives, relationships and in society.  It really gives you a lot to think about and even a month after reading it I find myself wondering if I’d open the box and find out the measure of my life, or how I would cope if it was short string.

The Measure is a brilliant debut, it’s gone straight onto my favourites of the year. I was glued to the pages and found it really quite moving, especially the ending.  Definitely one not to be missed and I think its a great one to read with a friend or a group because believe me this is a novel you’ll want to talk about.

I hope you enjoy it and I’ll see you in October for another choice.

(Please note the book cover in the picture is of the proof and not the final on-sale cover).

You can buy your copy from Amazon here, or from all good bookshops.

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A poem for the summer

No where to be

No one to see

Just me…

No makeup on
Fashion pressure gone

Just me….

Lines that tell my story
Hair in all its boat glory

Just me….

Reflective of life
Including past strife

Just me

It’s written all over my face
I’m in my happy place

Me ❤️
Poem by Me 🥰

x

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Exercises for the core

In today’s BRAND NEW half hour class released today onto my website (to do at your leisure) I focus on the abdominals.

(You do need to be a member to watch this class of course – and you can join here: jotuffrey.com)

I hope you have enjoyed it or enjoy it when you do it.. I love filming outside especially with all the wildlife that comes and says hello 🦢🦢🦜🦜🐝🐝🦋🦋🦆🦆

If you’re not already a member, I wanted to show you a few core exercises to challenge your abs that you could pop into a little circuit.

Try 30 seconds of each and 3 rounds ❤️

💥Half roll backs with an oblique twist

Half roll back with an oblique twist

💥Basic curl up

Basic curl up
💥Oblique cross cross

Oblique cross cross
💥Half roll back with double open toe tap

Half roll back with double open toe tap
💥Hip dips

Hip dips
💥My jujji

The Jo Tuffrey Jujii
💥Kneeling lateral flexion.

Kneeling lateral flexion

And remember…

A strong centre is so important as it can
💥stabilise your lower back
💥improve balance
💥improve co ordination
💥improves posture
💥enhance everyday activities

You can watch the whole circuit and on my Instagram channel here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CfHdn-ZtjWZ/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY%3D

Enjoy ❤️

x

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The easiest balance exercise to try

Balance is a key component of fitness, along with strength, endurance and flexibility particularly as we get older 🥰

Want to improve your balance? Try balancing on one leg when you brush your teeth.. 🦷 🪥


Balance is a key component of fitness, along with strength, endurance and flexibility particularly as we get older 🥰

Balance training is an excellent way to help the body recognise where it is in space and to help control movements in space. With increased proprioception the body is able to produce smooth, controlled movements with a lower risk of injury.

It is an extremely important as we get older and as we go through hormone changes to prevent falls and to improve postural stability.

Whenever I teach a balance class I know eyebrows raise as I realise it’s a ‘marmite’ class! However, like I always say … like horrible tasting medicine we might not like taking it but we know ultimately it’s good for us!

Try balancing on your right leg when you do your top set and balance on your left leg when you do your bottom set 😃

This is such a great way to challenge your balance and to put into your everyday routine 🙌

So let’s get balancing 🥰

x

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“True Transformation” – a guided meditation with Amanda

,

It’s time to bring you our regular meditation, courtesy of Amanda Penalver.

Amanda is a meditation expert and founder of True Rest®. Her work is devoted to challenging, inspiring & motivating her clients to live a more growth-full, rich & deeply fulfilling life.

Amanda offers True Rest classes & guided meditations to uplift, restore, replenish & re-energise you to live on purpose, fully awake, fully embodied & deeply connected.

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“True Transformation” –  meditation

Take a deep dive into the medicine of inner peace within yourself.

Experience the true transformation that the simple practice of Yoga Nidra offers.

Transform a tired, exhausted body into one that is rested, renewed, and restored.

Transform a busy, wired mind into one that is calm, soothed, and at ease.

Transform a state of disconnection and anxiety to one of deep connection, groundedness & peace.

This is a recording of a live class on 28/4/22.

Find out more about Amanda’s brilliant work at mandypenalver.com

 

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