A compound found in sea kelp has been shown to prevent the body from absorbing fat. Alginate suppresses the digestion of fat in the gut, according to scientists at Newcastle University. Clinical trials have not yet been carried out but early tests are promising. To read the whole article visit BBC news.

This is clearly great news for anyone tackling weight issues and, when eaten as part of a healthy balanced diet, could help those who lack the willpower to not overeat fatty foods. However, the article was quick to point out that dieticians recommend not eating too much fat in the first place. Surely, if it were that easy, there would be no need for scientists to look for a cure for obesity in the first place?

I would have liked the article to refer to the addictive nature of sugary carbs (not just fat, which in moderation has an important part to play in our health) and to explain in brief how by cutting out these habit forming foods, the cycle could be broken.

The sugar/fat combination is addictive and fat creating. The more sugar you eat, the more you want. What the dieticians should be saying is cut back on fat plus sugar and refined carbohydrates and you may not need to take a seaweed pill or get your lunch from the beach.

Obviously a kelp pill would be a great weight loss tool for people who eat lots of 'bad' food. It could prove to be a panacea or sorts. However, I think people need to be given the right information. Fat isn't the main issue, it's sugar combined with fat that you need to watch. Sorry Ben and Jerry and Haagen Daz (two long term friends of mine).

If you need any motivation in your life, just check out this 83 year old yoga Granny. I want to be like her when I'm old and grey, certainly not decrepit! 

The weekends are all about family time and entertaining the children, so exercise can take a real back seat. 
Unless you make a real effort to book some time alone for a gym session or whatever activity floats your particular boat, you need to somehow exercise with the little ones in tow (literally in this case). 

Yesterday the sun was shining and we were full of the joys of spring, so we dug out our bikes from amongst the spiders in the shed (I say we, my husband regularly cycles so I shouldn't tar him with the lazy brush), pumped up the tyres and hit the road. The boys rode in their bike trailer for the first time (exactly the same as the picture) and they absolutely loved it. There were whoops of joy for at least the first half an hour and, as we sped through puddles, everyone was terribly happy. 

I definitely felt the burn in my legs and enjoyed pushing myself as we tackled a few hill climbs, deep mud and stones on the beach (I should point out that I was not pulling the trailer! I don't trust myself going round corners and my husband is very capable on the road.) We took around an hour to ride a few miles, with a couple of stops to check the boys. There was an obligatory tea and biscuit stop at the country park before we headed back, which took another hour or so. It was a perfect afternoon en famille! 

So, how much can one expect to burn on a 2.5 hour bike ride, across multiple terrains, such as the road, the beach and the park?. Having done a little research it seems that you can burn anywhere between 5 and 20 calories per kg of body mass, per hour. This does depend on whether you're pootling about or busting a gut - two official technical terms for different levels of effort. So, I reckon that in total I burnt about 500 calories during our excursion. The thing is, when you're enjoying yourself so much and spending time with your favourite people, it doesn't seem like a chore. 

Positives: Family fun, decent calorie burn using lots of muscles and a good dousing of vitamin D. Also, the boys went straight to bed, worn out by all the fresh air and slept for 12 hours. 

Negatives: A bit saddle sore this morning and there was lots of mud, all over the place, in the house. Ho hum, that's what you get from being 'outdoorsy'.