A leap year happens every four years when we add an extra day to the calendar. Some say leap years are unlucky, but the most common belief is that the extra day (29 February) is the best time for a woman to swap traditional roles and propose marriage!
Whatever you believe, here are four challenges to make the leap year a good one for you:
1. Be daring
Step outside of your beauty comfort zone by learning to apply a new makeup trend. Or why not try a beauty product you’ve never used before, such as highlighter? False lashes and contouring are big trends right now. Contouring helps to highlight your cheekbones and jawline and shape your face. Click to watch contouring basics and see what other looks you can create using the Ackermans Be Fab range of beauty products.
2. Challenge yourself physically
Keeping fit is a proven way to reduce stress, increase energy, help you digest food better and burn calories, which leads to weight loss. You don’t need an expensive gym contract. Experts recommend that you only need to exercise regularly (three days a week for 25-30 minutes) to get the benefits. Walking, jogging and running are popular ways to keep fit outdoors. But if you’d rather be indoors, you may want to go online to find an individual exercise programme or set of exercises that suit you.*
3. Eat healthier
Eating well has amazing benefits. It can help prevent and manage diseases like diabetes and stroke, maintain strong bones and teeth and improve your memory. Exercise is also great for improving moods and to help you lose weight. A healthy diet includes:
• Lean (not fatty) protein such as chicken breast, red meat with fat removed, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, lentils and chickpeas
• Carbohydrates like oats, cold maize-meal porridge, wholewheat bread, brown rice, sweet potatoes, butternut
• Fresh fruit and vegetables like berries, apples, green vegetables such as spinach, green beans, cauliflower and baby marrows)
• Good fats such as canola oil, avocado, nuts, olives
Try to include these in your daily meals to include a good balance of nutrients and drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
4. Read more
We spend so much time on our screens that we often forget to read a ‘real’ book. Printed books can be expensive so you may want to join a book club. All the members share the costs and it’s a great way to meet up with friends or get to know new ones. The benefit of reading is that it’s a good way to escape the stresses of daily life. Reading improves your grammar and helps you learn new words, increases memory and is good for your brain. Set yourself a reading challenge. For example, reading one book each month, or one book every three months.
* If you haven’t exercised for a long time or want to start exercise for the first time, go to your doctor or clinic for a health check-up before you begin.
4 leap year challenges you have try!
A leap year happens every four years when we add an extra day to the calendar. Some say leap years are unlucky, but the most common belief is that the extra day (29 February) is the best time for a woman to swap traditional roles and propose marriage!
Whatever you believe, here are four challenges to make the leap year a good one for you:
1. Be daring
Step outside of your beauty comfort zone by learning to apply a new makeup trend. Or why not try a beauty product you’ve never used before, such as highlighter? False lashes and contouring are big trends right now. Contouring helps to highlight your cheekbones and jawline and shape your face. Click to watch contouring basics and see what other looks you can create using the Ackermans Be Fab range of beauty products.
2. Challenge yourself physically
Keeping fit is a proven way to reduce stress, increase energy, help you digest food better and burn calories, which leads to weight loss. You don’t need an expensive gym contract. Experts recommend that you only need to exercise regularly (three days a week for 25-30 minutes) to get the benefits. Walking, jogging and running are popular ways to keep fit outdoors. But if you’d rather be indoors, you may want to go online to find an individual exercise programme or set of exercises that suit you.*
3. Eat healthier
Eating well has amazing benefits. It can help prevent and manage diseases like diabetes and stroke, maintain strong bones and teeth and improve your memory. Exercise is also great for improving moods and to help you lose weight. A healthy diet includes:
• Lean (not fatty) protein such as chicken breast, red meat with fat removed, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, lentils and chickpeas
• Carbohydrates like oats, cold maize-meal porridge, wholewheat bread, brown rice, sweet potatoes, butternut
• Fresh fruit and vegetables like berries, apples, green vegetables such as spinach, green beans, cauliflower and baby marrows)
• Good fats such as canola oil, avocado, nuts, olives
Try to include these in your daily meals to include a good balance of nutrients and drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
4. Read more
We spend so much time on our screens that we often forget to read a ‘real’ book. Printed books can be expensive so you may want to join a book club. All the members share the costs and it’s a great way to meet up with friends or get to know new ones. The benefit of reading is that it’s a good way to escape the stresses of daily life. Reading improves your grammar and helps you learn new words, increases memory and is good for your brain. Set yourself a reading challenge. For example, reading one book each month, or one book every three months.
* If you haven’t exercised for a long time or want to start exercise for the first time, go to your doctor or clinic for a health check-up before you begin.
