How To Eat Mindfully This Christmas

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Here at Hip & Healthy, we always encourage you, our lovely readers, to experiment and find what works best for you when it comes to diet and exercise. You’ll never find us preaching one particular dietary modality or exercise routine as we strongly believe that every single body is unique. Whilst this is the case, there is one thing that we believe everyone should adopt, and that is a mindful eating practise. With Christmas just around the corner, we caught up with psychologist Elaine Slater to chat more about the benefits of mindful eating.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is intentional, non-judgemental awareness of moment-to-moment experience. Mindfulness encourages focussing on the present rather than being consumed by the difficulties of the past or anxiety over the future. It is about tuning out the white noise to see the present moment clearly.

Which areas of our lives can being more mindful positively influence? And how?

Mindfulness is being aware of your thoughts, emotions and physical sensations in the present moment. It cultivates the possibility of freeing yourself from reactive, habitual patterns of thinking, feeling and acting. Mindfulness promotes balance, choice, wisdom and an acceptance of how things are. Mindfulness increases self-awareness and develops emotional intelligence.

Let’s talk about mindful eating – what is it and how can we practise it?

Mindful eating – also known as intuitive eating is not a diet, it is more about how you eat than what you eat. It involves paying full attention to the experience of eating and drinking. Being more aware of your eating habits, the sensations you experience when you eat, and the emotions and thoughts that you have about food.

What are the leading causes of mindless eating? 

Mindless eating occurs when our head is full of chatter, when we are distracted by our hectic daily lives and generally operating on autopilot. Most often inhaling our food without chewing properly or appreciating the taste or flavour of our meal. Eating is often slotted into our busy schedules with a quick bite at our desk, or en route to our next commitment or whilst juggling childcare.

Mindless eating enables emotional eating. Emotional eating overrides sensations of being hungry or full in order to provide comfort and relief for negative and difficult feelings.

What are your top 3 tips for beginning a mindful eating practise?

Tip 1. 

Mindful eating is fundamentally about rebuilding a relationship with our food. The aim of mindful eating is to base our meals on physical cues, such as hunger, not emotional ones – like eating for comfort.

Tip 2. 

Eat intentionally, slowly and without distractions – chew every mouthful approximately thirty times. Pay attention to the colour, smell, texture, flavour and temperature of your food.

Tip 3.

Know the story behind your food; who grew this? Where did it come from? How did it get here?

Elaine Slater is a Psychologist and Psychotherapeutic Counsellor. She is registered with The United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy and is a member of The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy www.elaineslater.com

Interview by Zsa Zsa Vella

MORE: 10 Nutrition Tips For December | 5 Minutes With The Mindful Chef 

 

Save 20% Off January Cleanses Booked Now With Plenish

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Whereever your ambition drives you in 2016 get ready to crush it by pre-booking your January cleanse now! Plenish are offering 20% off of all January cleanses that are booked before 31st December, 2015. Enter code JANDETOX at the checkout to save 20%.

January cleanses are available for delivery from Thursday 29th December.

*Offer valid for cleanse deliveries between 29th December 2015 – 31st January 2016. Discount is not valid retroactively and cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions, including Bridal Packages.

Devised by the Plenish Dietician, their juice cleanse programmes are available in three levels, depending on the goals of your detox. All cleanse programmes range from 1-7 days, consisting of six 500ml juices per day. The longer you cleanse the deeper your detox will be.

How does delivery work?

At the checkout you’ll be asked to select your dispatch date. Free next day delivery is available nationwide and a paid same day service is available in London.

Still Unsure?

Visit their website here, or call on 0207 603 8002 or email [email protected] and they’ll walk you through it.

MORE: Top 5 Tips For Yoga Newbies | How To Stay Hip & Healthy In Flight

 

Our Top 5 Healthy Ski Holidays

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If you’re currently under the belief that a weeks skiing comes with obligatory indulgence in comfort foods and a few too many après ski drinks, think again! Read on for our pick of healthy ski holidays, all of which will ensure you head back home feeling fitter yet thoroughly rested and relaxed after a week of totally healthy luxuries.

The Alpine Club Chamois Lodge

Set in the most charming, traditional Savoyard village in the Three Valleys, St Martin de Belleville, this beautiful new build chalet makes the perfect retreat from normality with its breath-taking mountain views, golden timber and statement log fire. With only fine dining chefs experienced in Michelin Star and AA Rosette restaurants employed, your personal chef will work with you to create bespoke menus that suit your individual dietary needs, including super-healthy options. After a long day on the slopes, rejuvenate yourself with a soak in the outdoor Jacuzzi – for a truly tranquil experience, book a massage treatment in the comfort of your own chalet.

The Hidden Dragon Chalet

With the aim of returning guests to their normal lives feeling happier, healthier, re-energized and refreshed, the Hidden Dragon is perfect for those seeking an alternative to the endless raclette and wine often associated with skiing. This exclusive mountain retreat nestled in the forest offers the benefit of ski-in ski-out access as well as invigorating alpine activities and holistic spa therapies to nurture the mind, body and spirit. The nutritious, yet energising and delicious cuisine combines the Japanese philosophy of letting good ingredients speak for themselves with classical French cooking techniques.

Soulshine Snow Yoga Adventures

For a unique chance to practice yoga and meditation alongside exhilarating mountain sports along with breath-taking scenery, log fires, hot tubs, massages, saunas and delicious meals, Soulshine Retreats have got you covered. Residing in a woodland-surrounded chalet overlooking the beautiful Tarantaise Valley, you’ll practice daily morning yoga to awaken the body and mind before enjoying a yummy juice to get you set up for a day on the mountains. The relaxing yin yoga and meditation each evening will unwind and stretch out any aches and pains, leaving you ready to spring back on the slopes the next day. No matter if it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned skier, prepare to leave the week feeling healthy, energised and restored as an accomplished ‘snowgi’!

Hotpod Yoga X The Ski Week

During March 2016 Hotpod Yoga are collaborating with The Ski Week and taking their transportable yoga-pods to the slopes of Obertauern where they will be offering hot yoga directly on the pistes – the perfect way to begin or end (or both!) a day of skiing. Offering far more than just yoga and skiing, The Ski Week will ensure your holiday is bursting with sundeck parties, dips in mountainside jacuzzis, pond-skimming, torchlight descents and incredible après-ski. Not only that, but tickets also include a five class-pass to Hotpod Yoga’s Hackney HQ studio throughout the month of February in preparation for the week.

Retreat Café Ski

Join Retreat founder, naturopath and chef Kimberly Parsons and yoga teacher Kathryn Fielding for a rejuvenating week’s Yoga-Ski Retreat in the French Alps. Guests will enjoy a perfect balance of energising and restorative yoga including a yoga class each morning lead by Rocket Yoga master Marcus Veda. During the day those keen will have the opportunity to hit the slopes, whilst others may prefer to explore the beauty of the Alps or simply relax in the café. Bespoke sugar, dairy and gluten-free meals prepared by Kimberly Parsons carefully designed to promote optimum health will be served, and there will be health talks and cooking workshops throughout the week too.

Words by Meryn Turner 

MORE: The London Guide To Reformer Pilates | The Review – London’s So Spa

How To Beat Blemishes Naturally

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Blemishes are no longer confined to our teenage years; adult acne affects many people and if you’ve tried everything from cutting out dairy to getting a daily dose of detoxing juice, then it might be time to overhaul your beauty regime. I’m a huge advocate of natural and organic beauty, and since greenifying my beauty cabinet have seen a big change in my spot prone skin. Whilst I’m not going to pretend my face is flawless these days, I have eliminated my cystic acne and know exactly how to handle my breakouts.

My number one weapon of choice for combatting skin woes is the Viridian Clear Skin Complex. Out of all the supplement brands out there, Viridian are one that I feel I can really rely on for their purity and effectiveness. One of the hero herbs in this blend is burdock root, which known for its blood purifying properties; all of those pesky toxins that would otherwise exit through your skin as blemishes are flushed out by its detoxifying power. If that wasn’t enough, it also contains a probiotic blend of lactobacillus bulgaricus and acidophilus alongside bifido bacteria, helping to keep the gut in check. If you’re a seasoned healthista, you’ll already know that this too will make sure your body is getting rid of troublesome toxins.

But of course, whilst tackling acne has to start from the inside, you can’t overlook a good skincare regime. Forget aggressive treatments and tread gently – the likelihood is that if your skin is blemish prone, it’s also sensitive. No one knows sensitive skin quite like British brand Pai Skincare, and their Copaiba & Zinc Perfect Balance Blemish Serum is a one-way ticket to a clear and calm complexion. This milky serum isn’t your usual blemish busting suspect; it’s hydrating rather than drying, and sits comfortably on the skin without the feeling that it might just burn a layer or two off. If you’ve tried a fair few of the concoctions out there touted as acne fixes, you’ll know that feeling! It turns out this softly-does-it approach has something to it, as a clinical trial found that the Copaiba complex in their formula was capable of reducing blemishes by 72% and sebum 65% when applied daily for 8 weeks.* Since introducing this skin saviour into my own routine, I can’t argue with those results.

Without a doubt, one of the things that really turned my skin around was permanently introducing facial oils into my skincare regime. Where I was once constantly bringing out the blotting papers, my oil production is much more balanced. By fighting oil with oil, you actually train your skin to produce only what it needs. Pure, organic jojoba and rosehip oil are good places to start, but if you want something that’s the next step up then Odacite’s Pure Elements Concentrates can target skin issues head on. Despite the fact the bottles are small, what’s inside packs a punch. If you are suffering from stubborn acne, then the Oily Acne Prone formula is best. Consisting of just grapeseed and grapefruit oil (plus a dash of vitamin E), its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties will help calm down any active redness as well as preventing new blemishes.

Now, who’s looking forward to ditching the concealer and going barefaced?

*Source Pai Skincare

Words by Mayah Parmenter | www.callitvanity.com

Twitter @callitvanity

Instagram @vanityshmanity

MORE: Top 5 Post Workout Beauty Treats | Natural Hair Care For Gym Goers

5 Minutes With… The Mindful Chef

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When it comes to eating healthy, preparation is key, and whilst we’d all like to believe we can make the time each week to go to our local farmers market and hand select top quality ingredients to use in our meals for the week ahead, the truth is that many of us just don’t! This is where the Mindful Chef comes into play. Boasting a selection of healthy recipe boxes delivered across the country, the Mindful Chef has set out with a mission to make healthy eating easy. This week, we caught up with the founders to find out more…

You’ve been described as the “Net-a-Porter” of food delivery services. What makes Mindful Chef so special? 

We have deliberately entered with a high quality product at the premium end of the market. The key differentiator between us and other fresh food delivery businesses is that we don’t fill our boxes with cheap processed foods such as pasta or bread. Instead we load our boxes with high quality organic meat, sustainably caught fish and organic nutrient dense vegetables. Mindful Chef is as much a lifestyle choice as it is a food delivery service, what you put into your body is hugely important to your general health and wellbeing. Little nuances such as a carry handle being integrated in every box means we’ve gone that extra mile to ensure consumers have a hassle free experience from start to finish. It is these small touches along with some high profile people trying our boxes which has probably led to us being referred to as ‘The Net-a-Porter’ of food delivery services.

Who and what inspires you to come up with new ideas and recipes that’ll make you stand out from your competition? 

We have a pile of recipe books from all the hot chefs out there right now. Each week we are flicking through these along with trawling the web for the very latest trends, foods and styles of cooking to ensure we keep our recipes extremely tasty and current. We are also constantly chatting with our award-winning suppliers in Devon who are experts in their field, full of tips and tricks about what produce we should be considering in our upcoming boxes.

Do you have any favourite cook books? 

Tess Ward’s The Naked Diet is obviously up there, given her approach to simply enjoying the right healthy foods rather than eating a faddy diet which is unsustainable. Jamie Oliver’s new book interestingly fits with a lot of our brands core values of not including heavy processed carbs. It is interesting to note that after 16 years of selling comfort food style books he has decided that now is the time to go down the healthy route, we feel this eludes to a wider shift in consumers attitude towards food; people want tasty meals but they also now understand the importance of eating the right balanced foods – that is where Mindful Chef comes in.

What does a typical day look like for you? 

Myself and co-founder Myles will usually cycle or run into our office around 7am; a burst of cardio and fresh air in the morning is great for setting yourself up for a productive day. We’ll be at our desks from around 7.30am prioritising the days and weeks tasks before the team gets in at 9am. It’ll then be a mix of meetings, calls and emails throughout the day before finishing around 8pm and jumping back on the bike home. The one thing we make sure we do every day is encourage the whole team to go for a workout at some point in the day, usually around lunch time. We strongly believe that being sat at your desk all day is less productive than taking a break and having some time outdoors. We’ll either hit the local park for a circuits session or head to the gym for a quick workout as a team before coming back to our desks in the afternoon fresh and focused.

Who do you test your recipes out on? 

We have a team of recipe testers which consists of professional chefs right through to our families; mums can be the best critics! It is important that we have a variety of people trying our product as our customer base is so diverse. We work months in advance planning our recipes with our chefs to suit the seasonal availability of fruit and veg.

Who are your most popular customers and popular areas to deliver? 

Presently we have large customer bases in South West London and North London along with rapidly growing followings across the capital. Our most popular customers come from all over. It isn’t just the young busy city worker who needs to balance their diet within a time poor work life schedule. We have families, young girls, rugby playing guys and older couples trying our boxes. We also have enquiries coming in from all over the country which is encouraging, it isn’t just city folk who want to vary their weekly dinners.

You’ve recently collaborated with Tess Ward, how did the idea to do so come about? 

The partnership with the lovely Tess was a simple one actually. We had been in touch via Instagram and after she tried a box of ours she was so impressed by the quality of our meat and fish that she got in touch to enquire about the suppliers. From there on in we met up a few times and the partnership emerged from there. It seems crazy that it hasn’t happened before – far too many people buy recipe books and let them gather dust on the shelf, always meaning to but never actually getting round to opening them, writing down the ingredients needed, heading to the supermarket, shopping around for everything and then cooking it up. With our partnership, people had 3 recipes from Tess’ book delivered to their door every week meaning all they had to do was the enjoyable part – the cooking and eating!

What is next for Mindful Chef?

We are presently expanding our fulfillment centre and have just moved to new offices due to the volume of orders coming in. Whilst this is all going on we are totally focused upon maintaining the quality service our customers expect week in week out. The quality and variety of our produce is of paramount importance to us and that is where a lot of our time will be focused to ensure that this does not dip as we grow, it only gets better.

Words by Rachel Harrison 

MORE: 10 Nutrition Tips For December | Healthy Recipes To Make This Christmas

Christmassy Citrus Berry Muesli

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Get into the Christmas spirit with this fun and festive Citrus Berry Muesli from our eBook! The perfect breakfast or deliciously healthy dessert, we’ll be munching on this all month long!

Serves 1

Ingredients

For the smoothie:

  • 1 cup raspberries
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Sprig of mint

Extras

  •  1/3 cup oats
  • 2 tbsp of omega 3 mix:
  • Mixed pumpkin, sunflower and linseeds
  • 30g (2 tbsp) ground flaxseed
  • 1 tsp goji berries
  • 1 tsp sultanas

Method

Simply blend the ingredients for the smoothie and place to one side. Mix the oats, goji’s and sultanas. In a jar layer the muesli, by putting 1/3 of the mixture in first, topping with the oat mixture, then the rest of the smoothie and finishing with the flax and Omega 3 mix. Decorate with leftover mint. If placing in a bowl feel free to layer, or mix everything together and munch away!

VG, V, WF, GF, DF, SF, R

Get more recipes like this one in our eBook In The Hip & Healthy Kitchen!

MORE RECIPES: Healthy Mince Pies | Healthy Christmas Truffles

 

Christmas Gift Guide For Spa Lovers

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If you’re buying for a spa lover this Christmas, we have the guide for you…

Urban Turban Hair Towel, £15

Probably one of our favorite discoveries this year – the Urban Turban is a beauty and spa lovers must-have. It is a luxury towel for your hair that you attach with a button and it comes in the cutest waterproof pouch. Stocking fillers sorted. You’ll wonder how you ever lived without one.

Swell Bottle in Seafoam, £24.95

The perfect handbag-sized water bottle, Swell Bottle keeps hot drinks hot for 12 hours and cold drinks cold for 24 hours – making it your weekend spa essential (how else are you going to drink all that herbal tea). Made with non-toxic stainless steel the bottles aren’t just good for your health, they’re also great for the world as the company works closely with UNICEF to help provide clean water to the world’s most vulnerable children.

Como Shambhala Invigorate Hand Wash, £14

Bring a little bit of the spa to your home with this delicious scented hand wash. Como Shambhala’s spas are second to none and are set in some of the world’s most exclusive and beautiful locations. With something as simple as their hand wash you can instantly indulge your senses and send your mind to another word entirely.

Pukka Blackcurrant Beauty Tea

Pukka are renowned for their in-depth knowledge in herbal teas and for their distinctly beautiful boxes, and their most recent launch – the Pukka  Blackcurrant Beauty Tea – is no disappointment. Its deep blackcurrant aroma instantly calms the mind, while the rosehip, beetroot and hibiscus get to work on the skin. Best drunk in your dressing-gown post facial!

Neom Christmas Wish Candle, £34.95

Neom is a very special brand; not only do they produce the most wonderful-scented candles, bath and body products on earth, presented in the most beautiful, enchanting way but they also have spent years on each product carefully formulating each individual aroma so that it actually has positive wellbeing benefits too. The Neom Christmas candle is an absolute fave – and no longer does the H&H office feel like Christmas without one. But if you fancy buying something even more special – they also have an extraordinary collaboration with designer, Jenny Packham, who has created a delightful range of candles for them. Rumour has it that Neom are also launching treatments very shortly too so spa-lovers should watch this space…

Words by Sadie Reid

MORE CHRISTMAS GUIDES: For Beauty Lovers | For Fitness Lovers 

 

 

Meet The Founders Of Clean Beauty Co

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Here at Hip & Healthy, we are a little obsessed with natural skincare and beauty. Gone are the days of drab and non-effective alternative skincare – over the past few years, we have seen a surge in natural products that are just as luxurious as their (actually not-so-luxurious) chemical laden counterparts. To fill us in on why natural skincare is just as important as a wholefood diet, we caught up with the girls from one of our favourite green beauty blogs Clean Beauty Co, to find out their cannot-live-without products, desert island essentials and all that’s in between. Read on for the lowdown…

What inspired you to start Clean Beauty Co?

We ​were agonising over the ingredients in food, researching clean eating​ and already super concerned about what was going into our bodies in an effort to move away from high-processed rubbish. But we were still ​obsessed with beauty products, using up to 20 different products a day. Clean Beauty Co came out of a natural merge of these two things:​ if we were so concerned about what we were putting into our bodies, why weren’t we thinking about what we were putting onto our bodies? After all, our skin is our biggest organ and – surprise surprise – it absorbs a lot! After a little research, we were both horrified to discover what actually goes into our favourite shampoos, moisturisers, face scrubs and foundations. We were already making simple face masks and bath soaks, so we invested in some essential oils, upped our DIY game and CBCo was born!

Was there anything in particular that made you keen to make the switch to using only ‘clean’ products?

The realisation that we could find or make products that contain only the good stuff. High quantities of our favourite plant, nut, flower and seed oils, all the anti-ageing, super-moisturising, ultra-nourishing goodness that hasn’t been diluted with pointless fillers and chemicals. We were spending so much money on beauty products that were promising to change our worlds, but when we actually looked at the ingredients, there was not only nothing spectacular in there, but actually every effort had been made to cut corners and fill the bottle out with cheap alternatives.​ We want the very best for our skin and hair, so we decided to make a change and document the journey.

Do you have any particular role models within the world of natural beauty?

Stacy Malkan is an absolute inspiration. She wrote Not Just a Pretty Face and is a campaigner for safe cosmetics in the US. Some of her work and the progress she’s made is amazing. Karen and Victoria of La Bella Figura are doing a really interesting thing in the US with A Night for Green Beauty – we love that they’ve created a green beauty community and would love to try to do a similar thing in London. Also Olivia at Glasshouse Salon in East London as she’s managed to nail a super-trendy hair salon that offers natural alternatives when it comes to hair treatments and colour.  And finally our girls at Call It Vanity who are old-hats at this natural beauty lark! Their blog is an inspiration to us as there’s so much amazing content delivered in a really accessible (and funny) way. Great for those first starting out.

Name your 5 cannot-live-without products…

​Vita Coco ​Coconut Oil – Don’t think we need to go into too much detail here, if this isn’t already a staple on your beauty shelf then we suggest you go out and get some ASAP! We love that Vita Coco’s oil comes from the Philippines, where some of the best coconuts are grown!​

​Dr Bronner’s Castile Soap – ​We love Dr Bronner’s, it’s a really versatile soap made of just a few natural ingredients. It can be used all over, as a body wash, face wash or hand soap. We even use it to clean our makeup brushes! It ​is really gentle and smells great (our fave is lavender). It’s just awesome.​

Une Foundation – W​e’re both recent converts to this stuff and love it. It’s light and dewy but provides enough coverage to hide pesky blemishes and under-eye circles after a late night. We use an anti-ageing version with hydraulic acid and it smells divine.

​RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek – RMS is an awesome brand and their makeup game is strong. We love their Lip2Cheek as it’s so versatile – both a gorgeous lip gloss as well as a glowing blusher – and because it’s made up of coconut oil it also moisturises while making you look pretty.

CBCo Nutter – not to blow our own trumpet, but our hair serum made up of Argan, Macadamia, Sweet Almond and Geranium is a big hit in our households. It can be used as a post-washing serum or an overnight treatments, promoting healthy hair and shine. Winning.

For all those sceptical of going natural, what would you say to persuade them that it really is important to overhaul the toxins from our lives?

We’re not here to preach about the chemicals, toxins and dangers that can lie in your high street beauty products. Moving to natural products not only eliminates toxins, but also nourishes your body with the real stuff that has beneficial properties. And if that doesn’t convince you, then you should also know that you are wasting your money on ‘luxury’ skin and hair care. It is a huge, and very naughty, marketing ploy and most of the time the products you buy are filled with chemicals that give absolutely no benefit.

Your all time favourite beauty recipe from your website is…?

Are we only allowed to pick one? It will probably have to be our Fuss Free Moisturiser which is an all-round miracle worker. ​We haven’t been able to live without it since concocting the recipe at the start of the year. It’s a powerful combo of Coconut, Jojoba, Rosehip and Vitamin E oils and is just like a great big nourishing cuddle for your skin. The best way to use it is as an in-shower balm – slather on in the shower, rinse off and there’s no need to moisturise when you get out. Handy right?

What does your daily skincare routine look like?

Both pretty simple to be honest!

Elsie: I am obsessed with Antipodes Grace Cream Cleanser. It’s sooooooo gentle but also very moisturising and nourishing. I’ll follow that with a rose water toner and oil-based moisturiser. Right now I’m loving Rosehip oil with a drop of Frankincense (if you can’t be bothered to make your own then Pai do a great range).

Dominika: I am loving Green People’s cream cleanser, my skin is really dry in winter and is loving the richness of this. I always tone with our Rosy Glow, Rosewater with Barbary Fig oil to keep my skin clear and supple. I’m giving Weleda’s Rose Day cream a whirl at the moment, I’ll admit it, I love the scent of rose.

For those of us currently dependent on using a lot of commercial products, what would be your top tip for making the switch to more natural alternatives?

Ease into it. You honestly don’t want to be investing in an entire new skin and hair routine all at once because, aside from it costing a small fortune, you have no idea how your skin might react. Make the change gradually with one product at a time – start with a cleanser, ensure it’s the right one for you and your skin’s happy with it before moving on to your toner. And be patient. Your body is used to the commercial products that you’ve been using for so many years and may take a couple of days to adapt to your new, super-potent face oil.

How important do you believe the link between our diets and beautiful skin to be?

Now, we definitely don’t proclaim to be any kind of nutritionists, but there is no doubt that diet has a massive impact on the look and feel of your skin. We’ve woken up many a time after one too many glasses of prosecco to dry, dehydrated and grey skin. I guess our approach to diet is similar to our approach to beauty products – we want as much of the good stuff as possible! We try and cram oodles of green veg, avocado, eggs, berries, proteins and pulses in as we know that they’re a quick fix way to glowing skin. Many of the nutrients you get in these foods are similar to the nutrients found in our favourite beauty products – antioxidants, essential fatty acids etc – and your skin still benefits.

Can you suggest a few must-have beauty accessories/utensils?

A killer make-up brush is always worth investing in and there are a number of brands that have vegan options but equally aren’t made up of gross, toxic fibres. Have a look at RMS Beauty or Kjaer Weis’ ranges.

Your desert island beauty product would be what?

It would have to be coconut oil again (we know, we know, change the record!). We love the stuff so much, it’s pretty much the third member of CBCo. And it would be perfect on a desert island! You could use it to moisturise, keep your hair conditioned, it has a small SPF so you could slather on before sunbathing and then use as a soothing aftersun. Plus you could eat it.

What is your favourite way to keep active? Are there any workout trends you’re loving at the moment?

We are firm gym buddies as well as business partners and have a weekly session with our awesome PT Jordan. At the moment we’re both loving handstands for balance and core work, then we’re a teeny bit obsessed with boxing for an all-round killer workout.

If you had to share just one piece of advice, what would it be?

Don’t believe everything you’re told and make the effort to do the research yourself. This applies to big beauty brands, as well as small ones claiming to be natural and organic. The regulations are very loose around cosmetics, so make the effort to understand your labels and ascertain fact from fiction. Or just make your own!

Interview by Meryn Turner

MORE CLEAN BEAUTY CO: Natural Hair Care For Gym Goers | Clean Living Inside & Out

 

Peach & Avocado Porridge

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Dream and Honestly Healthy‘s Natasha Corrett have partnered to create tasty dairy free recipes for you to enjoy at home. This wonderfully creamy dairy and gluten free porridge is great to set you up for the day – happy breakfasting!

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe peach
  • 120g gluten free
  • 3 tbsp desiccated coconut
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 450ml Rice Dream
  • 1/2 an avocado
  • Flaked almonds or linseeds to garnish (optional)

Instructions

Chop the peach in half and remove the stone. Chop 3/4 of the flesh into 2cm cubes and place into a pan, saving the remaining 1/4 for the topping.

Add the gluten free oats, desiccated coconut, chia seeds and half of the Rice Dream to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer on medium heat. The peach will start to break down providing some lovely natural sweetness to your porridge.

When the mixture starts to thicken, add the remaining Rice Dream and continue to heat until the porridge is cooked.

While the porridge cooks, chop the avocado into thin half-moon shapes and set aside. Chop the remainder of the peach into thin slices.

Divide the porridge into two bowls and top with the remaining peach and avocado. Sprinkle over some crunchy toppings of your choice and if you need a but more of a sweet fix, try a drizzle of agave syrup or honey.

Enjoy!

MORE RECIPES: Raw Gingerbread Bars | Be Grateful Granola 

 

 

The Hip & Healthy Guide to Barcelona

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Barcelona has been a pretty hip travel destination for some time now and lately the healthy side is also picking up fast. The offer of vegetarian dishes has grown rapidly and juice bars are popping up everywhere. So apart from the usual must visit locations this Mediterranean city has on offer, you here have a list of our favourite Hip & Healthy food spots and things to do in Barcelona.

EATING 

El Café Blue Project

The culinary experience is colourful and luscious and in a cosy atmosphere. All food here is organic and there are plenty of raw food, vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options.

Teresa Carles

Named after its famous vegetarian chef, Teresa has come up with some delicious dishes in her first vegetarian restaurant in Barcelona. She takes vegetarian food to a whole new level and Teresa’s Mezze Platter is a good sample of the various tastes available in the restaurant. The kitchen is open all day. www.teresacarles.com

Flax & Kale

This is a truly hip restaurant boasting a wide range of flexitarian dishes that include plenty of healthy spices and superfoods. It’s modern, delicious and busy, so be sure to show up early or book ahead. It is the second restaurant of Teresa Carles.

Hummus

If you’re into hummus (who’s not?) then this is the place to go. The menu is simple but with quality options that are delicious. The friendly staff serve take away should you want to go on a picnic.

Obbio

The Obbio organics food supermarket has a small and cosy café that serves healthy and delicious breakfast and lunch throughout the day. Lunch is paid per weight so just fill up the plate with those healthy grains and salads etc. Food here is mainly vegan and vegetarian made with fresh, organic and seasonal food.

The Juice House

Besides juices, the Juice House also offers clean food without refined or processed products. They serve breakfast, lunch and teatime snacks. How about an oat and chia pancake with nut cream, coco and strawberries?

OhBo

Instead of a usual appetizer, why not have a shot of antioxidants to start the organic feast in this modern café? They have plenty of options of dishes that change with the seasons and a delicious brunch on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

Organic’s

It’s an all-organic restaurant, serving “slow fast food” in the centre of Barcelona. You can combine the dish especially for your own taste buds. The kitchen is open all day and they also have a menu for kids.

DRINKING 

Mother

Mother is one of the very first cold-pressed juiceries in Barcelona. They serve juices of all kinds, as well as nut mylk smoothies – it’s all organic and scrumptious!

Teresa’s Juicery

Located in Flax & Kale, this juicer offers pure cold pressed juices and purees, veggie mylks, health smoothies and wellness elixir shots! There is something for every taste bud and they’re all delicious. If you’re not sure where to start, try out the Coco Masalachai.

Green Shoots

This small juice shop makes the juice you want with plenty of ingredients on offer. They also do take-away lunches and there are some table and chairs should you want hang out a little longer. Oh, and all in biodegradable packaging!

SHOPPING 

The following organic supermarkets have all you need for a healthy trip in town. You can stock up on snacks, fruits, mylks, as well as baby and beauty products.

Ethical and vegan fashion is also on the up in Barcelona and in these three shops you can find local and international sustainable fashion labels.

FITNESS

For beautiful beach run, the 7km on Passeig Marítim from Hotel W to Forum on Diagonal Mar; and for an incredible view of Barcelona, run along the Carretera de les Aigües like the locals do.

Work on your posture and stretch your muscles during a class at Postural Fit. And if you feel like caCthing up on a yoga session you can do so at Bikram Yoga or Yoga Yoga Barcelona, specialised in Bikram and Hatha Vinyasa respectively.

Take a swim while enjoying the spectacular view of the city and the sea at the Montjuïc swimming pool reformed for the 1992 Summer Olympic Games and featured in Kylie Minogue’s Slow music video.

Enjoy the spa at Aire de Barcelona for a blissful green hammam experience or visit the spa at Hotel Omm – a luxury spa retreat with natural and organic products to pamper you with.

Words by Helena Spongenberg

Image: Flax & Kale

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How To Find Your Inner Boxer

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As a fitness fiend who loves to mix it up with everything from Pilates to bootcamp, I’m forever reading recommendations of different styles of exercise to add to my routine. If you’re guilty of the same, you’ll have noted how much attention boxing has garnered over the last year; with the likes of Gigi Hadid and Ellie Goulding praising their boxing sessions for their aspirational physiques.

So what are the benefits? A cardiovascular workout that challenges strength, stamina and overall fitness, boxing helps to craft a lean and toned body, while allowing you to punch out the stress of that horrendous 5 o’clock meeting. Hand-eye co-ordination and balance are two other gains from exercising in this way, and (as you’re sure to feel the day after) stabilising your upper body while keeping your feet light and arms strong will really work your core.

In true London form, there is no shortage of places to make a beeline for if you fancy giving it a go. For an instructor who specialises in boxing, there are few better than the guys at Box Clever Sports in Ladbroke Grove. The raw energy that hits you as soon as you enter the studio is sure to get the endorphins flowing, and while they do offer personal training, I would highly recommend their Box Tech classes, offered twice per week.

After taping up your hands (that’s right, they’re serious here!), each class begins with the same cardio and strength warm-up full of jump squats, press-ups, mountain climbers and more. Encouraging you to stay light on your feet throughout, you’re talked through the key boxing moves such as jabs, right-hooks and upper cuts, followed by a routine for you to practice alone or with a partner (note: these will challenge your co-ordination far more than you think!) Professional boxing trainer Pete Liggins describes the Box Tech warm-up as “a fantastic metabolic burn and conditioner’ pumping the heart rate and testing fitness and isometric contraction. Boxing and cardio go hand in hand as boxing rounds are a combination of aerobic and anaerobic energy forms.”

Next up is the punch-bags, where the class work out their anger via a boxing sequence and 30-second freestyle sets focusing on either power or speed. You’ll then find yourself tackling cardio drills and weights: think sprints and burpees, lunges with medicine ball, pikes in the TRX and heavy rope work to target the arms and abs. Despite being tough, these sets are actually a favourite of mine; lasting just long enough to ensure you’re working hard, but not so long that you’re desperate to move on. If the class is particularly busy, this may be swapped for core sets on the floor, but don’t be fooled – they’ll make you hold that plank and v-sit longer than you think!

Expect to have some pretty serious boxers at the other end of the studio (which if anything, just adds to your wanting to punch that bag harder), and be warned: this class will make you sweat!

Why is this workout style so effective? “Boxing works the entire body, not only in terms of aerobic and anaerobic (explosive bursts) fitness but also muscular skeletal,” explains Pete. “It requires not just upper body strength but a vast amount of lower body conditioning too. Punch power, for example, isn’t just about the arms – it’s generated from the legs with an explosive force rotating the hips and torso, requiring strong legs, glutes and core strength.”

If you like the idea of boxing but would prefer less intensity, Box Fit at Frame could be just the thing. Their lively, results-driven workouts are perfect as an introduction to boxing with a more light-hearted vibe. Punching and ducking to an upbeat soundtrack, you’ll still reap the benefits of boxing via their dynamic warm-up and pair-work – one of you wearing gloves, and the other with pads (you’ll swap over later). After a few different routines using classic boxing moves, then comes the cardio – jogging/running around the studio performing different exercises such as jumps and press-ups when instructed. As with all Frame classes, this workout has the fun factor in abundance.

For a boxing beat-out on the other side of the city, try the Work It studio in Old Street, while the more masochistic exercise lovers among you head to 1Rebel. Monikered ‘Rumble’, these super-tough, HIIT-based classes meld boxing, mixed martial arts and cardio training, and will have you feeling the burn in the first five minutes. If you thought spinning at 1Rebel demanded high energy without a pause for rest, just wait until you try this. Fortunately, you can primp and pamper yourself post-workout in their gorgeous changing rooms – a welcome treat after all the jabs and kicks!

Thanks to the vastness of the London fitness scene, even yogis don’t have to miss out on the benefits of boxing. Sign up for BoxingYoga and hit the mat to channel the strength and power of a boxer. Add a little spice into your practice with their mix of ashtanga vinyasa yoga, body conditioning and poses that incorporate boxing technique.

With so many studios to try, there’s no time to waste! Grab a friend, pick a class and get punching!

Words by Zoe Louise Cronk

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5 Minutes With Olivia Cooney

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Ex party girl turned personal trainer Olivia Cooney is the founder of PopUp Fitness, a new bespoke fitness company that offers 7 day long retreats in exclusive venues across Ibiza, Amsterdam, the South of France and Greece. Loved by Millie Mackintosh, Laura Whitmore and Gizzie Erskine, this week we caught up with Olivia to chat all about her entrepreneurial tips, daily routine and what is next in 2016 for PopUp Fitness.

What is the concept behind Pop-Up Fitness?

The Pop-Up Fitness Retreats are set in some of the World’s most elite venues in the most glamorous destinations. Our most well known retreat is our “Tough Love” retreat. It is seven days of a healthy balance of vigorous exercise, deliciously prepared clean eating from award winning chefs, calming yoga and inspiring hikes through the unspoilt countryside of Ibiza. The retreat offers complimentary injury prevention, physiotherapy and relaxation massages sprinkled in to ease the muscles. The retreats have a very casual atmosphere where we have up to 18 guests who each receive personal attention and gentle encouragement, rather than drill-sergeant discipline. Our desire is for all of our clients, male and female, of all ages attending the ‘Pop-Up Fitness Retreats’, to leave feeling fantastic and not feeling beaten up as if they have been at an army style boot camp. The best part of the retreats are that the decision of how much you participate in is completely up to you.

How do you find running your own business? What have been the most challenging and rewarding aspects?

My path to running my own business is probably not what you would expect to hear from a personal trainer. Four years ago I was fully part of the glittering and glamourous party scene of London and now I find myself shouting fitness orders at people to do burpees in Ibiza. Now that I have found my way here, there is no where I would rather be than encouraging and motivating people to feel their best on a daily basis. Of course, launching and getting any business up and running is stressful as you have to work 24 hrs a day trying to control your creative mind (where you can see your business going) with your business mind (actually making it work.) I am particularly bad at this, as I just want to do it all and give it all now. My partner Bart Van Maanen is the best one to bring me back down to earth, he is a model full time but is also a major part in Pop-Up Fitness.

What gave you the idea and motivation to start Pop-Up Fitness?

I found the property we host the retreats at in Ibiza by chance on a family holiday, at this point I had been a person trainer for three years and ready to take my career a step further. The villa has an astro-turf football pitch attached to it, It’s surrounded by hills; which is perfect for hill sprints, It is also a 10 minute walk away from the beach and has enough room to sleep 18 people comfortably. As I was sitting there in this magnificent property I thought to myself “this is how celebrities live; workouts on the football pitch in the morning, a chef to cook whatever you like, great running and hiking paths along the coast lines and the freedom and choice to reward yourself with a luxury lounger at an exclusive beach club. Instantly I knew that this was the lifestyle I wanted to make accessible for everyone. Fabulous fitness, beautiful clean food combined with ultimate luxury for one week.

What is your background in health and fitness?

I have always been sporty ever since I was a child. Sports day were my time to shine, I was never academic but I was good at athletics and netball. I used to play tennis for the Channel Islands with Heather Watson who is still a very close friend of mine. I then joined Millfield school in Somerset, which half of the England Rugby team have come out of! After Millfield I worked for a short period of time at Jimmy Choo in the PR department and continued in the PR industry until my heart told me I was not doing what I enjoyed. I didn’t feel good in myself anymore – so I quit my job, packed my bags and went travelling. I explored Thailand, India & Bali and soon found myself organising my own retreats out there. There was no partying or backpacking for me, instead I spent my time climbing volcanos, working out on beaches and spent a total of three months at a Muay Thai camp. I absolutely fell in love with this feeling of tip top health and fitness.

What is your daily routine?

My daily routine will vary according to how early my first client is, but on a typical day my alarm will sound at 5.30am so I am up and ready for my first client at 6.00am. I absolutely have to make a cup of tea for the short drive in my car playing my latest most motivational tune, which is currently ‘Working For It’ by Skrillex. By 8am I will have made breakfast and made enough green juice to last anybody else a week. I love to have a fresh green juice in the fridge throughout the day. By 9am, I will be at the computer working on the business. It is a constant stream of emails, bookings, interviews and meetings with other new exciting brands and chefs. I will have at least 3 more clients over the day which means I have to have excellent time management skills. Each one of my clients has a bespoke workout plan, so a majority of my day will be spent researching, learning and reading blogs to find out the new weird and wonderful tips for the fitness freaks. I have to be on top of all of it!

What are your favourite supplements?

I love ‘Ibiza Superfoods’ (http://www.ibizasuperfoods.com) who always provide different magical potions at our retreats! I think it is really important to practice what you preach – a teaspoon of either the ‘detox’, ‘sexy’, ‘skinny’ or ‘disco’ mix in my juice/smoothie is the perfect hit of healthy energy.

When is the next pop up retreat, do you have many more planned for next year?

Next year we are back in Ibiza several times. We are also launching new destinations! Which currently include the South of France and Greece. I cannot wait for our fabulous long weekend retreat at the magnificent Ston Easton Park again, It’s a castle in Somerset. Check out the video here of our last one: https://vimeo.com/137116764

Any advice for keeping fit over the Christmas period?

The most important thing is to enjoy your Christmas. Whatever you do, do not go into panic mode. You can still workout when there are Christmas trees up and roast dinners being served even if it is just a plank, a wall sit or 2 minutes with a skipping rope. If you can maintain some fitness over the holidays and remain conscious of how much you’re eating then you won’t fall completely off track. Our motto is “work hard and reward well” – treat yourself, it’s Christmas!

What are you favourite meals to cook? Do you have any favourite cook books or healthy inspirations?

Some of my own recipes are on the Pop-Up Fitness Website. You just can’t beat buckwheat protein pancakes right?! Most of the time I am longing for my Pop-Up Fitness Retreat food so deliciously prepared and tailored especially for the retreats with chef Anne Marie from The Ibiza Kitchen. Together we designed a menu perfect for the active person who loves beautiful tasting food and a lot of it guilt free! All the recipes are super easy and available online. Nothing beats curling up and reading The Naked Diet by Tess Ward and of course Honestly Healthy.

What makes PopUp Fitness different from other retreats available?

When I started Pop-Up Fitness Retreats I realised there was nothing similar to what I wanted to offer out there, thats why I became passionate about getting them up and running and accessible. There was either one end of the scale; very military, stay in bunk beds, 6am roll call, half an egg and compulsory workouts all day long or other end of the scale; uber yoga – hours of yoga everyday and lots of juicing. I wanted both! Combining the high intensity, bootcamp style training with yoga, hiking, pilates and mixing up what kind of workouts you do, incorporating kettle bells, TRX and battleropes into circuit sessions and barrecore with boxing! It keeps in interesting and when you feel like you have exhausted yourself you can do something else like yoga, it means the stretch feels even better!

What celebrities have joined Pop-Up Fitness?

We have had lots of well known faces at the Pop-Up Fitness retreats. Absolutely everybody who has attended a retreat has been amazing and super fit. Earlier this year Millie Mackintosh, Laura Whitmore, Gizzie Erskine all came to the Ibiza retreat together. We’ve also had Zara Martin, Jordan Stephans from Rizzle Kicks and Lettice Robothham stay with us. Kimberly Garner, Oliver Proudlock, Emma Connelly and Amy Willerton have all attended our UK Long weekend and back in London I regularly train Katherine Jenkins, the Little Mix girls and Luke Friend.

We are excited to see who will be attending the next retreat, especially at the launch of South of France. Check out our instagram hashtag #WhosInThePenthouse to see what everyone gets up to!

What is the best way to keep up with your retreats and where PopUp Fitness is heading next?

Our Instagram page is definitely the best way to keep up with what we’re doing. We are ‘popping up’ in different places all the time, from various events around London, to pop-up bootcamps in the parks. We always announce the location 24hrs before to keep the next event exciting. At the moment we’re appearing frequently at the W Amsterdam. Check out @popup_fitness

Interview by Rachel Harrison

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