10 Things You Think When You Try A New Fitness Class!

Written by

This little post is dedicated to those of you who are starting a new fitness class or regime this New Year! We think you’ll be able to relate!

10 things you think when you try a new fitness class!

 

1 – “Ultimate Shred. Death Ride. The Crusher… Don’t they have like… a ‘Mild Mile?’ ‘

 

2 – The moment you click the “reserve” button for a new fitness class, your minds start racing.

“OMG, what if I can’t do this?!”

“OMG, what if my trainer is hot?!”

“OMG, what if I can’t do this AND my trainer is hot!?!?”

 

3 – You got there 15 minutes early per request but sign in took only 2. You have a whole 13 minutes of waiting either A. in the restrooms, redoing your pony tail 6 different times to waste time or B. in the studio nervously stretching, wondering if you can somehow sneak out before class starts

 

4 –  You get to the locker room, and lock your things in the swanky lockers no prob. $@*! You forgot your water bottle in there. Double $@*! You forgot your code. Oh no. Class starts in two minutes. “Pleeease don’t say anything when I walk in 30 seconds late!”

 

5 – You start class and wonder if it’s normal to start sweating during the warm up…

 

6 – For the first 30 minutes, you figure you’ve picked an extra difficult day.

 

7 – Once that 30 minutes is up, you’re warm, you’re ready, you’re vibing, you ARE superwoman.

 

8 – You actually, physically, noticeably, literally LOL when the trainer tells you to take your tread mill up to 18.5KMPH. Similarly when the spin sergeant tells you to “ADD FOUR TURNS TO THAT DIAL!” Is this serious?

 

9 – You consider using a lifeline when you’re at your weakest point. The incline is on 10%, you’re on round 6/8, and you’re doing your 234th bicycle crunch…“I’d like to phone a friend, please!”

 

10 – You’re finally home and wonder if it’s normal that you’re still sweating but you click reserve anyway and only halfway regret it.

words by Nadia Liu

Breakfast Smoothies To Kick-Start Your Day

Written by

Looking for the perfect breakfast? Below are two rather delicious breakfast smoothies from Sarah Todd, author of The Healthy Model Cook Book! 

BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE

Serves 2

10 minutes’ preparation

This is one of my ‘on the go’ breakfasts. The cinnamon-spiked banana flavour is paired with the sweetness of dates and slow burn of oats, so it is satisfying enough to take you through to lunch.

2 bananas

1 cup (90 g) rolled oats

1 cup (250 ml) milk

1/2 cup (140 g) Homemade Yoghurt (see page 181)

or natural Greek-style yoghurt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 medjool dates, pitted

2 tablespoons LSA (linseed, sunflower, almond meal) (optional)

pinch salt

handful ice cubes

finely chopped unsalted pistachios, to serve

Place the bananas, oats, milk, yoghurt, cinnamon, dates, LSA (if using) and salt in high-powered blender with the ice and blend until smooth.

Divide between 2 glasses, scatter with pistachios and serve.

 

PINEAPPLE AND MINT GREEN SMOOTHIE

Serves 2

5 minutes’ preparation

A green smoothie doesn’t need to be unappealing. I think it’s great to kickstart your day with powerful ingredients, and what better way to do this than with a tasty green ‘not gross’ smoothie.

1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, roughly chopped

1/4 cup (small handful) mint leaves

1 cup (large handful) baby spinach

2 cups (500 ml) coconut water or water

3 medjool dates, pitted

1 cup ice cubes

1 tablespoon desiccated coconut

Place the pineapple, mint, spinach, coconut water or water and dates in a high-powered blender with the ice. Blend until smooth.

To serve, pour into glasses, add the desiccated coconut and stir.

Extract taken from The Healthy Model Cookbook by Sarah Todd (Penguin Lantern £16.99 RRP) Photography by John Laurie

Got a craving for more delicious recipes like this one? Click here to buy the full book!

How To Fix Post-Christmas Over-Indulged Skin!

Written by

Our skin can take a beating this time of year – from cold weather, central heating and lots of indulgent, sugary foods! We called upon the experts over at Plenish Cleanse get their healthy skin tips for those who have overindulged during the Christmas and New Year Period. By combining nutrition, supplements and skincare, you will give yourself the best start to the New Year!

 

Nutrition 

Over indulgence can make the skin congested, lacking luster and on the puffy side. There are certain foods that are going to benefit the skin and a detox is the best place to begin. Start the day with a hot water and slice of lemon and ginger to gently awaken the body and kick start the cleansing process. Mid afternoon opt for a fresh mint tea or a green tea which is packed with cleansing antioxidants.

 

In the New Year, you could start a juice cleanse program from 3 to up to 7 days. Or make it a New Years life change to include a green juice every day or 5 out of 7 days. With PLENISH offering a juice subscription service, this makes it easier than ever to do.

 

It’s also important to include alkalising foods into your body. Cucumber, lemon, celery, fennel, ginger, pear, spinach are all great for alkalising the whole body and improving the brightness and clarity of your complexion. A good combination of greens, especially spinach and kale, coloured fruit, berries and vegetables, with healthy proteins such as quinoa, nuts and healthy oils from brazil nuts, fish and avocado should make up the basics of a diet to ensure skin clarity. Avoid the obvious refined things like pasta, breads, cakes, cheese, and processed meats. For sweat treats fill your boots with dark chocolate, high in skin friendly antioxidants.

 

Supplements

New Year skin supplements should include Vitamin D, which is essential for all over health especially in the UK during the winter months. Vitamin C works on so many levels as well as assisting the liver to drive away toxins. Milk Thistle is great for liver function and to help keep those breakouts at bay, an effective probiotic to help rebalance an over indulged stomach and rebalance good gut flora.

 

Organic Pharmacy ‘Phytonutrients’ capsules are an amazing all round skin health supplement as well as being good for digestion.

 

Organic Burst ‘Spirulina’ is so easy to add to juices and breakfasts, ideal for alkalizing, improving the immune system and packed with protein and amino acids.

Wild Nutrition – Food-State Skin Hair and Nails is the staple you need for general skin health. The skin is going to recognise all of the ingredients and use them to its best!

 

Skincare

For skin detoxification it’s not just what you are applying to the face, the whole body is going to impact on the clarity of your facial complexion. You could go fully natural for a 6-week skin detox product period. Avoiding highly perfumed, heavy creams, synthetic ingredients, instead going natural, organic, raw or just cold formulated. All of this will give your lymphatic system the best space to be healthy. It’s important to cleanse morning and night. Kiehls Ultra Facial oil free cleanser is a good city skin cleanser without stripping, or their Ultra Facial cleanser is suited to a more sensitive skin.

 

Body brushing and skin exfoliating is a tried and tested method of improving the bodies natural detoxification process, sloughing off the tired dead skin cells on the surface to stimulate fresh cell growth will allow products to penetrate better and bring back some health to the skins surface.

 

Aesop Tea Tree Leaf Facial Exfoliant is perfect, powdered tea tree leaves; crushed nutshells and purifying clays tick all the boxes for skin detox.

 

Liz Earle Brightening Mask is just magical and really does do something for over-indulged skin. Containing a blend of camphor oil, white clay which draws out impurities, mineral silt high in magnesium, calcium and iron all really important for the skin along with almond oil and aloe vera.

 

Suki Pure Facial Oil – Non complicated with a delicate chamomile scent, absorbs beautifully and great for re-balancing and hydrating the skin without over powering. Use at night as a hydrator.

For a whole body and face detox, Epsom salt baths are old fashioned but work! Magnesium and sulphate absorbed through the skin are great for restoring the body after over indulgence, they naturally rehydrate and restore.

For more cleansing tips head to http://www.plenishcleanse.com 

How To Avoid The Christmas Bloat!

Written by

With Christmas just around the corner, the numerous social occasions are building up. It is so hard to balance the many events in our diaries with staying on track with health and feeling good about ourselves as well. So much of feeling good externally comes from the way we feel internally. It is perfectly natural that we’re going to feel a bit bloated after a one too many prosecco and mince pies. The good news is that there are definitely some things we all can do, both before you get the dancing shoes on and the day after.

Set yourself up for a bloat-free Christmas whilst not feeling like you’re missing out.

 

Preparation

If you know you’re going out in the evening, preparation is absolutely key. Definitely no meal skipping even though you might feel like you want to avoid those extra calories so you can indulge later on. It’s definitely better to stick to as normal a routine as possible, so ensure you have a good healthy breakfast and lunch with lots of veggies involved and some nutritious carbs like oats or sweet potato, not to mention plenty of water. If anything, turning up to a party when you’re not starving will probably do you more favours as you will be less tempted by naughty treats.

 

Pick your poison

When choosing your tipple, choose carefully. Wine and beer are more likely to trigger the bloat because it is fermented and full of yeast and sugar. Try and stick to a gin and tonic or vodka and soda to reduce the sugar intake and also avoid any uncomfortableness the next day.

 

Probiotics

We swear by Symprove’s probiotics for day to day use, but especially for anyone who suffers from regular bouts of bloat. If you’re looking at your diary and wondering when your body is going to get a break – from Christmas lunches to office parties – Symprove is going to be your trusty companion through it all, protecting your body from inside out. Get started on your 12-week journey now for benefits that will last the festive season and beyond at www.symprove.com

 

Take some me time and reduce stress

Make sure you make time for you. One of the main things that stresses your digestion out, is stress! It is so easy when we are busy and flying from Christmas shopping to Christmas shmoozing without taking a breath, to forget to take any time for ourselves. We skip meals, we make poor food choices, we forget to drink water. Schedule in some time for yourself, whether this is taking a yoga class, going for a run or getting a facial. Taking some time to stop and take stock is essential at all times of the year, but especially at Christmas when we are always on the go.

 

Find the balance

In between festivities, give your body a break – find some balance and dodge the bloat. For us, the quickest and easiest way to do this is with a green juice, but a veggie soup will also do the trick. You’re giving your digestive system a break whilst also topping up on essential nutrients.

 

Christmas is coming but there is no reason why we need to choose between feeling good and enjoying the festivities. It is not normal to feel bloated and uncomfortable every day, try and work out what is triggering the bloat for you and work different options into your routine. Planning, time out and rebalancing our bodies throughout the Christmas period will all help!

 

Words by Rachel Cruickshank

Instagram @rachelcruick

Christmas Superfoods Sorted

Written by

The festive season is traditionally a healthy eater’s nightmare. Throughout December it’s the norm to start the day with chocolate, there are almost unavoidable high fat/sugar food combinations at every social gathering and that’s not even taking alcohol consumption into account. But fret not. There are certain festive foods, which are guilt, gluten and sugar-free.

Turkey: Meat-eaters rejoice. A free range turkey is a lean source of high-quality protein, particularly high in the amino acid tryptophan, a building block of the brain compound serotonin, which can help induce sleep whilst also improving sleep quality which is critical for immune function, metabolism, memory, learning and other functions.

Nut Roast: You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy a nut roast, which is an excellent way to incorporate good fats, protein and complex carbohydrates. Avoid processed Nut Roasts, which tend to be high in hydrogenated fats. Try this Kale and Roast Tomato Nut Roast recipe.

Cranberries: An excellent source of vitamin C and soluble and insoluble fibre, as well as manganese, copper and antioxidants. Clinical research shows that cranberries, both juice and extract, can reduce the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections.

Brussels Sprouts: These cruciferous vegetables often get passed along the table so make sure you tuck in. Brussels sprouts are similar in nutritional value to broccoli. Proving vitamins C and K, beta-carotene, vitamins B6, fibre, thiamine, and potassium.

Chestnuts: Thanks to Nat King Cole these sweet, chewy nuts are traditional favourites that work wonderfully with sprouts. Chestnuts are the only low-fat nuts, containing 1g fat and 70 kcals, primarily from carbohydrates, per 30g of dry/ roasted nuts. They are also the only nuts that contain vitamin C, great for stress support, and are an excellent source of manganese, copper and magnesium.

Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Nutmeg has long been used to lessen wind formation and prevent flatulence. Some confirmed effects of cinnamon are as a sedative for smooth muscle, a circulatory stimulant, carminative and as a digestant.

By Kathryn Fielding

Hip and Healthy Ambassador

Nutritional Therapist DipION, mBANT, CNHC Registered

Yoga Teacher

@kathryn_fielding 

www.kathrynfielding.co.uk

 

Superfood Pancakes!

Written by

 

These incredible, superfood pancakes from CRU Kafe, are seriously moreish and perfect for batch cooking for your friends and family over the festive season!

 

INGREDIENTS

Syrup

2 espresso (40ml)

2 tbsp runny honey

4 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp ginger

 

Garnish

100ml coconut yoghurt

25g pecans

25g goji berries

 

Pancakes

300g spelt flour

1 egg

150ml oat milk

1 ripe banana (mashed)

1 tbsp golden coconut sugar

2 tsp baking powder (gluten free brand) 200g blueberries

 

METHOD (makes 10)

  1. Place the ingredients for the syrup in a pan and reduce by half. Set aside.

 

  1. Place the goji berries in a pestle & mortar to grind the berries into a dust. Set aside.

 

  1. Whisk the pancake ingredients together, leaving aside the blueberries. Use a nonstick pan on a medium heat and add a little oil to the pan. Place an egg ring into the pan, scatter in 4-5 blueberries and pour in 3 tbsp of the pancake mix. Cook for 1-2 minutes then when they are ready to turn, sprinkle 2-3 more blue- berries on top and flip. This way you’ll see juicy berries sticking out of your pancakes and it significantly improves the presentation. Cook for another minute.

 

  1. Once you have your pancakes done, stack 5 per plate, drizzle with the coffee syrup, drop a dollop of coconut yogurt on the top and sprinkle the goji dust and pecans on top. Boom!

Steffy White’s Christmas Yoga Flow For Digestion

Written by

 

The gorgeous Steffy White takes you through the perfect yoga flow to help boost your digestion after the festive season! Give it a go today!

For more videos from Steffy – Head to her channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZSfm0bLmTj2o-WEwafka5w

Don’t forget to check our her website too! www.steffywhiteyoga.com and find her on instagram @steffywhiteyoga

Healthy Mince Pies

Written by

Mincemeat ingredients:

  • 2 gala apples, diced into very small pieces
  • 1 cup (160 grams) Raisins
  • 1 cup (160grams) Sultanas
  • 1/4 cup (20 grams) blanched  almonds
  • 1/4 cup (40 grams) hazelnuts
  • 1 /2 cup (70 grams) dried apricot, diced
  • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed, optional
  • Juice and Zest of 1/2 an orange
  • Zest of 1/2 a lemon
  • 2 tsp mixed spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tbsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 cup water

The pastry ingredients:

  • 2 cups spelt flour
  • 1/2 cup Oat milk (use Rice Milk for a sweeter taste)
  • 110g Vegan Margarine (we use Pure, sunflower spread)
  • 4 tbs agave

Combine all the ingredients for the mince meat in a pan, add 1/2 of the water, cover and leave to simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add more water as necessary to keep the consistency gooey (and lovely). Whilst your mincemeat cooks you can prepare the pastry.
Preheat the oven to 180 celsius. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl, then add the butter and stir until it forms a breadcrumb like texture. Slowly stir in the milk and agave until it forms into a dough. Coat the side with flour and roll out half the mixture thinly. Depending on your cookie cutter (if you don’t have any of these you can use the rim of one of your wine glasses) size you should make 12-14 mince pie bases. Place bases in muffin tins (grease beforehand). Once the mincemeat has slightly cooled place 1-2 tbsp of the mixture in each. Roll out the rest of the dough mixture and make your tops. Use a brush of water to help stick the sides together. Poke two small holes in the top, and place in the oven to cook for 15-20 minutes (or until slightly brown). Serve straight away or reheat later.

We would love to hear how you get on so please do upload your pics to our Facebook page!

Screen Shot 2013-12-24 at 17.00.53

Recipe by Naturally Sassy

MORE: Healthy Christmas Truffles | Healthy Christmas Porridge

How To Make Christmas 2016 Your Best One Yet

Written by

The Christmas season is one that we all enjoy, but much of the time we are stressed with parties, family, the thought of eating ungodly amounts of sugar and spending unbelievable amounts of money on gifts that we aren’t even sure the recipient will like.

 

We tend to get lost in the flurry of stress and forget to truly enjoy the time we spend with our loved ones. We break down some of our top tips to keep you mindful and to help live in the moment even when your Great Aunt Victoria is asking why you’re still single or don’t have kids yet.

 

Disconnect to reconnect

One of our top tips even outside of the holiday season is to switch off. Now is the perfect time to take advantage of the opportunity you have to spend time with your loved ones. E-mails can wait and Instagram will still be there after Christmas. If you, your friends, and family have trouble peeling away from the screen, make it a house rule that everyone leaves their phones in a basket at the front door. By limiting the temptation to look at your phones, you have the opportunity to create new memories with your loved ones and no ‘like’ could ever replace that.

 

Living in the moment

We have become people who are constantly multi-tasking. If we are washing the dishes, we are thinking about what needs to be done at work, and if we’re working, we are thinking of the laundry that needs to get done before the guests arrive. One of our top tips to make the most of your Christmas is to live in the moment. If you find your mind wandering, make a conscious effort to focus on what you’re doing at that moment- even if you’re just washing the dishes or wrapping presents. Doing things with your full attention will allow you to have a greater appreciation for the smallest things.

 

Enjoy giving & receiving gifts

There is nothing quite as stressful as worrying about gifts that you’re not sure if someone will like. Of course you want to give your loved ones gifts they will appreciate, but getting lost in the stress of choosing a gift means that you also lose the meaning of the holiday season. Most likely, whomever you’re gifting is just happy to be spending time with you in the first place. Alternatively, much like compliments, receiving gifts can sometimes be awkward. Don’t feel guilty about receiving nice gifts. Just be happy that you have individuals in your life that care about you so much!

 

Change your mentality

Remember when you were a child and Christmas was perhaps one of the most exciting things to happen all year? Get back to those moments! Rather than dreading this often hectic time, think of how often you actually get to see your Great Aunt Rita. Avoid small talk if you can and find topics of discussion that people will truly enjoy or that can spark a memory. One of the best things about spending time with family you don’t often see is getting to know more about their lives!

words by Nadia Liu

Your Christmas Holiday Survival Guide!

Written by

The holiday season is a time to spend time with loved ones, enjoying meals, and sitting around the fire sipping hot chocolate (…or mulled wine!) sharing laughs and memories. However, there is a separate reality of figuring out how to secretly unbutton your trousers at the table because you’ve had one too many helpings of stuffing, hitting the snooze button on your alarm because it’s just too cold for that morning run, and getting caught in conversation with that one aunt or uncle where all you can do is smile and nod. We have come up with the ultimate survival guide for the Christmas season so that you can enjoy your time while staying happy and healthy!

 

Food

So many dread the holidays because it is one time where over indulgence is bound to happen. With so many temptations, it is often hard to stay on track but there is no need to fear! It is completely doable you just have to go in with a game plan. One of the biggest traps to avoid are the purely sugar treats. If you are in the mood for a sweet, try having something that has healthy fats and proteins before hand so that your blood sugar doesn’t crash and you are less likely to binge on the biscuits! When it comes to the main dish, always at your veggies first and take your time to enjoy the flavours! Christmas only comes once a year so enjoy it while you can!

 

Exercise

During the Christmas season, events can last all. Day. Long. Start a new tradition for the family of going for a long walk in the mornings before you get your day started. That way, you can enjoy each other’s company without stress of the turkey burning or the soufflés falling. If you really don’t have any morning people in your family, schedule a walk for after your big meals. Even though it’s so tempting to sit and relax by the fire, your digestion will thank you if you go out for a quick 30-minute stroll after you’ve eaten!

 

People

With families around the world gathering together, it often brings lengthy conversations that sometimes you just want to get out of! But one of the great things about Christmas is that we get to see family that we don’t often get to see. Rather than a chore, think of this as an opportunity to get to spend quality, enjoyable time with people that you normally wouldn’t visit.

 

Sleep

Sleep is one of the hardest things to come by during the holidays. Most of us are up early cooking the day’s meals, up late entertaining the guests, and in many cases, both! Make sure that you’re getting enough sleep and if you aren’t getting enough sleep then make sure you’re getting quality sleep. It is best to make a conscious effort to clear your mind before you go to bed. Clear your mind of any stress and only focus your breathing. Another favourite way to de-clutter our minds and relax during the Christmas season is to take a bath before bed. Whatever you find most relaxing, whether it’s a morning run or evening bath make sure you make time for it and for yourself.

PRO TIP: We love adding Neom Bath and shower drops to our bath before we sink in!

 

words by Nadia Liu

STYLE FILES: Nike launches their Rose Gold Collection

Written by

Nike have never been one to miss the mark when it comes to both style and performance, and so it will come as no surprise that they have upped their game yet again with their latest rose gold collection of apparel and trainers! In one hashtag we can safely describe this new collection as #stylegoals. “Made for the strongest you, designed for the strongest you” the latest “inspired by gold” collection will not disappoint both on and off the gym floor.

1_003

We were lucky enough to try out their Nike Free TR Focus Flyknit trainer, which is a great lightweight shoe – perfect for HIIT training. Its innovative outter-sole expands and contracts as you move encouraging flexibility and the Flyknit part means that it is ultra lightweight keeping you cool and making sure that nothing gets in the way of that personal best. This is the shoe that began its journey when three Nike employees set about building a shoe that felt as close to barefeet as possible after discovering that Stanford’s athletes had been training barefoot to minimize injuries and maximize potential, so they set about matching this experience as closely as possible!

1_064

But the rose gold collection by Nike doesn’t end at footwear. You can also kit yourself out in their Nike Pro Warm tights for outdoor endeavors (we love nothing more than an outdoors HIIT session no matter what season it is) or Pro Cool shorts for those of you (perhaps wisely) keeping their workouts indoors during this cold spell. Tanks and crops also make up the collection. And we want it all.

1_217

Your winter workout has never looked better.

Shop the collection here: http://store.nike.com/gb/en_gb/pw/rose-gold/r4x

promo logo

Mini Carrot & Orange Muffins – The Detox Kitchen

Written by

MINI CARROT &
 ORANGE MUFFINS

Makes 12 mini Muffins • 140 calorieS each

These mini carrot and orange muffins are just bursting with wonderful flavours. While they’re baking, their sweet spiced scent fills the kitchen. Enjoy them as a pudding, with a fruit such as blueberries, or on their own
as a snack. Carrots and other orange fruits and vegetables provide essential nutrients that support good eye health.

Ingredients

75g gluten- and wheat-free flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

55g ground almonds

1 tbsp arrowroot powder

a pinch of salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground allspice

4 egg whites

110g runny honey

11/2 tbsp rapeseed oil

2 carrots, grated

Grated zest of 1 orange

Method

Preheatyourovento200°C/fan180°C/gas6.line a 12-hole mini muffin tin with mini paper cases.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the almonds, arrowroot, salt and spices and stir with a wooden spoon.

Put the egg whites, honey and oil in a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth
and thickened.

Gradually stir the egg white mixture into the dry ingredients in the bowl, then add the carrots and orange zest and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Pour the mixture into a jug to make it easier to distribute among the muffin cases. Fill each case just over halfway.

Bake in the heated oven for 35 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. They can be kept for 3 days in an airtight container.

Pre-order your copy of The Detox Kitchen Bible here!