Fitspiration: Rhian Stephenson

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As Psycle’s managing director, resident nutrition expert and master instructor, the gorgeous Rhian Stephenson has been a major fitspiration to all of us here at H&H for a while now. We love her passion and commitment to a fit and active lifestyle and her balanced ethos towards health and wellbeing. This week, we caught up with Rhian to chat about all things career, post-workout pick-me-ups and the best piece of advice she has for spinning and fitness newbies.

What initially sparked your interest for health and wellbeing?

My mother was incredibly active and put us into practically every sport from a really young age until I found my passion in swimming. I was a competitive swimmer for 13 years so I was lucky enough to become hooked to an active lifestyle at a really young age.

With so many successful and inspiring achievements under your belt (it’s not every day you meet a Canadian National Athlete) what’s your secret – how do you stay so focused and motivated?

I always like to take the approach that anything is possible and because I’m so passionate about what I do, there always seems to be more to take on. When you work in a field that you’re passionate about then it’s easy to stay inspired and motivated.

What’s your favourite thing about your job at Psycle?

It’s hard to pick just one thing. I love the connection to community and seeing people transform. We see people everyday who have never worked out before transform into incredible riders who have this renewed energy and confidence. It’s pretty amazing to witness. I also love how varied it is – I get to do everything from training new recruits and designing our smoothie menus to new site acquisition and roll out strategy. I’m definitely never bored!

When you’re not being super energetic and taking spin classes at Psycle, how else do you choose to keep fit?

I love yoga, running, hiking and training outside.

Working all day, especially in such a high-energy job must get tiring. What’s your go to pick-me-up for when your energy levels ebb?

I always have a solid breakfast, otherwise I’m off for the whole day. Mid afternoon I have a plant based protein shake to keep my energy up before class.

We hear lots of people saying they’re too scared to try spinning. What advice do you have for first time spinners and what can they expect from their first class at Psycle?

There’s nothing to be afraid of! Psycle classes are incredibly fun, incredibly energetic and challenging. But just because it’s challenging, doesn’t mean there’s anything to be afraid of. When you get here and the lights are low, you immediately get immersed in the environment so it doesn’t matter if you’ve ridden 1 or 100 times, nobody cares what you look like. The beauty is that because of the way the class is structured you have a whole room of people who are riding with you, not against you. If you can let go of worrying if you’re good or bad and just enjoy the moment then I guarantee you’ll love it and improve incredibly quickly.

We love Psycle’s music choices, what’s your own favourite feel good track to workout to?

It changes every week! Right now my favourite songs on my playlist are Freaks Have More Fun (loudpvck remix), Addicted to a Memory (Zedd), and We Make it Bounce by Dillon Francis.

Here at Hip & Healthy, we are all about balance. Do you have any guilty pleasures?

Of course! I love food and I love to cook, so you’ll see healthy desserts as a part of my regular weekend menu. I love raw chocolate and my biggest regular indulgence is coffee.

It’s well known that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as a nutritionist and alongside being an uber busy individual, what’s your breakfast of choice?

I have a few that I pretty much rotate through. My go to is a smoothie bowl – I’ll make a green smoothie with things like avocado, spinach, berries, almond milk and my protein powder and pour it over nuts, seeds and sprouted buckwheat. This is my absolute favourite and you can easily keep it interesting by switching up smoothie ingredients. I also love eggs. Eggs, mushrooms & tomato are a regular for me.

We are super excited about Hip & Healthy being Psycle’s official retail partner. What’s your favourite piece from Psycle’s curated edit?

I love the We Are Handsome leggings!

Growing up in Canada and now living in London, you must have seen a fair bit of the world. Where’s your favourite place to escape to?

Bali for heat (and surfing and diving), Switzerland for snow!

And finally, what’s the best piece of health/fitness related advice you’ve ever been given? 

It’s always difficult to pick one piece of advice but something that really resonates with me is seeing your health as a practice. It’s so easy to set a fitness or nutrition goal and then beat yourself up for not hitting it the first time around; but our health, our nutrition, our fitness – it’s all a part of a lifelong practice. You don’t need to be perfect, you just need to keep at it. I think it’s a kinder outlook that helps me stay motivated.

Another big one for me is never be afraid of failing – you need to take big risks to get what you want so never be afraid of putting yourself out there. Even if you don’t achieve it, you can always be proud of trying.

FITSPO: Deliciously Ella | FITSPO: Madeleine Shaw 

Delicious Thirst Quenchers For Summer Socialising

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Whilst there’s nothing better than socialising with friends in the summer, it’s important that we remember to stay hydrated. That’s why we’ll be making sure we have our BRITA Marella jug on hand to make sure our guests have plenty of filtered water, and to jazz up our table with its bright range of colours!

We also love to use ours as a quick and easy cooking-aid – check out this great garden party recipe from the glowing Madeleine Shaw.

Warm Kale, Avocado, Pomegranate and Quinoa Salad with BRITA filtered water by Madeleine Shaw

This salad takes kale to another level. The pomegranates give it a pop and the quinoa adds in some well-needed protein. Healthy fats from the avocado keep you full and add a creamy layer to this delicious dish. Always use filtered water when cooking quinoa, pulses and grains to ensure they taste the best they can.

Ingredients:

– BRITA filtered water

– 100g of quinoa

– 50g of kale

– 1 tbsp of olive oil

– 1 pomegranate

– 1 large avocado

– 1 lemon

– 2 spring onions

– 3 tbsp of sesame oil (or olive oil)

– 1 garlic clove crushed

– 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar

– 2 tbsp of tahini

– 1 tsp of tamari (or liquid aminos or soy sauce)

 

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa in cold BRITA filtered water and drain.

Place the quinoa in a pot and cover with enough filtered water so that it covers this to a 1/2 a cm from the top.

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, add in a pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper and leave to simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes.

Finely chop up the kale and after the quinoa has been cooking for 10 minutes throw it into the pot and stir well. There should be a bit more liquid left, if there isn’t add a dash of water, pop the lid back on and let it cook for another 3 minutes.

Turn the heat off and take off the lid, give the kale and quinoa a fluff with a fork and drizzle in olive oil.

Cut open the pomegranate and take out the seeds, make sure you remove the pith as it doesn’t taste very good.

Zest and juice the lemon into a bowl. Slice up the avocado into chunks and throw into the lemon bowl and stir well so the avocado is coated in the juices.

Finely slice up the spring onion and place in with the kale and quinoa and mix well.

Place the sesame oil, garlic, tahini, apple cider and tamari in a jam jar and shake. Slowly add in 2 tbsp of filtered water to thin out the mix.

Place the quinoa mix into a bowl, add in the avocado, pomegranates and dress with the dressing.

BRITA Marella jugs come in a range of fun colours – perfect for jazzing up your summer soiree. Featuring our eco tick of approval thanks to its recyclable Maxtra filter cartridge, you can rest assured that your food and drink will be free from chlorine, heavy metals and limescale with the BRITA Marella jug as your dinner or garden party kitchen feature this season. RRP £22.

To celebrate our collaboration with BRITA, we’ll be giving away 5 Marella Jugs to 5 lucky Hip & Healthy readers! To enter, head over to our twitter & retweet ‘Want to jazz up your dinner party decor? Retweet to win a Marella Jug #BetterwithBRITA’ & go into the draw to win! 

Hip and Healthy have partnered with BRITA for this hydration challenge as part of the #BetterwithBRITA campaign. For more info visit www.brita.co.uk.

‘Madeleine’s book, Get the Glow (Orion Books, £20) is on sale now’

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Is water a key ingredient in your cooking? Here’s why it should be

 

The Hip & Healthy Guide To Toxin Free Living

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Whilst avoiding toxins entirely is virtually impossible in this day and age, there are certainly numerous things that you can do to reduce the amount you come into contact with on a daily basis. From eating organic food and drinking filtered water, to switching to natural skincare and beauty products – below we have devised our top 10 tips for reducing your toxic-load.

  1. Buy Organic

Whilst we know it’s not always cheap, eating organic food when possible can significantly reduce your daily intake of pesticides. When referring to the pesticides sprayed onto non-organic crops, we are referring to a whole host of chemicals used to eliminate agricultural pests and prolong the life of these foods. The most commonly used are insecticides (to kill insects), herbicides (to kill weeds), rodenticides (to kill rodents), and fungicides (to control fungi, mold, and mildew). In addition to pesticides used to ‘protect’ non organic fruit and veg, if you eat meat and dairy, ensuring these food products are organic is even more important. Non-organic animals are pumped full of hormones as to grow them at a rapid rate. To avoid your intake of these harmful chemicals, try to buy organic as much as financially possible. The cheapest way to do this is to head to your local farmers market, or check out the natural method we use to wash our non-organic fruit and veg here.

More: Eat Clean, Get Lean! 

  1. Filter Your Water

Whilst buying organic food is all well and good, the quality of the water you’re drinking and adding to your cooking is almost as important. With all the toxic chemicals that can be present in tap water (most notably chlorine, fluoride and heavy metals – all toxic in high doses), the easiest way to ensure your water is pure and free of chemicals is to have a water filteration system installed into your home like this one. If that’s not an option, a filtered water jug or drink bottle is just as effective!

More: Why You Should Be Drinking 2 Liters Of Water Per Day

  1. Ditch The Plastic

Whilst after reading the point above, store bottled water may seem like the easiest way of avoiding any nasties lurking in our water supply, the ‘pure’ water cased inside store bought varieties is not always as pure as it may seem. Unfortunately, much of the water you buy out and about is most readably available in a plastic bottle. Unfortunately, plastic materials contain a toxic compound known as BPA (bisphenol-A), an estrogen mimicking substance used in plastic production that has been linked to the onset of breast cancer, early puberty and infertility. Stick to BPA free water bottles such as this one or this one.

More: Need A New Water Bottle? Here’s The Brand We’re Loving Now

  1. Buy Your Cosmetics Consciously

Here at Hip & Healthy, we take a holistic approach to wellbeing, meaning that the same way we look at food labels, we do our beauty products. The skin, being our largest organ, absorbs what we apply to the surface into our bloodstream. Using products that contain parabens, fragrances and synthetic ingredients results in a toxic-load that could otherwise be avoided if natural and organic products were favoured over mainstream varieties. According to a recent study, the average woman’s daily grooming and makeup routine consists of a whopping 515 different synthetic chemicals, applied to her body every single day! Go natural, go organic and you’ve already minimized your exposure to over 500 chemicals each day!

More: Our Favourite Natural Beauty Products

  1. Get In Your Greens

Yet another reason to love your greens – upping your dose of leafy greens is a great way to combat the effects of heavy metals and chlorine our body is exposed to through the foods we eat, the water we drink, the cosmetics we use and even the air we breathe. Eating leafy greens has a cleansing effect on the body, detoxing our systems on a cellular level and helping the body to flush out those unwanted toxins that we come into contact with on a daily basis. Put it simply – the more greens you eat, the less toxic you become! Whilst leafy greens are great – for something a little more potent and extra detoxifying, try adding Spirulina and Chlorella to you morning green juice or smoothie.

More: Find Your Perfect Green Powder

Words by Zsa Zsa Vella

Indulged A Little Too Much Over The Holiday Period? Click Here

Do you consider water as a key ingredient? Make sure you get the best flavours from your food by cooking with filtered water

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At Hip & Healthy we’re healthy cooking obsessed and we always make sure we use the best quality ingredients possible in our meals. However we can often overlook the difference water makes to the taste of our cooking, so we always make sure we use our BRITA tap to wash and prepare our food in filtered water.

Our top tips for the best ways to use filtered water properly when preparing and cooking food:

Washing fresh produce, beans, nuts, seeds and grains: We all know how important washing our fruits and veggies are, organic or not! If non-organic produce is your only option, do not fret! Simply fill a large bowl with filtered water from your BRITA tap, add a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar and give your fruit and veg a good scrub. If you only buy organic, giving your produce a good rinse is still necessary to eradicate any bacteria that may have accumulated in transit.

When it comes to beans, grains, nuts and seeds, to ingest the most nutrients and reduce the possibility of stomach upset, it is very important to wash them well. These foods contain antioxidant compounds called phytates that can bind to certain minerals and slow their absorption, leading to nutrient deficiencies. However, by thoroughly washing beans, grains, nuts and seeds, or even better – soaking them overnight, you can significantly reduce the phytates present within these foods.

Soaking overnight oats and chia porridge: As mentioned above, soaking grains is a great way to reduce the level of phytates in grains and seeds – but this isn’t the only reason we love soaking ours! Most evenings, we prepare half a cup of oats or alternatively 3 tablespoons of chia seeds with half a cup of filtered water from our BRITA tap, a squeeze of lemon, half a cup of almond milk, a teaspoon of cinnamon, a teaspoon of maca, a dash of raw honey and berries; ready to enjoy a thick, creamy and naturally sweet overnight pudding come morning.

Adding to soups and stocks: Water is the main ingredient in all soups and stocks, so we always make sure to add filtered water to ensure the best taste possible. You can’t go wrong with a good vegetable stock and we always make sure to have a jar of our own in the freezer for when we’re looking to liven up our home cooking. For a super simple version – fill a pot with filtered water, add one chopped onion, a tablespoon of peppercorns, 3 cloves of crushed garlic and a dash of cayenne pepper for a simple broth to enjoy added to soups or as a stock to liven up grainy dishes and stir fries.

Making healthy ice-lollies: We love making healthy ice-lollies – especially in the summer! We enjoy ours jazzed up with our favourite fruits as a cooling and refreshing snack at any time of day. Simply freeze filtered water and add fruit. Our favourites? Frozen mango, raspberries and watermelon. Yum!

Adding to juices, smoothies & herbal tea: When it comes to making juices and smoothies, we prefer adding filtered water as opposed to fruit juice as is often added in store bought versions – most of the time we just don’t need the extra sugar! For a refreshing morning boost try combining one cup of water from your BRITA tap, a handful of spinach, a tablespoon of almond butter, a handful of berries and ½ a frozen banana for a delicious and nutritious start to your day.

Available in a variety of styles – from sleek Dolce to country style Kelda, BRITA taps can be retro fitted into a kitchen with no extra holes needed to be made in the worktop. RRP from £169 to £499.

Hip and Healthy have partnered with BRITA for this hydration challenge as part of the #BetterwithBRITA campaign. For more info visit www.brita.co.uk.

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By Zsa Zsa Vella

#BetterwithBRITA- Stay Hydrated On The Move

 

Our Number 1 Skincare Secret…

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Here at Hip & Healthy we’re firm believers that beauty starts from the inside out. However, if your guilty of stockpiling superfoods, filling up on kale salads and cutting out sugar but are still suffering from problem skin – you may be overlooking one of the most crucial wellbeing secrets – drinking 2 litres of water per day.

Though the proposition may sound simple, the majority of people do not drink the recommended amount to stay happy, healthy and hydrated. Whilst we’re sure that most of the time you reach for a glass or bottle when thirst kicks in – what you may not know is that thirst does not develop until bodily fluids are depleted well below levels required for optimal functioning. When you are thirsty, it means your cells are already dehydrated and this only means one thing, unhappy skin.

When dehydration occurs, your body immediately pulls water from your skin cells to be transported to your blood and organs. In other words, when water supply is depleted, skin is completely neglected and drained of the hydration it needs to glow!

Not only is skin dehydration a glow-drainer, each day our bodies are exposed to a myriad of external toxins such as air pollution, pesticides and heavy metals, as well as hormonal and metabolic toxins that we need sufficient amounts of water to help us eliminate so our skin can thrive!

The solution? Ensuring you drink 2 litres of water every single day! And if you’re an avid exerciser, this amount should be your absolute minimum! Read on for the top 3 skin-specialised reasons we’ll never miss our dose a day again…

1.Detoxification

The first and most important skin-purifying ritual, drinking sufficient amounts of water is absolutely vital for flushing out toxins accumulated in the body that can show up as skin irritation and blemishes. To put it simply – when there is a toxic back-up in the body, the first place this shows is the skin!

More: If You Only Do 1 Thing This Week: Do A Daily Detox

2. Anti-ageing

Skin is the primary transport system in our bodies, and when insufficient water is consumed the toxins and waste products that accumulate in our cells result in skin-cell deterioration. As our skin cells die, the first signs of ageing occur. Additionally, when hydration needs are not met, blood turns acidic and becomes more condensed. As it does so, circulation and oxygenation decreases in the skin tissue – leading to less elasticity, more pronounced veins and the early onset of ageing.

More: IF You Only Do 1 Thing This Week: Eat For Your Age

3. Dryness

Suffer from skin dryness? One of the main causes of premature ageing, chronic dehydration of the skin can lead to increased wrinkles and deepened lines as well as skin rashes and eczema. However, making sure we drink lots of water to eradicate uncomfortable skin conditions associated with dryness is only the first step. Once you’ve got your water intake up to par, ensure you’re eating lots of healthy fats like avocadoes, nuts and raw coconut oil to really help to bring out that natural glow!

More: DIY Kitchen Cupboard Essentials

Words by Zsa Zsa Vella

More: H&HxBRITA 1o Day Water Challenge | Post Workout Skin Strategies

At the office, in the gym, lunchtime runs to hitting the high street – how to make sure you fit hydration into your busy schedule

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We all know how important staying properly hydrated is for our health, especially when you’re always on the move like we are. From early morning yoga classes to breakfast meetings and lunchtime runs – when you’re always on the go, it’s important to make sure that you stay hydrated.

However, if you’re conscious about the environment like we are, you’ll want to reassess your use of plastic water bottles. The UK alone consumes 18 billion plastic bottles each year, and since only a quarter of these are recycled this means 38 million plastic bottles end up in landfill every single day! The solution? An eco-friendly, filtered water bottle that you can take with you on those busy days when you’re on the go. Our choice? BRITA Fill&Go.

The perfect companion for busy bodies, here’s how we make the most of ours throughout the day:

Pre-breakfast: It’s super important to drink water as soon as you wake up as our bodies have often gone 7-12 hours without any liquids at all, and you know what this means – dehydration! Before eating anything, try to drink a Fill&Go full of water (600ml) to replenish and revitalise a dehydrated body. For an extra kick of goodness, add a squeeze of lemon for a pre-breakfast metabolism booster, liver detoxifier and bowel cleanser.

Mid Morning: Once you’ve enjoyed your pre-breakfast bottle – don’t stop there! If you’ve done a morning workout or are partial to a morning coffee, then it’s extra important to get another Fill&Go in before lunchtime. At this time of morning we love sprucing ours up with fresh berries for an all-natural and super healthy take on vitamin water. Added bonus – the sweetness from the fruit wards off any cravings for those vending machine nasties.

Afternoon: Keep your Fill&Go close by and aim to drink at least one full bottle during the afternoon.

Post-dinner: After dinner, try adding some fresh mint leaves to your bottle for a freshly fragrant digestive aid. Lovely and soothing, fresh mint leaves are a great herb to have on hand to slip into your Fill&Go at any time of day, especially if good digestion is what you’re after!

Available in pink, blue, green and grey, BRITA Fill&Go is BPA free, dishwasher safe and comes with a handy removable drinking straw – making it an easy to use on a treadmill or spinning bike with just one hand. A simple and effective way to remind you to drink more water, with your BRITA Fill&Go on hand, you’ll be happily hydrated all day long. RRP £14.99.

To celebrate our collaboration with BRITA, we’ll be giving away 5 Fill&Go’s to 5 lucky Hip & Healthy readers! To enter, head over to our twitter & retweet ‘Always on the move? Retweet for your chance to win a Fill&Go #BetterwithBRITA’ to go into the draw to win! 

Hip and Healthy have partnered with BRITA for this hydration challenge as part of the #BetterwithBRITA campaign. For more info visit www.brita.co.uk.

By Zsa Zsa Vella

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If You Only Do One Thing This Week… Drink 2 Litres Of Water A Day!

Hip & Healthy x BRITA Presents: The 10 Day Water Challenge!

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Do you drink 2 litres of Water every single day? The answer is probably not! One of the easiest and simplest ways to improve wellbeing – it is recommended by health experts (notably the glowing Madeleine Shaw) that we consume two litres of H2o per day to ensure our bodies are running smoothly and efficiently.

Whilst making sure we’re drinking the recommended amount on a daily basis can sometimes seem like a bit of a chore – it needn’t be! Especially when you know that by doing so you can expect clearer skin, better digestion, sustained energy and enhanced fitness! With this in mind, we have joined forces with #BRITA and are challenging you (and your friends and family – get them involved too) to drink more water!

Over the next 10 days, we will be posting articles including expert tips and tricks and water based recipes, and keeping you motivated via social media so you stay inspired and in the game over the next week and a half. The aim of this challenge is to show you how by upping your water intake, you can feel and look great every single day, inspiring you to continue the good work and stay healthy, happy and hydrated on your own!

To get involved be sure to upload photos to social media of you and your loved ones enjoying your daily dose of H2o with the hashtag #BRITAWaterChallenge. Get sipping!

Hip and Healthy have partnered with BRITA on the 10 day hydration challenge which is part of the #BetterwithBRITA campaign

By Zsa Zsa Vella

IF YOU ONLY DO ONE THING THIS WEEK… DRINK 2 L OF WATER!

Exclusive Mummy Baby Yoga Retreat in Surrey

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Calling all Hip & Healthy MAMAS: Come and join us in the Surrey Hills at Nurture with Nature’s first event! We’ll be indulging in a morning of post natal yoga and super yummy brunch, with childcare provided all morning and an optional session of baby yoga too! What better way to spend your Friday morning?!

Nurture with Nature aims to help parents make the best possible choices for their children and themselves! Their founder, Cecilia Kristiansen, strongly believes that healthy living should be a holistic mantra, not only about the foods we consume, but also about keeping fit, staying happy and being considerate to our environment and world around us.

THE DEETS

FRIDAY 14TH AUGUST, 9.00 -12.00, £35

HIGH BARN, HIGH BARN ROAD, EFFINGHAM, SURREY, KT24 5PR

 One ticket includes:

  • 1 hour post natal yoga for mummies
  • Optional 30 minute baby/mummy yoga class
  • 30 minute ‘Nutrition for Kids’ talk
  • Brunch; including breakfast muffins, granola bars, fresh fruit,
  • 1x organic cold pressed juice and 1x nut milk
  • Goody bag
  • Childcare for babies/children throughout

ALL YOU NEED TO BRING IS YOUR BABY AND A MAT

BOOK HERE

POST-PREGNANCY BODY WORKOUT TIPS

Keeping The Summer Spirit Alive

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These stylish picks from the Hip & Healthy team are all about embracing the high spirits of the season and keeping the summer spirit alive for as long as the weather permits! So whether you’ll be getting your sweat on in a park, on the beach or pounding the pavement this sunny season, we’ve rounded up our top summer active wear essentials to get you inspired to move!

Gem&I Slogan Tee’s

Be loud and proud this summer with Gem&I’s witty slogan tees – the ultimate style statement! The soft jersey fabric of these t-shirts makes them the perfect addition over a bikini top or paired with any of the leggings below to inject a touch of glam into your workout!

Alo Yoga Leggings Airbrush floral

The perfect summer yoga pants, this lovely print has all the colours of an English garden in full bloom. Designed to be comfortable for every flow of yoga, these pants are our go-to for morning yoga in the garden.

Tiny Fish Canguu Beach Capris

This striking print will have you flowing from pose to pose as fluidly as the ocean and the capri length makes them great for warmer days. A perfect compliment to your beach side yoga class or morning run – we love the hypnotising shades of blue reminiscent of ocean waves.

L’urv Paradise Palm Leggings

If you can’t be within the palm trees this summer, wear them! These leggings are designed by the L’urv team from Australia who have summer style down to a tee. A wardrobe staple here at Hip & Healthy – these Lurvable leggings make for the perfect yoga class to brunch attire.

We Are Handsome Chameleon Active Leggings & Bralette

One of our favourite pieces of the season, this to-die-for duo have that ‘wow’ factor we just can’t resist. Champion all things tropical this Summer and embrace your inner wild in this must-have fit fashion set that’s on every fitness-istas radar.

They’ll Never Find Us Slogan Tanks

Nothing makes us smile more than everyone coming together cheerily on a summer’s day, so why not make more people smile with They’ll Never Find Us’ happy slogan tanks! Featuring mantras such as ‘Be A Nice Human’ and ‘Hooray For Everything’ – the fabric is lovely and soft and the loose fit is flattering and comfortable for any occasion. We love!

By Annabel Armitage

STYLISH SPORTS BRAS TO SUIT YOUR SHAPE

 

Pip&Nut Sachet With Every Activewear Order This August

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Nut butter give-away. Need we say more? I do ‘nut’ think so, but here we go anyway…

With every purchase from the Hip and Healthy online store this month, we are giving away a squeeze pack of Pip&Nut nut butter! Squeeze this deliciousness into your smoothie bowl, onto your toast or over your porridge for a generous dose of healthy fats and plant-protein.

The brainchild of athlete Pippa Murray who started making her own nut butters after looking unsuccessfully for healthy snacks free from palm oil, refined sugars and other nasties – what resulted was the pure deliciousness of Pip&Nut. Initially housed in a Maltby Street Market stall, now the trio of butters (almond, peanut and coconut + almond) can be found in Selfridges, Sourced market, Partridges and As Nature Intended.  Be sure to sign up to our newsletter and use the code PIPANDHEALTHY when ordering online to receive 20% off until the end of August.

We love the nut butters that Pippa and her team of ‘squirrels’ are bringing us and we want to share the nutty love with you! So get your new activewear ordered, get it on, get moving and refuel with your handy Pip&Nut nut butter sachet this August!

PS. If you or the person your buying for has a nut allergy please do let us know by emailing [email protected].

By Annabel Armitage

HEALTHY CHOCOLATE NUT-BUTTER CUPS RECIPE

 

How much do you really know about blood sugar?

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‘Sugar’ is the taboo word of the moment, with people becoming ever more interested in its effect on our day-to-day functioning. If this is you, you’ll likely already know how this highly processed ingredient affects your complexion and waistline, but how much do you know about its impact on blood sugar levels? (Hint: it’s the secret to a better mood and sleep cycle!)

Regulating your blood sugar levels is something of a balancing act, and while our bodies are pretty well-equipped to keep it in check, not getting the nutrients we need can throw our blood sugar equilibrium off-kilter. According to nutritional therapist and co-founder of Wild Nutrition, Henrietta Norton, there are some fundamental giveaways to knowing if your blood sugar levels are fluctuating more than they should.

Revealing how anxiety, poor sleep, low energy, irritability and a feeling of being ‘over-stimulated’ are all potential side effects, Henrietta adds that blood sugar imbalances have been shown to make us feel hungrier too. This can be the culprit for bad food choices and sugar cravings; which feed this unhappy cycle even more.

Explaining the biology behind it, Henrietta describes how foods containing sugar rouse the pancreas to release insulin, which pushes the sugar into our cells; spiking blood sugar levels and giving you a burst of energy. However, if the food you’ve just eaten is particularly high in quick-releasing sugars, the insulin panics that there is too much for your body to handle, and removes the sugar only shortly after pushing it into the cells. This ‘sugar high’ followed by the ‘sugar low’ can lead to feeling hungry again sooner (particularly for sugary foods), as well as fatigue and the dreaded mood swings.

But it’s not all doom and gloom! The Wild Nutrition co-founder sheds light on how to counteract these effects and keep your blood sugar levels stable. Unsurprisingly, a balanced diet that includes all the essential macro and micronutrients is key. Why? Because sugar is hiding in more foods than you may think.

“Be vigilant about checking snack food labels for glucose syrup, dextrose syrup and high fructose corn syrups,” advises Henrietta. “These types of sugars will cause blood sugar levels to soar.”

Need to sweeten a drink? She suggests a little maple syrup, natural stevia root powder, Manuka honey or coconut sugar, but cautions, “Avoid sweeteners, as even these have been show to affect blood sugar levels. The sweet taste still signals insulin production in the body.”

And in case you needed another reason to forgo white flour products, did you know they release glucose quickly into the bloodstream, and are a prime example of causing the ‘sugar low’ mentioned before? Brown rice, quinoa and buckwheat are all great alternatives; helping to sustain your blood sugar and prevent those unhelpful spikes.

Thankfully for those of us loving the summer influx of strawberries and cherries, Henrietta does not believe fruit should be avoided when trying to manage your blood sugar. However, she does suggest sticking to 2 servings per day to limit your fructose intake, and favours the lower-sugar options such as pears, apples, plums and berries. “To slow down the release of sugar, combine fruit with nuts and seeds,” she says, revealing her top tip. “For example, you might eat an apple alongside four almonds and a small handful of pumpkins seeds.”

She adds, “Dates have become enormously popular with healthy recipes, but they are very sweet so you only need a few – not 10 or 20!”

As for vegetables, while Henrietta believes strongly that “all vegetables are great”, she does advise you to “moderate your intake of starchy vegetables such as parsnips and pumpkin, and ideally eat them with plenty of protein and healthy fats.”

She continues, “All meals should include protein and healthy fats, as these food groups take much longer to break down in the stomach and provide a slow and steady source of energy – imagine a dripping tap of sugar rather than a tap turned on full blast!”

Her final tips – get to bed on time and keep those stress levels down! Research shows getting enough sleep can improve how effective our body is at using insulin.

“When our adrenal glands produce stress hormones such as cortisol, our liver also releases stored glucose called glycogen,” Henrietta explains. “This glucose circulates in the blood stream and is likely to be converted into unwanted fat in the body. Supplementing your diet with magnesium and adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha, as well as practicing calming exercise such as yoga or Pilates can be very supportive for de-stressing.” To the studio we go!

Henrietta Norton is a London based Nutritional Therapist and co-founder of Wild Nutrition www.wildnutrition.com – Henrietta’s new book ‘Your Pregnancy Nutrition Guide’ is out 8 Aug (Vermilion) £8.99.

Words by Zoe Louise Cronk

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H&H Natural Beauty Favourites

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If summer hasn’t reminded you how beautiful and restorative nature is, let these beauty products! The power of plants, natural oils and skin-glowing goodness is unmistakable inside these charming tubs and tubes. What we put on our faces and skin, is just as important as what we choose to fuel our bodies with – so for those of you yet to explore the world of natural beauty, here we show you our favourite products that you’ll enjoy using and your skin will love.

MOA Daily Cleansing Ritual

This daily cleansing ritual is perfect for any girl with an on-the-go lifestyle that wants to keep her skin looking super refreshed. Within the handy tube that this clever cleansing ritual is contained within, you receive MOA’s infamous ‘Green Balm’ packed-full of nourishing oils and a luxurious soft bamboo towel. The oils in this balm make for a great natural makeup remover, whilst encouraging improved circulation to the cells on your face to help you get that healthy glow! If you’ve been considering switching to green beauty for a while now, make the transition with this 100% organic cleanser.

Odylique Creamy Coconut Cleanser

Here at Hip and Healthy, we love coconut in all its guises, and this Odylique Creamy Coconut Cleanser is no exception! With ingredients like rose, lemon, and extra virgin olive oil, this intensely nourishing cleanser is superfood for your skin at its finest! This cleanser is wonderful for removing makeup and any ickyness from the day that your skin has picked up. If you struggle with sensitive skin, the natural oils in this gentle cleanser will soothe and restore skin back to its optimum state.

Skin & Tonic Brit Beauty Oil

This East London based brand is a firm favourite of ours and this product is up there amongst our all time faves. Featuring a whole host of wonderful omega rich oils and antioxidants to improve cell regeneration – with ingredients like chia seed, thistle and sunflower oil you can rest assured these ingredients are just as good for you on the inside out. It doesn’t hurt that it’s non-GMO, vegan, organic and made right here in the UK too!

Oskia Get Up & Glow

This water-based gel has the most smoothing and soothing quality to it that makes it one of our current obsessions. Featuring twelve beauty-boosting actives that will leave you feeling like a super model post-application, this skin booster provides a skin plumping affect to ensure you have a gorgeous youthful glow all year round. We are exposed to tons of free radicals in our environments and in the foods we eat, but this product works as a barrier to protect our skin from the damage these can cause in the long term – what’s not to love?

Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil

Not only do we love this product for its lovely colour and hypnotizing smell, it also reaps so many benefits! This organic vegan friendly serum is fabulous if you have any scars, stretch marks, or even fine lines that you want to eradicate in the most natural way possible. All thanks to the host of miracle worker ingredients such as- Trans-Retinoic Acid, to aid in the skin’s natural repair by targeting the deepest layers of your skin and Vitamin A – to give your skin a natural, beautiful glow. Not only is Rosehip fabulous for repair and restoration, it is also known to increase firmness and skin elasticity, so if you had a little too much fun over the weekend no need to worry, this product is awesome as an all-natural damage control.

VOYA Get Glowing Illuminating Marine Face Mask

Our newest obsession – let nature work its magic with this all natural illuminating face mask that will leave you with a glowing and revitalised complexion. This purifying and brightening face mask blended with rosemary, patchouli and mineral rich hand-harvested seaweed deeply detoxifies and leaves skin feeling soft and radiantly renewed.

By Isabella Stelle 

Image: Seafolly

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