My introduction to the fabulous ESC activewear.

I love that little rush of joy you get when you discover a new activewear brand.

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The comfort, the style, that ‘fit like a glove’ newness – it’s a feeling I’ll never tire of. Alas, it was a pretty happy moment when pieces from the new Every Second Counts AW17 collection landed on my doorstep.

Breathable and stylish with flashes of design brilliance, I love the understated elegance and ‘wear all day’ ability that can literally take me from studio to client meeting, to lunch and home again, all in one comfortable, sweat-wicking outing. Cool without being too try-hard, the collection is crafted with high performance technical fabrics in Portugal that keep you comfy and cool as you workout.

My favourite pieces include the Grand Slam and Go Faster Legging (perfect for running and Pilates and would you look at those prints?!) whilst the Epoch Long Sleeve Top is already on repeat wash.

 

 

I live in active wear so I rely on progressive brands like ESC that take time to create products with thoughtful details. Things like the double depth waistband (comfort factor off the radar), 360 degree seamless technology and moisture wicking/anti-bacterial make this range a pleasure to wear. When I’m sitting down with the family and still in the same clothes I’ve worn all day, I know I’m onto a winner…

 

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Read my interview on the ESC blog and explore the AW17 range right here

 

  

  

Healthopedia

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Covering a few of life’s mysteries and clarifying stuff with simple terms. Its super confusing to truly understand some of the terms we hear often at the gym. We become numb to hearing and don’t actually question what it really means.

What does Cardiovascular really mean? What an earth is Active recovery? How much quinoa should we be eating each week, and can you overdose on coffee!

Heres a little low down on some of the most commonly used terms!

 

ACTIVE RECOVERY

There are 2 examples of AR. When it comes to AR during a workout like the 15 seconds you have “off” during a tabata session, it’s referring to low intensity exercise immediately after a dynamic move.  If your talking about an Active rest day this means a session done on off day from your actual training plan. Generally an active recovery workout is less intense and has less volume, like a walk in the park or yoga stretch. This means more oxygen gets to the muscles and studies have shown this to reduce lactic acid build up quicker. Active recovery reduces the amount of time you’ll be suffering with lactic acid build up in the muscles, so it’s a simple as just keep moving!!

AMINO ACID

Protein and its array of amino acids are the primary building blocks of your muscles, bones, enzymes and many hormones. They give cells their structure, they transport and store nutrients and they repair damaged tissue. You simply cannot live without protein. For this reason, many people now believe that protein should be the bulk of their diet, and are even switching to “high-protein” diets.

CALORIES

Keeping it simple, Calories are units of energy, contained within food, and used by the human body to maintain daily health and life. When you hear something contains 50 calories, it's a way of describing how much energy your body could get from eating or drinking it.

If you want to talk about caloric deficit (in otherwise how to loose weight through calorie counting) then here we go. As 1 pound of fat contains about 3500 calories, if you create a 500 calorie deficit each day, you'll create a total deficit of 3500 calories per week and should therefore lose about 1lb of fat per week... at least thats the theory! 

CANDIDA

Sounds awful I know. Candida is a naturally occurring fungus in the human body that is there much like mucus as a default or protecting mechanism but it can grow into a pathogen very quickly because of poor diet, medications, stress and other toxic burdens. 

CARDIOVASCULAR

Cardiovascular relates to the heart, the blood vessels and the system of transporting nutrients and oxygen around the body. Cardiovascular exercise (also known as aerobic), therefore, involves movement to increase your heart rate helping you to burn energy, lose weight and improve endurance.

COFFEE

Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted coffee beans, which are the seeds of berries from the coffea plant. Coffee is slightly acidic and can have a stimulating effect on humans because of its caffeine content, making it one of the worlds most popular drinks. If you enjoy coffee it makes for a brilliant tool. Boosting your energy for a workout means better results.  BUT remember people, everything in moderation OK.

ENDURANCE TRAINING

Endurance training is about improving your ability to keep on going without stopping and generally refers to aerobic or cardio workouts as opposed to the anaerobic system. But endurance is not just about lasting longer, endurance training can also provide you with more energy, a stronger heart and increased metabolism. Go GetSetBody tribers!

ENDORPHINS

When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain or my Holy Legulation circuit. ha.

Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. For example, the feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as "euphoric." That feeling, known as a "runner's high," can be accompanied by a positive and energizing outlook on life.

FAT

Thank goodness the 90's are over. No more fat free anything at all as yes, fat is fabulous for you! Go to my The skinny on fat blog for so much more info.

GLUTATHIONE

Glutathione, your body’s master antioxidant, is often depleted by environmental toxins, stress, poor diet and more which obviously effects your immune system. 

Taking a Glutathione supplement will support optimal cellular function and protect against oxidative stress. I personally luuuurrrve Bullet proofs Glutathione Force! 

STRETCHING

An active stretch is one where you hold a stretched position with othing other than using the strength of your agonist muscles. So go into a full stretch and hold.

Dynamic stretch uses movement to elongate muscles at the end of a range of motion. It can be used as a way to prepare the body for exercise by actively engaging your muscles in movements similar to those you'll perform during your activity. Pilates generally uses this method to stretch the body out.

Passive stretching is when you use an ‘tool’ other than your own muscle to move a joint or limb beyond its active range of motion, to put your body into a position that you couldn't do by yourself (such as when you lean into a wall, or have a partner push you into a deeper stretch).

Phew…who knew there were so many ways to stretch!

 

 

Download my new free 5km running plan!

Its Marathon season

After this weekend's London Marathon you're probably feeling inspired and a little motivated! Most people will never run an actual marathon in their lives but we can all aspire to run!

Its free, its exhilarating and its totally satisfying! 

Running is my way of off-loading stress and getting geared up for the day. I love to get out first thing when the sun is shining and the birds are tweeting – it never fails to clear my head and set me up for the tasks ahead of me. 

 

Of course there are days when a coffee and long breakfast tempts me to stay indoors (and I may have caved once or twice…) but I think I’ve got to the point now where it’s become part of life and therefore part of me. My Nike trainers invariably live by the door, often caked in mud and whilst I couldn’t tell you how many miles they’ve done, I can tell you they have helped me find a wonderful sense of balance in life. When the going gets tough, go for a run and see how it puts everything in perspective and clears the mind because you can only be in the moment.

 

I ALWAYS work running into my client sessions in some shape or form. It compliments Pilates beautifully and has so many uplifting benefits for body and soul. Whether you’re new to running or about to hit the pavement for the first time, here are some reasons to get those trainers on and go for it:-

 

There are plenty of reasons to run.

 

I’ve outlined some of these above but there are of course, so many more. Things like boosting body confidence, raising endorphins and quite simply making you feel amazing and clearer! There’s also that little matter of burning fat. Running is one of the ultimate cardio hero’s and together with a healthy diet it’ll burn fat and help you on your way to hitting those fitness goals quickly and efficiently.

 

It’s free and available ANYTIME.

 

Rain or shine, running is free. From local park to streets, town centre to hill top – running can take you anywhere and is a great way to explore your home town and (once you build those miles up) further afield too. There’s also nothing quite like getting outside into the fresh air to boost those feel good vibes.

 

It teaches you not to quit.

 

Whether it’s aiming for the next goal, getting your miles down or training for an event – there is something special about running that keeps you focused and committed. In that sense, it is a great way to train our minds to be strong-willed (even if we’re not by nature) and work towards something meaningful and rewarding. Some of my clients find this is aided further by joining a running club or partnering up with a pal. Others find the mental stimulus they get from a solo run is enough to keep them going. (plus the fact that you're suddenly miles from home and you cant stop because you have to get home!)

Do what works best for you but don’t give up! 

Stream my running playlist from Soundcloud

 

You get to do it in style

 

There are so many choices now for supportive technical apparel – stuff that makes you look great as you pace through the park and keeps you cool and comfortable as you do it. I love the mental lift that comes from slipping on a high quality pair of leggings, its like becoming a character in a movie...today...Im a runner. Ha...there's also the that whole fusion of contemporary active wear that takes you from run to work to school run and back again. See some of my favorite recommended brands in my blog - Great kit to sweat it out in.

 

Get an App! 

An app tracks everything you do so becomes your little running Angel whispering in your ear even when you're not on the road. I use Map my Run but Im also tempted by Strava. Use which ever app works best for you. Map My Run sends me a weekly breakdown of what I've done which can boost your ego, or easily make you feel guilty. You can make friends, follow your fellow running buddies and use other peoples exiting routes if you're feeling uninspired. If you pay the small fee it all goes live enabling you to check your heart rate and 'run' with others as they do. 

 

It’s inspiring

 

To others? Maybe. To yourself? Most definitely. And that’s the important bit. Running gives you time to think, to clear your head, to come up with crazy, ambitious ideas and ultimately make you feel brilliant (especially important if you’ve been sat at a desk all day and just need to MOVE). Any run – whether it’s 1k or 20k – has the ability to instantly lift your mood and inspire you. And feeling inspired leads to confidence, belief in one self, an interest in the world and so on. 

I can't tell you how many times I've been out on a run, and I see people sometimes red faced and struggling and I just want to give them a huge thumbs up and yell "keep going...you're doing so well".  Its all inspiring! So do it and do it regularly! Trust me you won’t regret it...

Need help to get started?

My GETSETBODY beginner’s running plan breaks down goals week by week to help you hit your first 5k.

Join my tribe to make the most of the plan by adding the muscle activating follow me style videos to each week.

The idea is you have to run with 'form' and with the correct muscles, so join the Get SET Body membership to really make the most of the plan.