August 2019 – Page 14

THE BENEFITS OF COFFEE !!!

Any lifestyle blogger worth their weight in bitcoins will post the obligatory ‘latte art’ snap to their Instagram account every few weeks; some may even have a dedicated Pinterest board showing these delicious masterpieces! It’s a guaranteed feel-good picture, instantly conjuring the creamy, earthy comfort that goes along with the first sip… But here on FitnessOnToast, you might not expect to see such indulgences?! You’d be wrong! This post focusses on the benefits of coffee for your training regime, and some of the potential disbenefits you should be aware of too. All pictures shot at the beautifully glamorous Waldorf Astoria, where I stayed on my recent trip to New York!

I recently stayed at the beautiful New York landmark, Waldorf Astoria on a blog trip to the city. At the time when it first opened on Park Avenue on October 1, 1931, it was both the tallest and largest hotel in the world. The hotel has seen iconic faces such as Marilyn Monroe reside in the Waldorf Astoria Signature Suite in 1955, and jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald perform in their ‘Starlight room’; that feel of old-school glamour still pervades every corridor.

Prior to my morning workout, I’d enjoy a coffee at their Peacock Alley breakfast bar each morning; as you’ll likely know, coffee is a powerful stimulant which is both effective and satisfying, but also highly addictive and potentially counterproductive. This post investigates it’s benefits and disbenefits…

1) WHAT IS COFFEE?

Coffee is in fact a seed (not a bean) plucked from within the ‘berry’ of the Coffea plant, which is grown, dried and roasted, and is thought to originate from the Oromo ancestors of 13th century East Africa, Ethiopia. The Finnish population supposedly are the most extreme coffee drinkers in the world, with a vast average of 5 cups a day, followed closely by almost every other Scandinavian country (we Swedes come in 6th place). Brazil produces nearly 44m sacks of the stuff every year just to satisfy our demand, and it’s one of the most traded agricultural commodities on the planet!

2) WHAT DOES COFFEE DO?

Coffee tends to be associated with the wonderful superpowers of its caffeine, but the caffeine content varies greatly depending on the variety and cultivar of bean and indeed, the brand you buy – it’s worth discovering exactly how strong your daily coffee is. To give you that ‘wake up’ feeling, it essentially tweaks the brain’s chemistry by blocking the chemical adenosine which is associated with sleep, and simultaneously activates the brain’s ‘pleasure’ sensation. The these two feelings combined make it highly addictive! It also triggers the sympathetic nervous system into fight or flight mode, introducing some adrenaline into the bloodstream, making you feel a bit on-edge and alert, as well as causing the neurones to fire quicker, for more focussed mental activity!

3) IS IT GOOD FOR YOU?

Research regularly shows that in moderation, coffee remains beneficial mainly because of it’s high levels of antioxidant compounds which help fight free radicals in the body. These compounds, called polyphenols, are found in many fruits and occur naturally in coffee. Research has also shown that modest consumption of coffee can improve vascular function, boost mood, relieve headaches, and may be disease-preventative, and may even reduce the risk of the likes of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

4) DO I DRINK IT PRE-WORKOUT ?

It’s broadly considered to be beneficial to drink caffeine pre-workout – by triggering an acceleration in your metabolic rate, it can increase the pace at which you toast your fat supplies, rather than simply drawing upon glycogen stores alone to fuel your workout! The ‘fight or flight’ mode heightens focus and therefore should improve performance. I personally feel the caffeine gives me a bit of a natural pick-me-up too, which is perfect just before training; it sharpens my concentration and muscular performance, and overall feels like it lifts the effectiveness of my session by c.25%!

5) THE DOWNSIDE RISKS

You might be worried about coffee, and you’d be in good company – my fellow countryman King Gustav III of Sweden (who sadly died 223 years ago) once ordered a study into whether or not it was dangerous, in one of our country’s first ever clinical trials! Today, we know that excessive consumption of coffee puts a lot of stress on your body and may have the opposite effect where fatigue hits your body shortly after finishing drinking your cuppa, as you’ve developed a tolerance; you find yourself reaching for another coffee to cope, thus entering a vicious circle and ultimately creating a dependency. Excessive coffee raises you cortisol levels sky high (stress hormone) which has been related to development and retention of abdominal fat. Another reason not to overdo it is that it can imbalance your serotonin levels (which regulates the mood and the sleep cycle), as well as cause the heart to beat faster, headaches (withdrawal related), and anxiety. As you may have read in my Sleep Post here, Dr Guy Meadows recommends caffeine should be avoided after 13:00. Finally, like the Italians, whenever you do drink coffee make sure you drink it with a large glass of water. Caffeine is detoxified by the liver and too much is very dehydrating so water consumption should be automatic. C. 450mg of caffeine is the recommended daily max limit, which equates to about 4 cups, but I’d argue no more than 2 to avoid developing dependency! Also, be aware that a regular skinny latte contains about 16g sugar (c.25% of your RDA), thanks to the milk content, so do keep that in mind!

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I WAS WEARING:

The spirit of New York took me, so I’m wearing head-to-toe Victoria’s Secret …
– The Hoodie: ‘New York hoodie’, sort of stating the obvious! Aside from that it’s super cosy and very girly. Plenty of cute ones here.
– The pants I’m wearing are perfect for yoga or warm-down alike
– Bra: The Player Victorias Secret Cross back
– The socks … I can’t even ?
– The Necklace: My gorgeous custom Silver necklace was a fabulous gift from Jenny Present – thank you

NEW YORK, OLD SPORT !!!

ALERT: Fashion post! For those who’ve come to expect informative and forensic posts on niche topics, this one’s not for you ? We took these photos on a recent trip to New York with Adidas (you may have seen my post about the UltraBoost Launch), and I just had to share them! It was both the coldest and clearest of winter day’s I’ve experienced on Manhattan Island, and as I wandered through Central Park, I fell slightly more in love with the place! Click MORE to see all the pics…

Why I love NYC? A trip here is never a bad idea. Exquisite restaurants, cosy cafes, inimitable Art Deco architecture, impossible energy, fabulous shopping and as many healthy destinations as you can shake a stick at! Everything’s so compressed that you can walk from one end to the other (bit of a tourist activity, I know) but taking in each varying part is so invigorating!

On this occasion, I was invited along with a group of awesome fitness journalists to attend the global launch of the Adidas Ultra Boost shoe, which took place in an old bank/vault on Wall street. See the whole experience in my previous post HERE. We were treated to an exceptional few days of exploring, and in the picture above, we were preparing to go on a little light jog to trial the Ultra Boosts through Central Park – the most visited park in America! Afterwards, I stopped at the most fabulous little branch of Le Pain Quotidian, nestled in the middle of the park, for a well deserved and warming brekkie.

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I WAS WEARING:

Pants: Adidas ‘Ultimate Fit Highrise Tights’
Trainers: Adidas Ultra Boost
Jacket: Canada Goose Montebello Parka
Bottle: Victorias Secret, Sold out
Gloves: Ugg Turn Cuff Glove

QUITE INTER STELLA !!!

Whilst the Henley Royal Regatta isn’t until the 1st of July, and on the off chance you’re not Sir Steve Redgrave, anyone can try this superb form of exercise at the local gym! The humble rowing machine mimics the real thing, and provides some exceptional hidden health benefits which will see you using almost every major muscle group in your body. I think it’s one of the best low impact, high intensity ways to push through the anaerobic threshold, and chomp through calories! We shot this outfit in the fabulous gym of Coworth Park during a recent blog trip, and in collaboration with my friends at Zalando. I styled this look because I really wanted to showcase that sublime British talent, Stella McCartney, who’s done so much to push the boundaries of fitness fashion into something really special!

Whilst I remain a big fan of running, it’s a high impact form of cardio; the repetitive landing jolt exerts serious pressure on the knees. In order to break things up and give the joints a bit of a break, rowing provides a full-body, low-impact cardio workout. The motion works your entire body; when you push off from the platform, you’re working all your major leg muscles including your hamstrings, quads and glutes. Thereafter, you’re especially working your upper body, strengthening the back, shoulders, arms and core muscles (which are working the whole time to stabilise the body throughout the movement, strengthening the back muscles as well as the abdominals). Sculpted and defined shoulders are, aesthetically speaking, a great way to help the waist appear proportionately smaller – a fab trick for both men and women. Rowing is also such a supreme way to toast unwanted fat, as the average person burns c. 350-400 calories during 30 minutes of intense rowing. It makes a regular appearance in my workout, and I’d recommend it to anyone of any fitness level, because you set the pace! Read below for the ‘how to do it’ part…

HOW TO?

You can adjust most rowing machines to deliver higher resistance, rendering it a more challenging workout. Ultimately the intensity of the rowing is very much down to you, specifically around how much effort you put into each stroke. You want to pull away using your upper body strength simultaneously as you push off with your legs. Make each stroke count! It shouldn’t feel like a leisurely row in Regent’s Park just watching the ducks swim by. The rowing stroke is defined by a long drive phase and a relaxed and controlled recovery.

1. Make sure your feet are strapped in properly. Aim to have the strap over your mid-shoe laces. If you feel as though you’re lifting off the seat, it may be that your feet aren’t strapped in properly. Adjust accordingly, and then, holding the handle drive yourself back as you push from the legs, simultaneously and in equal measures, pulling the handle towards you.

2. At all times maintain a strong and engaged core (no slouching or hyperextending). At the end of the stroke, your legs should be completely extended, whilst you should be sat completely upright, engaging your core, whilst the back is in a vertical position.

3. The arms should start to pull the the handle towards the body, and finish circa half way up your body (neither at the chin, or at the pelvis). Keep the elbows somewhat ‘tucked in’, in line with the handle, keeping the wrist aligned with the forearm (i.e. not bent). Keep the shoulders down and squeeze the shoulder blades together at the end of the stroke.

4. Finally at this point the legs should be straight as should the back. That’s the cue to return to the starting position and kick off the motion all over again!

KEY POINTERS:

– The back should be kept in a ‘neutral position’ the whole time – straight back, pivoting from the hips, not from the spine. This means the force will be evenly distributed over the back, helping to decreasing the risk of injury.
– Remember to warm up before hand either with exercises that involve the muscles you’re about to use or on the actual rowing machine, via a far lower intensity.

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I WAS WEARING:

Jacket: Adidas by Stella McCartney – Mesh Hoodie in dark violet
Top: Adidas Performance white t-shirt
Leggings: Adidas by Stella McCartney – Stu Perf Tights in Purple
Hat: Adidas by Stella McCartney – Hat in Indigo / Pop Purple
Shoes: Adidas by Stella McCartney – Dorifera Feather in Purple/Indigo

THE BENEFITS OF HORSE RIDING !!!

On a recent blog trip to Coworth Park, I took advantage of the exceptional Equestrian centre by riding for a couple of hours one morning through the glorious Ascot woodlands. It’s something I used to do every day growing up in the Swedish countryside; the way it made me feel, both physically (my poor adductors) and mentally (the endorphin release) reminded me strongly of the reasons I used to do it so much – there are so many health benefits of horse riding; this post was an inevitable formality… ☺️

Growing up in Sweden, horse riding was a big part of my life. I used to spend hours in the stables grooming horses, cleaning out their boxes and riding. I fell off countless times and it never really phased me, but when I was 14, I took a pretty untrained horse out into the forest with my cousin, and it suddenly went into ‘mischief mode’, and I ended up on the motorway, speeding head-first into oncoming traffic, in the driving rain at night! I saw a curve coming up and realised on a slippery dark road that traffic probably wouldn’t see me in time; I let go of the reins, hung on to the horse’s neck, counted to 3 and just let go! I was OK if not seriously shaken, but the horse shortly afterwards stopped turned around looked at me and sort of said ‘aren’t you coming?’

Getting on Oscar (my horse for the morning) at Coworth was my first time in a long time. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it, but I’m so happy to say I absolutely loved it. My guide Kate was incredible – she completely helped me to relax and put me at ease, helping me to trust myself on a horse again. It’s one of the most invigorating sports you can ever try. You feel exhilaratingly close to nature, with a wonderful sense of freedom! Galloping, with the wind blowing in your face is such an epic adrenaline kick. Likewise, just trotting along in the sunshine is a natural endorphin release …

… It’s also one of the few sports where you can’t be selfish; you have to listen to another living being, interpret its body language and movements, and be respectful, yet authoritative. When you make that connection with such a beautiful, powerful animal it’s truly humbling. I’m such an animal person, and I think when you really get to know a horse you develop a strong bond and friendship the same way you would with a treasured pet.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HORSE RIDING???
I’ve heard people say horse riding isn’t a workout. Nonsense. Try getting on powerful horse and controlling its mind and body with inferior strength and see how you get on. There are some serious strength gains to be had as well as coordination, balance and core stability. After having been riding for a mere 2 hours, I felt the physical effects on my muscles, and the following day my body ached in places it hadn’t for years. I constantly train, but horse riding reminded me it’s pretty hardcore in an unusual way. Though it won’t get you into your bikini body, it’s a great complement to your normal fitness regime – my inner thighs were outrageously sore, solely from clenching on to the horse’s body. My abs and obliques were fatigued from galloping. Below is my 5-point analysis of this wonderful activity…

1) CORE STRENGTH:
The core band of muscles are in overdrive to stabilise you upper body on a unpredictable animal, and on unusual terrain at random pitches. You cannot slouch or hyper-extend, as poor posture will hinder your control of the horse. When the horse pulls to the right you cannot go with him because you’ll end up on the ground, so you adopt a stabilising contrary motion. Your centre-of-gravity and bodyweight is constantly shifting, yet you’re having to maintain the same upright position. If you’re looking for the ultimate six pack, the horse will have you targeting your obliques, rectus abdominis, and your serratus anterior. Whether you’re trying to or not, you do engage all the right muscles. This will also translate across to other fitness activities, and yield improved balance and stability.

2) SHOULDERS & ARMS
When you’re on the horse, your arms never really get the opportunity to rest at any point; they’re either in a static raised position (which in itself is tiring after a while) or pulling at the reins, helping to navigate the direction for the horse. This sounds easy, but over a long period of time, it very quickly becomes exhausting!

3) LEGS
When you’re trotting along, you’re basically squatting on a continuous basis – up and down on the horse. When you’re galloping, you’re clenching your thighs across the horse, pushing your body into the seat whilst rolling with the horses movement. Those adductors (the inner thigh muscles) will take a beating that’s for sure! The quads, hamstrings, and glutes all support the work of the adductors, and all get a piece of the action for the squat motion too!

4) COORDINATION
Whilst this is partly technique and something you learn over time, there’s a lot of multitasking; try skipping in every plane on a moving surface whilst someone is pulling at your rope. There’s also an element of learning to ‘feel’ your way. I remember growing up and seeing a lot of therapeutic riding for blind children. It’s a great way to help develop better coordination skills – purely learning through feel. Having interviewed many athletes they often speak about the right ‘feel’ I think referring to body awareness; with horse riding there’s the added bonus where you’re having to understand your own body awareness as well as the horses. That’s what makes a fantastic horse rider when they truly communicate and listen to their horse. It’s a team effort!

5) FLEXIBILITY
In terms of flexibility, you can’t be stiff-as-a-board and expect to ride well. Tight hamstrings or glutes will hinder you from squatting into the classic horse-riding position. Super-tight adductors, as you can imagine, are a bit of a disaster too as you use these muscles a lot to stabilise yourself on the horse. Improved flexibility as with all sports will help range of motion and decrease the risk of injury. So stretch out, before and after!

Finally like anything it adds variety to your fitness regime and its so much fun! If you haven’t tried it I couldn’t recommend it more

ACTIVE ESCAPE TO COWORTH PARK !!!

One of the parts I’ve most enjoyed sharing on FitnessOnToast are the active escapes. Often though, to see the places in my posts requires a cheeky flight; but for my British readers today, good news! Just 30 minutes south-west of London, lies the gorgeous country estate of Coworth Park – the scene of an exquisite healthy weekend escape. I’ve already written about ‘The Benefits of Horse Riding‘ in my previous post, so you’ve seen a glimpse of the healthy activities on offer here, but there’s so much more to do! This post collects up some of my favourite moments from the escape, and gives a little peak into the Coworth world!

British countryside pursuits are somewhat different to traditional workout activities. Shooting, fishing, hunting and riding all involve interaction (in some form or another) with nature, whilst most activities I pursue on the blog are far more introspective; its human + animal, as opposed to human vs weights! During my weekend stay at Coworth Park, I was able to indulge both; horse riding and laser-clay shooting, as well as a spot of tennis, gym and spa. As part of the illustrious Dorchester Collection, the execution of every facet at this gorgeous country manor is immaculate, and the service is so courteous and attentive that you can’t fail to unwind! It’s every bit 5-star but it doesn’t feel remotely pretentious – almost as if you’re visiting someone’s welcoming countryside home. And whilst you’re only 30 mins away from the beautiful chaos of London, you feel totally transported to a faraway forest-land that simply must be in another country! Here follow my highlights:

1) THE SPA COMPLEX

For me, one of the truly outstanding parts of the hotel is their standalone wellness facility, which is elegantly perched on the hillside. In keeping with the well-judged subtlety of the staff, you never hear about how big it is or how many treatment professionals there are; more important is that you’re put utterly at ease and are able to relax. The place is immaculate and super-well equipped, with a generous steam room adjoining a rainbow-lit pool, and a bright Technogym fitness facility kitted out with their architect-designed equipment! Also interesting is the unusually broad range of spa products available for you to sample after the workout – you’re typically limited to a single brand, but Coworth has brilliantly stocked 8 of the finest, by my count! Combine that with super fluffy robes, ample fruit-infused water, a vast menu of treatments and an awesome Spa-tisserie (healthy snack bar) and this Spa is a full-on recharge!

2) THE EQUESTRIAN CENTRE:

I already wrote about this in my previous post, but it remains a big differentiator. The investment in, and maintenance of, a superb equestrian facility is unique amongst luxury hotels. Three experienced riders permanently staff the facility and care for their complement of Olympic-trained horses (as well as some more gentle souls), filling you with the confidence required to take them by the reins and explore the rolling countryside, in any season! At £75/hour, it’s not 5-star priced, so if you ride, give it a go!

3) THE FOOD

Whilst there’s no breakfast buffet (I’d guess there are too few rooms to make it economical), there is a big menu of proper healthy options; think egg-white omelettes, low-sugar mueslis, gluten-free toasts, berry extraordinaires etc. There are a few venue choices for dinner as well, with a Michelin starred restaurant in the Mansion House, and a more relaxed, hearty affair at The Barn. Both offered me healthy options too, so I never struggled to stay on track!

4) THE ROOMS

Rich in countryside charm, but instantly speaking of a modern, clean and fresh aesthetic, the rooms are simply awesome. Vast luxurious beds, sumptuous Egyptian-cotton sheets, crushed silk detailing, and personal touches in each room, it feels like a relaxation masterclass! The rose gold-coloured freestanding baths are superb for a soak, and it all fits together to create a super cosy ‘countryside’ feel.

5) OTHER FITNESS ACTIVITIES

It’s not just about riding and the gym. You can also;
– go for long power walks around the woodlands
– go biking on their collection of bikes
– navigate around their mapped-out running routes
– enjoy a game of tennis on their astro court adjacent to the Mansion House.
– get all Quasar with a little laser clay-pigeon shooting
– go for a round of golf, with the world class courses of Wentworth and Sunningdale almost literally on their doorstep.
– play some Polo on one of their two Polo fields
– croquet, whilst perhaps not the most aerobics lily demanding of ventures, is also on offer in the summer, as is archery, falconry and fencing! They have it all ??

For those visiting London, it’s well worth extending the trip by a few days to include a weekend here. If you’re already in the UK, this is a fantastic active escape that won’t disappoint those desperately seeking relaxation!

SUMMER BODY, NOW ?!?

I recently visited the beautiful city of Venice on an active blog trip (which I’m super excited to share in an upcoming post). On my journey there, I was thumbing through a fitness magazine which made me think about how we’re compelled to pursue unattainable deadlines. Every year, the pattern is repeated; new years resolutions, Valentine’s sexy, summer beach body etc. They also, unsurprisingly, fall on the same day and demand the same unrealistic, short-termist targets. Almost all the major fitness publications and magazines in general seem to publish their ‘beach body’ articles in May; that leaves you about 4 weeks to witness your ‘goddess transformation’, depending on which publication you pick. This typically involves radically changing your entire fitness regime, nutrition requirements and social life. But with 4 weeks until holiday, do you want to be a monk, shun dinner with friends, go teetotal, spend every spare moment on the treadmill, eat lettuce religiously and remove all fun from life? That’s no way to live, and I think there is another way!

As a personal trainer, every year I see the same trends repeat themselves, and the impact it has on people’s mindset is fascinating; New Years resolutions fail, Valentine sexy fails and bikini body fails, because it was never going to work in the first place. As humans, we’re pre-programmed to seek out a quick fix, to take the path of least resistance – granted. But pursuing the seasonal calls-to-action year after year can make us feel a bit like hamsters running on the wheel…

In a controversial appeal, I would implore you to start laying the foundations for your beach body now, in February; that’s 6 months ahead of time. This will guarantee you can have a life but actually make slow, steady progress towards your goal. Eat and enjoy wholesome foods with nutritional purpose and delicious flavour. Watch your body grow stronger – lift heavier, run faster, recover quicker. You can sculpt your body and ultimately the results you feel and see over time are more likely to STAY with you over time because they become habits. A short term push has an end date in mind, beyond which you probably relinquish all of your progress! My ‘slow and steady progress’ option allows you to see & feel real results, form good habits, and hopefully to sustainably improve your quality of life too. The final month push is fine too, but you’ll be starting from a higher base, and are more likely to achieve your target result! Just a thought ?

All the images in this post are shot in and around Piazza San Marco and the surrounding turquoise canals of Venice in a collaboration with the super-cool Urban Outfitters. Mesh, monochrome, neon detailing continue to be a huge trend in the world of fitness fashion and it shows in my choice of pieces… I’m wearing a beautiful perforated-mesh white top with super cute semi-formal collar detailing at the top from one of my favourite designers, Stella McCartney. I paired it with a pair of tight leggings from Onzie, with breathable mesh panelling around the back of the knee and quads (where perspiration is at its highest) and completing the monochrome theme black, white and grey Nike trainers. All grab-able from Urban Outfitters at the links below…

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I WAS WEARING:

Top: Adidas Stellasport Mesh Boxy Tee in White
Pants: Onzie Mesh Capri Pants in Black
Trainers: Nike Mid-Top Internationalist in Black/White

THE FUTURE OF FITNESS ???

A couple of weeks back, I was joined by friends from Technogym, LuluLuemon, Misfit and my partner in nutritious crime Dr. Michelle Storfer – along with a group of fabulous attendees – to discuss ‘The Future of Fitness’ at the Hoxton Hotel Holborn for an event hosted by Cointreau (phew, long sentence)! The reason I wanted to bring these panellists together is because I think there’s been a totally seismic shift in the health and fitness industry over the last few years, especially in terms of how we consume it through social media. People are partaking of daily fitspo like never before, and the health-conscious are joining a growing on-line community where people display nutritious recipes, opine on fitness fashion ‘looks’ and share workouts. There’s a markedly increased thirst for fitness knowledge too – people want to educate themselves on what to eat, how to train but also why they’re doing it in the first place, and how it all fits together. This is a true age of health enlightenment. This event was all about highlighting some of the key changes and how they might play out going forward! Read MORE to see what we arrived at…

During the evening, Dr. Michelle Storfer and I discussed the launch of our ‘Four Week Fitness & Food Effect‘ Guide, as an example of how people are increasingly choosing to ‘consume’ their fitness activities these days. Michelle and I decided to create the fitness and food effect guide together as there was no equivalent out there which combined two experts in the field of fitness and nutrition in a practical, realistic and detailed way. Instead, this aims to educate the reader to eat in a healthy, wholesome way, which is another emerging trend we’ve noticed. Ultimately, the one diet/regime which will win out above all the others, is the long-term, sustainable healthy lifestyle choice of balance and exercise! Combined with a four week training program which can be done in the comfort of your own home, yet is plenty effective, it’s a varied, fun and challenging way to see results. There’s progressive training that works for every level, and it’s created so that regardless of your fitness level you are competing against yourself. But we weren’t the only ones on hand…

I also asked Enrico Manaresi from Technogym to be part of the panel, in order to give a feel for how the world of fitness equipment is evolving, with the integration of mobile devices and fitness hardware via ‘the cloud’, for data transmission and storage. Nowadays, with the mere swipe of a phone, we know exactly how our 20 minutes on the treadmill counts towards our weekly targets, and can track precisely how frequently we train, how we perform against our previous records etc. This knowledge of data, combined with the advent of beautiful design and smart technologies which adapt to our workouts, would seem to be the very essence of the ‘future of fitness’!

Lululemon were represented too, by their beautiful UK Ambassador, Niki Rein, (founder of Barrecore). In my view, this company has been in the business of advancing the debate around fitness apparel for the past 10 years. I felt there was no brand better placed to discuss the future of fabrics! Moisture wicking, ever-more private, ultra-breathable, infused with metallic threads for superior air flow and temperature control, increasingly supportive, and circulation-promoting materials seem to be the way…

Misfit were in attendance as well. Of all the many ‘wearables’ companies which have sprung up over the past few years, these guys seem to straddle the Fitness and Fashion line most successfully, with products that look beautiful, work, and appeal to the widest audience. Their collaborations with some of the worlds biggest brands (Coca Cola, Victoria’s Secret, Swarovski etc) suggest they’re going to seriously outlive some of their weaker peers through the onslaught of competitor launches!

I’d once again like to thank everyone who came along to the event, to the Hoxton Hotel for hosting and to Cointreau for those delicious ‘Detox’ Basil Cucumber Cocktail refreshments! Finally a massive thank you to my fellow panelist – it was a pleasure and a privilege having you be a part of the event!

TRENDY SPORTS !!!

I recently hopped over to Florida for a photo shoot with Trendy Sports, one of the US’ leading online ‘fitness fashion’ destinations, now in Europe too. When they first got in contact, I took a look at their website and instantly wanted to be involved; they’ve curated a collection of many of my absolute favourite fitness brands in one place (Monreal, Lucas Hugh, J Linderberg, Peak Performance, Hugo Boss etc), and the original imagery on their sites definitely straddles the fitness/fashion boundary. ‘Golf’ may often conjure up dull images of the standard ‘white polos and chinos’ uniform; in these photos the mixture of styles – traditional as well as bold prints and colours were clearly taking 18th (& 19th-hole) fashion in a totally new direction! It was proving what I’ve always believed, that there is practically no separation between fashion and fitness wear. Fitness is a genuine, legitimate fashion occasion, and it’s ok to dress up for it! Click MORE to see some of their campaign images as well as some behind-the-scenes shots I snapped too!

We spent a week in sunny Florida shooting at the stunning and multi award winning StreamSongResort in Tampa; I shot a couple of the following pictures in the gorgeous orange sunlight to show the place at its best! P.s. mind the alligators…

You may have seen some ‘behind the scenes’ photos popping up on my INSTAGRAM, and I’m super happy finally to share the trip on the blog! The Trendy team were awesome fun, and I couldn’t have asked for a better active escape ? Steve Read was the photographer – I’m a big fan of his, especially his portrait photography. His fitness shots feel moody, aspirational and massively engaging. I tried snapping one of him below, for posterity

Below are some of Steve’s images from the new Spring/Summer 15 collections (those without watermarks at the bottom right are courtesy of Steve), as well as some of my behind the scene photos. Unfortunately my photographer couldn’t join me for the trip, so I took most of the behind-the-scenes shots myself – not up to the usual Fitness On Toast standard, but I hope you’ll like them all the same

Big thanks to team Trendy Sport for making the trip such fun! To find the looks I’m wearing, along with much more beautiful fitness fashion, click onto the Trendy Sports website! xx

TOP 5 ‘ACTIVE ESCAPES’ WISHLIST !!!

As regular readers may have noticed, I love to feature my active escapes on the blog; the series of posts grew as a reaction to an observation that clients, friends and family seem to want to stay in shape whilst on holiday, and even to use that very same holiday as a chance to become a little more healthy. The ‘active escape’ is a proper, growing trend in today’s health-aware world, and whilst I’m not talking about abstinent, monk-like Zen retreats, discerning travellers are after indulgence, with the optional facility to stay fit. With that in mind, I’m super happy to have teamed up with Travelex for a collaboration highlighting my ‘top 5 active-escapes wishlist’ for 2015. Click MORE to get a feel for the sorts of escapes I think will prove a hit from both a culture AND wellness perspective…

People are in search of more healthy escapes, now more than ever before, whether it be an active escape or a more restorative holiday to recharge their batteries (spa, detox, yoga). Society is becoming ever more health conscious, and is increasingly seeking out a holiday which helps us to feel rested and energised as opposed to lethargic and guilty from an obscenely indulgent holiday. People chose based on living a healthy lifestyle, which has historically been an expensive pursuit. These days, as competition has increased, living fit is becoming ever-more affordable, both in the UK and abroad. People are increasingly being driven by fitness! Here’s my top 5 for 2015 (in no particular order)…

1) LAKE SKATING IN STOCKHOLM

Sweden’s my home country, and for many months of the year, it gets arctic-cold, especially in the northernmost parts. Because the culture has evolved around that, you can expect a lot of cold-weather activities, including skiing, snowboarding, ice-fishing, igloo-building, sledging, and cross-country skiing. One incredibly beautiful activity is long distance ice skating. My auntie first told me about it when I was very young; basically, because there are thousands of little islands dotted along the coast you can easily skate for miles in the depths of winter. Pack a picnic and the mandatory hot chocolate, and off you go. A bit of history; our courageous and slightly crazy king Karl X Gustav decided on the 30th january 1658 to take his entire army across the ice between Sweden and Denmark in order to launch a surprise attack on the Danes. Given the weight of an entire army on the ice, some unfortunately drowned on the way over but the majority survived and the ice held! These days, there are companies to help you achieve it safely, as a brief google will show!

TIPS: Training for ice skating; you’ll need a strong core, stability and balance. Staying upright for a long period on a slippery surface isn’t easy. A slouched posture will yield back pain at the very least. Overall strength training is a must, with special attention paid to core and lower back exercises, which work together to control balance and stability. I like to include some balance exercises in the workout routine; seek out unstable surfaces (such as the Bosu, wooden boards etc) and practice finding your centre of gravity! As with any exercise requiring the use of legs as the main source of power, I’d suggest a comprehensive squat regime too!

2) YOGA IN VENICE

Venice isn’t the most obvious choice of location for a relaxed yoga session. but having recently visited, I scouted out some exceptional spots high above the bustle of the waterfront and crowded canals, which afford some stunning views. My choice would be on the iconic terrace of the Danieli Hotel, where I’m pictured above. To my mind, Yoga is an ethos unto itself, and a way of life – the goal is to achieve total health rather than just an aesthetic result. The opportunity to practise it overlooking the natural & man-made beauty of Venice, is too fabulous! This would be a great Spring-time activity to my mind.

TIPS: One of the things I love about yoga is that it’s not just for practised professionals. Anyone can participate, and indeed benefit from it. I wrote about the basics a while back, in this post. One factor which can only benefit the practise of yoga is flexibility; the inclusion of a 10-15 minute stretching regime before bed can only help. Further, I’d suggest giving thought to the benefits of meditation, as the concepts are very much complementary to much of the Yoga ethos.

3) HIKING IN THE MOROCCAN ‘ATLAS MOUNTAINS’

Hiking through the Atlas Mountains is a dramatically scenic experience and exceptional cardio at the same time! The culture is incredibly rich, the local foods are deliciously flavoursome, and the sights are epic. FYI ‘walking’ is not a word to describe hiking, as a proper hike like this involves the combination of a varieties of terrain quality, incline, altitude, weather conditions – it’s far more physically challenging, burns 240% of the calories (c.550 per hour for a 70kg individual who’s orienteering, vs c. 230 for the same individual walking at 3mph).

TIPS: To get yourself ready for this activity you should be (depending on your current fitness level) walking as it strengthens the muscles that you;ll be using as well as improving your cardiovascular fitness, Then increase the intensity by time, frequency, distance, terrain, stair climbing. Check heart rate and recovery time and create a plan to improve it. Other than that get yourself into the gym and pick up some weight and focus on overall strength with particular focus on legs as they’ll be doing a lot of the work! Also don’t forget to stretch!

4) ALTITUDE TRAINING IN TANZANIA

I’ve always wanted to visit Tanzania, a country which has so much to offer – stunning beaches, safari, camping and whilst you’re there you may as well climb the highest mountain in Africa – Kilimanjaro (the peak rising to a monstrous 19,341 ft)! When climbing at high altitudes, the body needs to acclimatise to the thinness of the air (and thus sparseness of oxygen) fairly quickly.

TIPS: A high fitness level and strong, capacious lungs will help this. HIIT (high intensity interval training) which alternates between high intensity (elevating the heart rate) followed by brief active recoveries (and then elevating it again) forces the cardiovascular system to handle the stress of of limited oxygen, which is the same pressure it would experience in high altitude training. As with hiking also pay extra attention to training legs – the stair climber machine is fab, as are some thunderous deadlifts!

5) TRAPEZE TRAINING IN BALI

Just the thought of Bali conjures up memories of white sand, palm trees, lush green rain forest and delicious fresh foods. If you’ve never been, this small island is the perfect paradise escape – a place to stretch out in a hammock to de-stress and regenerate. There are also endless activities; my active trips would include trekking, scuba diving and even trapeze training as there’s a world-famous academy there. Throwing yourself into the air at an exhilarating speed, and at the same time learning some tricks for the body – including catches and somersaults is not only fun, it’s a workout too! Trapeze training is said to be a full body workout and great way to improve co-ordination, boost muscle strength, and increase flexibility. I always encourage the importance of variation in any training program – trapeze workouts certainly offer that variety!

TIPS: You’ll need overall strength but again a strong core and back. Spend some extra time working on your back and shoulders – pull-ups are a great exercise to strengthen the back using your own body weight. Weighted dips won’t hurt the deltoid/tricep strength required to lever yourself around when flying through the air! Head to travelex.co.uk/travelfit to find more tips on how to get fit for your trip and spend your pennies wisely.

DISCLOSURE: THIS IS A SPONSORED PIECE OF CONTENT, AND A COLLABORATION WITH TRAVELEX, THE WORLD’S LEADING FOREIGN EXCHANGE SPECIALIST. If you’d like to see more on these destinations or more fitness destinations in 2015 please visit Travelex.

ABU DHABI TENNIS TOURNAMENT !!!

I’ve literally had some emails asking about my trip to Abu Dhabi which recently featured on my Instagram, so thought I’d pop a quick post up about it! One of the biggest upsides to “Active Travel” is that you get to combine a healthy lifestyle with the thrill of discovering somewhere new and exciting. When I recently had the awesome opportunity to hop over to Abu Dhabi to attend the annual Sheikh Mohammed bin Saeed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan tennis tournament, I instantly took the opportunity, having never visited before. Monreal London, one of the Sheikha’s favourite tennis brands, had been asked to join the Tournament, alongside legendary British brands Fortnum & Mason and Graff Diamonds, and I was invited along for the occasion! Click MORE to see some of my behind-the-scenes pics from a fabulous spectacle of fitness!

The Tournament is an annual event, hosted by H.H. Sheikha Shaikha bint Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan, at her family residence, the Palace of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan. It’s a private, invitation only event, with 2015 being the 6th year in which it’s been held. The invitees are all female, ultra-VIP friends/family/guests (along with little old me) of Her Highness Sheikha Shaikha. For this reason, unfortunately I can’t share photos of the incredible palace, the tennis courts and the grounds, but I’ve included a few photos – glimpses into the event itself, which was truly spectacular! FYI, the set-up was incredibly pro, with Hawk-Eye technology, a 200-seat grandstand, and a host of ball-boys & girls!

As you might be able to tell from the above images, this year’s theme was very much pastel-coloured; from the tennis balls which were pastel pinks, blues and greens, to the newly redecorated interior schema of the pool house, which overlooked the Arabian Gulf. Inside the pool house, an island had been custom built amidst the water, with life size mannequins playing tennis. Fortnum & Mason were not only exhibiting, but also covered the catering at the event; beautiful tiered cakes and chocolate-coated grasshoppers were just some of the indulgent treats I sampled on a cheat day (some things are too good to turn down!). They were also joined by Graff, who hosted the most dazzling (literally) fashion show, unveiling gigantic exotic diamond after gigantic exotic diamond as their elegant models sashayed down the runway. What a treat! Below are some images I snapped whilst we were setting up.

As an extra bonus, I got to spend plenty of time with the founder of Monreal London, who is the creative director of one of my absolute favourite Fitness Fashion brands, who’ve uniquely pushed the envelope around what we consider to be sporty fashion. Stefani Grosse (pictured in the monochrome shot above, and the ones below too!), who was the subject of my mini-interview featured in a post last summer (HERE), has consistently imbued her first 3 collections with a minimal yet playful aesthetic which effortlessly delivers ‘high fashion’ to the wearable domain of the fitness environment. It’s a super forward-looking style which I think will continue to revolutionise the way we will dress to work out in the future. After the formalities were concluded, tourism was the name of the game for us! Hope you enjoy looking at some of these snaps