Category: FITNESS

YES TO ‘ANTI GRAVITY YOGA’ !

Regular readers will know that Fitness On Toast is all about pursuing a lifestyle of healthy, natural ‘wellness’; with that in mind, this post is sponsored by my friends at Yes To, a natural skin & haircare brand to which I was introduced a few months ago, and which really struck a chord with me. I work out 5 days a week, and as a consequence of such regular showering, I’m constantly searching for nourishing products that are kind to my hair and body! These products are almost edibly natural (think carrots, coconut oil, blueberries, avocado, grapefruit), but are also ethically conscious, affordable, work a treat and smell delicious – all important, to my mind! I used them after this awesome ‘Anti Gravity Yoga’ session at Virgin Active Mayfair last weekend; I spent a good hour suspended mid-air, mostly hanging upside down in a bright red hammock – and I LOVED it! Click MORE to see more about the session and discover my Yes To kit of choice

1) YES TO

As part of pursuing a natural and healthy lifestyle, I believe that what I put on my body is just as important as what I put in my body, as well as the exercise that helps condition it. Having grown up on a farm in Sweden, I’ve always eaten naturally-grown ingredients and avoided unhealthy foods, including those which are chemically processed; that same ethos applies to the products I put on my body, which I think should be healthy and free from chemicals too. Yes To has me covered, as all of their products are at least 95% natural (some even hit the 99% mark), formulated without parabens, SLS, phthalates and silicones and all of their packaging is recyclable. Whilst most natural products seem to cost a small fortune, these are super-affordable and the skin, hair and body care ranges of six different fruit and veggie families are tailored to meet the needs of different skin and hair types, meaning Yes To should have you covered, too.

After any sweaty training session, I make a routine out of jumping in the shower, washing my hair (here I used the Carrots Nourishing Shampoo), and popping some conditioner on too (here I use Blueberries Smooth & Shine conditioner). If I have time, I’ll leave the conditioner on whilst I sit in the sauna, to give my hair more of a deep restorative treatment. Working out almost every day does take its toll on the hair and body which is why I think it’s so important to get the right products. The whole Yes To range can be bought from Boots 1/3-off at the moment and the company are also sampling their ranges and running in-store competitions at selected Boots today (this Saturday) so keep an eye on the Yes To UK Facebook page to see if they’re in a Boots near you to try the range for yourself! I used this fruit-and-veggie powered collection last weekend after discovering the following awesome class…

2) THE ANTI-GRAVITY YOGA CLASS

I’ve always believed that trying out new classes is a fantastic way to stay in shape as they ‘shock the body’ a little by dispatching with predictable routine, take you out of your comfort zone slightly, and variety is after all the fiery spice of life! Led by the fabulous instructor Simon, this Antigravity Yoga session incorporated elements of Pilates, Yoga, and Acrobatics which delivered a really compelling full-body workout; the whole body is constantly in motion and being stretched, which feels wonderfully liberating as well as challenging! Some poses lengthen the muscles, whilst others require them to turn out pure strength and static holds!

As per my recent post on the benefits of headstands here, many of the same benefits apply for the inverted yoga poses; the theory being that sitting or standing, gravity pulls fluids downwards, thus by hanging upside down, the circulatory system is reversed and cleansed. As per the following excerpt from that post:

This system is made up of the heart, lungs and the entire network of vessels that provide oxygen and expel carbon dioxide and other waste products from the cells. Arteries fan out like a delicate and detailed system of tributaries from your heart, which pumps nice freshly oxygenated blood onward from the lungs. Veins bring the blood back to the heart and constitute a low pressure network that relies on movement 0f muscles, or indeed gravity, to get the blood flowing. Various valves stop backwash, at regular intervals, and make sure fluids are kept moving onwards as they travel to the heart – that’s a system called ‘venous return’. By turning one’s self upside down it promotes this process of venous return!

The difference with anti gravity yoga is that it doesn’t apply the same degree of compression and weight to your shoulder neck, spine, or indeed the rest of your body, as you are suspended. It can help improve your posture, and the inverted poses are said to help lengthen the muscles, as well as encourage the lubrication your spine.

If you’re willing to trust the hammock (which can supposedly hold the weight a baby elephant, though I’d imagine nobody has yet put that to the test), you can can release your inner child and experience a real endorphin release – it’s a totally different experience and a great laugh!

As with any class, I’d suggest that you really listen to your body. Some of the poses are quite tough and you don’t want to put too much pressure on your lower back, or over-stretch your shoulders for example. Simon assisted expertly, which makes a big difference to one’s sense of confidence.

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This post is part of a sponsored collaboration with Yes To. Please see my Disclosure Page for more about why I take on projects like these.

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I WAS WEARING:
Pants, Lucas Hugh, Nordica Icebreaker capris, here
Top, Luxe Fitness, Kasa Cuma Long-sleeved black tee, similar here
Trainers, Nike, Air Max 95 Ultra, here

WAKE UP YOUR GLUTES !

Sitting at the desk for hour after hour, day after day, month after month, year after year (etc) means the glutes become lazy and that laziness compounds up! The body adapts to become far less dependent on the musculature and joints found within the lower body, which ultimately leads to muscle atrophy (weakening of muscles) and lengthened, inhibited glutes. This post is about how to re-activate the hibernating derrière with a simple but effective routine, shot at the gorgeous gym in Coworth Park…

Seated Worker Syndrome, as I’m christening it, doesn’t just undermine the glutes, but can also cause the remaining parts of the body to suffer – it brings into play everything from ‘IT band syndrome‘ to ‘plantar fasciitis‘, tight hip flexors, knee problems, compressed discs, back pain, and even poor posture can be linked back to the glutes. Even if you don’t suffer from any back pain but do sit for long hours, inhibited glutes can adversely affect your training results, and can render you at a higher risk of injury during your session.

Glutes are the largest muscle in the body (outside of the abdomen); they consist of the Gluteus Maximus and Gluteues Minimus (both responsible for hip extension, femoral external rotation and abduction & knee stabilization). Strong glutes help you run faster, jump higher, or lift heavier; these are all functions which help us to go about our daily business without having to think or worry about it.

When I ask clients to ‘activate their glutes’, sometimes that can be tricky. The glutes have been asleep for so long and therefore making a connection, firing them up can be harder than it sounds. If you’re having trouble engaging your glutes, give the following exercises a go, and consider including them in your routine. Whilst we all know that deadlifts, squats etc. are fabulous for targeting glutes, they are big compound movement and trying a few of these sometimes only using your own bodyweight and high rep can help isolate the glutes and activate them further before you start your session. Some exercises I find particularly helpful are:

1) Single leg deadlift (no weight) – as per below picture

1. Start by balancing on one leg, keeping it slightly bent.
2. Pivoting from the hip, bend the knee behind you and start lowering your upper body towards the floor. Make sure to keep your spine neutral and to engage your abs.
3. Slowly return to the starting position.

2) Hip thrusters (with or without weight) – as per below pictures.

1. Start by sitting on the ground with your back against the bench.
2.  Place a barbell directly above your hips. You may want to use a barbell pad to reduce any discomfort you might feel from the bar.
3. Starts by pushing up through your feet. Your hips extending your hips vertically through the bar.
4. The weight should be supported through your shoulders and toes. Squeeze your glutes at the top. Then slowly return to starting position.

3) One leg raise 

1. Start by lying on the mat with bent knees. Make sure you don’t arch your back and instead push your lower back into the mat.
2. Raise one leg off of the ground, pushing down through the other foot.
3. When you have extended as far as possible, pause and slowly return to starting position. Either let your leg touch the floor or not.

4) Side-lying leg raise (as per below two images)

1. Start by lying on your side on the mat. Rest you arm on the floor.
2. With bent or straight legs raise them up as far as they can go and then return to starting position.

5) Pistol Squats (I find this one pretty hard so apologies for not illustrating the perfect form!)

N.B. if this is your first time, try sitting down onto a low bench when doing the exercise. Going as low as you can manage forces you to isolate the muscle and can help with any potential imbalances.

6) REAR LEG RAISES (as per below two pictures).

1. Start by kneeling on all fours with your hands positioned directly underneath your shoulders, ensuring not to lock out your elbows, and keeping your knees in line with your hips.

2. Make sure to pull your stomach to your spine, engaging your abs, maintaining a neutral spine (avoid arching or slumping).

3. Now straighten your left leg and raise it as high as you can. Hold at the end, squeeze your glutes, and return to starting position.

7) SWISS BALL BRIDGE – as per below two pictures.

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I WAS WEARING:

Pants, Hey Yo, (in ‘Ocean’) http://hey-jo.co/shop/?product=cassini-ocean
Jacket, Lucas Hugh, http://www.lucashugh.com/shop/jackets/pinstripe-rainshell-jacket.html
Top, No Jiggle, http://www.nojiggle.co.uk/product/lola_top/
Trainer, Custom-made Nike Air,  http://store.nike.com/gb/en_gb/pw/womens-air-max-shoes/7ptZb8dZoi3

WIN A TRIP TO WESTIN MAURITIUS!

“Happy New Year” is perhaps starting to wear thin now that the first working week’s taken its toll, normality has bitten, and delicious mince pies are but a distant memory. Luckily, FitnessOnToast is here to help by offering some ‘on-the-horizon’ inspo! As part of my ongoing partnership with Westin Hotels & Resorts, I’m going to be giving one lucky UK-based reader (+ partner) the chance to savour his/her very own exquisite Active Escape to  The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa Mauritius, where everything is designed to help you feel your best! I’ll have even custom-crafted you a bespoke healthy program too! To enter, just do a little Instagramming, then come meet me for run & workout around London this January! Click MORE to see exactly what you can expect, and precisely how to register yourself for this awesome prize!

IMPORTANT UPDATE (Thurs 21st Jan):

Due to overwhelming sign-up for the run originally planned for 14:00 Sunday 24th Jan, we have had to RE-SCHEDULE in order to obtain the required bigger-group permit. That means that I’m super disappointed to say that we will no longer host the run this weekend but will soon update you on the new event date – bigger and better!  It’ll be an upgraded and larger wellbeing experience, and it’ll be in the near future! To anyone who had already registered for the run and had entered into the Instagram competition to win a trip to The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa Mauritius, don’t worry – you’ve been automatically entered in the competition, and a winner will be drawn at random from our new event.  I’m so looking forward to meeting you all in person, and putting on an even better event and re-energizing together with Westin! The new details will follow on my Instagram, Twitter & Blog as soon as possible

As you may remember from my recent post HERE, I’m delighted to have partnered with Westin Hotels & Resorts as an ambassador for their Westin Well-being Movement, which completely chimes with everything FitnessOnToast stands for. In our previous two competitions, the lucky winners have secured active trips to Warsaw and Paris; in this, the last and most extraordinary of our competitions, you can win a luxurious 5 day Active Escape to their beautiful resort in Mauritius! They’ll fly you & your partner out there, furnish you with wellness for 5 extravagant days, and then deliver you back home again feeling energised and revitalised!

“WOW! SO HOW DO I ENTER”?

That’s easy! Follow these 3 simple steps, and you’ll be in with a chance of winning the awesome trip!

1) RE-GRAM: Head over to Instagram (and follow @FitnessOnToast if you don’t already!), re-gram the competition image and comment on my original, including the hashtag #WestinOnToast in both. (I’d love to hear what you’d get up to on the trip!)

2) REGISTER FOR OUR RUN: Sign up to the Eventbrite list HERE to register your place on the Insta-run. The run starts at 14:00 on 24th January, at Speakers Corner (in Hyde Park). Spaces are limited, so hurry!

3) THEN, COME & RUN WITH ME! Join me on an ultra-scenic 5k run around sunny/rainy London on Sunday 24th January at 14:00, where we’ll stop at various points along the way and dispatch some tough HIIT circuits! Take a picture during the run and upload it to Instagram using the hashtag #WestinOnToast and that’s it, you’re entered!

“SOUNDS AWESOME! WHAT COULD I GET UP TO IN MAURITIUS?”

As you might know, I love travelling – exploring new parts of the world whilst discovering new healthy dishes and trying out new fitness activities, returning home refreshed, healthier than when I departed and full of energy! Westin Hotels & Resorts very much support this goal in every way they can, which is why I’m so happy to be an Ambassador for their offering. This trip to Mauritius will be much like those I try to showcase HERE in my Active Escapes series – you’ll get a chance to eat delicious, fresh and healthy foods and participate in a host of different fun sporting activities. Find below just little insight into my top 8 highlights that the Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa Mauritius has to offer – and there are many more!

1) THE ROOMS

I’ve written extensively about the importance of sleep HERE, the material benefits it can have on your mental and physical health, as well as fitness performance and results. Therefore, you’ll be pleased to know that every room at the Westin offer the ability to sink into crisp white, 200-thread count sheets, down duvets, plush pillows and experience their Heavenly® Bed for a night of truly restorative sleep. I have sampled this on a number of occasions now, and recall my sleeps with the same emotion as if they were some delicious treat! The Heavenly Beds have been gently inducing fabulous sleep since 1999, winning accolades as an industry-leading innovation. Sweet dreams, dear prospective competition winner! In the rooms you’ll also find deliciously scented White Tea Aloe bath amenities, and a breezy, airy feel to the decor.

2) THE POOLS

The resort hosts a vast pool with a connecting pool bar offering fresh, cooling juices and smoothies!

3) THE BEACH – TURTLE BAY

The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa Mauritius is located directly on the beach. This area is lush with trees, replete with swinging hammocks as well as remnants of volcanic rock, bordered by one of the largest swimming pools in Mauritius and the Pavilion, their culinary hub. The other section of the beach is for swimming, beach games and water sports. This gorgeous area is home to countless species of marine life, along with a particularly high concentration of the endangered Green Turtles. The crystal turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean await!

4) WATER SPORTS

Here you’ll be spoilt for choice – think scuba diving, glass bottom boats, water-skiing, sailing, pedal boats, snorkeling and more!

5) TENNIS COURTS & RUNNING TRAILS

Choose from two gorgeous tennis courts or a guided run with their Run Concierge to keep up with your training routine while enjoying the sights of Mauritius. There are both 5km and 10km routes mapped out for maximum convenience!

6) THE HEAVENLY SPA

Book in for one of the many treatments on offer – a facial, manicure or a sports massage to combat any muscle soreness or relieve any tension. Or simply enjoy a relaxing hammam – a chance to really de-stress and relax!

7) THE RESTAURANTS

There are 7 dining venues here, offering the opportunity to indulge in delicious fresh, exotic, nutritious produce. You wont get bored as the restaurants offer a variety of flavours – original contemporary Indian cuisine, Mauritian fusion, an abundant international buffet and beach grill.  To ensure you stay on track there are also the signature SuperFoodsRx dishes available on every menu.

8) THE WESTIN WORKOUT® FITNESS STUDIOS

You’ve an opportunity to energise everyday; here you’ll find all your familiar gym-friends; dumbbells, barbells, mats, treadmills, cross trainers, machines – and staff on call to help you. If you happen to have forgotten your gym kit, fear not, as Westin will loan you a fresh, New Balance kit for your workouts! The socks are brand-new and yours to keep; the shoes are fresh and clean. It’s a great solution so that you can travel lighter!

If it sounds like you, follow the 3-step instructions above and you could be here in 2016 for a restorative escape! Check out more here:

Read the terms and conditions here.

 

SLEEP TO PERFORM!

If you’ve been following the musings of Fitness On Toast for a while, you might know that I often focus on the importance of sleep to complement a healthy lifestyle. It’s one of the key inputs that many of my Personal Training clients seem to minimise! To further my understanding of sleep, I recently took part in a fascinating research study to find out how sleep can enhance sporting performance and indeed overall fitness. Bensons for Beds, the UK’s leading bed specialists, have teamed up with The Sleep School, founded by the UK’s leading sleep expert Dr. Guy Meadows, to create a new data-driven resource, which aims to help everyone achieve a peaceful night’s sleep, in a natural way. This post reviews the test, and includes an interview with Dr. Guy, digging into the theory a little more! 

THE TEST:
The 2 week schedule looked as follows: effectively, throughout the first week I slept for 7 hours a night and trained for 5 days of the week. At the end of Week 1, I performed a number of measurable fitness tests in a controlled environment – a 2km endurance row, a 20 minute sprint test, an ice-bucket pain-threshold test, deadlifting strength sessions, and reaction time evaluations . The results from Week 1 were then compared to the same test schedule following Week 2, during which I slept for 9 hours a night and similarly trained for 5 days straight.

THE RESULTS:

The results of my test are as follows;

Increase in reaction time (cm) in % = 41%
Increase in strength (kg) in % = 37.5%
Increase in pain threshold (sec) in % = 17%
Increase in endurance (sec) in % = 2.52%

From this data, it’s clear there is a material improvement across all the tests I carried out during week 2 (with 9 hours sleep) compared to week 1 (with 7 hours of sleep), speaking volumes about the positive effect sleep can have on our fitness performance! A vast 41% improvement in reaction time, a similarly-vast 37.5% improvement in strength, an impressive 17% improvement in pain tolerance, and a 2.52% improvement in speed! Yet before even having access to the data, my  perceptions were interesting; I felt a noticeable difference in not only my mood and attitude, but also from a physical perspective. Most of us are aware that a lack of sleep can severely affect the health; however I was pretty cynical about whether two extra hours beyond the seven I’d thought to be sufficient would make a huge impact. On average (and at this stage, unquantifiably) I felt more alert for longer as the day wore on. I also felt, anecdotally, as though my gym sessions were more focussed and intense, with fatigue setting in later and in a more sudden manner. The only variable I’d changed was the two additional hours of sleep, and whether or not it had generated a misplaced belief in my mind that I’d feel better, I did feel and perform better for it, which is all that counts in the real world!  

Below are my interview questions with Dr. Guy.

F.O.T: Why 7 vs 9 hours and not far fewer hours for example 5 vs 9 hours?

G.M: A wealth of scientific literature exists on the negative impact of sleep deprivation on sporting performance, however very little exists on the possible benefits of sleep extension. For this reason we were curious to see whether adding two hours of sleep would boost physical performance. Seven hours is also the national average and so it made sense to build up from this point.

This research was undertaken based on the findings from the Big Sleep Survey performed by Bensons for Beds and The Sleep School in January 2015. The results demonstrated that 46% of UK adults were only sleeping between 5 and 6 hours. There is clearly room for improvement!

F.O.T: Is it practical to have 9 hours sleep, and are there any adverse consequences of a sleep binge? (I sometimes feel puzzlingly tired after a long sleep)

Overall this study was interested in the impact of sleep extension on physical performance, irrespective of the number of hours. Whilst we chose to extend to 9 hours, a person could equally benefit from increasing from 6 to 7 or 8 hours. An individual’s sleep need is genetically determined. It also reduces with age. The key is to ensure that you are getting enough to be able to perform at your physical best.

F.O.T: Why did you select these particular exercises for the test?

These are standardised and repeatable tests used to assess a range of physical performance variables commonly seen in most sports e.g. strength, speed, endurance, reaction time and pain threshold.

F.O.T: You mentioned that a lack of daylight can have a huge effect on hormones and overall energy levels, which is important as we run into the dark months of winter. Can you elaborate on this please?

The rise and fall of the sun provides a powerful signal to our internal body clock helping to keep it on its 24 hour (circadian) rhythm. Without access to light the clock becomes out of sync causing the many biological processes it regulates to be disturbed including our sleep and wake levels, body temperature, hunger hormones, insulin, immune system, blood pressure and heart rate. Basically we become jet lagged and experience all of the unwelcome symptoms, but without travelling across any timelines!

F.O.T: What can people who work in environments with little or no daylight do to improve their energy levels?

Take regular breaks outside to expose themselves to natural light. Use light boxes to mimic the sun’s rays.

F.O.T: There’s a lot of conflicting information on whether it’s a good idea to have a midday nap; what’s your opinion?

Power naps lasting no more than 20 mins and always before 3pm are great. Sleeping for longer or snoozing past 3pm reduces the drive to sleep at night. The only time that sleeping for longer and later in the day can be beneficial if you are a shift worker doing nights.

F.O.T: If as humans our energy levels depend on natural daylight would that mean we need more sleep during winter and less in summer?

In the past it is highly likely that we did follow a more seasonal sleep wake cycle, however with the arrival of the electric light bulb everything changed and we started to invade the night and stay up later.

F.O.T: What’s new and cutting-edge in the world of sleep theory and research (aside from your current project!)?

The role of sleep in regulating our weight. Poor sleep disrupts levels of the hormones leptin and ghrelin causing us to feel more hungry and less full. Hence the link between poor sleep and obesity.

Poor sleep is linked to greater infection rate. People who sleep between 5-6 hours per night are four times more likely to catch the common cold than those who sleep 7-8 hours.

Small channels in the brain open up during sleep and wash out all of the neurotoxins. Sleep effectively cleans the brain!

F.O.T: What are your top 5 criteria for achieving the optimal night’s sleep, i.e. how can readers best prepare for a quality, restorative sleep?

i) Keep a regular sleep wake cycle by going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time. Regular timing strengthens the link between night time and sleep.

ii) Have a comfortable sleeping environment. You’ll spend a third of your life lying on your mattress so you want to ensure that it supports your spine in the best possible way. Discomfort at night simply fragments sleep and lowers daytime performance. Invest in a comfortable sleeping environment. You’ll spend a third of your life lying on your mattress so you want to ensure that it supports your spine in the best possible way. For maximum comfort ensure that your bed is large enough to allow movement especially if bed sharing. If you overheat or feel the cold at night then choose a mattress that regulates temperature, such as Bensons for Beds’ iGel mattress range, to help keep you cool or warm. If you suffer from chronic back pain, you need a mattress which contours to your individual body shape providing the correct spinal support. Visit Bensons for Beds and try out their unique Comfort Station Adaptive system which will help you choose the mattress type that will provide the support you need for a better night’s sleep.

iii) Get at least 30 mins of natural light exposure first thing in the morning to help sync your body clock and therefore wake you and give you lots of energy to go about your day. Very helpful for those who struggle to wake in the morning.

iv) Stay in bed and rest if you can’t sleep. You get a huge amount of benefit from lying still and resting and doing so will instruct your brain to fall back to sleep. Turning on the light or playing with your phone is not helpful.

v) Keep active everyday as this helps to reduce the time taken to fall to sleep and boost sleep quality. Avoid exercising too late though as this can elevate core body temperature and delay sleep onset.

HIT IT OUT THE IVY PARK !

Today, I’m super excited to reveal my brand spanking new-look blog – it needed a bit of sprucing up since there hadn’t been an outfit change since it was born! To kick things off, I thought there was no topic more appropriate than the eponymous new monochrome collection from Ivy Park, to match the minimal pared-back B&W aesthetic I went with for this blog! Unless you’ve been living under a stone (+ blindfolded + ear plugged), you may have missed that one of the most iconic hyperstars on the planet just launched her own collection in partnership with Topshop. Queen B, aka Beyoncé, has put pen to paper with Sir Philip Green’s retail powerhouse to design an extremely intelligent line of flattering and affordable performance wear, and I absolutely LOVE the result! 

Disclosure: I am a fully-paid-up, all-singing-all-dancing Beyoncé fan-girl, BUT I think there is an important message to take from this collection, even for those few who aren’t fans. Ivy Park is an expansive (but not expensive) 220-piece collection of workout staples that takes its name from a combination of Beyoncé’s daughter’s middle name, and Parkwood Park in which she used to seek personal strength. To me, it’s somewhat of a cool and compelling mystery, with the ultra-stylised official website intentionally revealing few details on its 3 (three!) pages, and showcasing a beautifully produced video expressing the brand from its Creative Director herself. Invariably, I want more…

After reflecting on it for a while, the message that I take from it is that a) it’s fashion-led with innovative technical credentials, b) it’s a perfect embodiment of the casual-meets-active zeitgeist which is sweeping the globe right now, and c) the Strong Beyond Measure strap-line is one that I love, as it speaks of confident empowerment for all people of all fitness levels, as well as positive mental energy – both of which I see as crucial components of successfully achieving any fitness goals.

Make no mistake, fashionable activewear is a 100% bonafide source from which to draw inspiration; if you feel excited to workout because of your new look, then that’s one more session than you’d have otherwise done, and it’s no less valid than the more traditional sources of fitspo! Given that nearly 70m of us follow Beyoncé on Instagram, 65m more on Facebook, and 14m on Twitter, there’s a vast audience of people ready to draw their own inspiration from this collection, which makes me happy, as a healthy lifestyle change usually needs a trigger; for many, this might well be it!

I attended the launch at Topshop flagship store in Oxford Circus, London, where Sir Philip Green kicked off events. There were some epic demos from Syncopated Ladies’ performing to ‘Formation’ amongst other tracks. Immediately thereafter, I picked up a bunch of clothes (both Ivy Park and Topshop for my casual essentials!) for these outfits and headed out to Camden to shoot them!

The collection feels very much inspired by dance – the pieces can easily be layered in that slouched cool way only dancers can. It’s also a good way to regulate the right temperature – pre, during and after workout. The hoodies are impossibly soft. Most pieces are oversized which I love as it makes for maximum comfort. Further, I think much of the collection is equally at home outside of the gym, much as it is inside; style it with a pair of skinny jeans and killer heels for example! It’s already crashed most websites that retail it, but they’re all repaired, restocked and ready to go! I’ve linked my outfit to Topshop below in case you like anything you see

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I WAS WEARING:

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T-shirt: Drop Armhole Tank by Ivy Park – HERE
Top: Corded ’04’ Sweatshirt by Ivy Park – HERE
Hoodie: Oversized Logo Hoodie in Grey, by Ivy Park – HERE
Leggings: Full Length Black Leggings by Ivy Park – HERE
Cap: Mesh Cap by Ivy Park – similar HERE
Bra: V-Back Mesh Insert Bra by Ivy Park – HERE
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TOP TRX TRICKS !

I’ve been intending to post this for a while now, but better late than never! The TRX is one of my favourite pieces of ‘fit kit’– not only is it light as a feather so that you can pop it in your bag & bring it wherever, but it also allows a full body workout pretty much anywhere. Right at the end of last year, I tied one to a leaning palm tree on the W Hotel island in the Maldives and powered out a full body session in tropical conditions – it was my first beach workout of its sorts, but it won’t be my last, as the experience awesome! This post runs over the benefits of this brilliant piece of equipment along with the full-body routine from my beach session!

TRX stands for Total-body Resistance eXercise, and was originally used by militaries as a serious form of strength conditioning. You’ll now see them hanging in almost every gym and even in many a tree (or palm tree) in your local park! It’s a great way to get some much needed vitamin D, fresh air, and great for people-watching ?. Though obviously, it also serves a more serious, heavyweight fitness purpose; using gravity and your own bodyweight, these two connected nylon straps with handles help raise the heart rate, get you sweating, build strength, refine balance and enhance core stability, all at the same time. It’s a perfect example of what the industry likes to call ’functional training’, which is essentially any exercise that mimics every-day human movements – unlike for example, some of the stationary machines you’ll find at the gym. This means you’ll have improved strength to call upon for actual, practical requirements!

Here’s my little routine from the beach session I enjoyed recently. With all the movements, you’ll want to ensure the strap is tight throughout, with no slack in the bands whatsoever.

THE ROW (as above picture)

Targets: Specifically, upper back and arms.

1. Regardless of whether you’re standing or are more parallel to the floor you want to almost imagine you’re in a vertical plank position. Keeping your back neutral (avoid arching or curving the back), keeping your abs nice and tight whilst activating your gluteus.

2. Make sure your palms are facing inwards throughout and your wrists should stay neutral.

3. With the row however, you really want to active your upper back by rolling your shoulders back and gliding your shoulder blades down your back, and away from your ears. You want to feel your upper back firing up. This is sometimes harder than it sounds as many of us will sit down all day typing, and thus have less muscular ‘awareness’ in that region.

4. Slowly and in a controlled manner, keeping your elbows tucked into your sides, pull yourself up towards the TRX’s pivot point, keeping your body rigid (in the plank position). Avoid arching your back or flaring out your chest.

5. Once you reach the finishing position at the top, hold it for a few seconds and then slowly lower yourself back towards the ground.

Alternatives: With the TRX typically the closer you get to the ground the harder it become. So for example with the row below depending on where you position yourself you can increase the difficulty level!

RUNNERS (as above picture)

Targets: This move targets your whole body but specifically core and arms. Depending on the speed at which you go, it’ll really get your heart rate up and get you huffing and puffing.

1. Start by popping your feet in a strap each.

2. Then manoeuvre yourself into a full plank position, with hands directly under your shoulders, keeping your abdominals nice and strong.

3. Then slowly and in a controlled manner, bend one knee at a time and draw it up under your chest and back down again. Swap for the alternate leg, and do the same on that other side. This is one repetition. Keep it going, at pace, until failure!

Alternatives: You can also bend both knees simultaneously under you. Or both legs under you with a twist.

SQUAT (as picture above)

Targets: Quads, Hamstrings, Gluteus and core.

1. Start by standing tall, holding the handles one in each hand, palms facing each other, ensuring the strap is nice and tight

2. Slowly lower yourself towards the ground, imagining that you’re about to sit down into a chair behind you. Keeping your upper body strong, focus on posture – roll your shoulders back and down. Maintain a neutral spine.

3. Make sure your knees aren’t ahead of your feet.

4. The TRX advantage at this point is that it allows you to get down really deep in the squat by encouraging a more extreme low-point, offering a backstop for balance, and crucially, providing a spring-board to energise the jump back up. It encourages improved posture, and targets not just the legs, but also the abs and arms too.

Alternatives: Add a jump as above! And go deeper if you have strong knees and don’t experience any pain.

CHEST PRESS (as picture above)

Targets: chest, shoulders and triceps.

1. Start by standing such that you’re facing away from the TRX attachment point.

2. Hold the handles in front of you, with palms facing down.

3. Engage your vertical plank position again at about 45-degree angle to the floor.

4. Slowly lower your chest toward your hands.

5. When your hands are in line with your chest, stop.

6. Slowly and in a controlled manner, push yourself up. That’s one rep. Aim for 3 sets of 10 reps.

TRICEP PRESS (as above image)

Targets: Triceps – N.B. that’s not me above (in case you couldn’t tell), but the awesome Head Trainer at the W Maldives, Mark Angeles.

1. Stand facing away from the attachment point, and hold the handles over you head with bent elbows in line with your shoulder, hands facing forward. Ensure your wrists are aligned (not bent). Your hands should be positioned near your temples.

2. Slowly lower your body toward the ground, keeping a vertical plank position. As you lower your body, keep the abs nice and tight.

3. The movement should be one slow and controlled movement until your hands are back at the starting position whilst straightening your arm until its fully extended.

4. Then pull yourself up to starting position. That’s one rep! Try to aim for 3 sets of 10.

SUSPENDED LUNGE (as picture above)

Targets: Full body, specifically legs and gluteus (great for balance)

1. Start by interlocking the two handles together. Then place the right foot in the handle. Carefully turn to face away from the attachment point. Ensure your left foot is firmly planted on the ground, pushing the ground down below you (no heels should be coming off the floor). Your knee should feel nice and stable. Try to avoid the knee collapsing inwards or outwards.

2. Now slowly and in a controlled manner bend your left knee, lowering your body towards the floor, keeping your core strong until the leg its parallel to the floor. The suspended leg should bend simultaneously.

3. I keep my opposite hand extended upward for additional balance. Unwind the position and repeat a further 9x. That’s one set, alternate legs, and do the same. Then complete a further 2 sets on both legs!

Alternatives: to progress it try and do the move more explosively!

I hope that you give it a go when you’re next faced with a TRX, and that it doesn’t disappoint

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I WAS WEARING:

Top: Monreal London Perforated Azure Hoodie HERE, or complementary top HERE
Shorts: Monreal London Polka-dot Booty Boost shorts, HERE
Sunglasses – Miu Miu, similar HERE

EVERYBODY WELCOME!

On the debate of whether the Fitness-Fashion hybrid is here to stay, every Londoner’s favourite department store Selfridges has conclusively weighed in with a bold and far-reaching statement. A few weeks back, I attended the opening of what is now Selfridges’ largest single department, the 37,000 square foot Body Studio, accompanied by their almost unmissable campaign. It’s more than just a retail tour-de-force, it’s a significant declaration of their vision of the future. That the activewear category is the only area of apparel enjoying any sort of material growth right now (outside of Hermes handbags) is well known; there’s such huge latent demand that this studio is solely dedicated to all things wellbeing, enabling you to browse 4,500 items from c.100 brands (including some personal favourites like Monreal London, Adidas, Y3, Stella McCartney, Varley as well as lingerie, sleepwear, swim & beachwear, a Daniel Galvin salon and a healthy cafe by the Hemsley sisters) against the backdrop of a British high street that’s suffering due to online competition. Selfridges are bucking that structural dynamic and are taking activewear firmly into the domain of the ‘luxury experience’ for which there’s simply no internet alternative; you have to see this to believe it Click more to get my full view, along with the ‘look’ images we shot in and around the launch!

This post will be split into 3 easy-to-digest sections: 1) The Space, 2) The Ethos, and 3) The look!

1) THE SPACE:

Over the coming 5 years, Selfridges will be undergoing a £300 million mammoth sprucing exercise, the first phase of which has seen this new addition to the 3rd floor, which was previously an in-house office zone. To my mind, it’s been transformed into a genuinely world-leading space for retailing activewear, and might in fact be the best overall retail space I’ve ever visited (notwithstanding that most of the ground floor is being redeveloped right now, and may be even more awesome!). The Body Studio chamber feels effortlessly relaxed and quite liberating in its vast size, the colours are neutral but imbued with a golden hue, wide bleached-oak beams pave the floors, brand names are etched onto beautiful blue marble plinths stood on polished brass hardware, and there is a torrent of natural light spilling in from the light-wells, the windows and the skylights.

2) THE ETHOS:

EveryBody very much sits with my ethos to be the healthiest version of yourself. I’ve never believed that there is a ‘perfect’ body or ‘ideal’ aesthetic; they’re ultimately exclusive concepts that end up doing more harm than good. Now, the cynic may suspect it’s just about selling products to people, but the Body Studio is quite clearly about far more; this space is about helping all women who are so inclined, to feel comfortable and beautiful within themselves. Giving them the confidence to express themselves through individual sportswear styles. The clothes focus as much on comfort and performance as they do style. The diversity and empowerment of different body types means this is a place where ‘EveryBody’ is welcome, and that ethos is made quite clear on the walls (in beautiful brass lettering, as above)!

What else?

3) THE LOOK:

I wanted to curate something that spoke of functional credentials, with a high-performance heritage) but which could be worn outside of the gym as part of a casual, [broadly] monochrome look. I chose:
– T-SHIRT: Adidas By Stella McCartney Essential Zebra Cotton Jersey T-shirt – HERE
– PANTS: Monreal Cosy Jersey Jogging Bottoms – HERE
– SHOES: Adidas Superstar 80’s leather trainers – HERE
– JACKET: Monreal Featherweight Jersey Jacket – HERE

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THIS POST INCLUDED A SPONSORED COLLABORATION WITH SELFRIDGES. MY OPINIONS ARE GENUINE. FOR MORE ABOUT WHY I TAKE ON SUCH PROJECTS, PLEASE SEE MY DISCLOSURE PAGE HERE.

 

‘WESTIN MAURITIUS’ WINNER!

A quick post today, firstly to say a huge thank you to everyone who entered the competition hosted by Westin Hotels & Resorts to win a trip to Mauritius and well done to those who battled the unseasonably freezing rain with me for our Olympic Park run. But more seriously, this post is to announce the winner of the most awesome competition I’ve ever run! There were hundreds of fabulous fitness devotees who entered, and regardless of whether you came to the run or not, you were in the running (no pun intended) to win the Active Escape to The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa Mauritius. Click MORE to see who the winner was, and to check out the shots from our 5k around the scene of one of the greatest ever sporting spectacles!

As a quick reminder, for my partnership with Westin Hotels & Resorts, we hosted a series of competitions giving some lucky UK-based readers (and their partners) the chance to savour his/her very own exquisite Active Escape occasions, firstly in Poland, then Paris, and culminating in this exquisite trip to  The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa Mauritius, where everything is designed to help you feel your very best!

To disprove the popular misconception that my blog visuals are only ever shot in sunshine (!) the run date was doused with lashings of arctic rain – but everyone was in such awesome spirits, with a proper desire to get out there and smash it, that the rain didn’t really dampen anything!

It wasn’t a competitive run but rather a group session, interspersed with body weight exercises at different intervals along the way, which gave people a chance to push themselves further if they wanted, and for others to catch up. I think fitness should be inclusive, and open to everyone, always, so we planned the run that way too ?

THE WINNER?

Westin‘s Creative Agency have randomly selected two lucky people to go on the trip (I had no input in picking the winner). Massive congratulations to @_marhol and your other half, I hope you have the most amazing, relaxing, and active escape! From your recent Instagrams, it looks as though it may be your birthday during the coming week, so please consider this a coincidental but really quite awesome birthday present  ? Ideally, you’ll both return fully refreshed, energised and relaxed! You’ll get a chance to nourish your body with deliciously healthy foods, participate in a host of different fun sporting activities, and will also experience the sumptuous Heavenly® Bed for a series of truly restorative sleeps. That should allow you to take on water sports, tennis and much more the next day!!!

So, I went on a bit of a Instagram rampage today trying to give you all a live feed of the #run with @fitnessontoast . It was a great day! I had a hard time dragging my other half out but once HIT training was mentioned at various points of the run he was all on board and that made it #fun for the both of us. I just wanted to share with you my favourite #pictureoftheday Thank you @westin for organising the #westinontoast ! Hope to see you again. #5k #running #fitness #fitfam #instafit #instarunners #london #runhappy #girl #runner

A photo posted by @_marhol on Apr 16, 2016 at 10:17am PDT

For everyone else, keep your eyes on my social channels, as there are plenty more awesome competitions coming soon!!!

RESET FOR SPRING WITH GARNIER!

The eagle-eyed amongst you might have spied that I recently took over the @GarnierUK Instagram a couple of weeks ago as part of the fun of joining their team of super inspirational women! Apart from hosting some epic competitions, I was really keen for the takeover to showcase a few different practical tips to help you be the healthiest version of you and reset for spring! As ever, I always try to emphasise small but lasting changes to help clients feel good about themselves, and discuss them all in a little more detail below with my top 12 tips! I’ve also put some thoughtful care into compiling my ‘Custom Recovery Bundles’ which included some awesome Garnier essentials for Hair, Skin, Body & Sun – the lucky winners are announced in the post! Click MORE to see it all

In the video below which I shot with an awesome group of people in gorgeous Queens Park (North West London), I talk a little about how I start my day. I think if you start your day right it underpins everything you do throughout the ensuing 24 hours, and you’re consequently more likely to stay on track. Having said that I massively struggle with early mornings – if you’re like me, read the following tips on how to become more of a morning person! Mine kicks off at 05:30 everyday (aagh!), followed by a training session, the specific scope of which varies constantly. In the video, it’s a run, but can easily be a walk or a spot of gym-time too.  Here is a short video with some tips on how to maximise a quick morning workout!

Subsequently, I always have a big, proper breakfast, typically consisting of my Maxi Muesli (recipe here) with a splash of unsweetened almond milk, some fresh berries and some grated dark chocolate!

Not easy? I agree – but there are ways to become more of a morning person: Whilst I’m up at 05:30 every weekday, I think it’s important to declare that I’m not naturally an early riser! My body instinctively wants to stay snuggled under cozy covers and grab heaps of ever-more restorative sleep! But over time, to combat, and eventually conquer this, I’ve found a few tips that got me where I wanted to be:

1) Create a routine (starting the night before)!

2) Don’t leave it last minute

3) Natural light

4) Mental prep

5) Visual Prep/ goal seeing

6) Plan ahead!

7) School uniform 

8) Drink & Think!

9) Training buddy

10) Breakfast?

11) Whatever you do don’t hit the Snooze button!

12) Get out of bed!

COMPETITION WINNERS

Congratulations to the following 5 fabulous Instagram entrants are the winners of my custom-created recovery bundles! @35allicat @fakander @iona_ldnr @debbieariella @jedwards81. Each 14-piece Garnier Recovery Bundle will help the winner to fully recover and restore post-workout, and consist of 4 categories:

1) HAIR:

2) SKIN:

3) BODY:

4) SUN:

Well done and stay tuned for my next collaboration with the Garnier family

BENEFITS OF A STRONG SKELETON!

Every one of us will inevitably suffer a natural degradation of bone density as we get older; if we’re mindful of this, it’s possible to take some pretty smart measures to strengthen our skeletons now, which fit right in alongside our normal everyday fitness goals. This post highlights my top 5 ways to exercise and care for yourself in order to promote bone strength; what we can eat, and what we could avoid in order to help build a strong skeleton that’ll last us through life!

1) EAT RIGHT
This isn’t just for teeth and bones, but moreover for broader health. The body is in a constant process of self-renewal, incessantly churning out new bone, muscle, blood, skin etc. I believe that what we put into it determines the quality of its rebuild. Foods which are high in simple sugars – sweets and sodas for example – don’t just promote enamel-busting tooth decay, they can also inhibit the body from being able to absorb the bone-friendly calcium you’re consuming as well as depleting your supplies of phosphorus, both of which go to unduly reduce bone density. The same goes for salty foods which cause calcium to be lost via the kidneys.
Even if little is consumed, the body maintains calcium levels in the blood by sapping it directly from the bones, so most medical commentators suggest taking in c. 1200mg of calcium a day as a broad rule of thumb, which can be sought from (obviously) milk, yoghurt and cheese, but also more surprisingly, kale, broccoli, salmon and sardines – all staples on the Fitness On Toast recipe pages!
 
2) DRINK LESS
Regularly blitzing the recommended alcohol limits is unhelpful for most bodily functions, but it also has a direct effect on decreasing your bone mass. Apart from the heightened chance of goofing around and falling to fracture limbs, large amounts of alcohol can be toxic to ‘osteoblasts’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteoblast (the cells which synthesise new bone). Furthermore, other sorts of drinking can be unhelpful, as too much caffeine is also thought to leach calcium from the bones and thus reduce their strength, as well as causing unsightly staining to the teeth and enamel degradation – reducing the amount of caffeine daily should do the job! Likewise, fruit juices consumed through straws should help reduce the amount of decay.
 
3) EXERCISE APPROPRIATELY
Movement and gentle impact can help to build bone strength, as well as any weight-bearing activity that makes us work against gravity! Thankfully that covers a huge number of active pursuits, but some of the most commonly recognised forms are:
  • skipping
  • power walking
  • dancing
  • hiking
  • stair climbing
  • tennis
  • jogging
  • aerobics classes / boxercise / circuit training
  • weight training

The beauty of the above is that your average day in the office might well dictate regularly climbing 4 flights of stairs (instead of the lift), and a 15 minute walk in the city to fetch your lunch (take the extra 10 mins, why not). Then if you’re able to manage 10-15 minutes of skipping at home each night, you’re really hitting that ’30 minutes a day’ activity target!

4) VITAMIN D
Essential to help body absorb the calcium you’re consuming via diet. It’s hard to synthesise, and is broadly produced when our skin is exposed to daylight and even more so in direct sunlight. There’s a perceptible mood effect too, which helps to bolster the overall sense of wellbeing!
5) DENTAL CARE
This is super important to me; growing up in Sweden, there’s a real focus on oral hygiene, as part of the national identity almost! A proper toothcare regime will help keep these exposed squares of bone in good order for life.