January Activewear Favourites

I've had a bit of splurge on the active wear front. I can't seem to help it, recently the brights and lycra have stolen my heart and I'm instantly drawn to the sports section of any clothes shop.

This little haul includes some all time classic gym staples as well as some key pieces I'll be sweating in this spring.

Top left is a classic neon coral long sleeve top from Adidas- this is perfect for the outdoor bootcamp circuits I do, where multiple layers are abso-bloody-lutely essential in the (hideous) Manchester elements.

The top to the right of this is Adidas again, this time though it's a really cute mesh racer back top - and how nice is the pattern on the front? I love the design and can't wait till it's warm enough to wear this running on it's own.

Speaking of racerbacks, I spotted the bright lime green top in TK Maxx, and was all over it. I loove the scooped mesh back detail, and the rest of the material has a cool ribbed effect texture. It's made by Roxy, a brand I wouldn't usually associate with gym wear, but this top is a nice surprise!

The pink t-shirt next to the white Adidas top (and photographed more clearly below) is, again, another TK bargain; just a simple, comfy tee for yoga, and the orange long sleeved top next to it is essentially identical to the long-sleeved Adidas one but this one's from H&M.

H&M are one of my all time favourite activewear highstreet brands, I think their stuff is fantastically priced and the designs are gorgeous. My favourite thing about the orange long sleeved top is the material, it's soo soft and smooth against my skin. 

By far my number 1 piece from this haul is the WKND jumper above... It's from Sweaty Betty, and is an ideal top to lounge in on Saturday and Sunday. It's boxy, oversized and slightly cropped, so it goes perfectly with the mint green leggings (also SB). These leggings are amazingly soft and extremely comfortable. I've been wearing these to yoga and they're great because they don't cut in on your hips - they're also reversible too (black on the other side), but I like the mint green pattern too much to swap it about.

I'm in the market for a new gym bag and I reeeally want some This Girl Can 'merch'; could you recommend any good kit bags that can be lugged around to work etc all day?

My favourite way to make a Matcha Latte

It really grinds my gears when people talk about trying matcha lattes for the first time and being bitterly disappointed with the taste. First up, it's a green drink, so expecting the same taste as a creamy, caramel latte will get you nowhere. Second of all, yes, I would agree that matcha is an acquired taste, but, last but not least, there are umpteen ways to sweeten it and make it deliciously comforting and energising.

The team at Eat Clean Tea (they specialise in matcha tea, not bullshit diet tea don't worry!) sent me some powder to make my own lattes, so I wanted to share my personal fave matcha latte recipe with you - it's a sweet, smooth variation that's destined to get your day off to an energised start.

Why matcha?

• Slow release energy and caffeine boost
• Made from really high quality green tea leaves (the leaves are shaded whilst growing to increase the chlorophyll, hence the really green colour)
• 137x more antioxidants of normal green tea
• High in vitamins A and E
• Contains antioxidants (and really high in antioxidant EGCG, an amazing antioxidant - more info here.)
• Contains amino acids
• Can help burn calories faster (you could burn up to 25% more fat if you drink it before exercise, say studies from University of Geneva and American Journal of Clinical Nutrition - more evidence here.)

So, my method is really simple. You'll need:

• 1/2 teaspoon matcha powder
• Unsweetened almond milk (as much as you like in your coffee)
• 1 teaspoon 100% pure maple syrup 
• Cinnamon for sprinkling

Boil your water, get your cup and put your 1/2 teaspoon matcha powder in the bottom. Pour in half of your water, and slowly froth for 10 seconds. Add in your almond milk (I like it quite milky), the rest of the water and maple syrup and froth again. Sprinkle your cinnamon on top and sip away!

It's smooth, sweet and bloody delicious!!

What I'm Doing Wrong On Rest Days

Whilst I pride myself on (and genuinely enjoy!) doing some form of exercise most days, I'm well aware that I don't use my rest days as effectively as I could do, and I really want to do something about it.

On a typical week, my workout schedule looks something like;

Monday - Gym
Tuesday - Bootcamp circuits
Wednesday - Yoga & or gym
Thursday - Bootcamp circuits
Friday - Gym
Saturday - Bootcamp circuits and / or a decent run
Sunday - Rest day

By the same token, my social schedule usually looks something like;

Monday - nothing. at. all. zzzzz.
Tuesday - nothing, don't be silly
Wednesday - still nothing, don't be silly
Thursday - cheeky glass of red with friends?
Friday - chilled night in
Saturday - usually travelling to some other part of the country after bootcamp to see friends or family, most usually a night out or a meal out... 
Sunday - hangover / seeing friends / seeing family / travelling / eating out

Another thing I do is track macros every weekday, usually on a Saturday but most likely never on a Sunday. Which is coincidentally the day I'm really lax about my diet, more likely to be hungover and eat crap *and* it's the day I choose to not do any exercise - WINNER, not...

Of course, some Sundays I'll just fancy blasting out a run, or a big walk will be planned in, but as a general rule Sundays are my day off.

Why are rest days important? 

I've been doing a bit of research into using rest days more effectively; why we need them and the benefits they have so I can try and get the most out of them!

We need rest days for muscle repair, for the body to repair, to prevent injury and to help with sleep, but as well as physiological benefits there are psychological ones too, like preventing burnout and boredom, as well as helping to keep a healthy balance (good article on 6 reasons that we need rest days here).

Rest days help the body cope with the stress of exercise, to replace energy stores and help repair tissues. There's a really useful, comprehensive article that goes into more detail on this on sportsmedicine.about.com, which has strict verification from a medical review policy. The article also highlights the need for sleep in aiding rest day effectiveness, which is also something I know I need to work on...

All in all, the fact I eat more and move less on my rest day probably isn't the best. I'm all for cheat days and 'refeeds' but when this is consistently happening on a rest day, it ain't gooood..

With this in mind, I'm trying to be better. Committing to them most importantly, but also learning how to use them effectively.

My rest day goals:

• Try to incorporate rest days into a day of the week where I'm not eating out / drinking / out of a routine.
• Track macros on rest days.
• Improve my sleep pattern (blog post to come)

Do you have any rest day tips I can incorporate?

Madeleine Shaw launches #GlowGuides App

You might remember me "fangirling" back in May when I went to Maddy's Supper Club at Harvey Nics, and ended up sitting on her table..?! The whole evening was great; spent sampling dishes from her 'Get the Glow' cookbook and getting to know loads more about Maddy herself.

Maddy's book is one of my favourite (potentially in the top 3?!) cook books I've bought over the past year; I really appreciate her ethos on eating and I like how all-encompassing her recipes are - vegans and meat-eaters alike can find loads of incredible dishes to make. Madeleine herself is also really sweet, lovely to talk to and very humble.

Get The Glow is full of lush, wholesome dishes like this green goddess bowl (made for her supper club)

As a big Mad-vocate (sorry), I was so pleased for her when I found out she was launching her own app - 'Glow Guides'.

What is Glow Guides?

Glow Guides is an 8-week holistic transformational programme in an app. The idea behind it is that you have a PT, nutritionist and life coach in your pocket, offering you workouts, recipes, life hacks and meditation tips, to get healthier and happier (in mind, body and spirit) in eight weeks.

How does it work? 

The basis of the app is video, PDF and audio content, broken up into three categories: 'Move', 'Munch' and 'Meditate'. Each week the app will include;

• A video outlining your target goals for the week
• A meal plan for the week ahead
• Strength and cardio based workout vids (by PT Shona Vertue) with printable PDFs
• Vinyasa yoga and restorative yoga videos 
• Meditation audio
• Live stream function - Madeleine can speak directly to anyone participating

iOS or Android? 

Both. Yay.

What does Madeleine say?

“I was tired of transformational programmes focusing on how you look rather than how well and happy you are. For me, real transformation needs to go beyond the superficial if it's to have a lasting and positive affect.

The Glow Guides’ approach is completely holistic but I also hope it feels like your best friend, providing inspiration and words of encouragement...”

What do I say?

Like I've said before I really like how all-encompassing Madeleine's approach to diet and exercise is, and I think the holistic element of this app (combining mind, body and food) captures this perfectly. I looove the inclusion of the live stream function, I think it brings the whole app alive and gives it a solid, real time feel. Which is great because at £49.99, it's not cheap. Still a hell of a lot cheaper than a PT, plus you're getting meal plans, yoga & cardio & strength workouts, as well as meditation advice included too. The longevity of the app is a winner too - yes it's initially designed for an 8 week transformation, but you could easily repeat the programme and continue on your journey to optimum wellness.

To give you a taster of what to expect in the app, I've included a workout below...

If you want more info, go to http://www.glowguides.co.uk/.