Mirelle Activewear Leggings

If you missed my post all about the wonder woman that has created an amazing active wear line ( and lives right here in Glasgow) then you can catch up here. Since then I have been putting two of the Mirelle Activewear pieces through their paces in the last couple of weeks and can happily report that these beauties perform as well as they look. On first glance I was super impressed with the sheer quality of the fabrics used and the cut of the design, when I got them in I could not believe the  difference between these and the ones I had worn that very morning to the gym. Although I spend a lot of my time in gym gear for various activities, I have never really spent much on that wardrobe and honestly did not realise what paying a little more  might get me in terms of comfort, durability and actually confidence and motivation too!

We managed to at least get one serious pic....

First up was the Acqua legging and I was quick to give it the old DOES IT GO SEE THROUGH IF I SQUAT test, and that is when I knew we were on to a winner- there will be no bum showing through these bad boys. They are thick and tough to the touch but still feeling incredibly supported and light on, these leggings are not mucking about. Serious sports performance but with beautiful style, the Acqua leggings are made from incredibly breathable spandex that along with its hydrophilic finish that absorbs and disperses moisture means there are perfect  for workouts. This design incorporates a compression fabric that provides amazing support  and they are not cut super low on the body so give a solid amount of support to the torso and handily don’t give that dreaded camel toe effect either! The mint coloured panels give you a wonderfully sleek silhouette and the fabric really sculpts the body and  adds to a super shapely fit that genuinely makes me feel much better than my previous ill-fitting ones. Looking in the mirror and seeing your clothes really giving you that strong shape is a real motivator for me to push myself more which is a definite plus when you are strength training like I have been in recent months. 

The action shot!

It has been pretty hard to pry me out of the Acqua since they arrived but I handily also sent a different pair to test out too which have been the perfect complement. Much as I am fully addicted to the shape the first pair give me- I don’t always require full compression bottoms when I am out and about such as my yin yoga class, or just a spot of Urban Adventuring with Ally. The light fabric of the ethnic print legging is absolutely perfect for this as they provide a spot of thermal comfort  while still being breathable, flexible and really soft to the touch. These have been my total go-to bottoms as they unbelievably comfortable never mind flattering with their high waist design and best of all- fun to look at. Who says sports wear should be boring?? Built with that same attention to detail, these leggings are just dreamy to wear and have been my perfect yoga bottoms, and as with the Acqua print they are easy care, easy wash and easy drying too which is ideal. These ones are only £34 in the sale right now so I would grab them while you can!

I am so glad Mirelle has shown me the light when it comes to finding decent gear that will actually last as it withstands multiple washes and lots of different types of activity. I have built up quite the wish list from her collection and my next top picks are definately the Penna Light Leggings in the most amazing feather print and the super stylish Mesh Top. Working out will never be frumpy again!

Introducing; Predator Nutrition

I am always on the look out for a decent site to order some of my staple treats such as PB2, Walden Farms syrups, and Meridian nut butters, so it is a bonus for me when I find somewhere that stocks them along side good new protein options, supplements like the Fish Oil I use and brands I am used to ordering from the US like Now Nutrition.  Based in Leeds,Predator Nutrition's owner Reggie clearly puts the work in to stocking the site with hard to get health and fitness products that you usually have to pay huge shipping on as well as making sure they are always adding new and upcoming exciting products.

I follow a lot of health and fitness types on instagram and It seems like I can't go a day without seeing some of the US based ones posting pics of delicious sounding Quest Bars and I had been itching to see what all the fuss was about. With a whopping 20g of Protein but only 1g or so ( they all vary slightly) of sugar per bar alongside being gluten free, these certainly looked to be many peoples go to snack of choice or post workout fix but were they actually any good? Lucky for me the Predator Nutrition team sent me a super exciting parcel with a whole load of flavours to try out and so far so tasty! I have only tried a couple of protein style bars before and always been pretty much underwhelmed by their taste, often just chewy and either flavourless or super synthetic sweet tasting. I hadn't found anything that could actually get me looking forward to eating one ( or happy to shell out the £'s for).

Straight off the bat, before I had eve finished reading all the flavours in front of me, I ripped open the strawberry cheesecake option to tuck into. My eagerness means my first go was a little disappointing, it was a nicer flavour than ones I had tried before but it still was a little too chewy and powdery tasting. Colour me disappointed! UNTIL I remembered that on instagram I always see people talking about having them heated and let me tell you that changed everything for me. I got home and cut up the cinnamon swirl option as I knew it would float ally's boat, and with 20 or so seconds in the micro we had a tasty, soft and almost brownie like situation going on that was super tasty, filling, and definitely hit my sweet craving spot. From here on in I have tried them all warm , not heated up is still perfectly fine for a snack on the go but warm actually excites me and has me looking forward to having one after dinner on gym days. The ones I have used so far have been amazing like cookies and cream, peanut butter supreme and  I am in love with the coconut cashew. Next up I am definitely firing into the smores and the cookie dough ones! I am usually a fan of trying to meeting my proten needs in the form of whole food sources as often as possible but often at weekends I find myself not getting enought so these are totally perfect for keeping me going and being a darn tasty snack too. People often eat nowhere near as much protein as they need ( especially if exercising), so these are a fantastic option for meeting those levels easily. At £2.79 a go, they aren't cheap but these fill me up so much better than any other cereal bar I would usually be swayed by and if buying in boxes on the site you can get them for nearer £2 each, plus I would always keep my eyes peeled for deals.

With my whole workout in mind, the team also sent me some sachets of Optimum Nutrition Pre -Workout  powder to try which I am surprised to say seem to make a difference for me. I had my reservations but so far this has helped me with my workouts, very possibly due to the caffeine content ( alongside  creatine and B vitamins)and that I hit the gym pretty early in the morning. These have made me feel far more alert and up for working hard, and I have actually managed PB's  the first day I tried it so  it has been an interesting experiment for me. 

Predator Nutrition has been a really useful find for me getting most of my goodies from one site and is well worth checking out, I love that they stock a decent mix of products and brands and I am a fan of the loyalty points system too. Now if I could just get Reggie to stock my favourite liquid stevias I would be all set!

If you are interested in trying out Quest Bars I just noticed they are selling some short dated stock right now so you could pick up a mixed box of flavours for £16.99 or a few flavours for only 11.99 which is a fab deal, I have just ordered my next bundle ( which arrrived the next day!) and I happened to notice the handy code QUEST10 will get you 10% off that too- bargain! If you take advantage of the handy deal would love you to use my refferer code at the checkout 6650028 and I earn a few of those loyalty points to my next order. Happy Healthy Shopping!

The post workout make up routine

About 4 months ago I discovered the strange joy of getting up earlier and going to the gym. That doesn't necessarily sound that appealing but for anyone who likes hitting the gym, particularly for strength training, I cannot tell you much more relaxing and available it is in the earlier hours. I can actually enter 'the man zone' and not be completely intimidated by the thousands of super pumped up guys all busy showing off to one another, and actually get a hold of the equipment I am after!

The one thing I have learn't however is never, ever workout with make up on as it is completely horrific on the skin. Maybe I am the only dozy one who has been doing it in the past, completely oblivious to the havoc it was wreaking on my skin, but now I am forever making sure I am working with a cleansed face. When you sweat you open up your pores which means anything on your face is going to instantly clog those bad boys up and create spots- which is the last thing I need more of! When I wake up now I do a light cleanse with something gentle like La Roche's dermo cleanser and then pop on a light moisturiser and then post gym I cleanser with something specific to what my skin needs ( right now tackling spots with LRP's physiological gel) which I follow up with a quick acid tone ( pixi glow tonice), some Hydraluron for a needed moisture boost and my SPF moisturiser (currently the simple SPF 30). The thing about going to the gym pre work however means having to put my 'face' on away from home which means either lugging about alllll sorts and having to be up even earlier, or admitting defeat and really cutting down on what I use and basically learning to care less- it has been a revelation!

So here is what has been in my first few months of doing this routine's make up bag ( I love an alphabet bag) After the skincare I go with just a basic tinted moisturiser but also carry a small pot of foundation for bad days or just topping up some pigmented areas ( currently Laura Mercier Silk Cream) I also carry my trusted Cover FX concealer for spot concealing and the amazing Maybelline undereye concealer. I then dab on a little cream blush to perk up the skin, usually it would be Stila Gerbera but I just recently ran out so currently carrying Topshop's head over heels. I have powder at work I dab on if needed but actually really enjoyed taking that step out and only using if needed which no doubt my skin is happy with! I do pop on a bit of powder blusher- currently Mac Style as it has a little glow to it which is perfect for not having to carry a different highlighter. I do my brows with Anastasia brow pomade, and pop a touch of highlight on my lids with a Stila pencil and then do my water lines with Rimmels unbeatable waterproof Kohls, I curl my lashes with my trusty Shu's and then mascara to finish it off. I really still just cannot get enough of Benefit Roller Lash so it is always with me! I carry just a stippling brush, powder brush and little concealer and brow brush in a separate flat carrier and find the whole little kit isn't too much to lug around, is super quick to do and has really shown me how much time before I was spending on getting ready that totally wasn't really needed which has been refreshing. Much as I thought everyone at work would be all ' ohhhh you look ill/tired/ different' turns out no one has batted an eyelid which reminds me how much It is all in my head.

Anyone else do the AM workout? 

Glasgow Reviewed; AG Fitness Training

This is one of the hardest posts I have ever tried to write, not because it is about to be a terrible review but the total opposite in fact, I just have SO many good things to say that I don't even know where to start! If you missed my intro post about Andy from AG Fitness training you can catch up here, this post is the promised full review of his 6 week personal training package that I have just finished up and I have been so excited to sing his praises. To refresh, I have wanted to get into weight and strength training for ages as cardio bored me to tears and I walk 7 miles a day Mon-Fri so I feel that is more than enough.  My problem with weights in the past was that I had no set structure and absolutely no correct form what so ever so I was keen to try out a package like this to make sure I was starting off with someone in the know leading the way.

From the outset I knew Andy just 'got' it. He understood where I was now, why I was at this point and where I wanted to get to- which made setting out on this journey together so much easier. He was quick to gain my trust which I think is so important when taking on a new approach to fitness, I felt completely at ease with him and with his plan for getting me to where I want to be. As I mentioned in my intro post it is his approach to nutrition that just blew me away and throughout the 6 weeks this has continued to be an outstanding commitment on his part. Having his clients track their eating on my fitness pal- he monitors and advises you as you go to ensure your diet is in the right place for achieving your goals. He is in regular contact with you to either make suggestions or tweaks or just offer a big well done for keeping on track which is fantastic motivation and helps really build a good relationship. He is always on hand to answer questions which in my case has been millions, he takes time to provide you with any answers you need to keep you on track and strengthen your understanding of how nutrition and fitness work hand in hand and how they affect one another which is something I don't think you can get from a lot of PTs. On top of him monitoring your diet and being on hand to answer questions, he posts handy links and info on his facebook and twitter and also helpfully posts really useful pieces on his blog which are fab for expanding your knowledge.

Nutrition aside, his knowledge and passion for weight training is incredible. Having a solid education in what he is teaching is so important as it again solidifies the trust that I think you need when placing your fitness in someone elses hand. He knows the science behind why things work the way they work and how to then improve on them which is a huge help for me- I love to understand why I should be doing something in order for me to want to continue doing it. Andy is incredibly patient in teaching you good basic form for exercises to ensure you are not going to give yourself any injuries, and so that you are getting the most from every move. He sets you up with a plan so that you can train out side of your sessions and it was no problem at all when I asked him to  make me an additional one to get some exercise at home when I don't have time to get to the gym. As the weeks have progressed we have worked on a variety of important compound moves using different equipment and learning about them has been genuinely good fun. It doesn't matter what you are capable of when you start out Andy makes sure you get going without any embarrassment or intimidation, he is a total joy to train with and manages the perfect mix of patience and encouragement. It has given me the motivation and confidence to then hit the gym on my own to work on what I have been learning and it is amazing just how much I have loved it. I was so over and done with cardio that having a good set routine for the gym that I then building on is actually exciting and  it is incredible just how much more confident it actually makes you feel. Weight loss is not the number one goal here ( although it can be for some) in my 6 weeks I have started to see little muscles grow which were never there before, my clothes fit so much better while my weight has gone down a little but that actually hasn't mattered to me at all as I am finding the fit of my jeans far more motivating. Without a doubt my stomach is the flattest I have seen it, and no jokes- there is a wee proper bum starting to form- the excitement!! I have even been getting up earlier some mornings to fit a quick trip to the gym in before work which is a HUGE change for a sleep lover like me, but I have enjoyed my little sessions so much I have actually been excited to get in- what a turn around!

Andy has been cheering me on every step of the way and I really look forward to our sessions to see what else I can learn and improve on with him leading the way. I haven't hesitated in booking myself in for another course of sessions and neither has Ally who has been just as delighted with the service with AG Fitness as I have been. He is a total gym-phobe normally, before Andy it was a proper battle to get him to come and spend any time in one but now he is gutted when his work shifts means he can't get along to work on his lifting- he will be a beefcake in no time!

If you have been looking to get your fitness and nutrition in line this year I cannot recommend getting in touch with Andy enough, I am gutted I didn't sort out something sooner as I could have saved myself lots of horrible forced cardio! His prices are just fantastic for the level of service you can expect and he is really flexible in working out the best package to suit you. Even if you just want to know more about how a PT session can benefit you just send him a tweet or email- I guarantee you wont be disappointed. I am so excited to see where all Andy takes his business in the coming months, he has some really fantastic ideas for videos and online content alongside ways to expand his training so if I was you I would get in there now and book some space before it is all gone!

You can contact Andy on 07961 085921 or email him at andy@agfitnesstraining.co.uk

Introducing; Go Nutrition

In my last post I was filling you in on a review I am doing with AG Fitness which involves learning strength training over a few sessions. I am half way there now and absolutely loving learning weights and good form and looking forward to building my strength up and adding some heavier weights down the line. The great thing about Andy's approach is his attention to the nutrition aspect of training and the importance of a strong balanced diet to  help you reach your goals. I would say thanks to a lot of work, that my diet is pretty good but I was aware that there are times when I am not quite taking in enough protein for my needs and seeing as it is vital to muscle repair and building I thought it was time to explore options to increase my intake.

I will throw my hands up and say I have avoided protein drinks in the past as I have preferred to get protein from natural sources and  have long associated them with some really intimidating gym fiends and also because of the added chemicals and sugar and it always looks so expensive! However knowing I was planning on making strenght training a more regular addition I figured now was the time to look into a bit more and experiment. After comparing a whole load of different companies offerings and reading up on forums with people who consume products like this daily- I came across Go Nutrition who were getting rave reviews for the range and quality of products on offer that are coming in at really good prices. I was really taken with the transparency of the ingredients they are using and its something my research showed that is not the case across the board, their open and honest approach is seriously commendable and seems to be proving a big hit with customers.

"You won't find cheap fillers in our products, you won't find us faking the protein levels by adding cheap amino acids and you won't find us hiding the exact ingredients of our protein blends, greens powders or amino acid formulas behind so-called proprietary blends."

To get me started I have tried out the Maple syrup and pancake Whey Protein 80, the Amino Go and the Creatine Monohydrate.

Now I am not in a position to review the full effects of taking supplements like these as they are all so new to me so I can't compare or even fully comprehend what benefits they are doing to my muscles but I can report that after my sessions and any other gym work I have done on my own that It has definitely helped with any aches or pains that I have had post gym in the past. For comparison Ally is also attending these sessions and due to his protein levels being super low he has still been feeling the effects of lifting weights wayyy after he should be where as I haven't found that all. Week one, when I hadn't used these, I was definitely in a lot more pain! You can read a lot more about the products and the full breakdown of benefits on the site but in terms of the whole process I have to commend Go Nutrition greatly. As a total newbie to the area I was really impressed with the level of customer service they offer, the answered my mountain of questions and helped guide me in what products might be of use and explaining why. I found the website fantastic to navigate- I love that you can shop by pre/post workout timing, by goal or by brand. They have the full nutritional breakdowns on offer alongside some really useful guides and info on how best to use products and even their own magazine style pages called The Pulse- and they also happen to have some damn good deals on the go too!

 I have already put in for my next bundle ( I want all the flavours!) thanks to an offer that popped in my inbox. They have same day dispatch, cheap delivery ( free over £50) price matching, 30 day guarantees, live chat service and a referral scheme which means you get free protein with your first order and excellent information on how to use it and their products- I honestly can't fault them!

If you are starting out strength training or looking to start supplementing your diet like this, I highly recommend finding your feet with Go Nutrition- and feel free to use my referral code to get you started with your first order ( disclaimer- I get a treat too!) Even my PT has jumped on board to try it out!

Just pop BZIPTN at the check out to use it and enjoy the free protein.

Gym and Juice with Currys

As most readers will know in the years since I have started this blog, my appearance has changed quite a bit. I have actually lost just under 4 stone in these last few years, it has been slow and steady just making gradual changes to my once over excessive diet ( hello allllll the booze and hangover foods!) It has led me to develop a big  interest in health and nutrition, if you follow me on instagram you will often see my pics of attempting healthier dinners and snacks and I love reading up on the changing technologies and different ingredients on offer. I love trying out new forms of exercise and was enjoying dabbling with making smoothies at the weekends already when the team at Currys wanted to set me a little healthy challenge which sounded right up my street.

Ready to burn some cals in Nuffield's super pretty changing area

I was tasked with heading to my local Nuffield Health Centre to try out a class of my choice and man was that a difficult one- I had never used one of their gyms and turns out they have LOADS of amazing classes on offer. I was totally torn between trying my hand at the Power hoop class to shaking my stuff at a Sh'bam class and in the end settled for my first ever experience at a good ol' legs, bums n tums class. I headed along after work and checked out the facilities before the class and I was thrilled, they have everything you could want- excellent equipment, a beautiful pool,  and a great workout studio. I am so glad  I went for something I hadn't actually tried before as it was a fab work out, the instructor was great ( I was really impressed at how he managed to pick out all the newcomers in a  busy class) and made it easy to follow while still being an excellent work out- I was absolutely shattered afterwards! Although it was hardcore it has given me a real kick up the bum for getting properly stuck into exercise and working up a sweat.

The next part of my challenge was to create my first ever juice which after an intense workout I really needed! Now juicing is something that I have been reading a lot into and was already keen to try my hand at it when this challenge came along. I was super excited to try out my new Philips HR1863 from the Viva Collection and rushed to Tesco after work to get my ingredients for my first attempt. With so many juice combinations out there I decided to whip up my own special blend- I give you the Ruth Boost, containing apples, pears, celery, sweet potato,clementines ( and a bunch of left over carrot sticks which you don't need to add but I add them left over from the week!) Together these offer a vast wealth of vitamins and minerals while helping lower cholesterol and blood pressure, boosting your immune system and giving me that much needed energy boost after my work out. Refueling with these ingredients are great for balancing any fluids and electrolytes lost in a sweaty gym sesh and the sweet potato is fab complex carb to help restore the body's glycogen level.

The juice maker was a dream to use, strong and sturdy and incredibly fast and quiet- it blended my ingredients in seconds and was a breeze to clean. I love that the feeding tube on this model is extra wide so you don't even have to waste any time chopping, you simply feed in and away it goes!This bad boy can make up to two litres of juice all in one go and the parts are even dishwasher safe which is a dream for busy families. I already use a Philips Smoothie maker in the house to make greens smoothies at the weekend and it performs really well so it was great their juice model was just as impressive. To give you a better idea of our drink making adventure- here is my co chef Ally to show you how it was done....

I adore experiencing new things so thanks so much to Currys for setting me such a fun challenge- I have absolutely loved getting to grips with juicing and have a new found passion for exercise thanks to my visit to Nuffield. If the Ruth Boost doesn't tickled your fancy, you can read up on the team at Curry's ideas for a the perfect post workout smoothie here. So many tasty recipes- I can't wait to try them out. After making my first juice I couldn't help but whip up the left over apples, pears and celery straight away for an extra treat!

This isn't the last you are going to hear about my adventures in juicing, next up I am going to share my journey on my first juice cleanse- look out for a full review coming up soon.

Juicer and class provided gratis for the challenge. As always all opinions 100% my own.