What is Piyo?

When I first tried Piyo a couple of years ago I was just toying with the idea of becoming an exercise instructor, and I wanted to try everything! I had to google 'what is Piyo', when I discovered that it was on offer locally (by Tara, who is totally awesome). I loved it, but then the sessions moved to a new venue and I drifted... 

Fast forward to just a few weeks ago when some of my clients asked me if I could teach Piyo, and a whole load of excited connections fired off in my brain: Could I..? Should I...? Dare I...? 

Short answer: yes! I've done my training with the gorgeous Abi (and that was a totally fun day!), so here we are! 

But, you might still be wondering 'but what is Piyo...?"

What Piyo Is:

Designed by Charlene Johnson of Beachbody, it is a low impact (no excess pressure on your joints) yet dynamic workout, building both strength and flexibility. It is choreographed, so every Piyo class will have familiar movements, plus a series of interchangeable tracks so the workout can be modified to suit you. 

What it is above all though is fantastic fun, set to a backdrop of great music. 

What Piyo Isn't:

Yoga. Piyo makes use of some yoga poses (some pretty loosely), and it does strengthen, stretch and improve balance, that's pretty much where the similarity ends. If you are a yoga fan then it's probably wise to accept that Piyo is a completely different animal and leave your asanas at the door! And (spoiler alert), there is no Savansana! (well, there might occasionally be in my classes depending on who comes). 

Equally it is not Pilates. It does employ a couple of the principles, but you wouldn't recognise much from a Pilates class.

It is also not just for women. I can see why we ladies like it, but there is absolutely no reason why a man would not benefit from all of the moves. Having said that, if you are thinking of taking your shy and inhibited man-friend who has no sense of timing and no enjoyment of moving rhythmically and no sense of humour, then... I can see that perhaps they might not be thrilled. 

What to expect at your Piyo class:

Piyo can be done in trainers, bare feet or non-slip yoga socks. A yoga mat is useful but not necessarily essential. If you're going to a class for the first time you should wear gym clothing (e.g. leggings and a supportive bra), plus light layers you can easily remove- as you would with any exercise class. Water is also essential- I have heard people say they have sweated in more in Piyo than in any of their high impact classes. A small towel might also be a good idea. 

You will start with a warm-up, end with a cool down, and between those might be sandwiched sections to work your lower body, your whole body at the same time, sections which are more flowy and dance-like, sections for your core... much will depend on your instructor, so if there is something you particularly want to improve I'm sure they'd love to hear about it. 

Leave me a comment and let me know how you enjoy Piyo. Or, use the contact button on the right hand side if you've got any questions that I can try to answer!

Healthy Food on the Go

Healthy High Street Options:

Picture this: you're travelling. Sitting on trains has left you wrung out and exhausted, you have no facilities to cook, you don't fancy the ambience or the price tag of a restaurant... so what do you eat? 

Usually when I'm in this situation I find myself in some sort of quandary: I want to eat healthily, but I also want comfort, so more often than not I end up with a half-hearted compromise like a salad and some chocolate. And guess what: I never feel good! 

So, on my latest jaunt I decided to photograph my meals, as a way of holding myself accountable and eating more mindfully. I wasn't counting calories or thinking about my macros, my main goal was just to not eat junk. Here's a summary- hope it helps you find some on-the-go-eating inspiration:

Breakfast:

This is what I ate for breakfast every day: porridge pots and raspberries. Wolfy's brand is the tastiest I've found and also seems to have the fewest ingredients, with no added sugar too. I didn't even think about food again until lunch.

Lunch: 

I do love Pret a Manger. There isn't one where I live, so it is a treat for me. It's not hard to choose something wholesome yet filling. 

That's an avocado wrap and veggie miso soup on one day, and a felafel flat bread and coconut latte the next.  

The 'Hot Shot' was also amazing: orange, turmeric and cayenne pepper: wboohoo!! It certainly warmed me up on a day when snow was flurrying outside the windows. 

Dinner: 

Evenings after a long day of concentrating are when I usually reach for a sugar hit. I managed to stave this off with fruits and juices, and the heavenly delight that is Coyo. 

I really hit Waitrose salad department too: my favourite was bulgar wheat, sweet potato and hummus, but also lovely were the broccoli and buckwheat noodle, and quinoa and greens. Costing between £2 and £4 these were not only filling and nourishing, but really cost-effective too. 

Snacks:

I did snack on fruit and nuts, and there was no way I was going to try to live without coffee, but in moderation and with plenty of water I know this works fine for me. 

I had plenty of energy and focus and I will definitely try to eat like this when I'm traveling in future. 

How do you eat healthily when traveling? Why not let me know your tips the comments!

Ethical Brand Sundried: Review & Discount Code plus free Water Bottle

What is Sundried?

Ethical brand Sundried describes itself as selling 'premium ethical activewear'. You can shop here, using code FITPIXIE for a really generous discount, plus free water bottle (worth £10) until the end of November.

Sundried comes recommended by athletes, personal trainers, by the press (and now me!). When a brand comes this highly recommended there is a lot for it to live up to. I've checked out what's on offer:

information and image belong to sundried.com

The Products:

This was the outfit I chose from Sundried: the Breithorn Bra, Ruinette Tight and Tour Noir Tank.

image from sundried.com

image from sundried.com

image from sundried.com

Both bra and leggings are just available in the one colour, and although the tank also comes in white I again opted for black- it's always safer with a brand that's new to you as it doesn't show sweat or become transparent (although I don't think I really needed to worry in this case).

Their range is quite small meaning that there is not a huge choice, but I think this is a smart move, as we all need good basics which perform well. The classic style choices mean that these can easily become workout wardrobe staples- good for any workout in any situation, and worn with any other brands if you want to mix and match. It can be exciting to look for next season's freshest colours and most dynamic prints, but actually when you are shopping for gym wear that will last a few seasons then basic block colours are a much smarter option. They are also pretty classy!

Their designers have also come up with products which evoke serious training. I love that the women's range is every bit as powerful-looking as the men's, and apart from the sexy cut-away in back off the the top, nothing is overly feminized. I like this partly because of my personal tastes, but also because I wear sportswear to work, and whilst sometimes I like to have some fun with it, other times I want to look like I mean business.

First Impressions:

My Sundried products oozed quality. They felt substantial and well-made, and a brief check of the finishing techniques confirmed this. 

A quick try-on also showed that they were sleek and elegant, with fantastic attention to detail: see for example the draw string on the leggings- a lovely and useful touch, but also unobtrusive, plus the flattering contour lines which run down the legs are also reflective.

The fit is good, and I didn't feel like I'd have to be adjusting things as I began to move. I really like a racer-back top, so this one ticks those boxes. I am short waisted, and so the cut-away on the back of the top sits quite low on me, but that's not a disaster. 

If you're bold enough to wear just a bra top in the gym then this one would be ideal- it's completely opaque and fits nice and snug, and a brilliant energetic red.

image from sundried.com

Putting Sundried to the Test:

When you're teaching the last thing you want to be doing is worrying about your clothing and having to adjust things, especially as your class participants are all watching you, all the time. 

Happily, everything stayed in place and continued to feel comfortable through my workout. Sweat didn't show on the black fabric, and I'm pleased to report the leggings are completely opaque (I have a trusted method for checking this!). 

As the Sundried fabric seems a little bit thicker than some other brands, it did feel the tiniest bit hotter than some other sportswear, but I'll take the quality and security of more substantial clothing than cheaper pieces anyday. 

Sundried seems to be a no-nonsense brand that isn't really about looking good at the gym, it's about knocking out those reps. You will look amazing in Sundried, but that's a by-product. 

information and image from sundried.com

Ethical Credentials:

Or, why should you buy Sundried?

Here's what Sundried have to say about their fabrics:

"We want our fabrics to work towards a better impact on the environment and do this by producing our fabrics in Portugal with the mitigation of harmful substances, pollution and other environmental hazards. We are audited by The Low Carbon Innovation Fund to ensure we minimise the carbon footprint throughout the full lifecycle of our clothing through its design, manufacture, distribution, use and disposal"

That's pretty impressive- it's great to find actual specific information, rather than the bland positive statements you can see on some 'ethical' brand websites. I'll be returning my Sundried products to them for recycling when they (eventually) wear out. 

And here's part of what they say about their ethos:

"We believe you cannot be a health and fitness brand without promoting health throughout your company, from production to purpose. Sundried’s factories are based in Portugal where our staff are paid fairly and respected. We take pride in our partnership with Portugal which allows us to bring our products to you"

You can read much more about this here- it's well worth a click. They also donate to Water for Kids. 

They are pretty impressive ethical credentials! 

Price & Value:

Shopping ethically usually costs a little more, and that is probably true of Sundried, depending on where you shop (there are plenty of regular sports brands who are more expensive). However, from a quick glance through the online market in activewear it is clear that they are not at the top end of the pricing. 

Price, though, is different to value. Given the quality of these fantastic products, and the ethical policies of Sundried, I would say that it is well worth investing in these items which benefit from being classically styled and of superior quality. 

Once you have taken advantage of my generous FITPIXIE discount, the prices look even more manageable. 

Any downsides...?

For performance, style, and quality my Sundried products score pretty highly, but are there any downsides?

Packaging...? My items came in beautiful zipped pouches. These are lovely quality and definitely add to the feeling of luxury. They may be useful for storing damp clothing in for travelling perhaps, or keeping delicates away from other items in a hold-all, but apart from that they seem a little superfluous. I'd rather not have these in future so it would be nice to be able to opt out.  

In Conclusion:

From my experience putting Sundried to the test, I would thoroughly recommend them for great gym basics that you can feel good about. Their ethical policies do them credit, and their well-designed pieces function well. 

Don't forget you can shop with this special discount code: FITPIXIE

Is it just me... ... ...?

I'd just like to add one thought as a little post scriptum: these black designs with a touch of red take me back (courtesy of The Language of Things by Deyan Sudjic, p66) via the original Golf GTI to the Walther PPK handgun. Powerful imagery indeed! Whether we consciously know it or not, we respond to the designs around us with all sorts of intrinsic and learned responses, which I am sure the Sundried design team were well aware of when they chose black with red accents for their serious,  no-nonsense designs, meant I am sure to inspire us to respect our bodies as astonishing pieces of engineering, and to be the strongest, most efficient athletes we can be. So, if you thought the Ruinette was just another pair of black leggings, perhaps think again?

Thoughts on a Yoga Weekend (plus discount code)

I'm thrilled that I've recently begun my Yoga teacher-training. This feels like an achievement in itself, as there are so many providers out there that it's difficult to know what course to enrol on- what will give you the right tools to be the best teacher you can be? 

This is me fired-up for my first day of intensive face-to-face teaching in my Tibetan-orange top, from Asquith (N.B. Discount Code at Asquith for you is FITPIXIE20). I felt like I ticked all the right boxes for a thoughtful outfit, but how would I fare when it came to being a thoughtful student? 

Use code FITPIXIE20 at Asquith xx

I was a little nervous- I hadn't completed all of the pre-course study (there's a lot of it!), I haven't been doing yoga for the recommended 5 years, I don't yet know all the Sanskrit terminology, and there's not a single asana in my yoga repertoire which I don't want to improve... 

But, I needn't have worried: all of us students seemed to be feeling the same way, but the best part was when we started the first morning not with introductions, but with yoga. That was Liz (the tutor)'s ingenious way of putting us all into the right frame of mind.

Just Some Entry-level Reading!

Of course, over the intensive weekend there was far too much to take on board for me to summarise here, but here are the key things I've taken away from my weekend: 

1) I know nothing. This is said not in self-deprecation, but because I feel the way for me to get the best out of my studies is to acknowledge the huge gaps in my understanding. This statement becomes a permission to ask the obvious questions, and to be open to the answers. 

2) Being good at yoga and being a good teacher of yoga are two entirely different things. This is also a pretty obvious and yet entirely liberating thought. Of course you have, as a teacher, to know what you're talking about, but you don't have to always be the best in the room at getting into the splits- or whatever it might be. Your rôle is to inform and guide your class through their own practice: it's about them.

3) It's my interpretation that a lot of what people teach in classes called 'Yoga' is not yoga (I can hear you gasping at the controversy here!). Do you have thoughts on this? I'd love to hear them, so leave me a comment if you want to weigh in! 

Namaste Kitty

And one further thought: I'm learning to trust the process. So, when Her Furriness decides it not study time for me by sitting on my book, then that's OK!

Namaste xx

Sportswear Fabrics Explored

Here's quick follow-up from my last post (about being turned onto the wonders of merino), exploring a few of the other more-sustainable fibres available for sportswear. Bamboo is quite popular, but there more alternatives:

The Good Fabric Guys

1: Tencel (Lyocell): can be made from a variety of wood fibres. Suppliers like EKO (Earth Kind Originals) use eucalyptus tencel for their T's, leggings, and vest tops. This is a soft, absorbent fabric which is very strong when wet or dry, and the process used to make eucalyptus tencel fabric is relatively low-impact as it is done in a 'closed-loop' way, with any chemicals being recycled. It is also biodegradable. Eucalyptus is fast growing, and can be really beneficial to an environment (e.g. can be used to drain swamps and therefore prevent malaria). I thoroughly recommend EKO garments, especially their simple T's and vests, as they are super soft and really comfortable, allowing for great freedom of movement when doing anything active. They also retain their shape when washing, and a good proportion of their manufacturing is done here in the UK. See here for more on EKO.

Photo Credit: Earth Kind Originals

2: Recycled polyester: companies like My Mantra Active do stock a range of leggings and swimwear made from recycled polyester. I bought a pair of leggings and am pleased to report that they are soft and comfortable, and have washed well. They are not too hot for intensive workouts. It seems there is more choice in recycled polyester garments if you live in the US or Australia, but I am hoping we Brits will catch up on this sometime soon. Most local councils and some charities provide clothing banks where you can donate old polyester for recycling- I have a few wrecked workout outfits which are heading that way! The good news is that polyester can be endlessly recycled. 

Recycled Polyester Leggings from My Mantra Active

3: Coffee. Yes really. We Are Star Seeds are developing fabrics made from coffee fibres, and which are designed for being active in. Although disappointingly there doesn't seem to be anything made from coffee on sale quite yet, I'm sure it will be available soon, and as I find that quite exciting I will be checking in regularly on their website. Great to see exciting new plant-based fibres being developed like this! 

The Not-so-good Guys

Some other sportswear fibres explored: 

I often see sportswear made from modal. This is a manmade fibre classed as semi synthetic, as the fibres do come from beech trees (which is obviously a natural source) but have to be blended with another material to make fabric. This takes a lot of resources to make into fabric. Beech trees are also slow growing.

Polyamide: this term does apply to naturally occurring molecules, but on garment labels it refers to synthetic man-made fibres (natural polyamides include silk). They can feel nice and soft as if natural, but polyamide is basically nylon. Nylon is not biodegradable, and as it is meant to be extremely durable it is also difficult to recycle. 

Something for the Future of Sportswear Fabrics?

As an aside, another fabric you may not have thought about for work-out apparel is linen. My Sweaty Betty 'Wild Thing' T is a linen blend: 83% polyester and 17% linen. Ok, so it isn't the most eco-friendly gym wear, but it is soft, and really light on the skin. I'd love to see more linen used like this- specifically for exercise, as linen is cool to the touch, really hardwearing, and anti-bacterial. The linen garments we tend to think of are cut and sewn from fabric which is woven (like shirts), but I don't know of any reason why linen shouldn't be knitted and made into more stretchy items (like T shirts). Please pursue this, sportswear brands!

Linen Blend Workout T

Wool Week Review: Intensify Seamless Merino Leggings From Sweaty Betty

It's Wool Week. 

Perhaps you are wondering what on earth this has to do with sportswear or fitness. If that's the case then you've probably never come across a performance-wear style like this one: Sweaty Betty's Intensify Seamless Merino Leggings. 

In my quest for more ecological sportswear I have been curious to try a woollen item like this for a while, and so Wool Week coupled with a chilly morning, coming hot on the heels of a Sweaty Betty sale seemed like the perfect time. 

Wool Leggings from Sweaty Betty

Winter Running: 

There are plenty of reasons not to go running through the winter. For me they've included a touch of asthma that is aggravated by the cold, a niggling knee, painful chilblains, the darkness, the cold, the rain, the mud... ... ... and just generally wanting to hibernate. I tend to stop running and retreat to more indoor workouts, but I do miss the fresh air, the scenery, and the mental re-set that running outdoors gives me. This winter, though, I'd like to keep up what has become a pretty regular habit of stepping out about three times a week. I know I'll be a lot more likely to keep it up if I have suitable kit. 

Why I Bought Wool Leggings:

You'd be forgiven for still being puzzled about why I bought wool leggings, but wool is breathable, naturally elastic, odour resistant, biodegradable and warm. But if you're still unconvinced, then I'd suggest you take a look here for more info. 

Putting Merino Sportswear to the Test

Style and Fit: 

When I unwrapped these leggings, in my hands they felt like a really luxurious pair of tights, and when I tried them on this is still how they felt. I bought a Size Small, and they are nice and snug without being tight. There is a large soft waistband and cuffs, and the seamless design means nothing digs in or irritates. They seem to be totally opaque too. I love the stylish blue panels, and there is a drawstring on the inside, plus very discreet SB branding at the ankle. The length is perfect on me (I am about 5'5").  So far so good, but I was still none the wiser about what they would be like to run in. 

Performance:

It was supposed to be 7˚ at home this morning- not exactly freezing, but colder than it has been in a while. Plus, once you factor in a less built-up environment, shady locations, and that cold air whizzing past you... OK I admit I am a total wimp in the cold! My ears were cold, my hands were cold, my arms were chilly, my ankles knew about it, but my legs... toasty! 

I have to say, I was really impressed with the performance of these leggings; all the things I was worried about, like whether they would be itchy, whether they would become too hot once I was moving, whether they'd lose their snugness as they got damp, whether they would show embarrassing damp patches... well, none of that happened. I was warm without being hot, and I remained totally comfortable through my whole run (which is about 3.5 miles). The fit stayed snug, the freedom of movement was perfect, and they didn't chafe. Even the process of taking them off at the end seemed more pleasant than peeling off wet polyester-type leggings. 

In short, I'm converted! I will be looking to pick up a similar top to wear for running in due course. Here is Sweaty Betty's current selection of merino.

Wool Sportswear for Wool Week

Washing:

The instructions say to wash these leggings as wool, which you can do in the wool cycle of your washing machine. However, I decided to soak them in Eucalan for half an hour or so, squeeze them out well then hang them on the line: simple! 

Other Uses:

Apart from the times that I will be running in these, I can see that I might wear these under looser trousers or a dress on really cold days when I am not even working out, as an extra comfortable thermal layer. 

Points for Improvement: 

As I may have mentioned, I love these leggings. However, that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to see some improvements: I've referred to them as 'merino' which they are, but only 51%. Even if the whole product cannot be wool, I'd like to see that other percentage with as much natural fibre in it as possible (cotton? bamboo?). 

I'd also like to see the merino used as organic, or at least cruelty free. Some methods of producing merino can be cruel (google 'mulesing' if you must), and this is largely avoided by organic production. Also, British wool would be brilliant, to support our native farmers.

I'd like to see more natural fibres and sustainable production all round from Sweaty Betty. 

In Short: 

In summary, I am thrilled with these. I am extra thrilled that I bought them in the clearance, as the original price was typically Sweaty Betty. Whether I would replace them at their original price or not would depend on my finances at the time, although I do think they are probably worth it. 

Responsible Sportswear is the Future

Tips for Winter Running:

Whether you walk, do yoga, use an outdoor gym or like to run outside, here are my top tips for you if, like me, you think you might struggle to maintain your good habits over the colder months: 

Warm up, cool down and stretch: Allow your body time to adjust to what you're asking it to do. Injuries and muscle soreness aren't any fun, so don't rush this important step in colder weather. 

Be safe: from investing in reflective items, to telling someone where you are going there are lots of steps you can take to maintain your personal safety. If you don't want to exercise alone in the dark then why not start an informal club and arrange to meet friends and work out together? Knowing that other people are expecting you is also a great way to stay on track with your exercise goals. 

Get the right kit: if you're not convinced by the whole wool leggings thing, then take a look around for some other examples of outdoor workout gear. Surely here in the UK a waterproof top layer is a must?! I know workout gloves are on my shopping list, as are proper socks (I tend to only buy the short trainer-liner type ones). I want to be armed for whatever the weather will throw at me, plus I know that if I have invested in outdoor kit I will feel duty bound to get out and use it. 

However, having said all that my final piece of advice would be this: if you really don't want to work out then don't: what is the point of punishing yourself? I mean, if you're feeling a bit lazy but you know you'll feel better for some exercise, then give yourself a pep talk and fasten those running shoes, but winter can sometimes be tough enough anyway with lack of sunlight and all those nasty viruses. Be kind to yourself, and do whatever it is that will make you feel good. 

Her Ladyship has an eye for a quality!

Sweaty Betty for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Top Quality Sportswear:

I have some pieces from Sweaty Betty which are undoubtedly some of the best gym wear I've ever used: classy, functional, and great quality are attributes that we all like, right? 

I don't tend to promote the brand overly though, as I feel they are a little behind the curve in speaking out about ethical practices and eco materials. Having said that though, I did buy some woollen running leggings in their sale and am just waiting for some chilly weather so that I can try them out- I will let you know how they work out for me! 

Charity Initiative: 

However, they have a current promotion which everybody can get behind: with October marking the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, they are donating £1 from every Sweaty Betty sports bra purchased this month to CoppaFeel!, a charity on a mission to raise awareness among young people.

Well done Sweaty Betty, I'd love to see more brands getting involved in this type of initiative. 

You can use this handy guide to see which bra is best for your workout: 

Sports Bra Guide