How to do cereal the Paleo way..

Breakfast: Whilst it’s well known to be the most important meal of the day, it’s something most people don’t find the time to enjoy, or at least, enjoy properly. It’s well known that having a good breakfast to start your day is key in managing and maintaining a healthy body, but when work and other commitments get in the way, it is easy to forget how important it really is.

For most of my childhood, breakfast consisted of sausages and boiled egg with soldiers (the best). I also went through various pancake stages when Waitrose used to do the homemade ones (so middle class it hurts). When I turned 14 and suddenly became extremely aware of boys and what I looked like, I eat what seemed to be the best weight loss option, aka Special K, which was fucking horrific in terms of actually being healthy but seemed to have some kind of crack like ingredient in it that made me desperate to eat about ten bowls a day. This has never been tested or proven but I’m convinced there’s something in that theory because every single friend I have who eat it said the same thing. Just a warning… I then moved onto porridge, and finally, to the relief of my trainer, I (Re) discovered eggs, salmon, and avocado. Whilst the porridge wasn’t necessarily terrible for me, it was really heavy and always made me feel bloated and a bit pregnant afterwards. I would have these super starchy, heavy, ‘healthy’ (special K, occasionally Shreddies) breakfasts and wonder why I felt SO exhausted and sluggish all morning, and until I started having healthier breakfasts with more protein I genuinely had no idea the food had something to do with it.

FYI – If you don’t have the right ratio of protein/carbs etc in your meal (ie – not enough protein), your body produces a hormone that makes you really sleepy, so that explains that symptom. You don’t need coffee, you need protein! And maybe coffee as well, depending on how much sleep you’ve had.

However, as is often the case with everything I love (songs, food, etc) whenever I find a food that I love, and is healthy such as the eggs and salmon, I obsessively eat it non stop for however long it takes me to get so sick of it that I can practically never look at it again. I had basically had eggs for breakfast every day for about 2 years, and I was fucking sick of it. I realized I needed to find healthy alternatives – not only for my taste buds, but for my metabolism. As your body’s metabolism can slow and get lazy if you always eat the same thing, I decided to try and switch it up a bit – and try not to eat the same thing every single day. Particularly since starting the Paleo diet last year, I really had to try and be more exciting.

Although there are obviously millions of other breakfast alternatives that are Paleo friendly, such as fish, meat and nuts, green juices and so on, which I will do another post about, I decided to keep this one just for Paleo friendly cereals – because let’s face it, cereal is fucking great. However, 90 percent of cereals are definitely not great FOR you – like Special K, they’re loaded with sugar and dreadful ingredients that you definitely don’t want in your body. Discovering healthy cereal has been FANTASTIC for me, for my metabolism, gut health, and also just because freaking YUM. Below are my favourite healthy alternatives to the shitty cereals, in no particular order – hope you enjoy!

• Primrose Kitchen’s Carrot, Apple and Cinnamon Muesli

I LOVE this one… I mostly try and avoid muesli as the majority of them are full of sugar (moment on the lips, forever on the hips hunnay) but this one is made without gluten wheat or artificial sugar. I think it’s also a great idea to add vegetables in. The chia seeds and psyllium husks make it great for breakfast, and it tastes amazing. There are also other flavours if apple isn’t your thing! It’s really reasonably priced at just under £6, this will last most normal people a couple of weeks, however I go through about 2 packs a week because I eat it like it’s my last meal on this earth and I’m hungry in the mornings. Find it at Whole Foods, Planet Organic or on the website :

http://primroseskitchen.com/shop/muesli/raw-carrot-apple-cinnamon-muesli-400g

• Bench Pressed Oats (Oomf!)

If you like porridge and oats but want to switch it up and add some protein in there too, this is the brand for you. Healthy, gluten free oats infused with whey protein. Bingo! Porridge without the mid morning energy slump. WERK those muscles…

http://giveitsomeoomf.co.uk/

• Roots and Bulbs – Quinoa Granola

This always gives me loads of energy before a workout – really nice with almond milk, coconut yogurt, or even blended berries (you can make a good acai bowl with this one!). It’s not like your usual granola – which can only be a good thing, as it tastes good AND isn’t packed with shitty ingredients and hoards of sugar. Find it in store or visit…

http://www.rootsandbulbs.com/

• The Living Food Kitchen – Buckwheat Granola

This is fucking DELICIOUS, especially with almond milk. However, although there is no added sugar, make sure you stick to a small serving (50g or less) because there is still quite a lot of natural sugars. This one is great for a snack when you are craving something sweet but don’t want to fuck up your diet! Again – find at Whole Foods, Planet Organic or…

http://www.thelivingfoodkitchen.com/sprouted-buckwheat-granola-18.html

• Paleonola

Paleonola do amazing granolas without the crap. I discovered this one at Whole foods (bit of a theme going on here!) where they have a whole section full of paleo friendly granolas, but this might be my favourite.

http://www.paleonola.com/shop_ep_53-1.html

• Whole Foods ..

Whole Foods also have a large range of buckwheat, rye and gluten free oats, which they sell in huge bags of pure oats in the gluten free section. These are inexpensive and will last you for absolutely ages. I believe the best store for these is the Piccadilly one, but they all deliver!

Let me know how you get on with these, if you’ve tried them, even if you hated them!

Bon appetite!

The Ongoing Moment – huntergather’s AW15 Collection (LCM)

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending huntergather’s Autum/Winter 2015 London Collections: Men show, ‘The Ongoing Moment’. Having recently been awarded the Best Men’s High Street brand by the chic geek, huntergather’s collection did not disappoint, taking inspiration from the 70’s, the difference between psychedelia and digitalia’ and reinterpreting the designs in new ways that were nothing short of amazing. The collection reflected the ‘rich culture of those days and these: square-toed loafers, boot-cut trousers, wide-belts, slim-fitting jackets, generous collars and lapels.’ The collection had a ‘colour palette of beige, navy and brown’ (Kim and Kanye would be proud!).

The collection was versatile and understated yet still special, with certain pieces and looks that really stood out, such as this one.

Also included in the collection were these amazing image prints, which was particularly eye catching as a jacket and trousers combination. I’ve never wanted to stare at an outfit for so long!

Bootleg trousers – 70’s inspired

As we are in an age in which ‘digitalia’ is more prominent than ever before, central to most of our lives, I thought it was amazing how these messages of ‘psychedelia’ were such clear inspiration for the clothes. Even the staple pieces were inspiring. If I was getting married, I could use any of the pieces from the collection as my ‘something old, something new…’ because the 70’s and digital era were so well fused together. The collection was full of classic pieces, but also items with a twist for the more outgoing male fashionistas.

Guests enjoying coffee outside the store

As ever, the show was a busy one, held at the Wigmore Street store with regulars such as David Gandy, Oliver Proudlock and Mr Hudson all in attendance. The guests drank and ate from the in store coffee shop, and botanic juices, crossaints and charcoal water (which tasted MUCH nicer than a green juice) was also on hand for all.

David Gandy with Chris Bailey

Mr Hudson

Founders Chris Bailey and David Bradshaw with 2 of the models

Proudlock

If you want to look as chic as these guys and grab yourself or your father/brother/son/etc some huntergather gear – or even a coffee – head to 68 Wigmore Street, Redchurch Street or 1st floor at Selfridges (Men’s contemporary designers).

http://www.huntergather.com/store-finder

Check them out in Instagram: http://iconosquare.com/hunter_gather

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hunter_gather

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/huntergathersocial

10 ways to stay MOTIVATED this January

There is no better time to start a new regime than January. Not only is it the start of a new month, but the start of a new year, making it the perfect time to leave all of (or most of!) your bad habits in the previous year. And usually at the top (or fairly near) of peoples list is getting fit – or rather just looking fit as fuck – but there’s no avoiding the two pretty much go hand in hand. After a month of Christmas parties fuelled with mulled wine and dinners consisting of mostly stuffing and sausages, however, January is often a bit of a struggle, and more often than not, what starts off as a constantly rammed gym slowly dribbles off into peace and quiet again come February. I read recently that much of peoples gradual weight gain as they get older comes from gaining it during the holidays and never quite managing to shift it afterwards (I did read this on the Daily Mail though so don’t quote me on that, ha ha!) and I can definitely see how this happens, especially as workloads get bigger and the weather is somehow colder and darker than ever – not exactly the nicest morning wake up, having you feeling like running to the gym when it’s pitch black and sub zero. Below I have decided to include my top ten tips for staying motivated in January and working off your lard arse for the rest of the month, no giving up!

Currently on my bedroom wall…

• Set goals and stick to them

With no clear idea of how you want to improve your physique and fitness, progress is tricky. Try making a four-week plan with weekly goals of upping your treadmill time, weight on the squat bar, and so on. Mark your progress as you work through the month. It’s a million times easier to stay motivated and focused when you can see yourself changing and developing!

HIT IT BITCHES!

• Plan your workouts

Instead of just hopping over to the gym and doing whatever, plan your workout before you get there. Make sure you diversify your activities and keep moving from exercise to exercise – you don’t have to be at the gym for hours, an hour or even 45 minutes of hard work is much more realistic and better for you than 2 hours of moving like a snail!

Don’t do it for the people you love, do it for the people you hate!

• Switch it up

If you go to the gym and do the same workout every single day, chances are, you’re going to get extremely bored – and stop seeing results after about a week. Thanks to THE WORLD WIDE WEB, finding new exercises and workouts online is easier than ever. Get on Instagram and check out some of the fitness pages – check out videos of exercises you’d like to try, and don’t be shy! (Have an instructor show you if you’re not sure…don’t hurt yourself!) Everyone at the gym is there to do the same thing, so don’t be embarrassed. Better to feel a bit awkward at the gym than super embarrassed to take your clothes off on the beach! Make sure you try and check out workouts from people whose bodies you admire as well – no point copying Arnold Schwarzenegger’s moves if you don’t want to look like him!

YES IZA

• Make an inspiration board

I’m not ashamed to say that the wall above my desk is literally covered in photos of hot girls whose bodies I would totally not mind having. Although it’s important to love your own body and accept that you will never look like Beyonce, it doesn’t hurt to have a little motivation to keep you going. When I first started working out, I literally had the Victoria’s Secret catalogue stuck to my fridge, and it seriously works! When you’re opening the fridge for a late night snack, nothing puts you off quite like staring at Candice Swanepoels abs. Abs over alcohol!

• Go to new places to work out

If you haven’t got a new gym membership, try moving one of your workouts outdoors (if you can bear the cold for the first few minutes, it’s pretty refreshing), or going to a new class – check my previous post on the best workout classes in London for ideas. Nothing wakes up your body quite like starting a totally new activity!

• Give dry January a try

If alcohol is a regular and important fixture in your life, try and cut it out for a month. I work out fifty million times better when I haven’t been drinking for a while, just because – aside from the shitload of sugar and empty calories, plus the post drinking carb binge – my body is that much less tired and I feel a lot fresher and more energetic from getting it out of my system. You’re not going to be so up for a 7am workout if you’ve been knocking back the Pinot the night before, no matter how much water you had afterwards!

• Remember REST is as important as your hard work

I remember asking my biology teacher once why we seem to need so much sleep and I’ll never forget his answer – ‘think of it like literally recharging your batteries’. You can’t hit a workout with a full battery life if you didn’t charge it overnight!

• Be hard on yourself

I know that everyone goes on about how you shouldn’t be hard on yourself, but sometimes you fucking should. Do you think Beyonce became Beyonce from saying to herself, hey, I’ve done enough and I’m all good now? NO SIR! The first person you need to be hard on is yourself, otherwise you’re never going to develop. Push yourself to get better! You don’t come into this work a baby and stay that for the rest of your life – change is vital, especially when everything else is improbable. I feel an intense wave of guilt when I miss a workout or a set (slightly OCD) but I’m also grateful for that, because that’s what makes me work ten times harder the next time.

• Keep a record of what you eat

There are loads of apps where you can track your eating and actually even find out more about what you’re putting into your body, which in turn can help you lose more weight as you become more aware of what you eat. A great one is MyFitnessPal, which is free on the App Store (so no excuses for not getting it!) and you can actually scan your food into it, allowing you to see, for example, how much sugar is actually in that drink you got at lunch. A lot of the time, food companies are fucking cheeky and that ‘2g’ of sugar you THINK is in the bottle is actually ‘2g’ per 100ml…when the bottle is 500ml. Stay conscious! You don’t put diesel in a Ferrari engine…..fuel your workouts with the right food – first that swims, then that flies, and plenty of greens!

• Find a workout buddy

It’s way easier to work out if you have someone to work out with. If you get super bored, it’s nice to have a buddy to work out with – as long as you still get your shit done! You’re much more likely to get to that workout if you have to meet someone there, so find someone you enjoy working out with and push each other to get better!

Good luck for January…Stay focused and in the words of Arnold…DON’T BE A BABY!!

Why S Club 7 are still the best 90’s band ever

Like many 90’s kids, I had the pleasure of being one of S club 7’s biggest fans. I sang and danced my heart out in the mirror to all of their songs on a daily basis, had a S club 7 themed 7^th birthday party, watched their TV show religiously and often stayed up all night worrying about whether I wanted to be Rachel or Tina when I grew up. When playing ‘S club 7’ with my best friend next door, we would have our cuddly toys play out the male parts and it is fair to say I fantasized not un-obsessively about whether I would marry Paul, Bradley, or Jon.

Most people who have been through something tragic never forget what they were doing in the exact moment they found out what had happened and the S Club break up was no different for me. When I found out S club were going to split in 2003, I was actually practicing my facial expressions for my future music video in the mirror when one of my friends called to tell me the news (my mum was on the phone so the computer was out). I went through the 5 stages of grief very quickly.

1. Denial and Isolation

IT’S NOT TRUE! YOU’RE LYING! S CLUB WILL NEVER STOP MOVING TO THE FUNKY FUNKY BEAT

2. Anger

DAMN YOU! WHY DID YOU TELL ME THIS? I COULD HAVE STAYED IN MY HOUSE FOREVER AND NEVER FOUND THIS HEARTBREAKING INFORMATION OUT! HOW COULD S CLUB DO THIS TO ME? WHAT WILL I DO AT MY NEXT BIRTHDAY PARTY? WILL I STILL GET TO BE RACHEL WHEN I GROW UP?

3. Bargaining

DEAR GOD PLEASE LET S CLUB 7 GET BACK TOGETHER AND I PROMISE I WILL STOP HIDING ALL OF MY VEGETABLES UNDER THE TABLE AND FEEDING THEM TO MY CAT

4. Depression

WHAT THE FUCK AM I GOING TO BE WHEN I GROW UP LIFE IS SO BAD AND MY SADNESS WILL NEVER END

5. Acceptance

AT LEAST I’VE GOT S CLUB JUNIORS

After OVER A DECADE of my heart leaping when I read rumor after rumor of how S club were to reunite, I had basically given up.

Until Friday.

Watching the BBC Children in need performance by S Club put me in the best mood I have been in for over a decade. Hearing the songs again and the crew all back together has had me bouncing around all week since and a reminder that even when shit happens, all I need to do is BRINT IT ALL BACK TO YOU.

A lot of people have criticized Friday’s Children in need performance, commenting on the quality of the bands performance, and all I can say to those people is seriously FUCK YOU because S Club haven’t performed in over a decade and it was for fucking CHARITY and if I may, could you think of a more perfect band to play Children in Need because they actually made songs for kids that were age appropriate and didn’t prematurely end my innocent and naïve childhood with twerking and swearing and drugs and strippers and big booty hoez, and instead of inciting violence they used funny and COOL insults like ‘we’ll TAKE YOU TO THE CLEANERS AND HANG YOU OUT TO DRY LIKE A PAIR OF GRUNGEY OLD SOCKS’ (LOL).

I’m not saying that swearing and twerking and big booty hoez don’t have their place in music, because they do. Now that I am officially an adult, I have plenty of time for swearing and twerking in music, and some of my favourite artists are the most controversial and often much scrutinized swearing, twerking big booty hoez around town. However, I’m not 7 anymore, and I don’t spend my life (not AS much time anyway) copying all of my favourite singers and rappers actions in the mirror.

I feel thoroughly blessed to have had the privilege of growing up with a band who were fun and silly and made songs that were just about having fun and GETTING DOWN TONIGHT and WAVING YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR LIKE YOU JUST DON’T CARE. Although you don’t really think much of it when you’re a kid – and I certainly didn’t, it must be fucking confusing for kids sometimes being surrounded by all of these hugely adult responsibilities before they are mentally mature enough to understand what it all really means. I’m 19 and I still find it fucking confusing – and I bet I’ve got the rest of my life to feel otherwise about all of the sex, drugs and violence which, whether we like to admit it or not, is often glamourized in the media. It makes me sad that there isn’t a band like S Club 7 (that I know of) anymore, who can sing about PG fun to 7 year olds (AND ME BECAUSE I AM NOT READY TO GROW UP) without dropping in sex suggestions and references to all the Molly they take. There is a serious gap in the market here: producers take note!!! (I’m still available).

I am not disputing the huge talent and level of diversity in the music industry in 2014, as well as the evolution of new forms of music, which is of course hugely exciting. The rise of new pop and superstars in the past decade has created some absolute bangers. But when I look to the future and think about what my children might be listening to when they are 7, I do feel extremely uncomfortable. I don’t particularly warm to the idea of my 7 year old singing about how she popped and molly and now she’s sweatin, woo! Or telling me that she’s a bad bitch. Having her tell me she’ll take me to the cleaners and hang me out to dry like a pair of grungey old socks is a much more pleasant thought. LONG LIVE S CLUB! They’ll kick your butt from here to buttkickin’ville.

On that note, can we all please WELCOME the S Club 7 Reunion Tour with open arms, and CELEBRATE a band who inspired a generation of children to have fun, be silly, not grow up too fast, and REACH FOR THE STARS.

My favourite chemical free beauty products!

For most of my teen years, I used to spend most of my money the way most teenage girls do – obsessing over all the makeup and beauty products I could get my hands on. I never really gave much thought to what was in these products, or what they could do/were doing to my skin and body. I had literally built up a half used collection of half of Boots and Selfridges beauty department and (rather ironically) it was NOT pretty. I remember speaking with all my girlfriends about products and the massive annoyingness of being a 14 year old girl, and how various doctors/dermatologists had always gone on about how until you’ve ended puberty there’s nothing you can do to improve your skin. The older I’ve got, and the more interested in health and fitness I’ve become, the more time I have taken to learn more about the products so many of us use and how best to look after my skin and body. And let me tell you – it has been a long and difficult journey since I was a badly fake tanned and overly bronzered 14 year old in a pink juicy tracksuit!

One of the biggest mistakes I realize that I made when I was that orange 14 year old was the amount of chemicals I was putting on my skin. If you look on the label of something and it has more than about five ingredients in it, it’s PROBABLY not going to be very good for you. In loads of popular products there are a shit ton of dangerous chemicals which can do anything from irritate your skin to fuck up your hormones. As I’ve written before – you know eating junk food is bad for your body, so why would you do the same to your skin? Bad skin products and makeup are essentially the junk food of skincare and beauty products. I wrote in a previous post of the quote that I love, ‘invest in skincare before makeup – the better your skin is, the less makeup you need’ and it’s as true now as ever. I love makeup, but it’s no fun caking yourself every day and feeling like shit whenever you’re not coated in MAC products, and making your skin worse in the process.

Below are my favourite beauty products that I have achieved amazing results with and are all chemical free – and not tested on animals either, for any vegans reading!

HAIR: Hair needs looking after just like your skin! I always use Aveda when I’m washing my hair, which you can find at John Lewis – (http://www.johnlewis.com/aveda-shampure-shampoo/p236722). It’s slightly more expensive than your standard supermarket home brand, but a bottle of their shampoo and conditioner lasts me a good 6 months, (And I have really long hair!). They have a wide range of products but I just use their standard one about twice a week.

FACE MASK: I was never hugely into face masks. I tried quite a few when I was younger and desperate for amazing skin, such as the much coveted Eve Lom (which was horrendous and majorly messed my skin). Since then I’ve kept it fairly basic and just invested in good moisturisers and cleansers, but I visited Content recently (http://www.beingcontent.com/) and asked for their recommendations on the best masks, and they introduced me to REN skincare’s glycolactic radiance renewal mask, which ‘is a potent bio active peel mask designed to renew the complexion, reduce the appearance of fine lines and dramatically improve skin tone’. I have been using the REN mask for about a month now, once a week, and it is UNREAL – the day after I always have girlfriends asking me what I’ve used.

http://www.beingcontent.com/skincare/face-masks/glycolactic-radiance-renewal-mask.htm

CLEANSER: My favourite cleanser has for some time now been the purifying foaming cleanser from Suki. From the first time I used it about 18 months ago, it has been amazing. I usually use it once a day, straight after I’ve worked out. The package states it gives ‘long term results without side effects’ and it’s not wrong. Despite using this product every day, it still last me for a good 6 months. Holistic benefits include: ‘The sebum mimicking jojoba oil mingles with your skin’s fatty acids, allowing the actives & apple enzymes to penetrate pore channels where bacteria resides, “eating away” congealed surface oils & dead skin without clogging or drying out the skin.’ (http://www.beingcontent.com/skincare/cleansers/wash/purifying-foaming-cleanser.htm)

Makeup Remover: For the past couple of years, I have been using Bioderma, which has been good for not irritating my skin and does the job as good as the next. However it sometimes takes absolutely AGES to take my makeup off with this one, so I looked for an alternative and then I found NUXE rose miscellar cleansing water. This product is also really good if you have sensitive skin, and like Bioderma it also cleanses your skin as well as being a makeup remover, so you don’t have to go through the annoying process of cleansing as well as makeup removing when you’ve come home from a night out! It’s also great at removing eye makeup, and it doesn’t sting your eyes if you accidentally put too much on the cotton bud! It also smells AMAZING, so if you want to go to bed smelling like a bed of roses, this is the thing for you!

I had a bit of a pain trying to find it in-store at Space NK but you can get it online here.

http://uk.spacenk.com/micellar-cleansing-water-with-rose-petals/MUK200008751.html

No gym no problem: London’s best fitness classes

Although there are a lot of problems in England with our obesity and health issues getting bigger by the second, I have become more and more aware that in London, the fitness bug seems to be catching on. Whilst gluten-free everything and green juices used to be very LA and LA alone, it seems that more recently London has gone fitness mad. (WOOHOO!) Off the back of this, I have noticed more and more fitness classes opening up.

Whilst I am first and foremost a gym rat, I am a big believer in always switching up your workouts and trying new things/going to new places so that working out doesn’t become boring.

So for a few months now, I have been trying and testing different classes all over town to see if I have any fitness talents that I never discovered (I don’t, alas, but I did find some good workouts). Below are my reviews – let me know what you think or if you have tried any of them!

• Barry’s Bootcamp

I wrote about Barry’s on my first ever blog (1 year ago!). Started in LA (where else) and now in London opposite Euston square, it is a super hardcore, 1 hour workout, full of screaming men/women with microphones, dark lighting (I’ve never felt sexier while working out) and loud, LOUD music. Barry’s is probably the extra curricular workout I have frequented the most, but we do have a love-hate relationship. One thing I have learnt is that if you are going to Barry’s, you absolutely will not have a good workout if you haven’t had 8 hours sleep, a coffee beforehand and a fucking good breakfast. Even then, you will be EXTREMELY tired afterwards. I often roll up and extremely arrogantly always assume that I am a fit person and I will be FINE. How wrong I am. The workout consists of 15 minute intervals between the treadmills and the floor, but do NOT make the mistake of picking up the weights you might usually use in the gym, because the reps are fast and never ending, so you get tired much quicker. I do find some of the trainers here better to workout with than others – Faisal’s classes are my favourite (and my friends too), and Olly is good as well. I get the feeling that Taylor is the heart-throb of the bunch because every class of his I have been to is full of fully made up girls with no T shirts on. The protein shake bar post workout is also a great asset.

http://www.barrysbootcamp.com

Kim Kardashian leaving Barry’s

• Bootcamp Pilates (Notting Hill)

Like I have never been a yoga girl, I have NEVER been a Pilates girl either. However, I can deal with Pilates a lot more than I can deal with yoga (as long as its hard). After a while, doing weights can (and definitely has) really tense you up and make your muscles super tight. There are loads of things which you can do to release muscle tension – foam rolling every day, which has been a great help to me, regular sports massages, and of course stretching. But if you have been workout out 6 times a week for a couple of years, sometimes stretching makes you want to scream bloody murder. Despite stretching after most workouts, I still find my flexibility has been affected negatively, so I have been keen to find a workout which enables me to stretch out all of my muscles whilst working them at the same time. I’ve also spent too much time stalking various Victoria’s Secret models on instagram (Iza Goulart stand up) and have seen for myself the ab-spirational bodies of Pilates babes. So I decided to start attending Bootcamp Pilates once a week and see if it helped stretch me out, strengthen my core, and work out parts of my body that I didn’t know existed.

Bootcamp Pilates works you on (and sometimes off) the Dynamic Reformer machine for a good hour. I usually attend on Saturday’s because it doesn’t affect my gym routine and it’s also surprisingly relaxing, so it’s a good one to hit when you want to feel super chill on the weekend. The first class I attended was a beginner’s class, which I found too easy, but after attending the standard intermediate ones I enjoyed it a lot more. One thing I noticed with Bootcamp Pilates is the huge focus on breathing properly (which is ridiculously easy to forget how to do, and I am often guilty of this). This, in turn, works your core really well, but it’s also extremely relaxing. Who knew breathing was so relaxing? I also discovered having inner thigh muscles here, which I am obsessed with and I now live in my leggings. If you want something a bit more sweaty, they also do HIIT classes which involve exercises on and off the dynamic reformer at a faster pace, and superset. I did like this class but prefer to spend the whole hour on the machine, as I can do non-machine exercises such as burpees and jump squats at the gym anyway. This is a great workout for the core and to switch up your weights workout if you feel a bit bulky or need a lower impact workout. My favourite teachers so far are Ben and Karin, both really really helpful and don’t laugh at you when you fall off the machine (yes, I did)!

http://www.bootcamppilates.com

• Psycle

I have only attended Psycle the once, but I am keen to try it again to see if I prefer it with a different instructor/more energy, as I have girlfriends who love it. Psycle is almost like a Barry’s, but on the bike and no floor work. The bikes, however, are different to the ones you might go spinning on, as you actually have to wear shoes which clip in to the bikes, meaning there is a bit more of a focus on your ass during the workout, instead of the usual major quad workout you get from spinning, which is not my fave. Give me a big booty over big quads any day! The class is 45 minutes long, so it’s not quite as exhausting as other workouts. You also select weights in the class (although these are light ones, again the reps are usually fast paced). Whilst spinning, you do press ups on the bike and towards the end we used the weights to do punches and exercises like that, which was a good way to switch it up a bit at the end, but I didn’t find it incredibly challenging.

I found the class I attended initially tricky, as there was no instruction on how to actually clip your feet into the bikes, so it took me a few minutes after it had started to get help from one of the guys there to actually figure out how to get into the bike, and the girl taking it did not come over to help or check on peoples technique/see if they were ok during the class, which I thought was really annoying, as especially when your first take a class it is helpful to have someone just make sure you are doing the right thing. Although I am a fan of low lighting and loud music, it was actually so dark I could barely see anything, so this frustrated me. I would have definitely enjoyed this class a lot more if there was more guidance. However, I am keen to attend again and see how it is due to my friends thoughts. I also attended when it was very new, so hopefully these things have improved.

http://psyclelondon.com

• Barrecore – (Mayfair)

I’m fairly ashamed that it took me so long to discover Barrecore, as I have heard so much about it over the past few months. Barrecore classes are ‘high-energy and low impact, utilizing the ballet barre and other proven dance techniques to perform isometric movements using your bodyweight as resistance’. As I wrote earlier, I am in desperate need of a good stretch out, so I thought this class would be a great balance between working out whilst simultaneously giving my muscles some relaxation.

At barrecore, there are ten different types of classes: barreMIXED, barreBANDS, barreFOUNDATIONS, barrecoreADVANCED, HIITcore, barreSTRETCH, barreDANCE, barreCARDIO, barrecoreEXPRESS and barreBUMP (for mummys-to-be).

Feeling extremely over-confident in my fitness abilities, I booked into HIITcore, an hour long class compiled of hiit bodyweight circuits, intense ab work, and isometric exercises. Before I had even attended, I received a number of very helpful emails giving me information about the class (including a warning that given it was my first time, I might wish to try another class before entering the high intensity one, which I decided against – although I was definitely challenged!). When I arrived, the girls were extremely friendly and helpful and even gave me a tour of the studios.

Five minutes into the class, which was taken by Emily, I already began working up a sweat. I really enjoyed the diversity between all of the exercises, especially working on the barre – which was bloody hard, but the look of my butt afterwards was worth it! Emily was encouraging and paid careful attention to each of us in the class, which I felt definitely helped at times when I was really, really burning!

One of the great things about the stretching element of this class was that it was carefully done in a way that meant you don’t realise you are actually stretching. When it came to my training the next day, I felt a million times more limber and stretched out from all of the exercises, which in turn helped my next workout. The workout was extremely unique, which meant it gave my body and muscles a much-needed shock. I will definitely be attending again – this class was a 10 out of 10.

http://www.barrecore.co.uk

hunter gather Spring/Summer 2015 – Move, Soulboy: LCM

As some of you might remember, a few months back I posted about the amazing huntergather, a creative community assembled by founders Chris Bailey and David Bradshaw. This morning, I had the pleasure of attending the upcoming S/S 2015 show for men’s collections, which was equally as fab!

 

Inspiration 

 

huntergather is ‘a new concept in fashion retailing.. it is a collective, a repository of ideas, a gathering of minds and a fashion label.’ (www.huntergather.com)

 

Jazzy windows on Wigmore Street

 

Shown at the Wigmore Street store, the collection focused on soul-boy silhouettes, curly perms and plastic sandals (which made me feel incredibly nostalgic for the 90’s, and I will be investing in another pair ASAP!). Once again, the prints were inspired by an iconic artist – this time, Matisse, with jazzy applique cut-out motifs. The colours in the collection were ideal for summer: earthy and bright, which makes sense for British weather when its always raining and you need something colourful to make you feel better…..

 

As the male models nonchalantly swaggered down the runway, there was also R&B music playing, which fit very well indeed with the stylish and smart, yet understated feel of the clothing and models. In the words of Beyonce, If (only) I were a boy…..

 

David Bradshaw stated on the collection: ‘When David Bowie released ‘Young Americans’ he said he’d been inspired by the sounds of local dance halls. His new sound needed a new look, Ziggy morphed into a soul-boy, and got a new fan. You see, I knew these sounds, for I was a soul boy too. I remember talking about this with David Sims when we worked together on an editorial for an early issue of Arena Homme Plus, and we channeled this energy and attitude into the story,, setting dance moves against a cut-out set’ Much more recently I saw the Matisse cut-outs show at the Tate Moden. So full of energy and life, its vividness and vibrancy reminded me of those times’.

 

 

My absolute favourite of the collection has got to be the blue bomber jacket, which I will be pouncing on as soon as it is in stores! (I know I’m a girl but it is to die for)

 

 

 As usual, there were lots of familiar (and extremely good looking) faces there, such as….

 

 

David Gandy

 

 

Oliver Cheshire and Mr Hudson

 

  @charleyvanpurpz @ramariochevoy @xyyx_

One of the reasons I am a huge fan of the clothes is because they have a very fresh and unique approach to fashion, and everything is original – so no chance you’re going to look like everyone else! So much attention and details is put into the clothes and it really shows. I hope you enjoyed reading the blog as much as I enjoyed writing it!

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re looking to buy huntergather items, you can find them in the store, at Selfridges or online at:

 

www.huntergather.com

http://www.matchesfashion.com/mens/hunter-gather

http://www.selfridges.com/en/Menswear/Brand-rooms/Brands/HUNTER-GATHER/?brandname=HUNTER+GATHER&noDept=1

 

 If you’re on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/huntergathersocial

                       Twitter: https://twitter.com/Hunter_Gather

                   Instagram: https://twitter.com/Hunter_Gather

 

 

Uniforms are dumb

FORENOTE: WHILST WRITING THIS BLOG, I TRIED TO FIND HILARIOUS PHOTOS OF ME IN UNIFORM. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN I WAS 15 I GOT EMBARRASSED AND DELETED AL EVIDENCE OF WHEN I WAS A FREAK, SO I CAN ONLY INCLUDE A FEW WHICH I STOLE FROM OTHER PEOPLES FACEBOOK PROFILES.

A few weeks ago, I was having dinner with some friends from school when the topic of school uniforms came up. As our school was probably one of the few remaining in London which was uniform-less, it came as a bit of a shock to us that that has now been changed. Not only a shock, but as we all agreed, a bit of a shame.

 

Here is an example of giving no fucks at school

 

I suppose the idea behind a uniform is that it kind of creates an equal ground for (in this case) students, to lessen the chances of bullying for the kid who isn’t typically ‘cool’ and as is often the case in preppy private schools, those who can’t afford head to toe designer clothes ages 12. Which makes sense. It is inevitable that in any school, especially between the ages of 11 and 18, you will at some point feel insecure about how you look or what you’re wearing. This doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the fact you’re in school – it’s probably more due to the fact you’ve hit puberty and feel hideously self conscious and hormonal, but inevitably we have all felt a little competitive with one another when in comes to what we are, and lets be honest, the coolest kids in school are usually always dressed pretty well.

 

 

But is it better to throw a uniform at the problem, in a desperate make everyone the same? Not really, because you only really then postpone the issue to when they’re 18 and as a school you don’t have to deal with it. As we all agreed, although not having a uniform initially feels competitive and loads of effort, after you get used to it, it’s the best fucking thing ever, because you kind of get to figure out who you are and what you like about ten years before everyone else. You also care way less about impressing everyone after by the end of your first uniform-less year, someone has at one point come to school in their pyjamas. Strapped for time first thing in the morning? Who needs to get dressed! Through on your hoodie and leave the house stress free. At the end of the day, if you’re going to have problems with other kids in school, the real problem is not going to be because of how you dress. And if it is, kids need to learn to not care what people think of how they dress as young as possible, as me and my friends were lucky enough to.

Clearly unable to look at the camera because I knew my hideous uniform was hiding underneath

At my previous school (where there was a very STRICT uniform code), I used to get detentions all the time just from not tucking my shirt into my skirt. I know it’s a small rule, but how fucking dumb is that! I distinctly remember the many anger issues 90 percent of the students had against the strictest teachers, which all began with a minus point for having a corner of your shirt un-tucked. In my opinion, removing a uniform removes a LOT of petty student teacher arguments, which are so awkward to witness (and be a part of). I also remember once a term having a non-uniform day, which was possibly the biggest stress of the century, because it was one of the few days which the whole school see what you ‘actually’ look like, and the immense pressure to be better dressed then about 2 thousand other people.

SAD ABOUT UNIFORM

 

As I’m studying at a fashion college, I see a LOT of people who make a huuuge effort on a daily basis. On the one hand, I totally get it, fashion is awesome. As Rachel Zoe perfectly sums up, it is ‘a way of saying who you are and what you feel without having to speak’. Very true. Fashion is amazing and many people live their entire lives in it. It affects all of us whether we like to admit it or not, and it’s literally everywhere. As easy as it would be for me to say I don’t care for it, it’s not true, even if momentarily I do often question peoples outfit choices, and there are definitely items of clothing I wouldn’t be seen dead wearing (one of them is black tights, I can’t be dealing with more reminders of school uniform).

But being allowed to have my own style and wear whatever I like since the age of 13 has also made me realize fashion is also pretty fucking stupid, which is really liberating. I don’t need to spend my time ‘experimenting’ with new styles because I already have one.

 

Whilst I would always appreciate the approval of my nearest and dearest when I’ve bought something, I also don’t really give a shit what anyone else thinks because I’ve bought it for myself and not them. I love fashion and I love clothes, but I’m amazed at how seriously people take it, because for so long now it’s not been such a big deal to me. I am so embarrassed for people who take fashion so seriously, because the whole point of it is that it’s supposed to be fun, and different from other slightly more uniform practices. Is the Instagram whore with 5,000 likes on her and her bag an interesting person? Probably not.

 

Word to the tracksuit wearers

Unfortunately for most people, some form of uniform follows them into every day life and controls what they are able to wear and on many levels, their comfort. If I was a llawyer, I probably wouldn’t be able to go to work wearing my gym leggings and a PINK hoodie, because no one would take me seriously. (Can’t decide if this is ok or not). Luckily I’m not and I can dress like a fucking idiot all the time. It seems a shame, therefore, to stop children and teenagers from having the freedom to dress as they please for what might be their only chance.

Roots and Bulbs – Juice, the right way!

Another day, another struggle to eat clean in a world of temptations! When you’re on the go for about 16 hours a day, making the right choices when it comes to food and drinks is harder than it looks. Similarly, it can be a challenge to  find healthy food and drink which actually tastes good. However, if you’re training mean and not eating clean, you’re not going to get the results you want. Last week the BBC news released a report on how we actually need 7 (as opposed to 5) a day fruit and veg, proving having your greens really is absolutely vital. 

More and more, I see people going on ‘juice cleanses’ or ‘detoxes’ in which they literally live off juices for any number of days. I have never been one for extreme dieting, especially faddy health crazes which often turn out to cause absolute chaos to not only your metabolism but your physical (and often mental) health. There is a big difference between good juice and bad juice. Heading to Tesco to pick up ten fruit juices to ‘cleanse’ your body for the weekend? Worst thing you could do. Sugar, sugar sugar!! Avoid this at all costs. However, if you get it right, there definitely is something to juicing. Whilst I wouldn’t recommend only eating/drinking juice, with the right ingredients it can provide a basis for an amazing on the go snack, breakfast, post or even pre workout fuel, and so on! I have definitely noticed the difference since I added them into my daily routine (feeling more awake, better digestive system, more energy, healthier skin and so on!), but even though I have finally ordered myself a juicer, it can be annoying to carry a big shake around with you all day, so I usually pick them up on the go. However, the good juice bars are extremely few and far between, so when a new one opened up recently near my gym, I was ECSTATIC! 

 Eating vegetables is vital for your health but not everyone’s cup of tea. So what’s the solution? Drink them!

 

Enter Roots and Bulbs. Situated on Thayer Street in Marylebone, the store is London’s first cold pressed juice bar (which means something like this: instead of losing vital nutrients in blending the juice, all the goodness stays inside).

The cold pressed menu consists of the greens: 1, 2 & 3 – going up in sweetness, so you know what to expect. The there’s the carrots: 1, 2 & 3 – where the same applies. So for those of you with a sweet tooth who can’t stand veggies – no excuses! 

 

Roots and Bulbs also has a Smoothie bar, where you can get protein shakes, healthy ‘all day breakfast’ drinks…the works! This has become my go to place for after the gym. My favourite is the appropriately named ‘Gym Freak’ (peanut butter lovers take note!) Last week I was so excited to get my shake that I actually nearly forgot to pay. 

 

 If Smoothies and Juices aren’t your thing, don’t worry. Want a healthy coffee (never thought I’d use those words in the same sentence) on your way to work? Roots and Bulbs is your answer. Want to pick up a healthy (but also tasty – another two words that are tricky to use in the same sentence) lunch or snack? R&B it up, baby!

 

Finally, I don’t know how many of you bought Vita Coco because Rihanna looked pretty damn good in the advert – I know I did – but I couldn’t even make it through three sips before giving up. BUTTERS! Roots and Bulbs even does coconut water that tastes good. BINGO!

 

It wasn’t been featured in Vogue magazine for nothing, people. Go and give it a try! 

Guilt free restaurants: 5 Fave Flavours of the month!

Food is OBVS really important to me. I need a lot of it, but I don’t like putting bad food in my bodaaaay! You don’t put diesel in a ferrari engine, duh! It’s tricky to eat out and stick to your dietry goals/rules, but not impossible – the following are my favourite places at which you can enjoy yourself without feeling guilty!

 

1)   Lemonia – http://www.lemonia.co.uk

Lemonia might be the greatest Greek restaurant ever. It is situated in Primrose Hill, about half a minute from the park entrance, and you can sit outside when the sun is shining. Lemonia has been around for about 30 years, run by a lovely Greek family.

 

 

I am probably one of the most fussy people in the entire world when it comes to food, and I have various diva diet requirements such as a need for healthy grub that also tastes amazing, and Lemonia totally does it for me! The meat and fish is really fresh and original, and the meze is to DIE for.

 

 

The restaurant itself is beautiful, kind of like you’re sitting in a garden in the Mediterranean. The crowd is friendly and not annoying – it’s rare to find such a nice but yet well-known restaurant in London that isn’t filled with escorts and wanker bankers, but this one ticks the box. People come and come again because you absolutely get your monies worth and them some – my family have been going for about 20 years and I believe my parents even had their wedding dinner there! The service is amazing and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

 You can’t really go wrong with anything you order but my favourites are the taramasalta, the avocado with prawns, the calamari, and the grilled salmon.

 

 

 

2)   Dean Street Townhouse – https://www.deanstreettownhouse.com

 

 

 

Also a hotel! Dean Street Townhouse does British very well, which is appropriate as the building is a Georgian Townhouse with uber chic interiors. It’s old school with the right amount of modern. The brunch here is literally amazeballs. In Soho, it’s rare to find a good brunch place (or really any restaurant for that matter) in which the queue doesn’t stretch down the street for about fifteen miles, but the Dean Street Townhouse is one of the few remaining places in Soho that TAKES BOOKINGS!!! HEAVEN. (The breakfast club looks tasty but that queue can suck it. Is there nowhere else you can find to eat eggs and pancakes without waiting for an hour and a half in the rain?) You can also turn up and see if there’s a table (bring a birkin), but booking ahead is advised because people know this place is gooood!

 

The crowd is lovely to look at, but in a normal way, not in a ‘I just got my lips done’ kind of way. Like Lemonia there are also really cute tables to sit outside at and people watch (always interesting in Soho). The bar is also really lively in the evenings. The service is 10/10 and they do an amazing Gin and Tonic. Also not to be forgotten – they have gluten free and rye bread (very upsetting when restaurants don’t pay attention to my dietary needs).

 

 

 

 

3)   XO in Belsize Park http://www.rickerrestaurants.com/xo/

XO is owned by the same people who run Bodega Negra. There are plenty of amazing Asian restautants in London – but with amazing food and locations come a few do uchebags – who come to Nobu not because the brown sticky rice with tuna is AMAZING but because they want to be seen there to show off their Herve Leger or their escorts new boob job. These places are also on the daily mail too much because reality tv stars think its chic and I’m so over it. Nouveau Riche = So not chic!

XO does amazing Asian fusion without the assholes. Really family friendly but also date proof, I can’t fault anything here! They even do chicken wraps but with salad as the wrap – I DIE!

 

 

What to order: Everything

 

I was unable to include many photos for this one because after one course I got so overexcited I had ruined the tablecloth, my top, and my boyfriend’s appetite because I had so much food in my mouth. It was NOT pretty.

 

 

4)   Riding House Café on Great Titchfield Street – http://www.ridinghousecafe.co.uk/#

 

 

Laid back modern brasserie. Amazing for breakfast, lunch and dinner (famous also for their brunch) Riding House kind of has it all going on. I’ve eaten almost everything on the menu and never been disappointed. The people are friendly, the crowd is really diverse – because duh, everyone loves Riding House! There’s something to please everyone from meat dishes to fish, salad, risotto, burgers, cinnamon doughnuts (AW YEAH) … basically you can’t go wrong.

 

 (Spelt risotto!)

The vibe is just the right mix of laid back but smart at the same time.

 

 

 

5) The Good Life Eatery on Sloane Avenue – https://plus.google.com/108785386980419325308/about?gl=uk&hl=en 

 

More and more LA style health cafes are starting to open up in London and it’s the BEST! Mini but marvelous, this place will sort you out with gluten free everything, green juice, protein shakes, even healthy red velvet cake! The place is actually pretty mini, and I would advise getting there early on the weekends to avoid the queue – but if you do queue, you won’t be waiting longer than about ten minutes. The staff are all really friendly and you can eat croissants without feelings guilty. What more could you want from life?