Fitness Archives - With love from Lou

The Importance of Staying Fit Through the Pandemic

23/02/2021 by Louise Leave a Comment

Social distancing, self quarantining, and the closure of many public places had brought the world to a standstill. Although the situation is much better compared to the beginning of 2020, COVID-19 still continues to emerge in several places. As new laws and regulations are being implemented by people across different countries. Staying at home for a long time can pose a significant challenge for remaining physically active.

Regular fitness and activity are valuable tools that can keep you stress-free and protect your health during this time. With the challenges of working from home and limited access to fitness facilities, people are unable or hesitant to workout at their usual places. Some are struggling with motivation or not able to maintain a workout routine. No matter what type of lifter you are, doing landmine exercises is a fantastic way of incorporating high-value training movements into your routine. Here are five reasons why one should stay fit and exercise during the COVID-19 quarantine.

EXERCISE OFFERS IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM BENEFITS

No matter what age, physical activity is one of the most important things a person can do for their health. Exercise offers great long-term benefits that can help reduce weight, reduce the risk of depression, lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, improve muscle strength, increase balance, and much more. Moderate physical activity can improve the quality of sleep and reduced blood pressure.

EXERCISE RELEASES STRESS AND IMPROVES MOOD

The pandemic brought in a lot of fear and worries regarding health and even stress because of finances and more. Physical activities such as walking, dancing, biking, yoga can help relieve some stress and improve one’s overall emotional well-being. As simple as walking 30 minutes every day can boost your mood and improve your health.

EXERCISE BOOSTS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Research has shown that regular exercise has immune-boosting benefits that may help your body fight off infections, including COVID-19. Exercise can be extremely beneficial for older adults and people with chronic health conditions.

While exercising, it is important to be safe, wear good footwear, start slowly, and give your muscles and body time to adapt to any new activity.

Thanks for reading.
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7 Ways to Avoid Gym-Juries!

30/08/2017 by Louise 25 Comments

You’ve got new shoes, new workout pants, and a shiny new water bottle. You’ve signed on the dotted line and are now officially a member of the gym. Now what? Well, I guess it’s time to step inside and get to it, despite that surge of anxiety that’s swelling up in the pit of your stomach whenever you think about stepping out of the changing rooms.

It’s no wonder you’re worried, as according to a recent survey conducted by Hayward Baker, forty-seven per cent of us Brits have suffered ‘gym-juries’ in our quest to get the perfect body. And, like me, I’m sure that’s one statistic you really don’t want to be a part of!

The most common injury is a sprained ankle in a gym Hayward Baker has found. With back injuries coming in at a close second. 16 per cent have broken a bone after participating in some sort of sport or physical activity. And, rather worryingly, one in ten claims to suffer from chest pain. You can see the full results of the study on the infographic below:

But wait, there is good news. Not everyone has to get injured at the gym. And by following my top tips below, you’ll be well on your way to achieving the body shape you want, while avoiding those nasty gym-juries at the same time. I hope you find them useful.

01. Always warm-up before exercising

You might have noticed on the infographic above that thirty-eight per cent of people who took the survey said they never warm-up before exercising. And boy, does that mean they’re setting themselves up to fail! Warming-up gently prepares the body for exercises by gradually increasing the heart rate and circulation. This will loosen the joints and increase blood flow to the muscles. And stretching the muscles prepares them for physical activity and prevents injuries. So whether you’re going to be having a kickabout on the football field, or are taking part in a cardio session at the gym, it’s super important to remember to warm-up to decrease the chance of getting yourself an unwanted injury.

02. Learn how to use gym equipment properly

These days, when you sign up to the gym, you’ll usually be given an induction session where you learn how to use all the different pieces of equipment properly. But many people still won’t tell the person giving the lesson if they don’t understand something they’ve been told. And this could lead to them injuring themselves further down the line. So, if there’s something you don’t quite grasp during your induction session, please don’t be frightened to speak up and say so. I’m sure the vast majority of instructors out there would rather go over what they’ve already told you than see you get hurt from trying to figure things out alone.

03. Take your time

In this day and age we all seem to have busy lifestyles, and for many of us, it can be hard enough to find time to hit the gym, let alone give it the concentration it requires. What makes this worse is that we Brits tend to want everything yesterday – especially when it comes to getting that beach body! However, when it comes to working out at the gym, it’s much better to take your time and do things properly than to rush in and end up with multiple gym-juries. Don’t feel the need to try and keep up with everyone else around you. Instead, try to understand that fitness is a lifelong pursuit. The rewards will come gradually, not all at once.

04. Stay hydrated

Super obvious, right? You’ll get hot and sweaty while working out at the gym, and you need water to replenish what you’ve sweated out. Water regulates your body temperature, lubricates your joints, and helps transport nutrients to give you energy and keep you healthy. If you don’t stay hydrated, your body can’t perform at its highest level, and you may end up feeling tired, have muscle cramps, dizziness, or other more serious symptoms.

05. Get yourself a gym buddy

Not only will having a gym buddy keep you motivated, but they can also check your form to make sure you’re not setting yourself up for a major injury and step in before it’s too late.

06. Be aware of your surroundings

If you’re like me, you’ll probably like to be ‘in the zone’ when working out. This means your earbuds will be in, your eyes will be focused straight ahead, and you’ll be concentrating on getting the work done. However, not paying attention to what’s going on all around you can be bad news. You don’t want to stub your toe on an errant dumbbell or get kicked in the head by a hanging knee-up because you were too focused on making a beeline for your favourite piece of equipment. Keep your eyes open!

07. Always use a towel

And last but not least is a tip that’s more about general hygiene than preventing an injury. Gyms are notorious places for picking up other people’s germs, and studies have found that both weights and cardio equipment can be transmitters of viruses. So I highly recommend always having a towel with you to put on any equipment you use (and to wipe yourself down with if you’re dripping with sweat) to protect yourself from said germs. These days most gyms have it as a requirement of entry anyway, but you do still see the occasional person making the gym less safe for others.

And there you have it, my top tips for avoiding gym-juries while working out. But if you still manage to get injured, despite taking my advice, make sure you go and check out Hayward Baker’s free to use injury compensation calculator. It will give you a good estimate of how much compensation you could be entitled to following a gym-jury or accident in a leisure facility.

Do you have any other tips to add to my list of ways to avoid gym-juries?
If so, let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading.
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Awesome New Gym Gear

26/01/2017 by Louise 71 Comments

We’re well into January now. And if you’re anything like me you’ll have been working hard to stick to any New Years Resolutions you may have made. You may remember that one of mine was to start getting fit, and I’ve spent the past couple of weeks trying out an awesome online fitness programme called Results with Lucy, which I’ll be talking about in another post very soon.

Now, I’m the first to admit that I’m usually rubbish at keeping any resolutions I make. But this year I don’t want to mess up on the whole ‘getting fit’ thing, as I put on a lot of weight during 2016 and it’s made me really unhappy.

So, I had a little think about what I could do to keep myself motivated, and it turns out that treating myself to some shiny new gym gear has worked wonders at getting my ass off the couch and onto the treadmill!

Today I thought I’d share some of my favourite pieces of gym gear that are available to buy at the moment. I’ve tried to include a mixture of budget beauties, along with some of the more expensive investment pieces that you can currently buy in the shops and online. And I think I’ve managed to come up with something for everybody.

I hope you guys like what I’ve picked out as much as I do. But beware, there’s a lot of stuff. It might take you all day to look at it all … I’m so sorry!!

01. #RWLFitties Hoodie, Results with Lucy
I mentioned before that I’ve been getting fit with Results with Lucy, so it will come as no surprise that I ended up looking at her online store and finding something I’d like! I think this grey hoodie would be perfect to throw on over my workout wear, and I like that it has the #RWLFitties hashtag on the back as it would remind me to keep sharing my results with all the other lovely ladies and gents who have signed up to the programme. Their support has been amazing so far and I love seeing how other people are doing too.

02. Pink Backpack, Nike
At the moment I don’t use a backpack, as I work out from home. But I’m thinking of trying to get back into dance this year, and if I do then I’ll definitely be wanting a nice pink backpack like this one. It’s too cute!!

03. Grey Strappy Sports Bra with Pink Trim, Nike
As you’ll probably be able to tell by the time you get to the end of this blog post, I’m a big fan of Nike for gym gear, and I especially love their sports bras. I currently have my eye on this grey strappy sports bra with pink trim because not only is it in my favourite colours, but it will go perfectly with so many other items in my workout wardrobe. And that’s a good enough excuse to buy it, right?

04. Black Shorts with Pink Waistband, Nike
Now, I don’t usually wear shorts when I work out. I much prefer leggings. But I feel like this particular pair of shorts were made to be worn with the grey and pink sports bra I mentioned above. They’d look great together. Enough said.

05. Seamless Gradient Leggings, Ivy Park
I’ve been a big fan of Beyonce’s workout wear brand ‘Ivy Park’ since its launch last year, and I’m even more impressed with this season’s line than I was with the last. It’s safe to say you’ll be seeing a lot of it in this post, starting with this gorgeous pair of seamless gradient leggings. I love anything with a gradient/ombre effect, and with these being in black and grey colours they’re right up my street. Love them!

06. Grey Metallic Mesh and Neoprene Trainers, Nike
Next up I’ve picked out these beautiful grey mesh trainers from Nike. They have a subtle splash of pink mixed in with it and black, neoprene detailing all over. I’m guessing you can see a bit of a theme occurring with the pieces I’ve picked out now?! I’ll apologise in advance as it’s only going to get worse. LOL.

07. Blue Running Jacket, Sweaty Betty
Sweaty Betty gym gear is just fantastic quality, and everything I’ve ever bought from there is still going strong. I love this cobalt blue running jacket with a layered effect that they have in stock at the moment. I think it would look super flattering, but be practical at the same time as it’s lightweight and vented, and has a pack away hood to protect you from bad weather. What more could you ask for?!

08. Pink ‘Witness the Fitness’ Water Bottle, New Look
New Look does some fantastic budget-friendly gym gear, and one of the things I currently have my eye on is this transparent pink water bottle with the words ‘Witness the Fitness’ emblazoned across the front in silver writing. I feel it’s practical but fun at the same time. Definitely right up my street. What do you guys think of it?

09. Pink Marl Zip Front Sports Bra, Myprotein
I’m not entirely sure I’d be brave enough to wear this zip front sports bra from Myprotein (I mean, what if someone unzipped it while I wasn’t paying attention?), but I love the pink and grey marl colour and it’s super stylish as well. I’m a fairly new visitor to the Myprotein website, but I’ve noticed that they have some gorgeous workout wear and nutritional products for sale. Plus, if you visit their site from the fitness website, gym-talk.com, you could save yourself some money by using their Myprotein discount codes. And who doesn’t love saving themselves a bit of money?

10. Pixel Print Running Leggings, Boohoo
I love the pixelated detail on these budget-friendly running leggings from Boohoo. And the black mesh panels give them a seriously edgy vibe too. What’s not to love about them?!

11. Pink Burnout Open Back Sleeveless Sports Top, New Look
When I first decided I was going to sign up to the Results with Lucy programme, I went shopping for gym gear and came home with just one thing – this pink burnout sports top with an open back from New Look. I love it because not only is it purse-friendly, but it’s comfortable to wear and is made from a special fabric that moves moisture away from the body. I think it looks great over a plain black sports bra, and I’m actually tempted to pick it up in another colour as it’s available in light grey and charcoal as well.

12. Seamless Double Layer Workout Bra, Ivy Park
I told you you’d be seeing more items from Ivy Park! I love the double-layered effect on this workout bra. I think this would look great with either plain black leggings, or the Ivy Park seamless gradient leggings I mentioned before.

13. Ombre Running Shoes, Nike
We’re moving the ombre trend down to the feet now with this gorgeous pair of trainers from (you guessed it), Nike! I love how the gradient moves from a dark grey towards the back of the shoe, to a much paler grey at the front. I think they’re absolutely gorgeous, and I wouldn’t hesitate to wear these for working out or as part of a casual, everyday outfit.

14. 2 x 2kg Neoprene Dumbbells, Argos
Since I started working out, I’ve been using two small bottles of water as hand weights. And although they do a great job, I really want some proper little dumbbells. I found this pack of 2 x 2kg neoprene dumbbells at Argos that are really affordable, and look great. I could definitely see me using these as part of my workouts.

15. ‘After This We’re Getting Pizza’ Exercise Mat, Ban.Do
Something else I could really do with is a proper exercise mat, and this one from Ban.Do at ASOS made me chuckle when I saw it. The mat itself is a really beautiful, pale pink colour. And then it has the words ‘After this we’re getting pizza’ written down the front. I haven’t ever fancied a pizza after a workout session, but sometimes I do crave a sweet treat so I definitely feel this mat was made for someone like me!

16. Red Fierce Print Cropped Hoodie, New Look
You may have noticed that I like wearing hoodie’s whilst working out (or more specifically, warming up), and I absolutely love this red hooded top from New Look. It has the word ‘Fierce’ running up one arm in big, white lettering, and is cropped so it’s right on-trend. I think it’s probably aimed at younger women than me, but I’d still wear it. What about you guys?

17. Black Marble Print Sports Leggings, New Look
Marble prints have been everywhere this last year or so, and it looks like they’re going to be staying even longer, making these gorgeous printed sports leggings from New Look super trendy! I think they’d look great with a plain coloured tank top and white trainers. Do you agree?

18. Graffiti Print Racer Back Scoop Vest, Myprotein
I’ve always thought that blue and black worked well together, despite my mum always telling me it was a no-no as I was growing up. I think this lovely looking racer back scoop vest in black with a blue graffiti print proves I was right! I’d team it with black leggings and trainers to achieve a cool, chilled out sort of look.

19. Seamless Fishnet Sports Bra, Ivy Park
I love how sophisticated this black sports bra with fishnet detailing from Ivy Park is! I could actually imagine Beyonce herself wearing something like this in a music video. I think it would go beautifuly with pretty much every pair of leggings I’ve mentioned in this post. What do you think?

20. Black Cropped Running Leggings, Sweaty Betty
I generally keep my gym gear pretty plain and simple, which is why I love this pair of black cropped running leggings from Sweaty Betty. They have a small white line on each leg, but other than that they’re pretty much your classic black bottoms. I like the sound of the fabric they’re made of though – it’s supposed to sculpt and lift the bum and slim the silhouette. And I could definitely do with that sort of help!

21. Pink Padded Sports Bra, Sweaty Betty
I really love multi-strap sports bras, and this one is in a perfect shade of pink. I would wear this to work out in for sure!

22. Black Reflective Trim Sports Jacket, New Look
If you enjoy running then this black sports jacket from New Look with a reflective trim could be just what you’re looking for! It’s made of a breathable fabric in a casual fit, has simple long sleeves with thumb holes and looks more expensive than it actually is. I’m thinking of investing in this myself (even though you’re very unlikely to ever see me running!)

23. Seamless Gradient Hoodie, Ivy Park
More gradient/ombre loveliness in black and grey … what’s not to love?

24. Mesh Back Tank Top, Ivy Park
If I manage to find a local dance class that caters for adults then I’m definitely going to treat myself to this mesh back tank top from Ivy Park. It’s in a white fabric with black mesh in the front V and at the back. And it looks like it’s quite a generous fit too, which is perfect as I’ll be wanting to hide my rather massive bum!

25. Bikini Pink Drinks Bottle, S’well
I just had to give a shout out to this bikini pink drinks bottle from S’Well as I use mine all the time when I’m working out! It’s super sleek, sophisticated looking and the mouth is even wide enough to stick some ice cubes into. This is pure bliss when you’re hot and sweaty!!

26. TechLoom Phantom Mesh Trainers, Athletic Propulsion Labs
I love these all-red mesh trainers from Athletic Propulsion Labs. They’re perfect for both working out and for wearing day to day in the outside world!

27. Dark Grey Space Dye Long Sleeved Sports Top, New Look
And last but not least is a dark grey space dye long sleeved sports top from New Look that I definitely want to get for wearing on mornings when it’s really cold but I still have a workout to do. I think it looks stunning!

What do you guys think of the gym gear I picked out for today’s post?
And do you have any recommendations for other brands I may have missed?
Don’t forget to let me know in the comments below!
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