From seaweed spaghetti to breakfast sprinkles, Healthista’s Bodyologist blogger Helen Foster brings you 7 body trends not to miss this month
1. HOT TREND: Sea spaghetti
Courgetti is so last summer. For this autumn, the low-carb green stuff to put on your plate is Atlantic Kitchen’s Sea Spaghetti (£5.95). Made from thin strips of iodine rich seaweed simply pop it in boiling water and simmer for a few minutes and you’re good to go. Green not your colour? Then try the Dulse Seaweed
(£5.95) – it’s a fantastic pink. Note, they say you can also eat it straight from the pack. I tried that, it’s a) chewy and b) tastes a bit like getting a mouthful of seawater. The smell does make you think you’re at the seaside though. Find the range at natreco.com.
2. COMING SOON: The Clean and Lean Café
If you’re shopping in Central London there’s a new healthy place to lunch– the team behind the super-hot gym Bodyism (and the Clean and Lean eating plan) are branching into cafés. Later this month sees the opening of ‘Clean and Lean To Go’ on the ground floor of the Fenwick of Bond Street department store in, erm, Bond Street. Selling a mix of healthy drinks, snacks and smoothies you’ll also be able to pick up Clean and Lean products. Oh, and there’s also a Clean and Lean restaurant coming to London’s Westbourne Grove too. Watch this space for details on that.
3. EXERCISE NEWS: Barre Goes Mainstream
Barre workouts which combine pilates, ballet and yoga are the muscle sculpting secret of heaps of London’s beautiful bodies – but now they’re going more mainstream as Virgin Active launch a Barre class at selected clubs. I haven’t had a chance to try it yet but I did do a taster class of super exclusive Paola’s BodyBarre recently and I can see why it works. There was heaps of core work, some resistance bands – and trying to get your leg up on a ballet barre is a lot harder than it looks. Embracing your inner ballerina with the plies is fun though. For more information check out virginactive.co.uk
4. KIT BAG MUST HAVE: The Pre- Workout Muscle Rub
One reason I haven’t done Barre yet is that my back is not happy –I can run, but the muscles are super tight and it’s giving me ‘I’m angry’ warnings if I try anything too bendy. I’ve therefore been very grateful that I was one of the first people to test Deep Heat’s latest invention. Called Muscle Massage Roll On Lotion, (right) the idea is that you use it before your workout to gently loosen your muscles and get them ready for activity. It’s just as warm as the original, but doesn’t have that iconic smell, and yes, it does loosen everything up quite nicely. Get it from pharmacies for £4.99.
5. INNOVATIVE WEARABLE ALERT: The HAPI Activity Tracker
Yes, yes, I thought the same when I first saw the details on the HAPI Activity Tracker – another wristband that tells you how much exercise you’re doing, what you’ve eaten and how much you’re sleeping – then I saw the interesting bit; this one comes with its own nutritionist to help support your goals. Upload photos of your meals via the app and a nutritionist will check them out and offer advice. It’s so super new I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but one is winging its way over as I type. Keep your eyes peeled on health-e-helen for my verdict in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, see more at www.hapi.com/hapicoach.
6. ON SHELF NOW: Helen’s Breakfast Sprinkles
Oooh, someone made products with my name on… and what nice products they are too! The idea is that you add the crunchy mixes to your normal breakfast of choice to add a dose of extra protein. This is good as it’ll help balance blood sugar and keep you fuller longer than cereal alone. My fave is the Breakfast Protein Crunch which combines soy protein and raspberries… I admit, I may have skipped the cereal and just had my allotted two tablespoons of this with milk instead! See more at foodbyhelen.com.
7. SHOPPING TIME: Style Sportif
For many reasons, the ‘wear your fitness kit anywhere’ sportsluxe trend has kind of passed me by – but I had to admit that the range at new activewear website Style Sportif is a bit more interesting than most. I’m quite taken with the £80 Tribal Yellow Yoga Mat (below) and the £18 Hey Holla Drop It Like a Squat Gym Bag makes me laugh (expect it to be instagrammed to death). Admittedly I’m not sure why anyone needs a £29.95 faux crocodile effect water bottle, but hey, part of the price goes to charity so I’ll work with it. See the full range – including lots of nice kit too – at stylesportif.com
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lthista’s Bodyologist Helen Foster blogs daily on all things health, fitness and diet related. Follow her @healthehelen.
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