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Looking After Your After Workout Glow

It is long reported that working out gives you a natural, after workout glow. However, did you realise the importance in cleansing, hydrating, and moisturising your skin afterwards?

One of the reasons working out gives you that glow is the increased blood flow to your skin which enhances the pumping of blood and nutrients around your body, including your face. However, sweat, makeup and bacteria and dirt from touching equipment can cause your skin to breakout if not cared for properly afterwards.

The simple answer to help create a healthy, breakout-free after workout natural glow is to:

  • Cleanse you skin straight after working out with a gentle cleanser. This will remove any build up of salt from sweat, makeup, bacteria or dirt. It is important to use a gentle cleanser as your skin tends to be more sensitive straight after a workout.
  • Give your skin a hydration boost with hyaluronic acid. The salt from sweat can cause your skin to become dry and itchy. A hydration boost will put much needed hydration back into your skin and help you skin absorb moisturiser even better.
  • Use a lightweight moisturiser to lock the moisture back into your skin.  
  • To finish off, apply some sunscreen and makeup or ditch the makeup and relish in your own, natural, healthy glow.

Another important step in ensuring a breakout-free workout is to remove any makeup prior to working out. This is because makeup will act as a barrier to sweat leading to a build up of sweat and bacteria under your makeup.

There are plenty of products in the market to help you prep before and after your workout; however, we love to use our FitBondz gym buddies listed below.

Superfood Cleanser

Our Superfood Cleanser is a sulphate free, gentle foaming gel that contains a mix of Parsley, Green Tea, Wheatgrass and Alfalfa to provide a deep cleanse and amazing anti-oxidant boost to the skin.

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid is a powerful hydrating serum that can hold 1000 times its weight in water. Our Hyaluronic Acid, one of the strongest on the market, works with Water and Radish Root to effectively deliver moisture to your skin regardless of your skin type to provide an immediate hydration boost and plump and rejuvenate your skin – perfect for an after workout hydration boost.

Superfood Moisturiser

Our Superfood Moisturiser is a lightweight moisturiser packed full of anti-oxidants that help fight nasty free radical damage which speeds up ageing.  It contains nurturing ingredients including Mangosteen, Rice Protein, and Vitamin A & E infused Wheatgrass to help lock in moisture to your skin and help make your skin appear more youthful.

The Pointy Pineapple

To me, pineapple means summer. It’s a thirst quencher, makes a great pina colada and goes great barbecued on burgers. However, we love it for one more reason – the goodness it provides our skin.

Pineapple’s secret killer weapon is bromelain which are enzymes that naturally digest dead skin cells by breaking down protein and therefore promoting cell regeneration. This is a much gentler alternative to acidic exfoliants (i.e. alpha and beta hydroxy acids).

In addition, pineapple is rich in Vitamin E and C which will help make your skin brighter and smoother and antioxidants which help fight against free radical damage from the environment. It is also anti-inflammatory helping soothe problematic skin.

Pineapple is good for those with sensitive skin seeking an alternative to harsher acidic exfoliants. People with problematic skin or acne will also benefit from its anti-inflammatory properties.

Due to its skin care benefits, pineapple can be found in a range of products including cleansers, scrubs, masks and lotions. We too use pineapple. It is one of our active ingredients in our Enzyme Exfoliating Mask. Our Enzyme Exfoliating Mask gently prevents and helps restore skin outbreaks leaving your skin feeling soft and purified. For an added boost, you can leave the mask on for an additional 5-10 minutes.

So….. get your pineapple on!

Three Ways to Kill Boredom

When you have some downtime, it’s only natural to start feeling a bit bored and unmotivated and when I am feeling like this, I am generally faced with three options. The first, lay on the couch and channel surf. The second open a bottle of pinot gris and start chugging. Or the third somehow find the motivation to get off my butt and do something with the day. Surprisingly, using the below three steps, I more often than not am able to motivate myself and end up achieving something. And ultimately, I then celebrate my achievement with a glass of pinot gris. Happy that I both got something done for the day and happy that I lasted until after 3pm for my first glass.

Write a To Do List

My first step is to list out things I need to do today. I include everything – brushing my teeth, having a shower and any jobs I need to do. A to do list helps you visually see everything that needs to be done in your day and gives you a sense of achievement as you start ticking jobs off one by one. Another potential benefit – according to a Baylor University study, writing a to do list may aide in falling asleep at night (1). The study advised that writing down tasks that need to be done may help off-load anxiety of thinking about what needs to be done at night. Whilst they advised further study is required to strengthen results – it can’t hurt, right?

declutter your life

Spare 30 Minutes to a Pamper Sesh

Grab a face mask, a magazine and pour yourself a cup of tea. Finish the last ten minutes with mindfulness meditation and feel revitalised and refreshed. Make this time about you and just relax. If you don’t have a mask at home why not make one? I have used the Marie Claire avocado and cocoa mask and really enjoyed it – see the recipe here (2).

declutter your life

Pick a Cupboard and Clean It

Nothing gives me greater satisfaction then resolving a cluttered cupboard that has somehow ended up being the “shove and hide things” cupboard. There is plenty of research out there that demonstrates a link towards positivity and decluttering but for me – it’s about being able to access things easily and quickly. The removal of chaos. And reducing the amount of dust that gets collected by items I no longer use. It is nice to sit back with a glass of pinot gris and look at the sense of organisation decluttering achieves.

declutter your life

Mindfulness

Let’s face it – our lives are jammed packed and stressed to the max. Whether it’s balancing study with friends and work, or family, work and children, it is difficult to switch off.

This is why it is even more important to forget everything that is going on in your life and relax. Mindfulness is a great way to do this. Mindfulness is about paying attention to what is happening in the present moment. Your breathing, your feelings, sounds, taste. In doing so, you become more aware of each moment and have a deeper appreciation.

Mindfulness origins stem from the Eastern world; however has become popular in western society as a way to relax and reduce stress. In fact it is believed that mindfulness can also improve sleep, reduce chronic pain, increase emotional intelligence and help manage depression.

Another area of research that is growing is the benefits of mindful eating and the positive impact on weight-loss (1). To do this you need to sit down and unplug from your meals, eat slowly and savour your food, make eating a sensory experience and be your own hunger expert (2). It helps us gain a deeper appreciation of every meal transforming our relationship with food on the why and how we are eating (3). Have you ever had a nice glass of red that you get lost in the moment?

If you are struggling to sleep at night, listening to ten minutes of mindfulness meditation can really help you switch off, relax and get your mind ready for sleep.

If you just need 10 minutes for yourself, you can also pop on a face mask, pour a cup of tea and listen to some mindfulness meditation.

We think practising mindfulness is just as important as exercising our bodies which is why we have included mindfulness in our database. If you are feeling a little out of sorts, why not give it a try? We have included three of our favourite mindfulness videos below for you to try.

1. Mindfulness Mediation – Guided 10 Minutes by The Honest Guys – Meditations – Relaxation

2. Mindfulness Mediation to Help Relieve Anxiety and Stress by WiseMindBody

3. 20 Minutes Mindfulness for Being Present by The Mindful Moment

(1). Healthbeat. Mindful Eating May Help with Weight Loss. Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/mindful-eating-may-help-with-weight-loss
(2) Jennifer Weinberg. The Mindfulness Diet: The Link Between Mindfulness, Blood Sugar, and Weight. The Choppra Centre. https://chopra.com/articles/the-mindfulness-diet-the-link-between-mindfulness-blood-sugar-and-weight
(3) Headspace. Mindful Eating. https://www.headspace.com/mindfulness/mindful-eating

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

This is one of my favourite work lunches – you can add just about whatever salad and protein you want. I tend to use my left over salads from any BBQs or dinners over the weekend and add a bit of tofu. For noodles, I also like to add konyaku noodles which are an Asian noodle made out of the konyaku plant. These noodles are almost 0 calorie and high in fibre. They don’t have any taste, I add it purely for the texture. They aren’t suitable for children or elderly though as they can be difficult to swallow if not properly chewed. 

Ingredients:

Rice Paper

Konyaku noodles or rice noodles

Lettuce

Purple cabbage thinly sliced

A grated carrot

One cucumber sliced thinly into small sticks

One avocado sliced thinly

Mint leaves

Corriander 

Protein of your choice (prawn, tofu, egg, chicken etc – make sure it’s cooked first)

Sauce

3 table spoons of peanut butter

1 table spoon of hoisin sauce

1 clove of crushed garlic 

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

Sriracha to taste for a bit of heat

Three tablespoons of water to thin

Directions:

Get each of your ingredients layed out on a dish. 

Get two large plates, fill one with hot water from the kettle, and place the other one beside it. 

Soak a rice paper sheet in the water until it is almost soft. Take it out, shake off the water and place on the next plate. Start layering the rice paper in the middle. I always place my brightly colored food down first as this is what will show on top after you have rolled it. For example, place three mint leaves down first, then add the sliced avocado and the the tofu. Add the noodles to one side and add the lettuce, cabbage and carrot to the other. 

Then like a burrito, fold each end up over the filling, then bring one of the sides up over the filling and roll it up. 

What I love most about these, is you can go crazy on colour, or use these as a way to finish off any salad. 

For the sauce, I simply mix all the ingredients together. 

Enjoy 🙂

Chasing Tight Abs?

We have found the best 10 minute workouts for women. Do these by themselves, or add them to the end of your daily routine – get ready to feel the burn!

10 Minute Six Pack Workout by Pamela RF

10 Minute Stomach Workout with Alexis Ren

10 Minute Intense Core Workout – Flat Stomach Exercise with Rebecca Louise

Intense Core Workout Routine – 10 Minutes Flat Stomach Exercise with Chloe Ting

10 Minute Abs Workout for Beginners

10 Minutes Belly Workout to Get a Flat Stomach in 30 Days with Chloe Ting

Ultimately Natural Protein Pancakes

Have you tried banana pancakes that are just egg and banana? It is such a great way to curve those sugar cravings. We have boosted this simple recipe by adding Ultimately Natural Organic Vegan Vanilla Protein to give it a bit more of a protein punch. It is great for breakfast, or following a workout as a snack.

Ingredients:
2 scoops of Ultimately Natural Organic Vegan Vanilla Protein
2 large eggs
1 large ripe banana
140 ml water, soy milk or almond milk
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)

Method:
Mash banana in a mixing bowl. Add eggs, water, Ultimately Natural protein powder and cinnamon to the bananas and mix together. Heat a non-stick pan on medium to low heat and add about ¼ cup of the batter to the pan flipping after about 2 minutes and cook the other side for two minutes. Be careful when flipping as the batter can fall apart if done too quickly. Serve with banana, crushed almonds, blueberries, honey or maple syrup.

Protein Pancake

Feeling Stressed?

Read about mindfulness and how this can help you switch off.

Let’s face it – our lives are jammed packed and stressed to the max. Whether it’s balancing study with friends and work, or family, work and children, it is difficult to switch off.

This is why it is even more important to forget everything that is going on in your life and relax. Mindfulness is a great way to do this. Mindfulness is about paying attention to what is happening in the present moment. Your breathing, your feelings, sounds, taste. In doing so, you become more aware of each moment and have a deeper appreciation.

Mindfulness origins stem from the Eastern world; however has become popular in western society as a way to relax and reduce stress. In fact it is believed that mindfulness can also improve sleep, reduce chronic pain, increase emotional intelligence and help manage depression.

Another area of research that is growing is the benefits of mindful eating and the positive impact on weight-loss (1). To do this you need to sit down and unplug from your meals, eat slowly and savour your food, make eating a sensory experience and be your own hunger expert (2). It helps us gain a deeper appreciation of every meal transforming our relationship with food on the why and how we are eating (3). Have you ever had a nice glass of red that you get lost in the moment?

We think practising mindfulness is just as important as exercising our bodies which is why we have included mindfulness in our database. If you are feeling a little out of sorts, why not give it a try? We have included three of our favourite mindfulness videos below for you to try.

1. Mindfulness Mediation – Guided 10 Minutes by The Honest Guys – Meditations – Relaxation

2. Mindfulness Mediation to Help Relieve Anxiety and Stress by WiseMindBody

3. 20 Minutes Mindfulness for Being Present by The Mindful Moment

(1). Healthbeat. Mindful Eating May Help with Weight Loss. Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/mindful-eating-may-help-with-weight-loss
(2) Jennifer Weinberg. The Mindfulness Diet: The Link Between Mindfulness, Blood Sugar, and Weight. The Choppra Centre. https://chopra.com/articles/the-mindfulness-diet-the-link-between-mindfulness-blood-sugar-and-weight
(3) Headspace. Mindful Eating. https://www.headspace.com/mindfulness/mindful-eating

Yogurt, Peach and Muesli Breakfast Bowl

A snappy healthy and yummy breakfast or brunch idea.

Ingredients:
Probiotic Yogurt
Muesli
Seed mix
Peach

Method:
Add yogurt into a bowl and sprinkle muesli and seeds on top. Add sliced peach and enjoy ?

Raw Pad Thai

I have to admit, I was pretty apprehensive about a raw pad Thai. The noodles are my favourite part and filling – but this was amazing. It is a good mix of vegetables. You can have this as it is or add any type of protein you want. I used fried egg, which was enough for me, but you can make this your own.

Salad:
1 large zucchini
1 red capsicum
1 large carrot
¼ red cabbage
1 cup of bean sprouts
½ cup of walnuts
1 chilli for heat
Coriander leaves

Peanut Sauce:
½ peanut butter
¼ lime juice
2 table spoons soy sauce
2 table spoons of sesame oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons grated ginger
2 tablespoons water

Directions:

Grate zucchini and carrot into long thin strips. Slice capsicum and red cabbage into thin slices. Add all into a bowl and add bean sprouts. Crush the walnuts and rip the leaves of the coriander and add both to the bowl. Mix everything together. Slice and add chilli for heat if desired.

For the sauce, mix all ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Plate up the salad, add protein if you want and add sauce over the top. Serve with a wedge of lime.

Pad Thai