We’re only a week into August, I’ve already made enough purchases to put together a healthy haul post AND I’ve signed up for a long weekend yoga retreat in Cornwall in September. However, as I’ve said before (here), I happily write-off any and all even vaguely health-related buys as an investment in my health and so they don’t come with a side order of guilt. It’s feel good shopping, if you like. Without further ado here are my feel good buys this month so far…
Pro Classic Bra, £22, Nike
I own more sports bras than actual bras. I’d suspected as much but I just counted to make sure. My collection includes a tie dye one, a floral patterned one and a sparkly one (yes, really) as well as lots of black ones in various shapes. The majority are light in support, which was fine when all I was doing was yoga, but now I’ve added running and circuit training into my exercise mix I need bras that will stop my boobs bouncing around uncomfortably during high impact workouts. This one is classed as medium support and made it home with me due to its great fit, simple style and the fact that it’s grey. A high proportion of my workout wardrobe is grey. I think it has something to do with watching Rocky a lot as a kid…
You can buy it here
Signal Mezzo Tank, £20, Nike
Not only has Nike Training Club inspired me to mix up my workouts, the trainers are also inspiring my workout style. Tana Von Zitzewitz, who leads the Monday evening classes at Nike Westfield Stratford works a vest-top-over-visible-bra look which is so damn cool I’m totally stealing it (as well as having excellent style and possibly the best name ever, she’s also an awesome trainer – her classes are creative and fun and she pushes us HARD). When I was trying on sports bras, I took this top – which I’ve been coveting for ages – into the changing room with me. It worked so well with the bra I just had to buy it. The two pieces belong together. Who am I to argue?! Also, animal print… (for more animal print buys click here).
The colour I’ve got doesn’t appear to be available online, although I only bought it instore on Tuesday, but you can buy it in light grey, fuchsia or purple here
The Natural Cook by Tom Hunt, £13.60, Amazon
My healthy cookbook collection is getting out of hand. There are plenty of recipes I’m yet to try from the ones I’ve bought over the past few months. Somebody needs to stage an intervention. I mean how many healthy cookbooks does a person need? I have a problem. I know this. But when I spotted The Natural Cook in my favourite bookshop (Artwords in Broadway Market fyi) I persuaded myself there was room for just one more on my already groaning bookshelves. Mixing beautiful photography and illustrations, The Natural Cook foucusses on 26 hero ingredients, divided by season. For each ingredient the book suggests three ways to prepare it and then three to four ideas for using the ingredient as prepped. For example when it comes to courgettes it suggests chargrilling them, transforming them into courgetti or sautéing them with mint, which can then be turned into, amongst other things, a salad of sun-dried tomatoes, oregano and walnuts (the sautéed courgettes and mint), courgette and feta fritters (courgetti) and frittata (the chargrilled courgettes). The point of the book is to inspire you to eat seasonally and use every last bit of an ingredient, helping you eat better and save money. See, not just an investment in my health, this book will help my bank balance too.
You can buy it here
Honey & Propolis 2-in-1 Cream Cleanser, £11.50, Bee Good
I like to use a wash-off cleanser but all too often they leave the dry part of my combination skin feeling tighter and more parched than ever, so I expected similar from this product. How wrong I was. British brand Bee Good’s Honey & Propolis 2-in-1 Cream Cleanser is rich and creamy in consistency, and comes with a muslin cloth to whisk away dead skin cells. It leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth and, I swear, looking clearer and more glowy than it has done in a long time. Bee Good’s philosophy is to stay away from stuff like parabens, SLS, SLES and synthetic colours, focussing instead on high quality natural ingredients. Also a share of their profits goes to support British bees. Sweet.
You can buy it here
The Pumpkin, 89p, Rude Health
The lovely weather we’ve been having lately has turned my regular yoga classes into sweaty sessions that are verging on Bikram hot. By the end of class I’m usually in need of an instant energy hit and so I always have one of these bars in my bag. They’re a yummy mash up of dates, almonds, pumpkin seeds, actual pumpkin and apple, flavoured with cinnamon and ginger. They’re also high in fibre and wheat and gluten free. On the downside they’re astonishingly high in sugar – 17 grams per bar to be precise – although, to be fair, not of the refined kind. Still, the sugar haters wouldn’t approve.
You can buy them here
What healthy purchases have you made recently? Which brand of sports bras do those of you who run and/or do high impact workouts swear by? Any great healthy cookbooks you’ve bought that I need to add to my collection before someone stages that intervention? What post-workout snacks do you keep in your gym bag? I’d love to know!
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Oh no another healthy cook book to add to my list. I’m become slightly obsessed with this clean eating thing. I brought Hemsley+Hemsley last week and highly recommend.
What have you cooked so far from H+H Kirsty? I’ve made the beef ragu and courgetti multiple times, it’s so good!
The beef ragu and courgetti is my favourite. I also recommend the avocado lime cheesecake. I really like their book, the pictures are fab.
It’s such a beautiful book. The lime cheesecake sounds amazing. I’ll have to organise a dinner party!
I am in desperate need of a new sports bra but it’s always such a nightmare to find one! Nike ones just don’t cut it so I have to opt for something built by a structural engineer…! And they never come in flattering colours or designs – yes, it’s generally just a practical item, but doesn’t mean I don’t want it to have some sense of style!
Totally agree with you Jo, I want my sports bras to look good too! Hmm, I have a couple of good ones from Lululemon, including a high support one I use for running, but I bought them a couple of years ago and not sure they do the same styles.
I’m also becoming obsessed with clean eating (totally inspired by this blog) and I’ve been all over Deliciously Ella lately. Also check out Fitter Food too, their book is brilliant.
Deliciously Ella is such a great blog and app, I’m really looking forward to the cookbook (even though I already have enough healthy recipes to keep me going for ages!). I haven’t come across Fitter Food Lynne, will check them out.
I use a shock absorber sports bra for all of my running/high impact workouts. I find it provides great support so can highly recommend!
That’s great to know Emma, thank you. I just took a look at their website, they’ve really moved the designs on, they were a bit boring last time I bought one (which, to be fair, was quite a long time ago!).
I would agree with that Miranda – although they now seem to do some colourful ones which is nice. I like them purely for the support they offer (because I do a lot of running), but can see how they wouldn’t necessarily appeal for a yoga class or something similar!
Whats the nike pro classic like fit wise and ermm holding in? full structural feels too restrictive for yoga but I don’t want to be flashing everyone!
It’s sleek and snug without pinching or digging in anywhere and doesn’t feel restrictive but I don’t feel as if anything will be, erm, popping out Clare!
That’s great to know Miranda. I lean towards the “gifted” end of the spectrum haha but sounds like I may be able to get away with one of these! will definitely look into this. Theres also a nike outlet store 40 mins away from me yay!
I really struggle finding nice sports bra’s – I need ones with a lot of engineering which is a total pain 🙁 I would love to master the loose top and bra on display look! I go for sweaty betty tops as they’re lovely and also hide the bra!
In terms of cookbooks I would really recommend Honestly Healthy cookbooks (there are two of them) – it talks a lot about alkaline diet, which is interesting – not something I necessarily follow entirely, but eating well in the week helps me feel better about the wine and chocolate at the weekend.
I love these Healthy Haul posts, thanks Miranda x
Sweaty Betty stuff is lovely isn’t it? The new catalogue landed on my doorstep this morning and there are a couple of things I’ve got my eye on! I have the first Honestly Healthy book and some of the recipes have become real staples for me. I haven’t bought the second one though but good to hear you recommend. So happy to hear you’re enjoying the Healthy Haul posts Sian! x
I’m becoming obsessed with fitness/workout clothes of late – I’ve been going to the gym more and now just feel that my normal combo of leggings and vest look a bit shabby…not inspiring enough! Loving the look of the vest above (loves a bit of animal print I does!), have got a shock absorber sports bra but it felt like I was wearing a scuba suit across my chest the last time I wore it (hot weather + treadmill running = sweaty betty!)…might have to look into different support options!
Like these posts – always inspire me fitness/health wise, keep up the good work Miranda 🙂
Aw thank you Annie! I agree, having nice kit definitely inspires me to get out of the house and go to a class or for a run. I’ve had to minimise my kit even for yoga in this hot weather, I’m down to shorts, sports bra and loose cotton vest top as opposed to my usual long leggings and tight stretch tops, can’t really go much further!
I know?! My gym as air con (read:- big fan), but it’s super loud which isn’t what you want for yoga/body balance etc! I’m sticking with full length leggings until I invest in my own yoga mat…the thought of sprawling around with less clothes on, on mats used by other (equally sweaty) people doesn’t fill me with happy thoughts 🙁 ACTUALLY…is there a yoga mat you would recommend?? And do you have to spend a decent amount on one, or are the cheaper ones ok??
For me it’s all about it being reasonably thick, so that there’s enough cushioning for my knees and wrists. I like the Manduka ones they use at my studio (I take along a thin Lululemon mat I got free at an event so there’s a layer between me and other people’s sweat!). I’ve also practiced on Eco Yoga mats which which lovely and eco friendly too. Have no idea what the mats themselves are like but I love the look of the mats at Yoga Design Lab.
Oh can I get in on the H+H action – I bought it a month ago after seeing it mentioned on here and we’ve just got organised this week to do recipes from it. We had the watercress and haloumi salad with corgetti fries on Monday night and it was sooooo tasty! Even my husband was raving and he is a meat man so for a veggie recipe like this to get the thumbs up is a big achievement! We’ve also had the fish n’ chips although we did sweet potato instead of celeriac. Beef ragu and last night I made the meatballs and cauliflower tabouli. I’m loving it 🙂
I am after some new running gear as the stuff I have is about 7 years old – I am planning to hit TK Maxx to see if I can pick up a bargain!
The watercress and halloumi salad with courgette fries on the side sounds delicious Lynn, halloumi and courgettes being two of my very favourite things! I’ve never thought about TK Maxx for sportswear but there’s one opening in Westfield (just around the corner from me) soon so I’ll definitely check it out.
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