I recently had the opportunity to share some thoughts with FashionMonitor.com for an interview ahead of a panel at the Festival of Marketing, on which I sat to discuss trends in the fitness industry. The interview caused me to think quite alot about several of the challenging topics posed to me. FashionMonitor presented a gently precised version of the interview HERE, but for those looking to explore the more complete answers I scribed, click MORE below to get my full thoughts on the trends shaping the industry at present and over the coming years, along with perceptions surrounding the influencer marketing world. (more…)
This is a short post-ette on seeking out acoustic motivation, in whatever form works for you! I’ve written extensively on the importance of setting goals, checking in on oneself, and measuring progress, but I believe that to achieve all of this, motivation is something that must be sought out every single day; as Zig Ziglar observed, ‘People often say that motivation doesn’t last – well, neither does bathing,that’s why we recommend it daily!’. I wanted to share with you one of the major ways in which I encounter and extract health and fitness motivation on a daily basis. The best bit is that you can do it anywhere, anytime and it costs nothing – whilst commuting, walking to work or the gym (my favourite), whilst cooking, cleaning or even whilst working. Podcasts not only deliver awesome and focussed motivation, but they’re informative and keep me entertained. As with everything, there are parts of certain pods I agree with and others I don’t, but it’s always interesting to hear different views. I’m broadening my horizons whilst accomplishing things I might not have wanted to accomplish, spurred along by this! Click MORE to see my top podcasts and my two items that deliver me pure audiophile bliss 🙂 (more…)
I’m so excited to have been featured in the latest edition of Grazia Magazine published today (and on the homepage of their online site HERE). With a focus on Instagram as their source of ‘fitspiration’ (I’m @fitnessontoast), they’ve listed me as one of their four most motivational fitness blogs! All I can say is ‘Grazia mille‘ guys, feeling very flattered 😀 My [belated] resolution to you, dear readers, is for plenty of delicious recipes, challenging workouts and chic looks to come in 2014. Stay tuned… Faya x
WHY TO SKIP? Skipping (or ‘jump rope’ in America) is a fantastic way to get fit! 20 minutes of intense skipping can burn 4-500 calories, not to mention the thermogenic after-effects that keep you burning calories all day! Walk into a boxing gym and it’s almost certain that all the boxers there skip – it’s not just for girls! It improves footwork, speed, coordination, stamina, agility, and it strengthens the muscles in your legs as well as your abdominal, back, chest, arms and shoulders muscles. Also it’s relatively low impact on the joints, yet high intensity, which gives a fabulous cardio workout that’s less dangerous and surely less strenuous than running.
HOW TO SKIP? Beginners, have patience. Skipping is not something you learn the first time so don’t give up in frustration after 5 minutes – stick with it! If you’re new to skipping, view it as a skill to learn before using it as a tool for conditioning. Once you have learned the skill you can start using it as a full-on workout! I suggest kicking off with frequent ’20-second-then-10-second-break’ skip sessions and extend the duration from there. It helps to practice in front of a mirror, viewed front and side-on. Start with the rope behind you, arms relaxed at your sides and rope on the ground. Use your wrist to turn the rope, keeping the rest of your arms as motionless as possible. As the rope approaches your feet jump lightly (from your toes) over the rope. Stay on the balls of your feet when you jump. Keep your knees slightly bent all along. It’ll feel unnatural at the start, but with a little practise, the technique will come!
WHERE TO SKIP? I recommend a shock absorbing surface – a sprung wooden floor, a gym mat, an outdoor track, or a tennis court. Theses surfaces are kinder to your ankles and feet.
WHAT ROPE TO GET? You’re spoilt for choice! Popular ropes include the speed rope, the digital rope and weighted rope. (Whatever you get make sure the length is correct. The way to measure it is to stand in the middle of the rope, & the handles should come up to your waist, lower ribs – if it reaches your shoulders it’s too long.)
a) The Speed rope: As the name suggests it’s lightweight and great for speed, great for warm ups, it’s cheap, light to carry around, but can make it harder for advanced foot work as it’s unweighted.
b) The digital rope: Through the magic of technology, it enables you to estimate the distance, revolutions of the rope and the amount of calories burnt. It’s similar to the speed rope in the way it’s so light, & therefore harder to do advanced foot work.
c) The weighted Rope: Weighted handles are great for wrist, forearm and triceps strength.
d) Personal Favourite? I recommend the Nike weighted jump rope – it’s a bit heavier than most speed ropes & it’s great for more complicated foot work. It’s slightly more expensive, but worth the investment I think!
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