Friday Feature: London Marathon Inspired Fitness

If you are anything like us at The Amazing Blog, then the fact that the London Marathon is this Sunday has inspired you to up your fitness game! While it is too late to actually take part and run in this year’s marathon there are still tonnes of cool and exciting ways to get fit this April. We’ve put together a list of great classes that will have you beach body ready for those summer plans, or have you fulfilling any resolutions you made at the beginning of the year that may have slipped your mind! The key to fitness success is to enjoy what you’re doing and we are sure that one of the classes below will inspire you to get active, and more importantly, stay active.

First on our list is 1Rebel, which you may recognise from your favourite fitness social media accounts or shows such as Made in Chelsea.

We recommend their ‘reshape’ classes which are 45 minutes of mental and physical intensity. It is an intensive group experience that is designed to condition and re-sculpt selected muscle groups. Their website says that ‘their patented 1R workout platform will help mould your body and break your barriers.’ This is an understatement, within a few sessions those wobbly arms and jiggly thighs will be gone. You are given your own workstation with dumbbells, resistance bands and a treadmill. You spend four minutes doing squats, chest presses, frog jumps and more before jumping on the treadmill for another four minutes to do interval sprints. With each set, the intensity increases, and with each the session, the effects are more and more noticeable.

What we really love about these classes is that while you work harder than you ever have before they’ll make the experience as easy as possible. There is no contract to sign and you simply go online and pay as you go. 1Rebel will provide you with towels, water and even makeup remover meaning that all you need to bring is yourself and a change of clothes. With a beautiful décor, you’ll feel like a celeb going to this gym. The changing rooms are fitted with copper lockers that look like something out of a sci-fi film, the benches are heated, and the vanity area is a dream with hair dryers, GHD straighteners and endless beauty products. Once you’ve worked out and done yourself up again, you can head to their bar upstairs called Roots and Bulbs for a delicious and nutritious juice or smoothie, or a free glass of prosecco on Fridays. It’s wonderful to feel so pampered after you’ve worked so hard and is a real incentive to keep going back.

Book your first class here and thank us later!

If you are looking for something a little different and quirky then Flying Fantastic’s Hoop Class is the fitness session for you! Classes take place on the Aerial Hoop, which is a circular steel ring, providing the perfect structure for your acrobatic moves. Flying Fantastic believes in inclusivity so whatever your ability or experience – from novice to Olympic gymnast – they will be able to cater to you and help you get the best from your experience. Each class has a ratio of 2 people per hoop and there are only ever 7 people per instructor so you know you’ll be getting the best out of this class.

The classes will have you progressively working on your core muscles and balance by focusing on developing your strength, stamina and flexibility. Core muscles are essential for executing the moves with confidence, so it helps if you have good core stability beforehand, but if not don’t worry as these will develop! The Hoop classes are an amazing way to hone your upper body muscle groups, so as well as a better range of motion and flexibility, you’ll have Michelle Obama arms in no time.

This is a perfect class for those who don’t take exercise too seriously, or are looking for a way to jazz up their fitness routine, all the while still working hard to develop your bodies.  
You can get involved here with an introductory offer of 3 classes for just £45

For all the swim buffs reading then do we have the perfect class for you!! Virgin Active has created an amazingly intensive, hour-long, swim session called hydro. The fast moving class combines full body training with expert coaching. Due to the weightless nature of the pool based exercise, this a brilliant way to push your body without straining your joints making this ideal for those with either joint problems or recovering from an injury.

This class is not for the faint-hearted, though, burning 400-600 calories a session, you have to be able to swim a minimum of 100m to join in. The Hydro class will push you both physically and mentally! Whether you are looking to train for an event or just on the hunt for a great and challenging workout, you’ll tone up, build strength and endurance, and improve your technique. Coaches will help you tackle a variety of exciting speed and distance challenges while using a variety of different strokes. 53 Virgin Active clubs run Hydro - so no excuses! 

1Rebel Reshape class, Flying Fantastic Hoop Class or a Hydro swimming session - which one will you choose?

Wild Alaskan Fish Oil - Wiley's Finest

Here at The Amazing Blog, we value the importance of looking after our bodies and staying healthy. So when we discovered Wiley's Finest all natural Fish Oil we were particularly pleased.

Who doesn’t remember, at least once, someone suggesting that you took fish oil when you were younger, especially around exam time? It is such an easy way to boost your memory, improve eyesight and improve brain function on the whole. It’s an easy way for you to help your brain, but it also has a seemingly never ending list of bodily benefits from improving the skin to strengthening the bones to boosting white blood cell production. Yet, despite the seemingly never-ending list of benefits acquired by taking a teaspoon a day, so many find the fish oil hard to swallow.

Wiley’s has created a variety of fish oils that come in two flavours, ‘Orange Burst’ and ‘Peak Omega-3 Liquid.’ While other companies may have created artificially flavoured fish oil, Wiley’s is made entirely of 100% natural ingredients, including wild Alaskan Pollock. The company is completely sustainable, and their products contain higher levels of both EPA and DHA than many other brands. As they say on their website, getting enough fish oil in today’s society is near impossible. So we would highly recommend this product, as not only was there no fishy taste but we immediately began to feel the effects. We felt healthier, more alert and more prepared than ever before. All you have to do is take a teaspoon a day to begin to feel the much-needed effects.

You can buy Wiley’s Wild Alaskan Fish Oil, Orange Burst flavour here for £17.99 and Peak Omega-3 Liquid here for £21.99

Health Supplements - Friday Favourites

At The Amazing Blog we know that beauty is not actually skin-deep and also comes from deep within. So it is important to look after your whole body in order to feel healthier, happier and more beautiful. With this in mind we have compiled a few of our favourite health supplements that will have you feeling, looking and being the best that you can be in no time.What is more, all of these products are so easy to add to your everyday routine that soon you won’t be able to live without them.

First on our list is the ever brilliant Kiki Health. We love this brand and actually featured them a few months ago in a blog post about healthy snacks. Today, however, we will be telling you about their superb supplement, called Natures Living Superfood. This product is so easy to incorporate into your daily routine and once you read more about it, we’re sure you will be as obsessed with it as we are!

Designed to support your daily nutritional needs, Nature’s Living Superfood is made from 34 carefully selected ingredients, consisting of plant juices, algaes, enzymes, sea vegetables and bacterial cultures. Not only is this made of entirely natural whole food ingredients but it is absolutely full of probiotics, all of which help aid the body in absorbing the nutrients it needs for digestive support.

You simply need to take ½ a teaspoon a day, which can increase to 1 teaspoon over time, and that’s it. The supplement can be added to a smoothie for an extra boost, or added to a glass of water and enjoyed by itself. We think it's a delicious addition on top of a salad. Suitable for vegans and wholly organic there is nothing we don’t love about this product.

You can buy Kiki Health's Nature's Living Superfood supplement here from only £7.00.

The next product to get you feeling beautiful on the inside and out comes from Terranova. Terranova has designed a wonderful Living Multinutrient Complex capsule. These capsules are a holistic innovation as the product uses whole, unadulterated, phytonutrient-rich foods and botanicals. With each ingredient having been carefully selected for its potential to fulfil particular functions the product has been designed to give you the best multipurpose protection.

Terranova have come up with the idea of synergistic nutrition which, simply put, means that each supplement and blend is holistically and synergistically designed for maximum absorption capacity in the body – so you will be able to absorb more of the important nutrients your body needs to be healthy.

These little capsules are perfect for those who feel tired in the day time or for those who have a tendency to catch colds. The ingredients help boost your immune system and are packed with antioxidants. All you have to do is take three a day, one with each meal, and you should begin to feel incredible effects within a few weeks. For more information, have a look at Living Nutrition's blog entry on the product - It's amazing what feremented turmeric can achieve!

You can purchase Living Multinutrient Complex capsules here for £27.25

Lastly, but by absolutely no means least, Living Nutrition’s Turmeric capsules. Turmeric Alive is known as ‘the king of herbs’ because of its powerful medicinal properties. The main component of the herb is curcumin, and it’s this that causes the wonderful health effects that taking turmeric daily will give you.

Turmeric Alive is an excellent supplement for many reasons, but particularly if you suffer from arthritis or joint problems as it acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory. It has also been shown to reduce your risk of heart and brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s. If these aren’t reasons enough to encourage you to begin taking turmeric, then you should also know that it has been shown to help the body in preventing cancer.

This particular brand of supplement is truly remarkable because Living Nutrition uses fermentation to help activate the properties in their herbs. The process of fermentation helps the body absorb and digest more of the beneficial nutrients in the food. By fermenting their turmeric Living Nutrition have produced a product that not only helps the body absorb more of the turmeric, but also lets this happen in a natural way. The problem with most other turmeric supplements is that they try to unnaturally increase its effect and the digestive system and body is unable to handle this. Living Nutrition’s product on the other hand is completely safe but still has enhanced effects. If you are interested in the product and want more information, have a look at Living Nutrition's blog entry on the product - It's amazing what feremented turmeric can achieve!

You can purchase Living Nutrition’s Turmeric capsules here for £24.99

Black Edition Liquid Mouthwash - Diamond Whites

Staying healthy is very important to most of us, but sometimes oral hygiene is overlooked past a quick brush of your teeth in the morning and night. The Amazing Blog has been trying out a new mouthwash by Diamond Whites – ‘Black Edition Liquid Mouthwash.’

The product is an oil pulling mouthwash with coconut oil. The oil is naturally antibacterial and the technique has been used for thousands of years as an Indian Ayurvedic remedy. Diamond Whites have created their modern version by adding a selection of essential oils chosen for their antimicrobial and soothing properties that work to reduce the amount of harmful bacteria in the mouth. Do not let the dark colour put you off! The unconventional colour is due to the addition of activated charcoal, a substance that has been used for centuries to cleanse and absorb toxins.

To use the mouthwash, simply shake the bottle and swish roughly 15ml of the wash in your mouth for 10-15 minutes. As the oil makes contact with your teeth and gums, microbes are drawn away from your mouth and attracted to the oil like a magnet. The oil ensures to reach those hard-to-reach places in your mouth that brushing misses. According to Diamond Whites, the oil needs to be swilled around for long enough for the oil to turn a milky white, which indicates that bacteria has been pulled away from the mouth.

The end result is a beautifully fresh and clean-feeling mouth. With continual use, the mouthwash will gently whiten the teeth as well! The Black Edition Liquid Mouthwash is made with organic coconut oil and peppermint essential oil, all wonderful ingredients that will leave you feeling squeaky clean.

Buy Diamond White’s Black Edition Liquid Mouthwash here for £9.99.

Kitchen Extras - Friday Favourites

While cooking can be therapeutic and fun, for a lot of us finding the time to create delicious meals can be really tough! Whether we are tired after work or are lacking inspiration, it's not always possible to create a delicious and well-balanced meal every day. However, not ones to compromise on the quality of our meals, all of us here at the Amazing Blog have rounded up our favourite cooking additions that are guaranteed to liven up any dish any day of the week!

Our first pick is Holy Lama's Spice Drops. The founders of Holy Lama wanted to create a range of products that were natural, ethical, and delicious. According to the brand, Spice Drops are the only thing you need to add spice and flavour to your cooking, and we could not agree more! These drops add a depth of flavour that would normally take hours of marinating to achieve. The wide range of drops are made from raw herbs and spices, all blended with oil to create authentic and tasty flavours.

Aside from their great taste, we really love Spice Drops because of their versatility! They are straightforward and convenient to use that they can be added to any dish at any stage of cooking. We were impressed with their broad range of flavours, from garlic and ginger to garam masala and turmeric. There are over 30 flavours. Moreover, Holy Lama has created unique Collection Boxes, meaning they make the perfect gifts for your wannabe gourmet chef friends. 

With their network of suppliers providing natural ingredients of the finest quality, we can always trust Spice Drops to add some zing to any meal. Try them yourself here from £4.00.

Moving over to the sweeter side of things, we have Big Tree Farms and their delicious and organic Coconut Nectars. If you are looking for an alternative to sweeteners, honey or syrups, you need to try this Coconut Nectar. The sweetener is a healthier alternative to many of the refined sugar versions out there and what's more the taste is unparalleled.

Coconut Nectar is formulated from pure coconut flower blossom nectar. The product is organic, certified fair trade, vegan, GMO and gluten-free, meaning everyone can enjoy this natural sweetener. The nectar is one of the lowest glycemic sweeteners out there, and it is high in nutrients and unrefined sugars, making it a delicious and healthy alternative.

The product comes in two flavours, Amber and Blonde. We were pleasantly surprised that the Amber was very close in taste to maple syrup, and the Blonde was closer to agave syrup. The product is multi-functional, and is able to dissolve in drinks, making it the perfect cure to bland breakfasts as it makes a fabulous addition to hot drinks, smoothies, porridge, pancakes and more!

Try Coconut Nectar from Big Tree Farms here for £9.12.

Cooking sauces are probably the most convenient and helpful kitchen helpers you can have when you're strapped for time! The problem, though, is that so often store-bought sauces are bland and laden with sugar and salt. This is not the case with Capsicana though, who have changed the game with their vibrant Cook Sauces inspired by Latin-American flavours.

With four fantastic flavours hailing from Mexico, Brazil, and Peru, these sauces are sure to tantalise your taste buds. We loved that the products range from mild to hot, so there is something everybody can enjoy. Our favourite flavours were Chilli and Coconut and Chilli and Honey.  From stir-fry to chicken dishes, you can be as creative as you like with these tasty packets, wowing friends and family with your cooking skills.

The packs come with suggested unique and exciting recipes and the products don't contain any artificial colourings or flavourings, making them a convenient and healthy addition to your meals. Meaning while you save on time you're not compromising on healthiness.

Try something new with Capsicana's Latin Cook Sauces, available here for £1.49.

From Latin America to Spain now with Delicioso, a passionate Spanish food company. They sell a range of food products from charcuterie to vegetables, but what really caught our eyes were their brilliant range of nut oils.

Unlike most flavoured oils on the market which are infusions, Delicioso's oils are created by cold-pressing Arbequina olives from Catalunya together with other ingredients. This produces an intense depth of flavour and additionally is more efficient in retaining its minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.

We loved this little set of 5 nut oils that Delicioso is offering, presented neatly in a box. What we love is that you can by a set of 5 smaller bottles, meaning you can try a variety of great flavours to to find your favourite one. The smart packaging makes this a great gift, and it includes Hazelnut Oil from Tarragona, Almond Oil from Mallorca, Walnut oil from Aragon, Peanut, and Pumpkin Seed Oil. It is a brilliant and useful set, and you can try it on a variety of dishes; drizzle on pizzas and pasta dishes, grilled vegetables, meats and or as a base for a  stir-fryto add an extra layer to the flavour.

Try some authentic Spanish oils with Delicioso's Set of Five Nut Oils here for £11.75.