complete bliss!

flow are a manchester based vegan yoga pop up, so when i was invited to their event at the WONDERFUL wonder inn i couldn't wait

the event promised delicious, nutritious vegan food, a guided yoga class, meditation and a motivational speech - all of which it delivered....

on arrival we were greeted with herbal teas & spring water in relaxed seating and encouraged to get to know each other before our day began. it was really nice to meet like minded people and hear of peoples journeys with yoga, some complete beginners and others experienced teachers!

the wonderful sonya took the yoga class which was an amazing 90 minute pranyama and asana practice, perfectly setting us up for the day. simply focusing on the breath and the body was really refreshing first thing on a sunday morning :) 

after yoga we were treated to a delicious breakfast - i went for vegan porridge topped with banana, dates & almonds- nom nom, there was also freshly ground coffee & baked bread/organic preserves on offer

after breakfast we went into an empowering discussion with life coach max kohanzad who focussed on not constantly judging ourselves and learning to live in the present moment - it was really thought provoking and after much debate it felt we were all on the same level - bliss

after meditation and saying our goodbyes to jonathen the organiser, we were given some more delicious vegan treats and a goody bag containing a candle, incense and an affirmation card - mine was communication - so here you are! 

it was a wonderful day and wish i could spend every sunday doing the same, flow are due to be back soon with more events so maybe my dreams will come true :)

We Are Kettlebelles!!

I've been wanting to visit Kettlebell Kitchen since it opened earlier this year but having such a busy diary has meant me putting it off again & again - well what a mistake that was! I truly wish I'd been earlier as I've been missing out....

Already recommended by clients and friends alike this place was just what Manchester needed - describing themselves as a clean fast food joint with additive, refined sugar & preservative free natural beautiful food - they were spot on :)

Choosing an early morning visit meant breakfast was on offer (before 11am) - as I had only done a yoga session prior I wanted to go carb free, so went for the omlette which came loaded with tasty peppers, bacon and mushrooms and a super fresh side salad

My fellow 'kettlebell' had come straight from the gym so wanted to load up a bit more - she opted for the breakfast bagel - with the help of Rae the lovely girl taking our orders - a Dr Zaks approved meal with locally sourced meat and low carb bagel

me enjoying my coffee shake/my tasty omlette

amber tucking into her breakfast bagel/

the ever so smiley rae doing her thang! 

Again with advice from Rae I went for a refreshing coffee shake - cold coffee, chocolate protein, zero fat yoghurt & milk and ice - blended, it felt like a naughty treat but was actually a healthy caffeine & protein boost! I had wanted to try the Bulletproof coffee but as I suspected was advised just to have this after exercising alongside no other food due to the high fat content.... oh well gives me an excuse to go back ;) 

The main dishes on offer come in the form of Kettltbell boxes where you choose a base, like sweet potato mash or quinoa, add a protein such as steak or tofu and then add extra toppings and sauces for as little as £7.95!

With protein pizza, deserts and loads more shakes on the menu I will definitely be visiting again for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Open from 7am-9pm on weekdays and 11-7pm Sat and 11-5 Sun it's convenient for all 

One of the things I loved was all the nutritional info on the menu so you can make an informed decision based on any diet, plan or rules you follow - or if not just to know anything you do choose is super healthy! 

Able to do a few pull ups, kettelbell swings & plate presses pre or post meal in the industrial style surroundings - the founder Crossfitter Carley has clearly made her mark :)  

Living in town it was easy enough to walk to the Ancoats location, there is plenty of street parking around - not you healthy lot would dream of driving somewhere! 

They also offer meal preps, loyalty & membership cards and are on deliveroo - so you really have no excuse not to try Kettlebell Kitchen! 

You most definitely won't regret it :)

the workout areas

fitness alkaline water 

well it definitely floated my boat! 

this time last week i felt much more energised after waking from a deep sleep.... all down to spending the evening prior in something that resembled a mini submarine, with water inside it-not out!

i spotted the float centre on my regular, popular canal side run down to the etihad stadium, from manchester city centre

tucked away in a quiet, up and coming residential & commercial area, from the minute you walk in the bare white walls and lack of noise pollution immediately calm you....

known for having both mental and physical benefits i was looking forward to seeing how floating in a tank of water could help me out! good for people who sit at their desks all day as well as people who are on their feet and train a lot like myself, floating definitely does something for all

i wouldn't say i was claustrophobic but was a little concerned about being in a confined space, in water, in the dark! chris reassured me that there was an alert button and a light should i need but after showering and immersing myself in the water i was more than happy to switch the lights off and while away to the relaxing music 

the flat lasts an hour in total, 10 minutes with music, 45 in complete silence and 5 to calmly bring you back round-which i needed! the water, filled with epsom salts makes you float effortlessly with zero gravity.... chris mentioned simply lying back with your arms behind your head is great for any tension in shoulders which a lot of people suffer with 

you can really twist yourself into different positions so i was getting myself into some body pretzels and started thinking yoga in a pod is the next thing to try! ;) 

i felt very focused at the end of the float, clearing my head and think a friday evening is a great time to go at the end of a busy week. you're in the state between being asleep and awake so you feel refreshed but not groggy....

theres a lovely little area you can chill out in at the end of your float with refreshments and thought provoking books :) 

float level have kindly offered flex customers £5 off their first float - just quote flex5 when you book - used by sportsmen and hollywood actors alike you really should treat yourself to this star treatment! 

The Jury Is In - And I'm GUILTY OF R&R!!

When I had the opportunity to have a weekend away for Valentines - relaxing in a hotel, with a little bit of partying, I JUMPED at the chance....

Getting ahead of myself on the day of the gig I made sure I trained at my local gym Nuffield Health (in my boohoo FIT gear of course) where I work as PT - you never know whats going to happen and I hate to miss planned training sessions!

Luckily we got there in good time giving me chance to check out the Jurys Inn Middlesbrough facilities before a 'romantic' pre-gig meal out and a few cocktails here & there ;) 

The hotel facilities came in the form of a great gym, lovely pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi - as well as beauty treatments, which unfortunately I didn't have chance to treat myself to :(

On the Saturday, as tight for time, I just had a quick blast in the air conditioned gym - doing some cardio intervals, and using the TRX and vibrating plate for an all over body, pre-party workout :)

The Sunday (after a lovely full english breakfast in the hotel) I hit the gym again - spending more time on some long slow distance training from the good choice of cardio machines. I finished off with a swim, sauna, steam and bubble for a real Sunday chill!

In a state of Zen I headed back to the room for a yoga session - the superior room was big enough for me to lay my Artogi mat out and stretch with a nice view over the snow topped hills surrounding Middlesbrough....

That night energy levels were low, so rooms service was in order! A drink in the hotel bar before we enjoyed some yummy food in the room - watching a film on the widescreen TV, from the huge comfy bed of course....  

After another delicious (continental this time) breakfast the morning after it was time to hit the road back to Manchester - to avoid getting snowed in -  as lovely as that would be have been x

Rooms at the Jurys Inn Middlesbrough go from £55.20 which is a great rate for an even greater hotel! Check out other city centre locations too here 

Don't Namastay in Bed!!

Oil me up!

Since being on my journey as a yogi I have discovered it smells sweet, literally!

Used as an additional way to energise or relax you, essential oils are a great way to enhance your practice

Already using Rejuvenoils Rosehip Seed as a nourishing body oil I discovered they do plain massage oils, with just a faint aroma such as Argan which is very revitalising on its own or you can add your own essential oil

They also make ready made massage therapy oils but I quite enjoyed playing with the different smells to come up with my own! Frankincense, Lemon & Peppermint in Sweet Almond worked a treat and perfect for yoga with its energising scents

Rejuvenoils also do anti-aging, bath, fragrance, hair care & new pure essential oil soap bars! They are currently offering discounts on multibuys of these and anything else you may fancy - just mention ‘flex’ for your 15% on larger orders J

Now with this in mind when I visited the OM yoga show in Manchester and was introduced to Yogandha at the end of a Swedish massage workshop – it was meant to be!

I had already visited the Yogandha stall and shown an interest in the product so when they mentioned you get a discount if you’d done the workshop so I was straight over! When purchasing my first (of many) rollerballs I got chatting to Sinead the lovely owner more about the product and it really does have a lot to offer 

The rollerballs are great to have in your bag - be it gym bag or handbag – I got the Grounding one of frankincense (yes again) & sandalwood to relax you and relieve stress. By putting it on your pulse points pre practice or just when you want to feel calm, focused and relaxed (so all the time then please!)

There are 2 more specially created rollerballs of Balance, which is jasmine & cypress for hormonal balance, and Uplifting grapefruit & bergamot for a natural lift and great for jet lag!

The body oils are also amazing – a muscle soothing one, a detoxing one and a relaxing one there is something for everyone! To be used post practice or exercise they’re also great for massage and the relaxing one for sleep :) which we all most definitely need!

Available in Harvey Nichols – if you’re in Manchester be sure to mention flex for a special free gift :) and I’m sure you’ll be happy with whichever oil you go for – in award winning packaging nonetheless!

Yogandha is available online with 5% of all profits going to Women for Women International Charity x

Everyone needs some therapy in their life....Sporting Therapy that is! 

Working in the fitness industry I have obviously come across physiotherapists before but have luckily never needed to use one myself…

After a client having some terrible pains in her back (not from me I must add!)she had visited the nearest physio and told me about Sporting Therapy

From the feedback she gave me about how Johnny (the director of  Sporting Therapy and an advanced clinical sports therapist) did such a good job I was intrigued :) 

Now you’d think you’d have to have a problem to visit a physio – don’t worry I didn’t try and lift a heavy weight on purpose.... I thought I’d book an assessment to see if he could tell me anything I didn’t already know!
I also thought I could use the information from the  assessment as a preventative measure…  I see a lot of shoulder and knee injuries in my line of work and wanted to avoid at all costs, seeing  how debilitating they can be

              
The first consultation is free and I would highly recommend everyone having one as you learn so much about your body! Johnny checked my body composition - including soft tissue hydration, and a postural assessment, including weight distribution - both sides of which I found very interesting (pardon the pun ;)

I was told I need to drink 3 litres of water a day, reducing intake of fluids that dehydrate (luckily I’ve just done Sober October;) and also incorporate 5-6 grams of salt into my dietary intake - which I had always avoided for health reasons

When I first visited Johnny I didn’t really have much wrong with me – he identified some small areas that when addressed would improve my physical ability, reduce potential injury and enhance performance....

I was given some daily exercises/stretches to do to improve these areas and had an amazing (although tear-jerking) sports massage on my 2nd visit!

It was only on my 3rd visit that Johnny managed to really do some work on me as I managed to damage my knee after not running all summer (I was away in Ibiza doing my yoga training so had got out of the swing!) I’d gone for a long run followed by a walk up Pendle Hill with my dad, probably not in the best footwear – and something twinged as I was coming back down the hill

I could barely walk the morning after so booked straight in at Sporting Therapy. After limping there Johnny did some various tests tell me that the tracking of my knee had been knocked out…. He gave me some exercises to do with a resistance band doing these just once a day for the next week I was almost recovered! He also taped up my knee which I think helped although I couldn't keep on as long as I'd wanted - as I was back in Ibiza and it wouldn't have made for very nice tan lines! 

My mum also visited Johnny after having problems with her shoulder and being a keen Crossfit trainer – she found him very professional and liked the way he explained things so she understood. Johnny never seemed like he was pushing you to come back in a salesy way – he simply wanted to help you fix yourself and with his help - only if needed!  

            

I really couldn’t recommend this physio more – it has sparked my passion for the profession again – growing up I always wanted to be a sport physiotherapist – for Blackburn Rovers nonetheless! Johnny has been working with Olympic swim teams and it really is credit to him :) 

Sporting Therapy have kindly offered 15% on all treatments to flex readers – offering  deep tissue sports massage, taping & strapping, and exercise therapy (to name a few)

Call 0161 2364150 to book your free consultation or discounted treatment now, with the late opening until 9pm week days and the handy Northern Quarter location, it's very convenient for all