#WorkoutWeek: Motivation

Apps can be an excellent motivator to get out there and get active.

So I've convinced you to get fit in a achievable way. You're going to need some motivation for that.

Trust me, I still need it.

APPS

I love a good smartphone App to motivate me, (I'm on iOs so sorry that's all I can link) I refuse to switch off those push notifications which tell me when I've been a little slack. But there are SO many it can be difficult to pick one if not have spluge and download lots. The best thing I can say, is find one which tracks your progress in more ways than just inputting your weight. A futile activity. 

I have religiously used Runkeeper to store every outdoor activity. I can programme sprint routines, record long distance runs using GPS and put in all my vital stats. I can even input gym activities. I can see how I'm progressing, whether I'm getting faster or improving my endurance and it tells me how well I'm doing. You can even note down how the workout went. Particularly hard, or getting easier, it's like a little fitness diary. 

There has also been a surge in challenge apps available. 30 day to XX or 5K run trainers. Which are super useful tools for short term motivation to get you in the flow. Search Health and Fitness to find which you want.

Finally, relaxation Apps. I've recently downloaded the Muji To Sleep App. It's super important to rest and this free apps is a collection of soothing sounds to help you switch off.

MUSIC

I am all for a cheesy run to 80s classics singing along to every word, being Rick Astley and never giving up on this run. However, I find the best motivation to get me going is my Working Out playlist on Spotify. 

A start with a nice slow, awkening, warm-up song ala Bombay Bicycle Club and then I'm straight into it, fast paced, strong rhythm, short, sharp and guaranteed to get me moving and my heart pumping. Throw in a few uptempo indie numbers and cheesy happy songs when you're stating to feel delirious (to say the least) and then I cool down to the heavenly voice of Guy Garvey. 

If that's not your jam then I suggest you follow a similar pattern, a softly song with building layers for your warm up, songs with a constant uptempo beat, a few cheesy numbers and sing alongs and then a nice calm song to cool down and stretch out.

You can listen to my playlist below. 

SOCIAL

Can't afford a Personal Trainer to remind you how much you're not working out - well get motivated by social media instead. Now, I know, we're all obsessed with a good Get UP & GO Quote. And I could easily share loads. My Pinterest feed is awash with motivational quotes. But I think it's important that if you want to take fitness seriously, your following preferences also include key fitness motivators. Whether it be a quote junkie in-between the fashion and food pics. Or it helps seeing a group of people working out at 7am encouraging you to get out there. They're like little nudges so it never drops off my radar entirely. It's a proven motivator for me and makes me feel like you're not alone, you can do this and you can get results. And that you want to share your achievements when you do.

Some of my favourites are @thesbcollective and any of his loyal followers. 

@ResultswithLucy reality star to fitness guru.

Youtuber @carlyrowena

And of course @FitnessBlender

But search out fitness or fitspiration on any network and you're sure to find a motivator suitable for your needs. 

I hope this helps and don't forget my original post on staying motivated HERE.

What keeps you motivated? 

Andrea x

#WorkoutWeek: Fashion

Lexie Sport is not even a year old yet, but they have had a spectacular first year. Already picked up by House of Fraser to feature in their Pop-up , and mentioned by all the top fitness and fashion magazines including Vogue, ELLE and Women's Health. Clearly, creator Lily Rice, identified something missing in our fitness wear: fashion-forward and functional wear. It's meteoric rise is helped by the vast increase in the fitness fanatic women since London 2012. "Fit not thin" and "strong is the new skinny" are motivators to many women keen to create a sustainable and realistic figure. And the beautifully designed fitness wear is designed with that in mind: Women.

 Amazingly Lexie Sport manufactures in the UK. I doubt it's just me, but when you invest in new fitness clothes, I'm super eager to try it out. Whether it be a sports bra or a new top, which is great encouragement to get out there and get moving. I interviewed Lily, to find out a little more about this new and exciting brand and what her fitness much haves and weaknesses are. 

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Lexie Sport

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HOW DID LEXIE SPORT START

Lexie is just coming up for it's first birthday, something we are really excited about and was basically born in the summer of sport in 2012. We launched August 13 and it was really the gap in the market for something appealing to wear while doing sport that began the brand. I was fed up of women's sportswear designed by men for 'girls'. Yuck!

HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO MANUFACTURE IN BRITAIN

Our first collection was made abroad but Lexie isn't just about fashion. As a brand we have a set of ethics and beliefs that we feel strongly about so it was important to us that what we put into the world was something we were proud of. Reshoring the manufacturing of the pieces means that from an ethical perspective we are doing the right thing. We know the working conditions are product is produce in, we create jobs in the uk and environmentally our impact is reduced. From a design perspective we can make changes quicker, we can get more involved in the production and ultimately create a better garment. It's win win and we are very proud and excited by it!

WHATS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACE AS A BUSINESS OWNER

Lexie is growing at a phenomenal rate so at the moment the challenge is to keep all the plates spinning and not get to excited when so much exciting stuff is happening!

WHAT IS YOUR DESIGN PROCESS

I'm a bit of a lycra magpie and I'm always pulling pages out of magazines or collecting fabrics ect so I really start with referring to my mood books. I take ideas and feelings to create the direction of the season which informs each collection. Rather than just looking at it commercially I like to have a conceptual theme to each season and tell a story through the garments. Once each piece is sketched up, we create a toile which we test an amend as we feel it needs to be. Our factory will then make our first sample, this again is tested. At this point we either get super excited or go straight back to the drawing board! But if it passes the 'must have' test them we get it into production as quickly as possible so everyone can see it!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PIECE FROM YOUR CURRENT OR NEW COLLECTION?

Our newest collection is currently under wraps but I'm already head over heels in love with it! My favourite piece of our current collection is the Diana shorts! So great with my topshop boots as well as my running sneak!

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE LEXIE SPORT

Lexie is the hottest women's sportswear brand, designed by women for women and made in Britain.

WHO IS LEXIE SPORTS DREAM CUSTOMER

Our customers are already the dream! We love to get pics from them and meet them at our pop ups and they are seriously awesome! 

WHAT IS LEXIE SPORTS PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT

 We've already won a few awards but I'm always most proud to see the kit on our customers and to hear about the awesome time they had in it!

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SUMMER

Getting out of the office and trying new things! We will be hitting up a few Frame classes and we're forever at Psycle so you'll spot us there!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE WAY TO WORKOUT

I'm a big bootcamp fan and you can't beat a run to clear your head!

ARE YOU STRICT IN WHAT YOU EAT OR IS THERE ALWAYS ROOM FOR THE ODD INDULGENCE

I don't worry too much, I'm vegetarian and try to eat healthily (although you will always find my with a packet of veggie percy pigs and I'm a sucker for Reese peanut butter cups!) but you need a lot of energy in this industry! 

WHAT THE MOST EXCITING THING IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY AT THE MOMENT

I'm pretty late to the show but Kale chips? Hell yes! And spinning? Love it! Plus Voga (voguing yoga!) is AMAZING! 

GIVE ME AN INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE THAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED

Done is better than perfect.

Vest, Shorts and Leggings from the Blonde Collection all Lexie Sport.

Thanks so much to Lily for answering all my questions. I think it's safe to say, we all walk away from this wanting to try VOGA (and a sneaky craving for peanut butter cups)! You can shop all of the Blonde Collection and Icon Collection Online: Lexie Sport.

Andrea x

#WorkoutWeek: Fit

My new favourite gym, my garden.

So you may recall last year I shared my love of fitness. You'll be pleased to hear I have stayed (mostly) on the wagon. Let's ignore that week in Sicily when I intended to workout but instead ate Aranchini and Gelato all WEEK. Mid-workout last week I had a lightbulb moment.. The Mibber does Fitness.

So this week is a little more lifestyle and fitness with a bit of Mibbing thrown in for good measure. Normally, these kinds of posts are saved for NY, but to be honest: there is no better time to start getting fit that right now, YES, now. And with the Commonwealth Games, World Cup and well it's Summer you have plenty of reason to get-up and go. It's coming up to a year since I started taking it seriously, so it's like a mini anniversary. Expect fashion, food and motivation this week.

But first fitness.

I still haven't joined a gym. After I completed my programme, I felt compelled to discover new routines. After a week in Centre Parcs cycling, playing tennis every morning, swimming mid-afternoon and badminton every evening, I felt I needed to take my exercise outside more. So thats what I did, long distance runs and interval training and long, long walks. And this was the middle of winter, so getting out now, in the dry weather is an excellent time to start. Fitness is all about movement, whether your walking or sprinting, movement is the most important step. Every move and step counts. So get out there, fresh air in your lungs and enjoying the summer.

I also discovered more dynamic weight training and invested in Kettlebells. Their uneven distribution of weight surprised me when I woke after their first use aching in strange places. Initially I started with this routine from Women's Health. But have since progressed and incorporated them into slightly less static routines.

But January came the biggest change in my routine since I started exercising, I got really into HIIT training and more specifically, Fitness Blender. An amazing resource of free fitness routines on Youtube. Hundreds and hundreds of videos. They're fun, motivational, and quite frankly addictive, switching up my routines based on my equipment available to me transformed my work out and pushed me to complete videos I'd initially struggled to complete all the way through. They are now firmly in my routine.

Here is one of my favourites, incorporating a warm up, HIIT routine and yoga cool down:

My aim is to work out 3-4 times a week, never being too repetitive, I'll go on a long run followed the next time by HIIT or interval training and then some light weight or body weight work but sometimes you just want a nice satisfying stretch and I love some time spent practising yoga. And whenever the opportunity arrises to workout with a buddy, I take it. Exercise, as I've learnt more recently, is to be enjoyed, it doesn't have to take up hours, it can be a quick or lengthy and me-time. It's more important to feel fit than to look it.

What's your favourites ways to keep fit?

Follow me on Twitter @TheMibber to keep up with my series of #workoutweek

Andrea x

The Mibber Hauls the Highstreet

So I claim I shop fashion made in Britain in my Twitter description. But It dawned on me: I haven't actually shown anything I've bought recently. Or ever for that matter. If I was brave enough to YT it, I probably would, but till then here is a photo haul of some lovely high street goodies.

I'm apparently channeling minimalism. And too much white. Ragu will eventually ruin it all. 

 Jumper, Miss Selfridge. 

This ribbed jumper I adore. It's lightweight for summer and being white, ideal, but will be so good to brighten my dull winter wardrobe and overcast days. It's quite oversized so I sized down. I do love an interesting texture and it's boxy fit and slight crop means it sits perfectly over day dresses. 

 Shoes, Marks and Spencer via MelleRobot on Depop.

I bought them from blogger MelleRobot on app-based marketplace, Depop. Beautiful quality as you'd probably expect from British-Made brogues and they had never been worn. I look forward to wearing with everything tights come winter but until then, they will be carefully stored, longing for their first proper outing. Merci Melle, Merci!

 Vest, Topshop

Quite to my surprise, this basic vest - just £10 - had UK in its tag. It only a simple vest, but shows a good snoop in the label will show all that is good (and surprising) about the big high street stores. Even they get something as simple as a vest manufactured here. 

Trousers, Topshop Boutique

My best buy. They don't say much on this hanger. But the culotte-cum-trouser is my new out-out go to piece. High waisted. Silk (refreshing for these sweltering summer evenings). Checks. Monochrome. Britsh-made. And an odd but strangely flattering length sitting happily between mid calf and ankle.

The dream.

Andrea x

Birthday Edition: TWO

Amazingly, last years birthday wishlist resulted in a third of items actually received. So in the hope that this will be the case this year, I have no choice but to rehash the Birthday Edition. For purely selfish reasons you see. 

 Whilst I do have (massive) bias over what I include in my posts, it's not always what I really, really want need. With less than two weeks, I may have left my wishlist perhaps a little to late. But on the presumption my family and friends are still my only readers (I am completely ignoring my stats this year) here are my dream birthday gifts for my quarter centenary.

Where did that year go?

What would be your dream MIB present?

*insert birthday related emojis*

Mudlark & Co Copper Sandals will be the perfect summery addition to umm,  every item of clothing I own. Honest. It's not the beautiful coppery tones that make me heart long for them. It's for the greater good of my wardrobe.

As for this Charlotte Valkeniers Necklace it probably is its coppery/rose gold tones that make me lust after it.

It wouldn't be a Mibber post/birthday wishlist without some House of Hackney or Palmeral print. Why should this one be any different. It's probably the sticky weather that has drawn me to this simple loose Ameil Dress.

Equally, the weather has influenced this choice. I look at my wardrobe and my love of stripes is yet to appear in a MIB form. So this Stella + Alf Striped Dress, part of their The Twenty range, would quench my stripy thirst.

It's very much a jewellery birthday and the simplicity of this delicate Friendship Bracelet by Daniella Draper, bestowed upon me by a bestie, would be warmly received. 

It's not probably their most fashionable bag, alas those are most definitely made in warmer (and dare I say cheaper) climes. All the same the iconic Mulberry Bayswater, British made version, has been a bag that I've always wanted. And as I received a Baia bag last year - I'm aiming high this year. 

The hamsa hand is everywhere and it's quintessentially un-Britishness makes it difficult to desire. So this Jaded Ldn Evil Eye top hits the spot. 

Ohh Tatty Devine and Rob Ryan, you do make my heart sing, as does your Ring. 

I'm willing to forgive and forget my #notmadewithloveinlondon woes and be treated to this certifiably made with love in London two piece by Oh My Love. The delicate watercolour print is beautiful. And I do love a co-ord.

Andrea x

The Floral Duster

Floral Duster, ILWF; Shirt, Topshop Boutique; Jeans, Beyond Retro; Necklace, Georgina Wiseman; Clutch, Betty Brice; Shoes, Gina.

It's such a dull day so inject some brightness into your day with these fab MIB goodies. Whilst I love Hiut denim, I refuse to encourage you to slice the knees open to keep up with the ripped jean trend. Why not revive some of your old jeans or trawl through your local vintage stores selection.

Now all you  need is to perfect your milkmaid braid!

Happy Friday!

Andrea x

SAVE THE SEA

I'm just one of those people that needs to be close to the sea. One breath of salty sea air and a wave of calm washes over me. I love the beach in the summer, but there is nothing more appealing to me than visiting in the middle of winter. Wrapped up warm and pondering how small a being I am in relation to the rest of the world. Throughout my life I've celebrated and at times feared the sea, it's seemingly infinite appearance has fuelled my curiosity and need for adventure. I even have sea-themed tattoos, such is my love. But I've never failed to respect it.  When I learnt of the Environmental Justice Foundation's latest t-shirt project I felt compelled to get involved. 

EJF’s ethical t-shirt project works to promote organic, fairly-traded and climate-neutral cotton supply chains. In 7 years the project has produced 30 t-shirts by 26 designers, modelled by 92 stars of the stage, screen and catwalk, which have so far contributed a massive £300,000 for EJF projects to protect the environment and human rights.

This years collection supports EJF's award-winning Save The Sea campaign. Collaborating with Patternity, Emma Cook and Serge DeNimes to produce powerful statement tees and a campaign fronted by James Brown, George Craig, Caroline Ford, Izzy Lawrence, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Zara Martin, Max Rogers, Diana Vickers and Kimberly Wyatt. EJF provided me with some Q&A's of a couple of the designers involved with the project:

PATTERNITY

I am a huge Patternity fan, their online research library is full of masterfully curated imagery. You can (and I have) spend hours trawling through all the images offering an endless supply of inspiration. 

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A DESIGNER?

Design can be such a powerful tool with which to tell important and worthwhile stories about the world in which we live, to make things engaging and accessible. It can also be a great way to unite disparates and bring together specialisms - something fundamental to why we started PATTERNITY back in 2009.  Our projects are centred solely around pattern but having such a focused design approach has allowed us to connect the dots and dig beneath the surface of many different fields - from art and design through to science and nature - even history, health and education.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH EJF'S SAVE THE SEA CAMPAIGN? 

It can be easy to forget quite how reliant and deeply interconnected we are to our environment – both on land and at sea.  Using pattern to drive awareness of important causes is fundamental to our mission at PATTERNITY so when we were approached by EJF and read the core data for ourselves we were inspired to design a pattern that would visualise the information and encourage people to take notice.

WHAT INSPIRED YOUR DESIGN FOR THE SAVE THE SEA T-SHIRT?

The data we wanted to drive awareness of on was the time it takes for seagrass beds to re-grow after damage caused by illegal bottom trawling (60 years). Endangered species rely on these ecosystems for survival so our aim was to use pattern to heighten the understanding of this important fact. As with all our projects our aim was to use pattern to encourage a more mindful awareness of our environment and the impact our patterns of behaviour can have on the world – hopefully proving that design can be both beautiful and informative. 

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SERGE DENIMES

From TV reality star beginnings, Oliver Proudlock, has garnered a lot of respect as a fashion designer for his line Serge DeNimes. Not to mention full support of his EJF design from his co-stars. 

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A DESIGNER? 

I have always been very creative, and my two main passions in life have been art and fashion. Having studied art for 4 years in Newcastle, when I returned to London my movement into fashion was a very natural and organic process. I now cannot imagine myself doing anything else.

  

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH EJF'S SAVE THE SEA CAMPAIGN? 

I have always felt connected to the ocean, and am very aware of the importance of looking after our sea life. When they approached us to design a t-shirt to help them raise money for the Save the Sea Campaign, it was a no brainer for me and we are so happy to be involved.

WHAT INSPIRED YOUR DESIGN FOR THE SAVE THE SEA T-SHIRT?

We wanted the bold print and slogan ‘Drop in the Ocean’ to make a statement of how important it is to protect sealife.
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EMMA COOK

Emma Cook graduated from CSM alongside the likes of Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen. Her signature style of bold prints has won her a legion of famous fans including Rihanna, Angelina Jolie and Katy Perry. Staying true to her brand aesthetic, her design for the Save The Sea campaign is a photo-realistic depiction of the sea bed inspired by the beauty of the ocean and its marine life.
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T-Shirt, Patternity x EJF; Skirt, Topshop Boutique (not current, soz, but MIB)

 When I started a blog, I didn't think the day would come that I'd actually go through with posting a picture of myself on the net. I'm not a natural in front of the camera, but when I saw the designs, I really wanted a tee. And what better way to promote something than to wear it right? So yes, that's my face being awkwardly cool/sultry in one and pouty/not so cool in the other.
Diana Vickers... I am not.

 *It's for a good cause*

100% of funds raised will go directly towards EJF’s work protecting ocean ecosystems and threatened species including sharks, turtles, rays and dolphins, and promoting the need for transparency and traceability in seafood supply chains. 

As well as raising awareness of environmental campaign issues, all the t-shirts demonstrate the need and potential for sustainability within fashion production. The carbon footprint of an EJF t-shirt is estimated to be 90% less than a conventional, non-organic and non-environmentally friendly t-shirt from the high street. The bespoke designer t-shirt collections are made to the highest quality in an organic, fair-trade, climate-neutral supply chain, produced in India. Not to mention printed in Britain using Soil Association Certified printers. 

Okay, okay not strictly MIB but  any garment which can show transparency in it's supply chain and have a positive impact both socially and environmentally, is hard to ignore. Priced at £30, the Save the Sea t-shirt collection is on sale at www.just-for.co.uk look out for Just For pop-up shop in London’s premier fashion districts too. 

Andrea x

#3 Summer Layers: The Kimono

The third in my series of Summer Layers and my new guest post on Thoroughly British has just gone live. I select my favourite MIB Kimonos including this lovely one from Stella + Alf.

Check out my Tumblr for some kimono styling inspiration!

Let me know what you think and which is your fave...

Andrea x