How to improve your self care in 2021

Now that we are well into the New Year, many of us will be diving head-first into a shiny, new fitness regime. Earlier in the year, you will have more motivation to try new activities and improve self care.

Yet, whether you are enjoying calming, soothing Yoga, running Marathons, climbing mountains, or aiming to lift heavy, any exercise regime means that we need to apply some TLC to our bodies.

Staying fit and active means we need to look after ourselves even more. This may be to build lean muscle, to avoid injury, to prevent ourselves from burning out, or to simply keep our skin looking fresh and healthy.

If you have embraced a new fitness regime this New Year, then here are our top tips on supporting the body and skin to keep it as healthy as can be as you hit the gym…

Exercise Can Make You Beautiful!

If you ever needed a reason to stick with a grueling fitness regime, this is the one…!

Many of us know the benefits of exercise on our health, weight and even mood. Yet, actually, hitting the gym can help to keep us looking our most beautiful, too!

Regardless of our age or fitness levels, regular exercise – particularly strength training – can prevent ageing, and can even help the skin to regenerate and flush out toxins. Increased circulation can also improve blood flow to the skin, helping our faces to look brighter, fresher and more radiant.

If you are addicted to that post-workout flush, then you can maintain that healthy glow with a smudge of tinted moisturiser, a touch of blush applied to the apples of the cheeks and even some highlighter applied to the high points of the face.

It’s not just our wobbly bits that exercise helps to tone, too – although, giving your facial muscles a workout (our favourite way is through laughing my way or pulling faces through a Zumba class!) can also work wonders. You might also like to learn the art of facial massage, or even try a few facial exercises to help tone these areas, too.

On the Flipside…

Too much exercise can exhaust your self care

Try to avoid too much high intensity training, such as cardio and HIIT. While this can help to fire up the metabolism and burn calories, frequent high intensity exercise can actually promote sagging of the skin by causing the breakdown of elasticity.

To up the beauty factor as you train, try to mix things up a little, embracing both strength training and cardio. You could also try exercising on shock-absorbent surfaces, or even switch to lower impact swimming.

H3O Hydration

You should also aim to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, and refuel post-workout with a drink or supplement packed with electrolytes. Our H30 Hydration contains specific ingredients to enhance hydration, and can also leave you with glowing, radiant skin.

Collagen

It may also be worth trying a high quality collagen supplement. Our award-winning Collagen Shots contain 10,000mg of hydrolysed collagen per serving and can support the skin’s natural elasticity, helping to blur fine lines and prevent ageing of the skin. Each serving also contains 10g of protein, too.

Protein Smoothie

Getting enough quality protein in the diet is key for any exercise regime – it helps the muscles to repair, maintain and grow. As well as this, protein is crucial for healthy, glowing skin and strong hair and nails.

It is possible to get plenty of protein with a healthy, nourishing diet. Foods such as lean meats, fish, lentils, quinoa, chickpeas, black beans and nuts are all full of protein and are perfect for adding to post-workout meals. However, if you struggle with protein intake, or need to refuel on the go, then protein supplements are a must!

Wherever possible, try to keep protein powders as natural as possible, without any added chemicals or sweeteners. Whey or soy formulas may also cause bloating or gas. Our Protein Smoothies are available in three delicious flavours – chocolate, banana and strawberry – and contain 21g of high quality pea protein per serving. As well as this, they also contain fibre for fullness and probiotics (in the form of inulin) for digestive health.

Omega-3s

Another of our post-gym secret weapons is an omega-3 supplement. These fatty acids are perfect for reducing inflammation in the body (in other words, they help to prevent muscle aches and pains), while some researchers believe that they can also strengthen the heart and lungs and boost muscle strength.

Our Aliol capsules contain vegan-friendly omega-3s, which come from the algae which oily fish feed on. These handy supplements can even help the skin to stay looking fresh, youthful and plumped-up.

Keep Skin Clean

If you are often getting sweaty, then it’s important to help to keep skin clean, clear and fresh. Try to wear minimal make-up to the gym (foundation, in particular, can clog the skin). You might also want to try using a gentle, oil-based cleanser to remove dirt, sweat and grime after a heavy workout.

Facial SPF

Finally, this is a no-break rule – and is especially important if you are a runner or like to exercise outdoors! Wearing a facial SPF helps to protect the skin from ageing UVA and UVB rays. Try to wear an SPF formulated for wearing on the face (these formulas are often less oily) every single day – even in the middle of winter.