Whether it’s saving you time on your weekly grooming routine, or sharing the latest organic cosmetics, we are always looking for ways to help you live a more balanced life and to enhance your wellbeing. Here are three of our top tried and tested tips for kickstarting your metabolism and giving your body and mind a much needed spring clean.

JUICE CLEANSES: THEY REALLY WORK

We promise you they do work, if you do them regularly and don’t cheat (much). We were sceptical at first, but once we put ourselves through the test, the results were quite noticeable. For a full day by day review of our juice cleanse experience, click here, but in short, we highly recommend starting with a 3-day cleanse and then following up with 1 day cleanses every 6-8 weeks. You will feel lighter, less lethargic, your skin will get a healthy fresh glow, and you will enjoy better sleep with your body now rid of various harmful toxins. Our friends at Plenish have juice packages to suit anyone from cleansing novices, to metabolic gurus and you can get a special discount if you enter code USPAAH at checkout.

AM POWER, ROCKET & SURRENDER: YOGA, RE-IMAGED 

If you’ve been practicing yoga for a while, you might be getting a bit too familiar with the classic routines, Hatha, Iyengar, Vinyasa etc. But what if we told you there’s a boutique studio in the heart of London that is taking city dwellers by storm? AM Power Yoga is just a 4 minute walk from Old Street station, and they host over a 170 classes a month, ranging from calming Yin Yoga to fast paced Rocket Yoga which will leave you dripping in sweat. Their signature classes like Sweat & Surrender and Hot Flow Abs combine elements of fast body movements with Yoga poses and are a fun way to lose weight and tone your muscles. If you live or work in the city, there will definitely be a class to fit your schedule, and you can get 20% off all prices with code USPAAH20. Tried, tested and approved!

IKIGAI: THE JAPANESE SECRET TO HEALTH AND HAPPINESS

Looking for your next book to read? Look no further than this thought provoking collection of wise teachings, that sheds light on the secrets of longevity of the people in Okinawa, Japan. A place with more centennials than anywhere else in the world. With everyday lives going at ever increasing speeds, we get so bogged down in our routines that we forget to stop and think about what actually makes us get out of bed in the morning. This book will help you answer that question for yourself, and help you re-discover your priorities. It definitely helped us switch off for a while, and give our hard-wired minds a much needed spring clean. Want a second a opinion? Read this fun review by The Telegraph, or buy the book online here.

Iggy's review 1

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 10 years, you have probably heard of the “magic” powers of juice cleanses. You have probably seen numerous insta-models showing off their fit bodies, supposedly having achieved thanks to the “natural this” and “organic that” fitness teas or juices…But do these cleanses ever work? I put myself through the test with London’s own Plenish, to give you an honest and personal account of what really happens.

I had bought Plenish’s products through Ocado in the past (because who has time to go to the supermarket?) and to my delight, I later discovered that they do personalised multi-day juice cleanses too. Plenish’s programs can be anything from 1 – 7 days long, with 4 levels of caloric composition available, depending on your needs, desired results and general fitness level. I went for a 3 day, level 2 cleanse (920kcal per day), because I felt that 1 – 2 days was too short to make a real difference, but I couldn’t quite summon the courage to last more than 3 days without solid food (I’m tough but I’m not that tough). What you get in this pack is 3 days of 6 x 500ml cold pressed goodness (that’s 3 litres of juice a day…yeah it’s a lot) delivered straight to your door.

Iggy's review 2

DAY 1: Immediate reaction, I felt lighter, and refreshed. It wasn’t too difficult to go the full day without food, and it definitely helped that the last juice of the day was cashew milk with dates, so a bit of natural sugar when the night cravings hit was helpful.

DAY 2: Still feeling lighter naturally, but a tad less energised as my body was adjusting to the drastically reduced caloric intake. To be absolutely honest, day 2 evening was particularly tough for me to push through without sneaking in any kind of a snack. You may even experience a bit of a headache, but trust me…take a hot bath or shower, go to bed early and let the sleep do the rest of the work.

DAY 3: The worst part was over and my body had adjusted to the new regime. Energy level was back on track, and I saw a noticeable difference in my skin complexion. Not the mention the 2kg weight loss! Who wouldn’t be happy about that?! I loved the way I felt, but also knowing that I could go back to a bit of solid food the next day definitely helped me get over the mental hurdle.

Iggy's review 3

POST CLEANSE RESULTS: Obviously if you are on a liquid diet for 3 days your stomach shrinks a little and you start eating a bit less than normal, which is great. I generally felt like eating less the next week, but most importantly now that my liver has gone through a thorough filtration, any heavy foods made me feel very uncomfortable and sluggish (…the french fries did not go down well).

Why go through this deprivation at all, you may ask? Well imagine your liver and guts are a sort of filter. And over time remnants of toxins and all kinds of other things get stuck in the filter and they slow down your metabolism. A juice cleanse is meant to basically clean out the filter and flush out a lot of these bad toxins.

FINAL VERDICT: I am a total convert, and having really felt the “magic” myself, I have been doing 1 – 2 day cleanses once a month ever since. I couldn’t recommend this enough, and I am certain that you’ll love the effects of Plenish’s juice cleanses. I guarantee that you once you try them, they will be your go to method for hitting that “reset” button on your metabolism every time you feel you need to re-boot (and loose a pound or two for that special occasion ☺).

Healthy Restaurants Main

 

Summer is well and truly over, and Autumn is here. The in-between season, where we start preparing for the festive period, and our healthy diet goes out of the window… Not this year though (if we say it enough, we’ll start to believe it!). We’ve created a little list of our favourite healthy eateries in London to enjoy in the run up to that naughty festive period of gluttony. Wellbeing never tasted so good.

FARMACYFarmacy

 

This Notting Hill based dining room calls our name regularly at the moment. Offering healthy yet equally as tasty substitutes to typically unhealthy meals such as burgers, nachos and chocolate treats, this ‘plant-based restaurant’ is one of a kind.

Why you’ll outstay your welcome: The general vibe. The wooden furniture and natural looking décor gives the restaurant a glam yet hipster LA vibe which makes eating there all the more enjoyable – you’ll never want to leave!

RAWLIGIONRawligion

 

After re-evaluating his unhealthy lifestyle due to ill health, professional poker player John Tabatabai turned to a plant-based diet, leading to the opening of his gluten and dairy free café Rawligion. Everything is made on site, including a raw chocolatier (we’re sold), full-time juicer and raw-food chefs which prepare dishes incorporating ingredients from traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine and Aztec superfood’s.

Knock em’ back: The only shots that won’t leave you with a headache or regretting them in the morning. We love Rawligion’s ‘Liquid Gold’ shots, packed with Turmeric, Ginger, Sea Buckthorn Juice to help heal, sooth, and calm.

GOOD LIFE EATERYGood Life Eatery

 

One of our favourite joints for breakfast and healthy nibbles, The Good Life Eatery host’s chains in Belgravia, Chelsea, Marylebone Lane and St John’s Wood. Their menu consists of cold pressed juices, bowls of ‘goodness’ including breakfasts, salads and warm hearty dishes such as our favourite ‘Curry in a hurry’ bowl.

Cheat Treat: Peanut Butter Cups. These things are dangerous, a healthy version of Reece’s peanut butter cups, means you’ll struggle to put the pot down. Organic peanut butter is healthy, right?

MILDREDSMildreds

 

“If you’re a vegetarian – go! If you’re a vegan – go!, If you like food –go!” – straight from the Horses mouth (well, website), and we definitely couldn’t of said it better ourselves. Hosting four sites in London, Mildred’s pride themselves on their organic, vegetarian menu, as well as lots of vegan dishes to choose from too.

Favourite dish:  The Halloumi burger with chargrilled aubergine, rocket, red onion, harissa and tahini in a flatbread. DELICIOUS. That is all.

Wellbeing Apps

Whether you’re a busy city worker, a full time parent, or just generally London living – things can get pretty stressful and sometimes a little guidance wouldn’t go a miss. We’re all for the wellbeing movement and since its 2017, so is the digital tech-world. Meet the 5 Wellness apps that you need on your smart phone and no, Tinder didn’t make the cut.

Sleep Cycle

Sleep cycle

If you have trouble switching off, this one’s for you. Using the iPhone’s accelerometer to record your sleeping habits during the night, Sleep Cycle takes the scientific approach of sleep cycle theory and aims to wake you at just the right time to ensure optimal rest. You set a window of time instead of one set alarm time, and then the app judges when the right time is to wake you. Some say creepy, we say cool.

iOS: Download from Apple Store
Android: Download from Google Play

 HeadspaceHeadspace

 

Take the Headspace app for a 10 trial-run and you won’t even think twice about upgrading to a premium subscription. They describe themselves as a “personal meditation guide, right in your pocket”, offering hundreds of themed sessions from stress, to sleep.  There are even ‘SOS exercises’ for you to work on if you have a sudden melt down in the office (we’ve all been there), say bye-bye stress, hello Zen.

iOS: Download from Apple Store
Android: Download from Google Play

My Fitness Pal

My fitness pal

Well, they don’t say abs are made in the kitchen for nothing! This genius app is an easy way to track calories, macros (queue Google search), and you can even scan your food with a barcode nutrition scanner/ recipe importer. Who’d of thought that nutrition could become so digital savvy let alone simple? It’s just a shame you’ll no longer have an excuse when reaching for the cookie jar…

iOS: Download from Apple Store
Android: Download from Google Play

7 Minute Workout

7 Minute

Some may call it fitness for dummies, we call it a life saver in one click of a button! If you haven’t got time to head to the gym, or need a little help with workout inspo, 7 Minute Workout goes off scientific studies to provide users with the maximum benefit workouts in the shortest time possible. Tailor workouts to your needs, from HIIT to Cheerleading – gentlemen, this one’s for you.

iOS: Download from Apple Store
Android: Download from Google Play

USPAAH

Uspaah

Forget travelling to your next beauty appointment in an Uber, or soon to be black cab (boohoo!), we deliver the Spa to you. Our Sparista’s travel straight to your door, whether you’re at home, at a hotel, or even in the office, making it far too easy to increase your monthly massage to a weekly one – it would be rude not to, right? Providing a range of wellness and beauty services such as facials, eyelash extensions, massage and more, we’re one app you’ll want to save your battery for. WARNING: You will get hooked.

iOS: Download from Apple Store
Android: Download from Google Play

Source: image by javi_indy on Freepik

Are you getting a bit fed up with the same old gym routine and juice diet, and wondering how to take your wellness to the next level. We know we are… So we did some research and it turns out that the one thing that makes a big difference in achieving your weight loss goals, is actually one-on-one counselling from a professional nutritionist, or a personal trainer.

Thankfully, London has no shortage of private fitness instructors –  world-class experts, and we’ve chosen the best ones in Chelsea, City, Notting Hill, North and East London and beyond.

1. UP – Ultimate Performance 

Source: Ultimate Performance official website

Ultimate Performance was founded in 2009 by world-leading personal trainer Nick Mitchell. They forged a reputation with their mantra “maximum results, minimum time” and now have seven elite PT gyms in London. U.P. are often hailed as London’s best personal trainers and Men’s Fitness Magazine described them as “The Goldman Sachs, Real Madrid and Apple of Personal Training”

2. Duo, Chelsea

duo chelsea personal trainers

Source: Duo Chelsea official website

With a number of personal trainers and nutritionists, your goals are sure to be met in this Chelsea personal training studio. The concept of ‘body mapping’ has been developed here to help you understand and track your progress. The ‘Lean Machine’ recipe book app can be downloaded to your phone for free to help the weight loss process. Mention USPAAH for a special introductory discount.

3. Roar Fitness

Source: https://www.roar-fitness.com/ official website

Founded by 3 x Olympian Sarah Lindsay and UK’s leading body transformation specialist Rich Phillipps, Roar Fitness is the only London personal training company able to offer its clients an Olympic training experience like no other in its field. They offer a range of personal training, nutrition and therapy services, as well as online and in-person classes.

After a good workout session try deep tissue massage – Perfect if you suffer from sore muscles, neck, leg, lower back pain. It gives your body a deep muscle recovery.

4. PGPT – Peter Gaffney Personal Training

Source: Peter Gaffney official website

For the last 15 years the team at PGPT have been amongst London’s best personal trainers. Helping Royals, Politicians, and Chief Execs get into peak physical condition and feel fitter without wasting their time, energy, or resources. One of the unique benefits of PGPT is that they are a mobile personal training company that comes to you. The team has over 60,000 hours of in-person and online personal training sessions, and is delivering incredible body transformations all across North-West London and beyond.

5. Power Vibe, Notting Hill

Source: mindbodyonline.com

This fitness studio, placed in the heart of Notting Hill offers a wide range of fitness classes as well as an impressive personal trainer programme. Sessions start from £55 and can be booked in blocks of up to 20 to keep track your progress and development. Having now been open for over a decade, Power Vibe have developed an impressive reputation for achieving results and having a family like atmosphere.

6. Matt Roberts, City

Source: Matt Roberts Official website

It’s never been easier to focus on your results and with a trainer that can produce a plan bespoke to you, there are no excuses. Just 5 minutes from Liverpool Street Station, this studio is central perfect for those working in central London. The city team are especially equipped to deal with the stresses and strains of high intensity working life. They also have studios in Mayfair and Kensington.

7. StrongHer, East London

Source: StrongHer official website

StrongHer is London’s first female-only strength training where they offer Olympic lifting, strength and conditioning and personal training for all ages, levels and abilities. They also offer group classes from their studio space in East London.

Private Yoga or Pilates Instructor

Bring the zen to your home. Save yourself the commute to the yoga studio – book a personal and private yoga or pilates experience at home.

Private home yoga instructors are deemed to have a better understanding of your unique needs – as not all of us are blessed with flexibility. The main goal is to improve your overall physical condition and also boost your mental health, too. A private yoga teacher will help you do that, in the comfort of your home.

Private pilates instructors will work more on toning your body, and helping you gradually work towards strengthening your core and major muscles. This is more about stability, balance and endurance.

Book your private yoga or pilates session online or via the USPAAH app. For £15 off your first session use the code YOGA15 at checkout.

Massage and sport go hand in hand to boost overall well-being. By incorporating both into your fitness routine, you’ll boost circulation, recover faster and be able to reach your goals easier. To book a Deep Muscle Recovery massage in the comfort of your home, simply download the app or book online.