Review: TLC Sport - Performance

I was recently sent a couple of items from ladies sportswear brand TLC Sport. Currently celebrating its 20th year, TLC Sport has a huge range of clothing all designed and made here in the UK. One of my favourite things is how personal everything is - this is a family run business which really puts the customer first. For example, you can request plus-size items at no extra charge. Now that's service!

The ribbons make a recurring appearance throughout the collection. The grey vest I'm wearing is really comfortable and the stripes not only make you look slim but the fabric really does hold you in whilst you're working out. Great for when your doing a core workout like I was, it really encourages you to tense all those abs! The top is reversible too giving you the choice of a high or low neckline. Love the adaptability.

The leggings are figure firming and really live up to their promise! I've cycled to work in them a few times too and there's still no sagging around the knees or bum, something which really annoys me about most leggings.

Top £22
Leggings £36

I love this outfit. It's grown-up and functional, the pieces are comfortable and well made, I look like a proper fitness fanatic when I'm wearing it and more importantly I feel like one. I love the whole collection and am looking forward to topping up my workout wardrobe with more from the site.

Domestic Goddess in the Making

Embo Parko runs her own blog Swirlyface and also contributes to lifestyle site SinSins World. She's a domestic goddess in the making and bakes the second best cakes in the world. (OK, they might be the best but I'm Bunn The Baker, I've got to say I'm better!)

I was the least domesticated person I know. Yes, I cleaned and tidied up etc, but when it came to knitting/baking/domesticated things I was not ‘in the know’. I am a single woman of 29, completely independent, I don’t have kids to bake for either, so I basically felt like breaking the stereotype of the typical ‘at home baker’.

I made my first batch of cupcakes only a few months ago and they looked like this:

Fashion Break: Dr Martens Ofira Shoe

Oh my gosh! Look at these, just LOOK at them! I was perusing the DM website recently after a pair of winter boots when I stumbled across the heels section. My life will never be the same again. I bet they're really comfortable.

Dr Mertens Ofira Shoe - £110 at drmartens.co.uk

My Turn @ Craft Love: DIY Business Card Holders

I was feeling crafty last night so sat down with last weekend's Craft Love post - DIY Business Card Holders. I raided my stores for some scraps big enough to make a few and set to work.

All was going really well until I got to turning the whole thing right side out and one of the pockets had fallen out! That'll teach me for not using pins...

Well, I finished it off anyway (albeit quite roughly) and here's my attempt at a business card holder.

It was a really easy tutorial to follow and I think next time, as long as I use some pins, I'll make some lovely neat ones!

Craft Love: DIY Business Card Holders

Seeing as how I have my own business cards now, I'd like something to keep them all neat and tidy. So, when I found this 'How To' on The Crafty Cupboard I was over the moon! I love the fabrics used, the tutorial is simple and clear and the photography is beautiful! Can't wait to give it a go.

Sport Persuit Pop-Up Sales

I'm guessing that, seeing as you're here in the fitness section, you're into sports. As such, it would be safe to assume you like sports clothing and equipment. Me too! That's why I was so excited when I found out about Sport Pursuit. It's sort of like Brand Alley - pop-up sales where you get big brand stuff at tiny prices.

I was gutted to have missed the Shock Absorber sale, totally need a new sports bra, but there's some great other stuff on there too. You need to join in order to see the sales, but it's free so don't panic. Also, if you get friends to join you receive money off your orders.

So sign up to Sport Pursuit and bag yourself some bargains like these!

Beet It - I love beetroot, so the idea of a sports shot made of it. Apparently you can work out for 16% longer with one of these beauties, and they're around £1 each. Beetroot is full of antioxidants (which neutralise nasty free radicals in the body) so one of these a day will keep you looking and feeling great too.

Tresspass Iota Jacket - Now that Autumn is setting in and winter is ahead I need to get me something warm for the raing commute on my bike. Purple is my favourite colour ever, and this looks toasty warm and lovely. It's currently reduced from £100 to just £37.50 in the pop-up sale, a bargain I think you'll agree!

Lezyne Mini Drive LED Light - with the mornings and evenings getting darker I'm going to have to invest in some lights. This is super-bright (150 lumens) for dark country lanes but can be turned down if you're in urban areas, it's got a rechargeable Li-Ion battery and looks really cool. A snip at £25.50 - nearly 50% off.






So, those are my top picks, who knows what will be on there next though as the sales only last seven days and are constantly being updated! What are your favourites from the site?

8 of the Healthiest Long-Life Foods Your Body Will Love

The team who work at Gracewell Healthcare know the importance of maintaining a healthy work/
life balance. However, they have also learnt that it's hard to keep up a healthy diet when you are
constantly on the move. It's for this reason that they've come up with this list of foods that are long
lasting, high in nutritional value and easily stored in different areas of the home or office.

Organic Oats – Pantry

The best way of starting a busy day is to enjoy a bowl of granola, with delicious organic oats. You can store this type of food in the pantry for anywhere up to 3 months. The beta-glucan fibre found within the oats will keep your levels of serum cholesterol down, so that you are at a reduced risk of heart attacks and atherosclerosis.

Buddying Up

Image Credit

Motivating yourself to exercise is all very well and good, but there will be some days when you don't feel like it and you will struggle to convince yourself that getting active is more important than watching Torchwood. That's where buddies come in.

You're going to come up with excuses now, like "none of my friends are into exercise!" or "I live too far away from everyone else". Shut-up. This, dear readers, is the 21st century. Distance is irrelevant!

Every day for the next month I will be doing the 30 Day Shred at either 6am or 8pm in my living room. Why don't you come and join me?! Not literally, obviously, but haven't you heard of Skype? So, if you want to join me leave a comment or  send an email to bunnali[a]gmail.com and I will send you my schedule and Skype details. See you there guys!

Flamenco Eggs

Flamenco /eggs

This meal is perfect for when you haven't got much in the cupboards. You can use any old left-over veg, just make sure to add plenty of paprika!

30 Day Shred

I've heard about the 30 Day Shred before, and I've heard it's pretty tough. Jillian Michaels (the one who makes fat Americans exercise until they're sick on The Biggest Loser) uses her 3-2-1 technique to get the best workout from the shortest time. That's strength-cardio-abs. 3-2-1. Easy.

Or not.

The DVD contains three workouts and I started with the easiest. I don't want to totally spoil it for you but there's star jumps, sit-ups, weights and Natalie who has the most amazing legs! (I also want Jillian's arms, they're fantastic) You don't get rest periods it's just straight into the next section. There were bits I found tougher, particularly some of the weights exercises for arms - mine are scrawny and weak at the moment.

I think, because I was expecting it to be so hard, I didn't give it my all. At the end I was tired and sweaty, but I could have been more tired and more sweaty. It's OK though, I have tonight to do it again! And I know I got a good workout because my calves and my shoulders are killing me this morning.

So, I think I'll continue level one this week, and perhaps try level two next week, but I can definitely see myself being a lot fitter by the end of this!

If you want to see how I looked by the end of the workout head over to Spikes and Heels to the #OperationHideous gallery.