But a small amount of discipline during your travels is all it takes to conquer the obstacles of airport fast food joints, a relative lack of facilities and sleep deprivation. Here, we’ve tapped into our expert base for some tried and tested techniques to stay fit and healthy on your upcoming work trips and summer holidays.

Time Your Eating Right

In catering to the needs of overseas clients, personal trainer and physiotherapist Tim Blakey is well versed in managing unhealthy travel days. One way he does so is by abstaining from airport and air travel’s limited food outlet choices.

“Even if it’s from your healthy-ish outlet of choice, I’d recommend preparing your own travel food wherever possible,” says Blakey.

“It’s best to have control of what you’re eating. There’s not much choice inside a metal canister at 50,000 feet, and when combined with lack of distraction and the smell of food, it’s easy to make bad decisions if you don’t come prepared. Worse still is aeroplane food, loaded with preservatives and heated in plastic, which comes with dangers further reaching than your gut.”

Considered by many to be better than coming prepared, however, is opting to fast during travel periods. Be aware, however, that it’ll require stronger willpower than usual due to plane-induced boredom, so Blakey recommends practising intermittent fasting ahead of your travels in preparation.

Not only will abstaining from food while travelling through time zones enable you to avoid making unhealthy choices, but it has also been shown to assist in resetting your circadian rhythm once you land. In turn, this will help energize you so that you can stick to your regular training plan and make better food choices throughout your trip. To optimise this body clock reset, it’s best to avoid caffeine before and during your flight, too.

The Airport Is Your Gym

Air travel comes with particularly restrictive environments on the mobility and training front, especially so when you’re trapped in a delay between long haul flights. Few airports offer any comprehensive apparatus to conduct the type of workout you might be used to, but getting mobile can make a world of difference to how you feel during your flight (where you’re bound to your seat) and after you land.

Blakey recommends a mobility sequence that takes up minimal space and requires no equipment, working on the areas most confined when you fly. It’s the perfect routine to pass the time while you wait to board your flight.

• Start with four sun salutations from a deep lunge position. Reach one hand overhead, keeping your eyes on your thumb, then return that arm into the inside of your front knee. Repeat for four reps.
• Keeping your chest low to your front knee, rock back until you feel a stretch in the hamstring, being careful not to raise your torso as you straighten your knee. Repeat this for four reps, too.
• Lastly, bring the front leg out to the side in a straightened position, foot level with the hip. Move the hips back towards the heels while you drop the chest as far toward the ground as possible, then return to the starting position. Do four times on one side before switching.

Should you be worried about fellow passengers staring, Blakey’s advice is simple – don’t be. “I have hope that this will become common practice in the years to come, as we continue to spread the importance of becoming more body aware.

The World Is Your Gym

If your onward destination is lacking the Technogym gloss of your home haunt, now’s the time to try new things. Not all hotels are fitted with a comprehensive fitness offering, but there are many substitutes that can be made to emulate your usual workout.

Chairs can be used as steps for raises and suitcases or bags used as weights. Most effective, though, is a door to attach a TRX suspension trainer to.

“The TRX is one of the most versatile pieces of fitness equipment you can own,” says Blakey. “You can work every muscle in your body with a TRX, and best of all, it takes up very little room in your luggage.”

If motivation comes less easy than simply changing your perception of a suitcase to a barbell, however, app-based fitness programmes can act as pocket PT to help you get inspired. Blakey’s app-based programmes at PR1MEBODY contain gym-based programmes with alternative exercise options that suit most fitness setups, including small hotel gyms, while the PR1ME-Minimalist TRX and home-based plans cater to circumstances where a gym is less accessible.

Listen To Your Body

Contrary to the high-intensity, all or nothing mentality that some trainers might preach in the pursuit of fitness, travel fatigue is best dealt with by listening to your body. Feeling tired? “Then sleep,” concedes Blakey. “Even if it’s just a short nap – especially if you have a deficit of more than a few hours.” Long haul travel can come with major side-effects for your energy levels, so it’s important to aim to rectify your sleeping pattern as soon as you can.

“If it’s already late in the afternoon and you really want to get your circadian rhythm on track, try a workout,” Blakey continues. “Use the principle that anything is better than nothing, rather than completely exhausting yourself. It doesn’t have to be intense; it could simply be a mobility sequence or incline walk for 10 minutes.”

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Form’s Performance and Superblend Protein come in 40g sachets, making for perfect travel-friendly fitness supplementation. Each sachet packs 30g of plant-based protein and mixes nicely with just water for the utmost convenience.

Boost, meanwhile, combines caffeine and L-theanine – a calming amino acid – which can assist in powering through the jet lag without the jittery feeling of too much coffee.

The post How to Stay Fit and Healthy When You’re Travelling appeared first on Form.

Weekend Sleep Can Make Up For Week Night Sleep Deprivation

A 2018 Journal of Sleep Research study found that, short, but not long, weekend sleep was associated with an increased risk of early death in individuals under 65 years of age, while either a short sleep or long sleep on both weekdays and weekends showed increased mortality when compared with consistently sleeping seven hours per day.

“The results imply that short (weekday) sleep is not a risk factor for mortality if it is combined with a medium or long weekend sleep,” the researchers wrote. “This suggests that short weekday sleep may be compensated for during the weekend, and that this has implications for mortality.” Sunday snoozing, here we come.

Eating More Fruit And Vegetables Could Enhance It

In an epidemiological study conducted by nutritional scientists at the University of Leeds, a link was found between the amount of fruit and vegetables consumed and the quantity of sleep. Both vitamin C and carotenoids were documented in the blood of study participants recording optimum hours of sleep, while those eating fewer than 200g of fruit and veg each day tended to either under or oversleep relative to the recommended eight hours.

Working Out In The Evening Is Not Necessarily Detrimental To Sleep

Contrary to what you might have read about the rush of adrenaline associated with evening exercise, it turns out evening workouts are unlikely to prevent you from clocking off at the desired time. Not long ago, sports scientists at ETH Zurich traced 23 previous studies on the matter to find quite the opposite: that the time that many evening trainers spent in slow-wave sleep actually increased.

It was the studies they observed that timed sleep relative to particularly intense workouts ending just one hour before bed that proved to have a somewhat negative impact. Overall, though, the link between evening exercise and sleep may have been overstated.

It Fights Infection

Some say it’s laughter; researchers at the University of Tübingen, however, say sleep is the best medicine. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine this year found that a restful night’s sleep has the potential to enhance the efficiency of T cell responses – a type of white blood cell that’s critical to the body’s immune response.

Genetics Have More Of An Impact Than We Previously Thought

April 2019 saw the largest study of its kind examining how sleep is linked to our genetic coding. Funded by the Medical Research Council, data from over 85,000 participants wearing accelerometers such as Fitbits for seven days was analyzed alongside their genetic coding.

Among the discoveries was a link between an uncommon variant of a gene called PDE11A and the length and quality of sleep. Previously, this gene has also been looked into for the treatment of people with neuropsychiatric disorders associated with mood stability.

Senior Executives Are Getting More Of It Than You

Harvard Business Review puts its discovery of a link between seniority in your career and more sleep down to two possible explanations – either that with the help of assistants and middle-managers, they do less and have more time for sleep, or that they possess the wisdom and discipline to maintain a high level of performance without burning out.

Whichever is correct, it’s bad news for non-executive leaders, 68 percent of whom only get five to seven hours a night. At this level, you’re most likely to stay up late to catch up on emails and other tasks that couldn’t be finished in the working day.

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Form’s ZZZZs capsules naturally promote a restful and regenerative night’s sleep using a mixture of plant-based ingredients and potent nootropics. A capsule 30 minutes before bed enhances serotonin production with 5-HTP, in turn producing melatonin to keep your biological clock in sync. Calming amino acids L-Glycine and L-Theanine, meanwhile, have been shown to reduce sleep onset time and promote relaxation.

The post Wake Up to these 6 Eye-Opening Discoveries Around Sleep appeared first on Form.

In the UK at least, this has been most visible in the plastic bags you’re now charged for at the supermarket (incentivising you to bring your own reusable one), the paper or glass straws now used at your local cafe or bar, even the swimwear you invested in over the summer, much of which is now being made from recycled fishing nets.

But what’s next in the quest to omit environmentally problematic plastic from our lives? A number of product pioneers are working on some particularly innovative materials which may well emerge as the new normal in the not-so-distant future. Here are a few that have captured our imagination.

Used Coffee Grounds

Berlin start-up Kaffeeform’s use of old coffee grounds to create reusable cups has already won accolades for innovation.

Founded by German designer Julian Lechner, the brand structures its product from the used coffee grounds of Berlin cafes, mixed with natural glues and particles of wood from sustainable sources. Together, they form a liquid that’s injection-moulded to create cups.

The popularity of coffee means there are ample grounds going to waste, making it a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to products otherwise based on mineral oils. The material is durable, reusable, dishwasher safe and insulative. When the cups are no longer of use, they’re also biodegradable.

Among the brand’s product offering so far are espresso cups and saucers, cappuccino mugs, and even a reusable takeaway vessel.

Reishi Mushrooms

Characterised by their red-varnished, kidney-shaped cap, reishi mushrooms are a popular ingredient in Chinese medicine (like all other wild mushrooms, they’re an invaluable source of vitamin D), and their utility doesn’t stop there. Led by San Francisco-based startup, MycoWorks and their founder Philip Ross, an artist who’s exhibited at MoMA and the Venice Biennale, they can also be turned into a bio-material that closely mimics the touch and feel of leather.

“People, for a long time, have grown something called mushroom leather,” CEO Matt Scullin explained to US-based publication Cool Hunting. “It’s compressed down into something more like expanded PVC or yoga mat material and it’s very weak. What we do is, while our material is growing, we coerce the mycelium cells into a woven structure. This gives it much more strength and durability.”

The mushrooms are grown in two-by-three foot trays and custom shapes can even be grown within specific trays which can significantly cut down on waste. It’s an inspiring 360 approach to sustainability, and one taken without compromise.

Algae

Many lakes have become overrun by plant slime, and countries around the world are now dealing with epidemic levels of algae that can prove toxic to people and the ecosystems that live in these waterways.

Swimming in it, swallowing it and even inhaling it can cause vomiting and diarrhoea, with extended contact is even linked to cancer and liver failure. All of which means there’s far more incentive to filter it from waterways.

And so, a technology made by Aecom has been made to filter algae from water in order to turn it into a plastic foam reminiscent of that used in billions of shoes every year. Replacing the ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam – which gives performance shoes their cushion – with an EVA-algae based hybrid called “Bloom” could go a long way towards clean up an ever-growing sneaker industry notorious for its harmful environmental effects. It’s enough to put a spring in your step.

Grape Skins

In a somewhat poetic cycle, engineer Ludovica Cantarelli has developed a way of using wasted grape skins and branches for wine bottles, with grapes used for white wine becoming the paper on their labels.

The project, Wine Matters, explores exactly how waste created from the winemaking process can be better utilised, using her own family’s Italian vineyard as a case study.

Italy produces 50 million hectoliters of wine per year, and with it, almost two million tonnes of solid waste such as branches, stems, skins and vine. All must be disposed of somehow. Most commonly, it’s burnt on site.

Cantarelli’s practise is driven by her Italian roots and, through this new craft process, she has discovered a way to create a cyclical manufacturing method that reduces CO2 emissions from discarded waste.

Yerba Mate

The Argentinian tea yerba mate is a common ingredient in energy drinks, but industrial designer Silvio Tinello thinks outside the can. Through his research in biofabrication, he has pioneered the use of yerba mate as a design material, experimenting in functional objects from lamps to shoes.

Tinello is motivated both by yerba mate’s cultural resonance in Argentina, and his discovery of the large amounts of waste produced by the tea. He only uses the wasted leaves from the production process, rather than that which would otherwise be used as food.

Perhaps the most interesting of his products is the yerba mate piggy bank. In its traditional incarnation, the penny-saving ornament is destroyed when you need your cash, swept up and binned. Tinello’s version – made from mycelium and leftovers from yerba mate – can be composted after use and you can even grow new plants from the wreckage.

Malai

Malai is a biocomposite material made from organic bacterial cellulose sourced from the coconut industry in Southern India. It’s flexible, durable and water-resistant, with a feel you might compare to leather or paper.

Developed into something altogether more durable by Central Saint Martins graduate Zuzana Gambosova and Kerelan product designer Susmith C. Suseelan, malai is produced from the bacterial by-product of coconut water fermentation, is completely vegan (you can eat it) and will biodegrade within 90 days at the end of its lifecycle (which can be many years).

Still doubting its sustainable credentials? One small coconut-processing unit can collect over 4,000 litres of water per day, which can be used to make 320 square metres of the material.
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Form is making efforts to reduce its waste with compostable packaging for its protein blends. In these packs, we’ve also removed plastic scoops to promote the use of tablespoons instead. For our cognitive supplements, we run an end-of-life reuse programme offering one complimentary product to customers who send back empty glass jars to be sterilized and repurposed in the manufacturing process.

The post 6 Mind-Blowing and Sustainable Materials Built for the Future appeared first on Form.

One important reason is the increased communication of cattle farming’s impact on our planet. For every 50g of beef protein consumed, an average of 17.7kg of CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere. The same study linked a litre of cow’s milk to 3.2kg of emissions, 628 litres of water used, and 9 square metres of land occupied. Compare that to oat milk production, which comes with a fractional 0.9kg of CO2 emissions, 48 litres of water and less than a single square metre of land.

But the trade-offs aren’t simply environmental. Harvard research has also linked the replacement of full-fat dairy products with carbohydrates from whole grains to a heart disease reduction by 28%, while other studies have linked excessive dairy consumption to certain cancer strains and dermatological defects such as acne.

And what of cereal, legume, nut and seed-based milk’s less complete nutritional profile than the blue-topped stuff? Though none quite match cow’s protein content and complete essential amino acids profile, many alt-milks come fortified with additional nutrients, and most brands now offer unsweetened variations to offset previously concerning added sugars.

So, if you’re yet to find the perfect plant-based milk to shake your Superblend to perfection, here we’ve summarised the benefits and trade-offs of each leading dairy-free alternative.

Oat Milk | Great Texture, Great Taste

Currently on track to replace almond in the plant-based commercial stand-off, oat milk is naturally sweet with a creamy texture that makes it the baristas alternative of choice, not forgetting the best option for thickening up your shakes. Being a starchy grain, oat milk comes with more carbs than nut varieties and less than half the protein of cow’s milk (3g per serving compared to cow’s 8g). That said, it makes up for that with cholesterol-normalising beta-glucan and superior B vitamins compared with soy and coconut milk.

Coconut Milk | Good Fats

About 93% of coconut milk’s calories come from fat. Fortunately for those looking to lose weight, this includes saturated fats known as medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Alongside their ability to balance gut microbes, a 2018 PLoS One study suggested MCTs also increase insulin sensitivity to better break down glucose and control blood sugar levels. Shake-ready varieties abound, but check out Rebel Kitchen‘s range for super tasty skimmed, semi-skimmed and whole blends.

Hemp Milk | The Sustainable Option

Though lower in its protein and carb count than oat milk, hemp alternatives also boast fewer calories and make for a good source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids known as alpha-linolenic acid. It also naturally contains more calcium than cow’s milk, which other plant-derived milks tend to have to be bolstered with additionally. Best of all, though, is hemp’s sustainability credentials: hemp seeds are grown naturally with very little water, and the plant breathes in four times more CO2 than trees, with no wastage.

Almond Milk | Low Cost, Low Calorie

Though emissions, land and water usage for almond milk production are far lower than cow’s milk, water use tends to be relatively much higher than other plant-based milks. Per serving, almond milk contains 60 calories and 2.5g of fat – each half the quantities of oat, though sadly protein takes the same hit. As for its status as the cream of the dairy alternatives crop? Much of that can be put down to its palatable nutty taste and comparatively low cost.

Soy Milk | High in Protein

When it comes to protein content, soy comes closest to rivalling that of cow’s milk, with as much as 8.25g per serving in some brands. It’s also low in saturated fat and a natural source of vitamins A and B-12. Unlike other milks on this list, however, soy tends to be heavily processed and GM. Interestingly, though, soy milk uses the least amount of water to make – near half that of oat and less than 5% of what’s required for cow’s milk, though check that your brand of choice is farming sustainably.

Rice Milk | A Glug of Energy

Being high in carbohydrates, rice milk makes for a great energizing alternative with a good profile of B vitamins and magnesium. But what it succeeds in with carb content and lack of saturated fat, it loses in its somewhat negligible protein content – a measly 0.25g per serving. Nevertheless, rice milk is a trusty option for anyone with nut or soy allergies, and usually comes enriched with added nutrients to make up for what it lacks naturally.

The post Which Plant Milk Should I Be Drinking? appeared first on Form.

The perks aren’t simply anecdotal either. Neuroscience can vouch for the number of benefits that come from simply opening your notebook and writing emotively; however you choose to do it. And indeed, for a more structured and productive approach to journaling, there are plenty of resources to set you on specific paths (find some here).

Read on to discover just some of the scientifically-backed benefits of journaling.

Journaling Is Therapeutic

Putting our feelings into words was found by UCLA psychologists to make feelings of sadness, anger and pain less intense. Their study combined Buddhist teachings with modern neuroscience, testing the region of the brain called the amygdala – which serves as an alarm to activate biological systems that protect the body in times of danger – when confronted with photographs portraying different emotions.

What they found was that when we put our feelings into words, we reduce the response in the amygdala while activating the brains prefrontal region. “In the same way you hit the break when you’re driving and you see a yellow light,” said study authors, “when you put feelings into words, you seem to be hitting the brakes on your emotional responses.”

It Reduces Anxiety

Bottling up your worries never did anyone any good, but short of voicing them out with a therapist, journaling has been found to be the next best thing. A Michigan State University study provided the first neural evidence of this, finding that expressive writing frees up cognitive resources.

Working on the basis that worrying takes up cognitive resources (the study author puts it that people who struggle with worry are constantly multitasking to try to suppress their worries) college students who had been pre-identified as chronically anxious were asked to complete a computer-based “flanker task” measuring response accuracy and reaction times.

While one half of the group were asked to write about their deepest thoughts and feelings about the upcoming task, the other wrote about what they did the day before. When it came down to it, the two groups performed at roughly the same level for speed and accuracy, but the expressive-writing group performed much more efficiently, using fewer brain resources.

Yet another car analogy is used to simplify what’s happening here. Study authors say worried students who wrote down their worries were able to offload them and run more like a brand new Prius, whereas worried students who didn’t offload their worries guzzled more brain gas to achieve the same outcomes.

It Inspires Altruism

When trying to determine whether personal altruistic traits were affected by a journaling intervention, researchers from the University of Oregon were thankful to find that regularly noting feelings of gratitude led to an upward swing in selfless generosity.

Thirty-three women were evaluated to assess baseline gratitude and altruism before undergoing MRI brain scans. Here, each participant viewed transactions in which money was either donated to a local food bank or deposited into their personal bank account. They followed by adding a journaling intervention to half the group, who wrote a daily journal responding to prompts with questions related to gratitude.

When this segment of the study group returned to the MRI scan to view the same transactions, activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex shifted in the gratitude-journaling group, and they increased the value signal toward the charity receiving money over themselves.

Study author Christina M. Karns notes these findings show that there’s more good out there when there is gratitude – something easily expressed through journaling.

Journaling Can Help You Sleep

While research continues to unearth the many benefits of a good night’s sleep (and the many shortcomings of a lack thereof), we’ll take just about anything we can get to optimise it. If that means five minutes to jot down a few of our to-dos each night, consider it ticked off.

Thanks to research from Baylor University’s Sleep Neuroscience and Cognition lab, evidence that writing a to-do list to ‘offload’ thoughts and reduce worry is no longer merely anecdotal. Using overnight polysomnography, researchers monitored electrical brain activity with electrodes in a group of university students, one half of which wrote down everything they needed to remember the next day and the other half who wrote down completed tasks during the previous days.

Contrary to some doubt that writing about upcoming tasks might induce anxiety and hinder sleep, those who wrote out a to-do list fell asleep faster than those who journaled about completed tasks.

If you need a new notebook for all your journaling needs look no further than Form’s tree-free A6 stone paper notebook made from high-quality, sustainable and recyclable stone paper with a flexible, soft cover. Completely waterproof, stone paper offers a completely friction-free writing experience allowing your pen to glide across pages without the ink ever bleeding through. 

The post 4 Neuroscience-Backed Reasons to Start Journaling appeared first on Form.

From a deeper dive into the effectiveness of a mind-muscle connection to the link between lifting weights and sleep, here is a selection of recent discoveries which have intrigued us at Form HQ.

The mind-muscle connection 2.0

The connection between muscle and mind is ancient lore for bodybuilders. The logic goes that focussing on a particular muscle when lifting promotes its activation and, by extension, development.

But a analysis published last year in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living suggests that this way of thinking about the link is one reserved for aesthetes, not athletes. To truly lift heavier or for longer, it encourages thinking instead about the weight you’re lifting, rather than your muscles.

Proponents of the mind-muscle connection as we know it cite increased muscle activity when focussing on specific muscles when lifting – potentially translating to increased energy expenditure and muscle hypertrophy. But the opposite was found to be true when weightlifters focus on external effects such as the movement of a barbell. Lifts are done more economically and with less effort – thus resulting in greater capacity to lift more for longer.

Fitter people have fitter brains

Scientists have long known that the benefits of resistance training and general activity go far beyond what you can see in the mirror or what you can lift in the weights room. Past experiments haven’t, however, been able to control factors such as education, age or bodyweight to confirm the underlying causes for the cognitive upshot of training.

Analysing a large database of over 1,200 MRI brain scans, researchers conducted a two-minute walking test followed by a series of cognitive tests to measure memory, sharpness, judgement and reasoning.

In doing so, they found that better performance in a two-minute walking test was directly linked to better cognitive performance and structural integrity of white matter in the brain – known to improve the speed and quality of cognitive nerve connections.

The study was conducted at University Clinic, Munich, and now that researchers have concluded that fitter people have better brain health, the next step is to ask whether making people fitter will actively improve it.

Longer life = muscle power over strength

Frailty in old age is often linked to all-cause mortality, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the OAP matching the squat 1RM of a 25-year-old has paved the way to a longer life. The key to longevity has been found to be far more linked to the power of your muscles than the strength of them.

Power depends on the ability to generate force and velocity, and to coordinate movement, so is directly related to simple tasks such as climbing stairs (the faster you climb, the more power you need). After turning 40, muscle power is said to gradually decrease, and a lack thereof has been strongly related to a shorter lifespan.

In this study, 4,000 non-athletes between the ages of 41 and 85 were enrolled to test their power during a set of upright rows. In the follow-up over six years later, participants with a maximal muscle power above the median for their gender had the best survival rate.

Professor Claudio Gil Araújo, the author of the study, provides these training tips for increasing muscle power:

• Choose multiple exercises for the upper and lower body.
• Choose a weight with the load to achieve the maximal power (not so easy to lift and not so heavy that you can barely lift it).
• Do one to three sets of six to eight repetitions moving the weight as fast as possible while you contract your muscles (slow or natural speed in returning to initial position).
• Rest for 20 seconds between each set to sufficiently replenish the energy stores in your muscles to start the next set.

Resistance training improves sleep

Sleepless nights? An unlikely remedy to add to your routine of cutting out screen time and popping a ZZZZs before bed could well be found in the weights room.

The discovery comes from Appalachian State University, where researchers monitored 18-25 year-olds who either trained in the morning, the afternoon, the evening or not at all. Not only did sleep improve across the board for exercisers, but results interestingly differed depending on time. Training early in the morning, for instance, was linked to falling asleep quicker in the evening, while training in the evening led to waking up less during the night.

So, if you struggle to fall asleep, try taking to the gym soon after waking up, and if you struggle to stay asleep, try saving your strength workout for around 7 pm.

Sleep improves resistance training

There is a cyclical benefit to your weights room-enhanced sleep, too. Better shut-eye has also been shown to boost the effects of strength training, and a new study published in Sports Medicine International Open has indicated that simply giving people information about the importance of sleep and ways to improve it saw an upshot to their resistance training.

Over the course of a 12-week experiment, test subjects who received information about sleep lost significantly more body fat and became fitter than those who didn’t, with a small but not statistically significant increase in muscle mass and strength, too.

Further proof, if you really needed it, that a multicomponent behavioural approach to optimising fitness outcomes has more potential to enhance physical performance than a one-minded attitude towards resistance training.

It’s never too late to start exercising

As we get older, generally our aspirations of athletic accomplishment lessen. But though it’s true that muscle naturally deteriorates faster after a certain age, that’s not to say muscle can’t still be built.

Recent research from the University of Birmingham confirmed this, showing that even people who have never taken to sustained exercise programmes have just the same ability to build muscle mass as highly trained athletes of a similar age.

Against expectations, muscle biopsies of ‘master athletes’ in their 70s and 80s who still compete in their respective sports and healthy individuals who did not partake in regular exercise showed equal capacity for building muscle after exercise. Though a lifelong commitment to good health and fitness is certainly the best approach, the findings show it’s never too late to delay age-related frailty and muscle weakness.

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Form’s Performance Protein has been specially formulated to provide a complete spectrum of amino acids to support muscle growth and repair. With 30g of multi-source plant-based protein per serving, it’s our recommended supplement for anyone following a weight training programme. 

The post Should You Even Lift Though? Here’s 6 Interesting Discoveries Around Resistance Training appeared first on Form.

The majority of labels producing sustainable swimwear sing the praises of one fabric in particular – Econyl. The regenerated nylon fibre is made entirely from recycled plastic polymers such as fishing nets, rigid textiles and even carpets. The material comes from leading Italian nylon manufacturer Aquafil Global, whose chairman rightly stated ahead of its 2011 launch that “Either you become sustainable, or you will have to exit the business.”

In its commitment to recycled materials, Econyl is also responsible for helping to clean up our oceans and protect sea life from entanglement in fishing wastage, which accounts for 10 percent of ocean junk.

There are other important factors in the quest to make truly sustainable swimwear too, including the use of non-toxic dye ingredients and environmentally-compliant factories. And while mass-market eco-friendly swimsuits are still lurking in the shallow end of production, waves are being made by a choice few brands – the most notable of which, we’ve listed below.

10 Of The Best Sustainable Swimwear Brands

BOLD Swim

Made from 99% of its own signature Amni Eco Soul fabric, BOLD Swim is committed to sustainability across every point of its supply chain, including fair wages and eco-friendly practices throughout. Along with swimwear produced using recycled water, any production waste from its biodegradable fabrics is donated to local artisans who reuse for textiles. At the end of the supply chain, it uses minimal and 100% recyclable packaging.

Fisch

All of Fisch’s swimwear is made from Italian Econyl woven in Lombardy, located in close proximity to the factory they then produce it in to minimise their carbon footprint. What’s more, Fisch is dedicated to supporting Healthy Seas – a team of skilled divers dedicated to cleaning up our oceans from both plastic and ghost fishing nets – donating 10 percent of its global profits to the initiative every year.

Patagonia

Patagonia started life as a climbing equipment brand but has since become an industry pin-up for ethics and eco-consciousness. Since 1986, it has donated 10% of its profits to grassroots movements, and it was the first brand to officially join the network of bluesign system partners to ensure all chemicals, processes and materials are safe for the environment, workers and customers.

Finisterre

Few brands love the sea quite as much as British surf brand and fellow B Corporation Finisterre, so it’s no surprise that the label was an early adopter of Econyl yarns for its swimwear. Varying percentages of Econyl are used in conjunction with organic cotton and other post-consumer recycled materials on board and bikini shorts, plus rash tops and leggings primed for cold water pursuits.

Everest Isles

The Hladky brothers who founded Everest Isles saw firsthand the impact of ocean pollution and sought to create a brand that always kept this front of mind. Even the brand name is derived from the threat that climate change brings to the Himalayas. Their latest designs are made from bluesign system textiles and 100% Econyl yarn.

CDLP

Premium Swedish men’s underwear brand CDLP delivered its first foray into swimwear in 2018, collaborating with Italian institution, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, on three shorts styles designed in a colour palette inspired by the picturesque Como lakeside. Off the back of this early success the brand is continuing to push its beautifully-made swimwear hard, with a range of swim briefs, trunks and shorts all made with Italian-sourced Econyl and handmade in a family-run fábrica in Portugal.

Vitamin A

Laguna Beach-based Vitamin A opts for EcoLux over Econyl – a fine, matte jersey swim fabric locally produced in California. In blending the recycled nylon fibre with a lycra material known for its longevity, it extends the life of a swimsuit far beyond throwaway fast-fashion labels. What’s more, its prints are often created using a waterless digital technology at factories which prioritise conserving both water and electricity.

Arket

A pioneer in high street adoption of Econyl for its swimwear, Arket champions the material across much of their men’s and women’s lines. Those seeking to be truly eco-conscious in their purchases are right to be wary of its fast fashion roots, but the widespread adoption of the material in their latest designs is a step in the right direction for larger enterprises such as this.

Stay Wild Swim

The brainchild of bloggers, Natalie Glaze and Zanna Van Dijk (both keen scuba divers and passionate ocean lovers), Stay Wild Swim is another big Econyl fan. Sourcing its regenerated nylon yarn from Italy, the brand then produces its swimwear in a small factory in London with a stringent zero-waste approach and a concerted effort to bring sustainability into every step of the process, including the use of recycled hang tags, compostable hygiene liners and carbon neutral shipping.

Away That Day

Designed in London and manufactured by a family-run supplier in Bali, Away That Day, uses the sustainable swimwear gold standard, Ecoynl, when making their swimsuits, while its packaging is all sustainably wrapped up in compostable mailing bags and recycled tissue paper. The latter comes from a company called No Issue which plants a tree in areas stricken by deforestation for every order Away That Day makes with them.

The post The Brands Making a Splash in Sustainable Swimwear appeared first on Form.

Over three-quarters of the UK population fails to reach the recommended eight hours a night, while one in three people are affected by insomnia according to the NHS. These shocking statistics around our collective lack of sleep have been widely circulated for years, and the repercussions are extensive. Research institute RAND estimates that lost sleep accounts for a £30 billion hit to the UK economy, while adults who sleep less than six hours a night have a 13 percent higher mortality risk.

Unfortunately getting our 40 winks isn’t as simple as just switching the light off. But, a deeper understanding of the chemicals that instigate sleep within us could make the process less painful. This is where 5-HTP comes in, or more precisely the resulting melatonin it induces.

What is 5-HTP?

But, we’re getting ahead of ourselves. So let’s start by dissecting the first element in that equation. 5-Hydroxytryptophan better known as 5-HTP is a compound the body naturally produces, created as a by-product of the amino acid L-tryptophan. This essential amino acid is abundant in plant protein sources such as spinach, seeds, and nuts, so a balanced diet will naturally support some 5-HTP production.

As a supplement, 5-HTP is derived from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia, a shrub native to West Africa. This means it is completely natural; no lab-made chemicals necessary. Your body then uses 5-HTP to produce serotonin, a chemical messenger that sends signals between nerve cells.

Serotonin can also be converted into a hormone that plays an important role in regulating sleep: melatonin.

About Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone naturally made by the pineal gland in the brain, which helps control daily sleep-wake cycles. Your internal clock (aka circadian rhythm) influences how much of the hormone you can naturally make, using exposure to light as a signal for the body to start producing melatonin and, essentially, herald in the night-time.

Because of this function of signalling darkness onset to the body, you may have heard melatonin referred to as the ‘hormone of darkness’. It’s secreted when natural light decreases in the evening, and hindered by exposure to unnatural light sources including blue light from the screens on your hand-held devices.

Because of its role in creating serotonin, 5-HTP is indirectly involved in producing melatonin. By creating ample stores of serotonin, 5-HTP can increase melatonin production when darkness signals to the body that the conversion is necessary, thus increasing the likelihood of regular sleep-wake cycles, the foundation for a rejuvenating and restful sleep.

Benefits Beyond Sleep

Low serotonin levels have been associated with a number of health problems, the most obvious one being depression. Serotonin is one of the four happy hormones, along with dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins.

In this quartet, serotonin is responsible for regulating your mood as well as your appetite, digestion, learning ability, and memory. And of course, the aforementioned sleep. In sum, if your serotonin levels aren’t in balance, it can have a mental, physical and emotional toll on your wellbeing.

Nootropic Supplements

Due to its role in supporting the natural production of neurotransmitters and hormones essential for sleep, a 100mg dosage of 5-HTP is a key ingredient in Form’s ZZZZs supplement.

ZZZZs also includes 105mg of magnesium, which has been shown to lead to deeper, better sleep while also maintaining levels of GABA, another neurotransmitter that promotes sleep. Also present is 10mg of zinc, an essential mineral which recent research has linked to healthy sleep quantity and quality.

The post How 5-HTP Promotes a Restful Night’s Sleep appeared first on Form.

To celebrate these testaments to evolution and just how far the human body can push itself (and catch a glimpse of some extraordinary design while we’re at it) we’ve rounded up some of the most astonishing race tracks in the world today in the hope that they can inspire you to go on to channel your inner Bolt.

3D Track | Alicante, Spain

Sat alongside this conventional track in Alicante is a three-dimensional rise which veers off course, over the changing rooms, and back again. Designed by Subarquitectura, the gap between the courses also acts as a viewing platform for spectators, not forgetting an additional training element to runners who have to factor inclines into their regime.

Evelyn Grace Academy | London, UK

Zaha Hadid’s contribution to innovative sports architecture spans everything from the London Aquatics Centre in Stratford to the recently completed Al Wakrah Stadium for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. The five-lane track in Brixton’s Evelyn Grace Academy is one of the defining features of its ultra-modern design.

Tiantai No. 2 Primary School | Zhejiang, China

300km from Shanghai in Tiantai, sparse availability of land saw LYCS Architecture incorporate a 200m track onto this four-story primary schools rooftop. It handily encircles a 3,000sqm secure courtyard to create a sense of inwardness.

National Stadium | Kallang, Singapore

The national stadium of Singapore is a seriously impressive piece of modern architecture. It features the largest retractable domed roof in the world, while the seating on the bottom tier has been custom designed to allow for the stadium to be configured for either football and rugby mode, cricket mode, or athletics mode.

We’re interested in what goes on just outside of the stadium here though, mainly a 888-metre running and cycling track that runs around the outside but is still neatly housed within that awe-inspiring dome.

Olympiastadion | Berlin, Germany

Another impressive stadium, the Olympiastadion in Berlin has been witness to many monumental events, from Jesse Owens’ four gold medals in front of the Nazi Party to Zinedine Zidane’s shocking red card in the 2006 World Cup Final.

Arguably its most characteristic feature is the royal blue race track that sweeps around the stadium, a nod to the team colours of football club Hertha Berlin, who call the majestic stadium their home.

Olympic Stadium | Stockholm

A grand elegy to stadia gone by, the Stockholm Olympic Stadium was built for the 1912 Olympic Games, and has seen more athletics world records broken on its hollowed track than on any other in the world (83 on the last count). It still hosts major athletics contests, most notably as part of the IAAF Diamond League, where it has hosted a regular meeting since 2011.

Panathenaic Stadium | Athens, Greece

The only stadium in the world to be built entirely of marble, the site of this Athenian track dates back to 330 BC. It was home to the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympic games in 1896, with presentations held on its 204.07 metre long straightaways and unusually short turns of only 33.35 metres. Today, it marks the finishing point for the annual Athens Marathon.

Michael Johnson Track at the Nike campus | Oregon, USA

At the Nike world headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, this track is named after former 200m and 400m world record holder Michael Johnson. It wraps around a forest of tall western conifers and is the training ground of some all-time greats. To the west of the track stands an impressive bronze statue of its namesake athlete.

Brigham Young University | Utah, USA

Track and field remains a highly competitive sport across the United States, and one track that runs circles around other educational institutes sits in Utah’s Brigham Young University. Overlooked by a stunning mountain scape, the bright blue track is calling out for athletic accomplishment.

Osaka Air Track | Osaka, Japan

It’s on the roof of a shopping mall where you’ll find Osaka’s premiere 300m track built with community at front of mind. Tokyu Fudosan Holdings Group called on locals to find out what they needed most in the new facility, and the result was a mall that prioritized health and fitness. The fact that it also offers sprawling views over Osaka’s great urban landscape is a major bonus.

Iten | Kenya

In a small town in the Kenyan highlands, Iten is the centre of the country’s middle- and long-distance running scene. What its high-altitude (2,400 metres) training ground lacks in remarkable, technically-accomplished design is made up for in its atmosphere. From David Rudisha to Lornah Kiplagat, few places can boast quite so many top international athletes.

Chamonix | France

This legendary ski resort just north of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, is also abuzz with keen trail runners looking to take advantage of its challenging climbs. This track in the heart of the commune makes for a seriously epic run for those looking to challenge themselves on flatter ground though, with glacial peaks dominating the scenery on all sides.

The post The Most Awe-Inspiring Running Tracks in the World appeared first on Form.

It’s hard not to drink the Kool-Aid (in Bondi’s case, make that a kombucha) when the wellness wave is so easily ridden. On a recent trip, we found ourselves very much swept away by it all. Here are a few spots that stood out.

Move

The Well

If you’re going to be spending a couple of weeks in Bondi and need a place to train at your own leisure, look no further than The Well. Chase a session in its state-of-the-art gym with an adaptogen-filled smoothie in its downstairs cafe, or take advantage of its informed roster of personal trainers, nutritionists, therapists, naturopaths, chiropractors… the list goes on.

Surf’s Up

A trip to Bondi isn’t really a trip to Bondi if you don’t at least attempt to do as the locals and seasoned backpackers do and ride a wave. With board and suit hire available at low cost from various beachfront outposts, head out early for your best shot at a tourist-free path to the shore.

BodyMindLife

Bondi’s activity of choice might take place atop a surfboard, but not far behind is its penchant for taking to the reformer. In fact, the two go hand-in-hand. Pilates having such a strong core focus, you’ll find the classes at beautiful BodyMindLIfe rammed with those who frequent the waves. Don’t feel intimidated – its pro teachers cater to every level.

Icebergs

A Bondi institution, Icebergs is a public lido that sits on the southern end of the beach, marking the start point of the journey down-coast to Coogee. Filled with seawater and topped up by incoming waves, swimming lengths is notably more challenging than the standard chlorinated spa set-up, but an afternoon switching between a few hundred metres and a wind-down in the sauna is one well spent.

Munch

UMU

For the best selection of plant-based eats in Bondi, UMU is where to get your fix. Along with fresh juices and breakfast dishes, the daily changing menu saw us chow down on vegan roast pumpkin lasagne with herbed lentils and caramelised onion, and a miso polenta with garlic tamari dressing. *Drool*.

Harris Farm Markets

Your favourite supermarket doesn’t have anything on this. Less convenient grocery store, more museum of quality fresh produce and health food brands, we spent hours wandering the aisles at Harris Farm Markets. If you’ve set up shop in a nearby apartment, here’s where to keep the fridge stocked.

Oakberry Acai

Acai bowls are the pretty pink breakfast choice of Instagram wellness bloggers the world over and are pretty much impossible to escape in these parts. The best you’ll find is in Oakberry Acai, where you can get your antioxidant-packed superfood layered with nut butter, seeds, chia pudding, granola and pretty much anything else you fancy. When in Bondi…

Must

Bondi-Coogee Coast Walk

The Bondi-Coogee trail is a path well-trodden by many a tourist, but it’s one of those attractions that simply has to be done, if just to take in the change of vibe at each beach you pass through along the way. For animal lovers, the best stop is Mackenzies Bay, a particularly pooch-friendly beach where you can watch excitable dogs chase and run from the low tide.

Bondi Farmer’s Market

Bondi’s weekly open-air market takes place on school grounds towards the northern end of the beach. It offers a change of scene from the great produce you’ll find at Harris Farm, yes, but also showcases artisanal Australian crafts and organic skincare, not to mention exceptional coffee.

MO+

Retreat from the hustle and bustle of Bondi’s beachfront for a spot of pampering at MO+, where you can choose from its menu of massage treatments (we highly recommend the myofascial release if you’ve been hammering the surf) or combat musculoskeletal issues the ancient Chinese way, through acupuncture.

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Now, check out our guides to London, Melbourne, Manchester, Berlin, Bali, Los Angeles, Medellín, Paris & New York City

The post Move/Munch/Must | Form’s Wellness Guide to Bondi Beach appeared first on Form.