DeskMonsters

PUSH TO THE FOREFRONT OF PRODUCTIVITY

INSPIRATION

NUTRITION

STYLE

YOUNG GUNS LIANNE ELSDON

SOULMATE FOOD JONNY STANNARD MEL WELLS

MARTINE ALEXANDER ARMAND BEASLEY

BODY AT WORK

ISSUE

THREE

HARRIS AND ROSS DAVID LAWSON

Special Feature: CITY SLICKERS A GUIDE TO BRISTOL

#PKBCoffee Rugby & Business

Special Feature:

tim

SHIEFF

DESK

MONSTERS

THE VEGAN WARRIOR

SPONSORED BY:

DM03 | JUNE 2015

MARK &JON Caffeine-fuelled Superleague at St.Helens R.F.C

2

DeskMonsters helps push you to the forefront of productivity in work and play with inspiration, nutrition, guides, grooming and much more.

DM | W ELCOME 4

READER INTRODUCTION W ELCOME TO DESKMONSTERS

Welcome to the Summer edition of DESKMONSTERS! We hope you enjoyed our first two issues.

In line with the brighter days of summer we bring to you an issue full of positivity and inspiration, with thoughtprovoking content from aspirational individuals.

Be sure to like our Facebook page for some amazing giveaways and competitions and follow us on Twitter for more articles! www.facebook.com/ deskmonsters @deskmonstersmag

HOW TO USE T HIS MAG

Think of us as a tool, an accessory, a serious bit of kit that you can pull out and have on you whenever you need that moment of inspiration, or a reminder on how to absolutely blow everyone away, be it the boardroom, the pool or in interview for your new promotion.

at the top of their sport, whilst creating one of the North West’s finest speciality coffee houses Pot Kettle Black.

Our Young Gun this month is Lianne Elsdon, a high flying recruiter, juggling an accelerating career and a very impressive portfolio of athletic talents, proving it is possible to do it all!

THE SUMMER ISSUE

Our cover star this month, Tim Shieff is phenomenal athlete.

The self-proclaimed Vegan Warrior, and finalist of ITV’S Ninja warrior UK, explains how becoming vegan and respecting the planet has propelled him to his athletic best.

Combing sport with business, we visited two of Rugby Super League’s finest players, Jon Wilkin and Mark Flanagan to see how they have managed to stay

--COVER PHOTO: ??

As the heat rises, our resident stylsists, Martine and Armand have prepared their essential summer picks, hints and tips to keep you looking at the top of your game, whilst everyone else is hot and flustered.

Armand also reports on Bristol in this issue’s City Slickers. If you haven’t yet been, he offers a host of reasons why you should head there now!

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GE T INSPIRED

Take inspiration from this issue. We want you to be inspired, and in return be inspirational to others!

Have an awesome summer, keep in touch and we will see you in September.

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IN TERVIE W: TIM SHIEFF - THE V EG A N WAR R IOR

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I S S U E N O.3

B O DY AT W O R K

NUTRITION

AL ISON BUGG Harris & Ross Healthcare

S O U L M AT E F O O D MEL WELLS Summer Recipes & BBQ Guide

D AV I D L AW S O N Work Vs Fitness

D AV I D L AW S O N DeskMonsters Science - CLA

I N S P I R AT I O N L IANNE ELSDON Management Accountant TIM SHIEFF World Freerunning Champ

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STYLE ARMAND BEASLEY Get Sun Savvy MARTINE ALEX ANDER Summer Must Haves

M O T I VAT I O N T H E B E S T D I E T F O R YO U Jonny & Vera Stannard TR AINING FOR WEIGHT LOSS Jonny & Vera Stannard P.5 2 L E A R N : H I G H F LY E R S Claire Trantner

WORK HARD P L AY H A R D PKB Rugby League Stars talk about their venture into the world of business CI T Y SL ICKER S The Insider’s Guide to the city of Bristol

DM | REICH INSUR ANCE 8

Reich Insurance REICH INSURANCE

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Our experienced and customer focused staff have access to a wide range of facilities, many of which are exclusive to us.

We provide an innovative and flexible approach to our clients’ insurance needs, resulting in the most comprehensive covers at the best of premiums.

We are totally committed to providing a professional and personal service to our clients which we believe is second to none in the broking market.

REICH HEALTHCARE INSURANCE Choosing the right healthcare scheme and dealing with healthcare providers can be a time consuming process.

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Our dedicated account handlers, who have a wealth of experience, can provide an unrivalled level of service.

Enquiries@reichinsurance.co.uk www.reichinsurance.co.uk www.reichhealthcare.co.uk

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Case Studies BLEMAIN GROUP Blemain Group are a substantial provider of loans to both individuals and businesses, and we need an insurance broker who can understand our complex requirements.

Reich Insurance brokers totally live up to this requirement.

They are always willing to challenge the status quo and produce innovative solutions for our business needs.

We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending them to other businesses that require somebody who is proactive, competitive and provides exemplary service.

Marc Goldberg, Director, Blemain Group

UK ATHLETICS We have relied on Reich Healthcare, and Wendy Newman in particular, for many years, and have always found their prompt advice and guidance invaluable with the administration of our company health insurance scheme. A consistently high level of service, with an instant response to calls, queries or questions, Reich Healthcare has always bettered market rates and delivered significant savings too.

Claire Cooksey, HR Manager, UK Athletics

GROUP CHAIRMAN Danny Lopian Group Chairman 0161 834 8877 danny.lopian@reichinsurance.co.uk Jenny Sharp PA to Danny Lopian 0161 830 5409 jenny.sharp@reichinsurance.co.uk GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Simon Taylor Group Chief Executive Officer 0161 834 8877 simon.taylor@reichinsurance.co.uk Joanne Welsh PA to Simon Taylor 0161 830 5407 joanne.welsh@reichinsurance.co.uk BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 0161 830 5501 Jon Tynan Head of Department – Business Development 0161 830 5463 jon.tynan@reichinsurance.co.uk PROPERT Y INVESTORS 0161 830 5504 Nick Symes Head of Department – Property Investors 0161 830 5426 nick.symes@reichinsurance.co.uk BUSINESS INSURANCE 0161 830 5506

Andrew TIdey Head of Department – Group Commercial 0161 830 5456 andrew.tidey@reichinsurance.co.uk

PRIVATE CLIENTS 0161 830 5503 Dave Fitton Head of Department – Household 0161 830 5404 dave.fitton@reichinsurance.co.uk 0161 830 5502

JOHN OWENS Head of Department – Motor 0161 830 5413 john.owens@reichinsurance.co.uk

CLAIMS 0161 830 5502 David Lennon ACII, BA (Hons) Head of Department – Group Claims and Risk Management 0161 830 5415 david.lennon@reichinsurance.co.uk

OPERATIONS Rachel Margerson ACII Head of Group Operations 0161 830 5424 rachel.margerson@reichinsurance. co.uk Louisa Morgan PA to Rachel Margerson 0161 830 5439 louisa.morgan@reichinsurance.co.uk

COMPLIANCE Andy Kay Group Compliance and Technical Manager 0161 830 5423 andy.kay@reichinsurance.co.uk

FINANCE 0161 830 5505 Mike Prophet Head of Department – Group Finance 0161 830 5419 mike.prophet@reichinsurance.co.uk

D M B O D Y AT W O R K

“ D O O N E T H I N G E V E R Y D AY T H AT S C A R E S Y O U. ’

- E L E A N O R R O O S E V E LT

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BODY AT W O R K 12 YOUNG GUNS L I A N NE EL SDON

1 4 T I T L E H E R E D AV I D L A W S O N

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Harris and Ross T R E AT I N G & S T R E N G T H E N I N G YO U R B A C K

PARACETAMOL DOES NOT HELP BACK PAIN OR ARTHRITIS - TELEGRAPH 31 MARCH 2015 PARACETAMOL FOR BACK PAIN IS NO BETTER THAN A PLACEBO. - DAILY MAIL 31 MARCH 2015 PARACETAMOL DOES NOT HELP LOWER BACK PAIN. - THE GUARDIAN JULY 2014

After years of GPs advising paracetamol for lower back pain and dysfunction, a study published in The Lancet blows this out of the window.

The University of Sydney reviewed articles and studies on the subject and reported that paracetamol does not help or resolve back pain and that long-term usage can damage the liver. So you ask, “What do we do for back pain? What if I can’t concentrate at work or perform at the gym because of the dull ache in my back?”

Firstly, this dull ache in lower back has, what the medical professionals call, a ‘mechanical basis’. This means there is something structural that is causing your pain, whether it be a facet joint, disc irritation or nerve issue. At this point it’s worth adding that it is rare to

get a muscle spasm in the lower back without one of these being the underlying culprit.

Whilst the symptom you may feel is a muscle spasm, generally there is something causing it.

For this reason, the statement, ‘paracetamol does not cure back pain‘ is very true. Addressing the root cause of the pain however, does.

Although physiotherapy can be a little uncomfortable, and require an ongoing commitment to specific exercises in the comfort of your own home or gym, it is truly effective at alleviating pain.

With physiotherapy we release that tight facet joint, reducing the harmful pressures on the aggravated disc and desensitise the irritated nerve.

It is this activity that ultimately gets you back to your everyday activities, keeps you on track with your fitness goals, promotes sensible eating and a better night’s sleep.

Our first port of call in lower back physiotherapy is to strengthen the muscles around our core - that’s our pelvis, lower back and abdomen. These muscles switch off when you experience lower back pain, through something called reflex inhibition. This leaves you vulnerable to recurrent or further injury unless we switch them back on, and the sooner the better.

The exercises are simple, and are designed to be done whilst in a little discomfort, but if your discomfort is too much to allow you to even do this, and we are confident in our diagnosis, then a painkiller gives us a ‘window of relief’ to get the vital needed stuff started, and I am sure GPs and researchers will agree with this.

The relief a paracetamol brings is only short-lived and the problem at the root of the pain is not resolved. But as physiotherapists, our job is to keep you moving in a safe, guided way, progress your strength and flexibility, and prevent all the well-known problems of inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle, to provide a permenant solution to back pain.

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Exercise Programme P R E SC R I B E D

BY

M S A L I SON B UG G

So what exercises do we give our acute lower back patients?

TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINUS IN CROOK LYING

TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINUS ON ALL FOURS

- On your back, knees bent

- On all fours, resting on your hands and knees

- Lying on your back, bend one knee up so your hip and knee are at 90 degrees

- Suck your lower stomach all the way in

- Hold over the top of the knee with the opposite hand

- Keep your bottom tucked in and under, keep your head and neck relaxed

- Keeping shoulders squarely on the ground, use your arm to help rotate the pelvis to the side opposite the bent hip

- Find the front of your hip bones with your hands, come in 1.5 cm and down 1cm this is the muscle you are trying to work, make sure this becomes firm as you tighten - Suck in your stomach towards the floor - Pull testicles in towards stomach or squeeze up your pelvic floor

Perform 3 x 1 minute holds with 30 seconds. Rest in between sets.

- Hold your lower stomach in as tight as possible Perform for 3 x 1 minute holds with 30 seconds.

Rest between sets.

LOWER BACK AND GLUTE STRETCH

- As you do this gently help the arm by rotating the upper part of the pelvis up and forwards towards the opposite side - You should feel a gentle stretch in your lower back and glute

For advice, appointments and further information please contact 0161 832 9000 and we will be happy to help www.harrisandross.co.uk

Hold this stretch for 3 sets of 18 seconds.

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G E T MOV ING ‌ G E T ST R ENG T HEN ING ‌

TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINUS - KNEE LIFTS STEP 1

- Lying on your back - Turn on trans abs by squeezing testicles up towards stomach or squeeze up your pelvic floor - Flatten your back slightly and draw your belly button towards the floor - Lift one foot off the floor until your hip and knee are at 90 degrees - Lower slowly to the floor and repeat with your other leg - Do not let pelvis rotate at all

Perform 3 sets of 10 reps.

PIRIFORMIS STRETCH

STEP 2

- Lying on your back - Turn on trans abs by squeezing testicles up towards stomach or squeeze up your pelvic floor - Flatten back slightly and draw your belly button towards the floor - Lift both legs off floor so that both hips and knees are bent to 90 degrees - Lower one leg slowly to the floor and take back to the starting position - Repeat with the other leg

- Lying on your back, bend one knee up leaving the other one straight - Hold the bent knee with the same hand, the other hand holds the ankle - Pull the bent knee towards the opposite shoulder - You should feel a stretch in the outside of your bottom, if you can feel this enough pull more from the ankle

Hold this stretch for 3 sets of 18 seconds.

- Do not let pelvis rotate at all

Perform 3 sets of 10 reps

SWISS BALL TILT AND BRIDGE - With your back against the ball and your bottom close to the floor - Tighten your trans abs - Tilt your pelvis backwards and squeeze your glutes

- Keep your glutes tight and push up Perfrom 4 x 10reps.

D M B O D Y AT W O R K

Photo credit: Justin Chong

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WORK

Vs

FITNESS D

avid is a biochemist working in pharmaceutical regulatory affairs. He has rapidly worked his way up the ranks to become Chief Regulatory Officer for a UK based Pharmaceutical company, having been responsible for the manufacture submission of a novel medicinal product.

He has successfully mastered the regulatory minefield of medicines and medical devices in Europe.

David has recently gone back to University to complete a Global MBA at one of Europe’s top Universities.

David has trained from the age of 16 and within three years qualified as a Personal Trainer and Nutritionalist. He quickly progressed to become a Specialist Strength Training Coach through the Poliquin International Certification Program. He is now a sponsored athlete for Optimum Nutrition, the world’s largest sports nutrition brand, and has competed as a fitness model in Miami Pro. David has also been photographed, as well as written, for Mens Health UK.

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WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

I have a number of inspirations both in my professional working life and also in my sports/fitness life. My biggest inspirations in my professional life are mainly the people I work with. I am fortunate enough to work within a team of highly motivated and successful individuals who provide great inspiration to me.

My biggest motivation is my desire to improve and progress – never to stay the same and never to regress. I am my own biggest critic and so this drives me to train when I am tired after a long day, or to eat healthily with the end goal in mind.

Within the fitness industry, it is those professionals, such as myself, who manage to balance a work/fitness lifestyle who most inspire me. For some, working in the fitness industry means that they have ready access to gyms, healthy foods and are surrounded by like minded people. The people that inspire me most are those that manage to prosper in a professional career yet manage to maintain the discipline to also prosper in the fitness industry.

Photo credit: Justin Chong

make sacrifices to achieve your goals. For me, “me time” is my biggest compromise.

From waking up, to bed time, my day is packed with things to do, so that I can maintain my physique while fulfilling my responsibilities in work.

I get up early so that I can do cardio before work.

If I am travelling I will do this in a hotel gym or outdoors before breakfast.

I have learned to prioritise my evening weights sessions and look to squeeze them in before a work dinner or travelling, if needed. In order to get up early, I also go to bed early (so that I can train before work), so my day is structured around my training.

“My biggest motivation is my desire to improve and progress.”

It is generally accepted that surrounding yourself with those whom you aspire to be like is the key to success. I find that surrounding myself with likeminded people, whether in the gym or via social media (biochemists are not typically gym-goers), is essential to keep me motivated.

HOW DO YOU JUGGLE WORK AND A CAREER IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY? I get asked this question a lot by both those in my professional career and those in the fitness industry. The simple answer is, prioritise. There are only so many hours in the day and with a demanding work day, which often requires travel, something has got to give. Though it is important to have a work / life balance you learn that you must

In addition to prioritising, planning is essential. Ensuring I have food prepared for the next day, two days or until I will get another opportunity to meal prep is essential. Planning my work clothes so that I am not delayed in the morning, and ensuring I have all the protein I need with me while I am on the road are vital. I am fortunate enough to be sponsored by a fantastic sports nutrition brand, which provides me with all the convenience packages of protein, bars and pre-workout that I need when travelling.

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A T YPICAL DAY IN DAVID’S LIFE: - I wake up at 5.45am and grab a quick coffee on my route to the gym. I drive 30 miles to work each day and luckily there is a gym five minutes from my work, meaning I get to do my cardio instead of sitting in rush hour traffic.

- I start work at around 8.30am, before my team gets a head-start on work. This also gives me an opportunity to grab breakfast after my post cardio protein shake.

- At 6.30pm I leave the office and travel back home for my weights session. I typically train 6-7 days a week usually totalling 12 workouts (cardio and weights).

Photo credit: Gilles Crofta

THREE LIFE ENHANCING TIPS: from David Lawson 1. Learn to prioritise... what is important to you and that will enable you to reach your goals – this may mean making sacrifices but your longer-term goals should be your main objective.

2. Believe in yourself.

This is a concept that is often overlooked but is often the foundation of failure!

Learning that you can achieve whatever it is you set out to achieve will mean that you will find yourself spending less time making excuses and more time doing what is important!

3. Plan, plan and plan some more!

Planning your time, activities, eating, ensures you stay on the right track. This applies not only in relation to the gym or training but every aspect of life. Learning how to plan your time effectively is hugely important for most careers and mastering this will make your life a whole lot easier!

- When I get home from the gym I have time for a quick dinner and then it’s time to prep my clothes and food for work the next day.

- I usually have a quick high protein snack before bed (10pm).

@DAVIELAWSON @DAVIELAWSON DAVIDLAWSON FITNESS.COM

“ D O O N E T H I N G E V E R Y D AY T H AT S C A R E S Y O U. ”

- E L E A N O R R O O S E V E LT

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T H I S I S S U E , C AT C H U P W I T H T H E L AT E S T Y O U N G G U N S A N D ENTREPRENEURS, AS WELL

I N S P I R AT I O N

AS AN INTERVIEW WITH TIM S H I E F F, T H E N I N J A W A R R I O R

20 YOUNG GUNS - L I A N NE EL SDON

CHAMPION, EMBR ACING A VEGAN LIFEST YLE. 2 2 T HE V EG A N N IN JA WAR R IOR - T I M SH IEF F

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Professional Career to date: APRIL 2006 – AUGUST 2012 – Office Manager AUGUST 2012 – NOVEMBER 2014 – Finance Assistant & Payroll Manager

DECEMBER 2014 – PRESENT DATE – Management Accountant

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS TO DATE – Being the first member of support staff to ever be employed at Oliver James Associates, which has grown to 45 across four offices.

Passing my AAT qualification in 2009 and then going on to study for my Chartered Accountancy Qualification (CIMA) in 2013

Sporting achievements to date: - Representing Great Britain in the Women’s Masters division (age 30 and over) of Ultimate Frisbee

- 2012 5th at the World Ultimate Frisbee Championships (Japan)

- 2013 2nd at the European Beach Ultimate Championships (Spain)

- 2015 Representing at European Ultimate Frisbee Championship (Denmark)

- Playing for two UK women’s club teams at World & European level for the past nine years

OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE HAD TO WORK EXTREMELY HARD, CAREER WISE, TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW. HOW HAVE YOU FOUND THE MOTIVATION, TIME AND BALANCE TO PURSUE YOUR FITNESS AND SPORTING INTERESTS? Since a teenager, I have struggled with my back, as I suffer from tight facet joints, resulting in restricted movement.

I was constantly being told by the physiotherapist to get better flexibility and a stronger core, but I never really took it seriously and would give up with the rehab’ once the initial symptoms disappeared.

In December of 2013 I was tenpin bowling with my family and my back gave way. It turned out that I had ruptured a disc in my L4 (lower back) and I was unable to walk. I was due to make my Great Britain debut at the World Championships in the

D M | I N S P I R AT I O N 21

Management Accountant Lianne Elsdon, 32 www.ojassociates.com July and it was unclear at the time if this was going to be possible given my back history and this new injury.

This was the wakeup call I needed. I was determined that I would do everything the physiotherapist said. The first few months were hell, as all I could do was lie on a floor doing back extensions until the discs had repaired. I was then allowed to swim and include a few more stretches and core exercises into my daily routine. After four months, and the equivalent of over 100 trips to the gym, my back was stronger, I was fitter and able to compete again.

To achieve the results, whilst being in full time employment and studying for my CIMA qualification, meant I had to drag myself out of bed at 6am and spend most lunchtimes in the gym. This is not an easy thing to do and is especially hard in the winter months when it’s pitch black outside, but I loved the fact that come the end of a work day I could just go home and know that I had done my rehab exercises.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU DAILY? Never having to go through the back pain again, by constantly getting stronger and fitter.

WHAT DOES A T YPICAL DAY’S FOOD LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? Porridge with fruit for breakfast or protein pancakes if it’s the weekend. Snacks of hummus, avocado and rice cakes or fruit and nuts. Lunch varies depending on whether I have leftovers from the night before or I will make a salad with brown rice or quinoa. Stir fry or Thai curries are a favourite for my evening meal.

WHO ARE YOUR ROLE MODELS? I follow a few people on Instagram who motivate me on a daily basis.

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE 10 YEARS FROM NOW? Owning a small café/bakery or B&B.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEFT TO CONQUER? Finishing my CIMA qualification and seeing more of the world.

Preferably on a number of horse riding holidays, as I’m not really a backpacking kind of person.

Also competing on the Great British Bake-off!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO FELLOW PROFESSIONALS STRUGGLING WITH TIME ON HOW TO BALANCE AN ACTIVE WORK AND SPORTING LIFE? There is always time to fit in exercise, whether that’s in a gym or at home and there are plenty of programs/fitness plans out there that cater for both.

Also I love the moto:

“Work to Live, not Live to Work”

“There is always time to fit in exercise” TOP 3 THINGS THAT EXCITE YOU?!

1. Competing in ultimate Frisbee at a high level with a great bunch of ladies 2. Seeing my body changing and getting stronger from the hard work I put in 3. The hope that I will have qualified as a Chartered Accountant by December

“ W E D O N ’ T S T O P P L AY I N G B E C A U S E W E G R O W O L D ; W E G R O W O L D B E C A U S E W E S T O P P L AY I N G . ”

– GEORGE BERN ARD SH AW

VEGAN NINJA

the

warrior

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Never have we been so inspired by one individual - when he talks, you listen.

World freerunning champ, Ninja Warrior champ in both the UK and captaining Europe against America, a three hour marathon time and not an ounce of arrogance, Tim’s athletic career and development has accelerated perfectly alongside his spirituality and passions of veganism, animal welfare and giving back to the planet.

tim

SHIEFF His training regime is nothing short of an elite athlete, and he heads up one of Parkour’s largest teams, Storm freerun, with over a million followers. We caught up with Tim to hear what he has to say about it all – we suggest you listen.

“ W I S D O M I S K N O W I N G I A M N O T H I N G , L O V E I S K N O W I N G I A M E V E R Y T H I N G , A N D B E T W E E N T H E T W O M Y L I F E M O V E S . ” - S R I N I S A R G A D AT TA M A H A R A J

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“I wasn’t sure how it would affect me athletically but my results have been incredible”

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TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW YOU HAVE BECOME THE PERSON YOU ARE TODAY. I’m currently a professional Freerunner, former World Champion (2009, 2011), and Captain of Team Europe on American Ninja Warrior (of which we were last season’s winners).

I Grew up in Derby, raised playing football then got into breakdancing when I was 13 and moved onto Parkour/freerunning when I was 17. I went on to make a career from freerunning, travelling all over the world, following commercial work, TV shows, movies and Youtube.

During my travels I got attracted to many different cultures and grew a deeper love for the planet and humanity.

THERE ARE SO MANY MISCONCEPTIONS IN RELATION TO VEGANISM AND ANY KIND OF TRAINING, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE ON WHY YOU CHOSE TO BECOME A VEGAN, AND HOW IT HAS CHANGED YOUR LIFE, PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY. Like most people, I thought I needed to eat meat. I’d grown up disconnected that meat actually once was flesh that belonged to a living animal, and I enjoyed the taste of it. Yet I’d feel guilty if I ever trod on a snail by accident and I’d always take spiders out the house by putting them in a glass - I literally wouldn’t hurt a fly because it’s nice to be peaceful and let

other beings exist too. Then I saw a video about veganism from a really powerful speaker called Gary Yourofsky and it opened my eyes to the suffering we cause every day with our choices to support the meat and dairy industries. Now I, like most people, would say I’m against animal cruelty, but really I wasn’t living that belief as long as I was paying people to kill animals or enslave them on my behalf, just so I can enjoy a snack that’s not necessary for my life to go on. So once I became more educated, I did better.

I wasn’t sure how it would affect me athletically but my results have been incredible, and for me that’s a bonus because it was an altruistic decision and I was willing to be weaker if that’s what it meant. Turns out though, that Gorillas and Rhinos are some of the strongest animals and they too eat vegan. I became much healthier, my joints felt a lot younger, I had more energy and felt a lot cleaner. Skin, hair, body odor stopped. I recover a lot faster too. The biggest problems we face as athletes are inflammation and dehydration, which in turn cause injury and fatigue, however a diet rich in raw plant based whole food solves both of these issues. Mentally I now feel a lot clearer and I believe I’m living more in alignment with my true feelings. If I see an animal get killed by a human I feel a pang in my stomach and so now that I don’t support that, I’m living in the truth of that emotion which is there to guide us. I’m not lying to myself anymore.

ARE THERE ANY DOWNSIDES TO VEGANISM, IN YOUR EYES? If I was surviving in the Antarctic or maybe even a third world country I would probably approach it differently. But that is not my reality and most likely not the reality of anyone able to read this.

Of course, I’m not perfect and even driving my car I still may hit and kill some flies but this is a simple, mindful choice about what’s on our plates and a starting point. It’s about inconsistent kindness rather then consistent cruelty. If you do any research into the benefits of a vegan diet, you can see without a doubt that it helps the planet, your health and animals - all from one simple choice. It’s not even a choice once you realistically acknowledge its advantages, and that in itself is incredibly empowering.

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“Once everything falls into place, I’ll feel peace.”

The spirit says, “Find your peace, and then everything will fall into place.”

DM | TIM SHIEFF

- MAR IANNE WILL IAMSON

O N E O F T I M ’ S T O P T H R E E , L I F E E N H A N C I N G Q U O T E S ...

27

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YOU SET UP STORM, A FREERUNNING TEAM THAT INSPIRES THOUSANDS.HOW DO YOU SPLIT YOUR TIME BETWEEN YOUR COMMITMENTS AND HEADING UP A GROWING BRAND? Storm is fun because we are a freerunning team made out of the ashes of our old team, which was led by a crooked manager.

It’s tough though because I travel so much but I delegate a bit, which helps. The thing is now, as freerunners, we are not just athletes, we have to be business men, film makers, clothing designers, social media wizkids. I try to just do what I enjoy though and sometimes I’m super inspired to promote and post quality content for a month and then sometimes I don’t want to look at anything on the Internet for a month! I try to just follow that feeling and trust it’s leading me somewhere, so far it’s worked out.

WHAT DRIVES YOU? WHO & WHAT MOTIVATES YOU? DO YOU HAVE “A PL AN”?

In the beginning I wanted to be famous and known, like the Tony Hawk of Freerunning but now I have a bigger purpose and that came once I saw the injustice to animals. I want to help them. They don’t have a voice of their own, they don’t have a Martin Luther cow to speak for them or a Gandhi pig to silently fast. We are blind to the suffering caused to these peaceful creatures and it’s on us

to realise and end it. Men don’t own women, white people don’t own black people and it’s not our right to own and use animals as commodities. It’s the next chapter for us in our evolution

to a more peaceful planet, so anything I can do to contribute to peace in this way is my “goal”.

“It’s the next chapter for us in our evolution to a more peaceful planet.”

DM | TIM SHIEFF 29

COULD YOU OUTLINE A “T YPICAL” AVERAGE DAY’S FOOD THAT YOU WOULD EAT? Breakfast: Half a watermelon for breakfast, some grapefruit, grapes etc - something hydrating to rehydrate me after a night’s sleep.

Snack: Some more fruit throughout the morning, a nakd bar etc.

Lunch: I keep it raw and have massive salads (3 times the portion size in a restaurant!) or some rice and vegetables.

Snack: Fruit and nuts throughout the afternoon.

Dinner: Maybe 3-5 sweet potatoes with more veg, curry sauce or a veggie stir fry.

Snack: If I’m really hungry, some museli in the late evening, with almond milk, does the trick!

FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN BECOMING VEGAN, PE TA CAN SEND YOU A FREE STARTER KIT, TO HELP MAKE THE TR ANSITION EASIER. CL ICK HERE

DM | TIM SHIEFF 30

MANY PEOPLE WE SPEAK TO “LIKE” THE IDEA OF A VEGAN LIFEST YLE BUT HAVE NO IDEA WHERE TO START. HAVE YOU ANY TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE THE LEAP? I hear this a lot and remember when I was baffled, then the dust clears and when it settles you still see so many foods you already ate anyway. Peanut butter, marmite, hummous, guacomole, falafels, beans, burritos, Oreos, crisps and cereals. Not to mention lots of places now do vegan pizzas and it’s easy to go to restaurants like Jamie’s Italian, Nando’s, Las Iguanas, Wagamamas etc, as they all have plenty of options.

My biggest tip is just to eat lots of anything you like as you learn and discover more and more things that you like.

You’re making a decision out of kindness for others so in the beginning try not to make it about you and focus on the reasons you’re doing it, then, as time passes, you’ll soon find making the correct food choices becomes second nature.

FOR GUYS AND GIRLS INTERESTED IN EXERCISING OUTSIDE THE GYM, DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS ON WHERE TO START? It’s all about being a kid again when it comes to training outside. Try to access the playful creative side of you that just wanted to balance on walls and swing on monkey bars.

Make little games or challenges of getting from one place to another without touching the floor, then do it faster!

It became obvious to me that the best way to exercise is to make it secondary to the enjoyment of what you’re doing.

To find out more about Tim, you can visit his website here For all commercial/ press related enquiries please contact Sebastian at JLM Urban Sports SebastianMurphy@JLMMS. co.uk

DM | TIM SHIEFF 31

“Try to access the playful creative side of you that just wanted to balance on walls and swing on monkey bars.”

DM | TIM SHIEFF 32

“So whatever makes it

F

U

U

DM | TIM SHIEFF 33

N find it, and do that” - TIM SHIEFF

DM | NUTRITION 34

Nutrition IN T H IS ISSUE W E D ISCOV ER SOME DEL ICIOUS

ARTICLES 35 SUPER GREEN C ANDY SAL AD

36 T HE GREEN GODDESS BBQ GUIDE

41 BEAUT Y BURGERS

R ECI PES TO COOK UP A STOR M T H IS SUM MER,

“ T A K E C A R E O F Y O U R B O D Y. I T ’ S T H E O N LY P L A C E Y O U H AV E T O L I V E . ”

- JIM ROHN

A ND H AV E YOU F EEL ING IN T IP TOP CONDI T ION.

42 DESKMONSTERS SCIENCE

- CL A

DM | NUTRITION 35

Ingredients For The Sauce: 60g Baby Leaf Spinach 10g Mint 10g Coriander

Super Green Candy Salad with Mango & Pomegranate

20g Spring Onion ¼ Red Chilli 25ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil For The Salad: 200g Raw Quinoa (400g cooked weight) Salt and Black Pepper (to season) 50g Edamame 20g Peppadew Peppers, quartered 100g Mango peeled & cubed 45g Pomegranate Seeds 45g Candy Beetroot, peeled and sliced finely 45g Golden Beetroot, peeled and sliced finely 45g Feta Cheese Rose Sprouts or Alfalfa Sprouts to season

For more recipes...

Directions

Soulmatefood offers delicious recipes designed for peakperformance, at any level.

For more mouth-watering recipes, try Christian Coates’ new book, ‘Fitness Gourmet’, currently available to buy on Amazon.

1 First make the sauce.

Place everything into a blender and blitz to make puree and set aside. This sauce will be used later to transform the colour of the cooked quinoa.

2 Cook the quinoa in boiling water for 15 minutes. When cooked, drain and leave to cool.

3 In a large bowl mix the sauce you made earlier with the cooked quinoa.

4 Then toss in all the prepared fruits and vegetables together, mix, and lastly, crumble in the feta.

5 To serve, divide between 2 plates, and garnish with sprouts.

(Serves 2)

DM | NUTRITION 36

“bypass the Quorn steaks, bypass the rubbery cheese, and actually eat real food.”

DM | NUTRITION 37

The Green Goddess BBQ Guide S U M M E R T I M E V E G G I E SOL U T I ON S

BY MEL W EL L S

Barbecue season is officially here!

Cue invites to beer gardens, garden parties, ‘bring-your-owndish’, sausage-fest barbecues and general mayhem where men get to feel all macho by showcasing their burger-flipping skills and vegetarians sit awkwardly in silence munching on Quorn burgers.

Well, not anymore.

Enough of this awkwardness already. Nobody wants to eat Quorn. Not even Mo Farrah wants to eat Quorn, I shouldn’t imagine.

If you’re a plant muncher (like moi), and going to a BBQ (aka meat-fest) makes you feel kinda awkward, but you really don’t want to miss out on all the fun, or be the odd one out, then let’s do this already.

I want to make this an easy and enjoyable experience for you. Where you get to bypass the Quorn steaks, bypass the rubbery cheese, and actually eat REAL FOOD and feel good about it. Hooray indeed.

I have been ‘the veggie one’ at barbecues for a few years now, and have picked up some awesome tips along the way, that I want to share with you today.

DM | NUTRITION 38

1. MAKE & BRING SIDE DISHES THAT EVERYONE CAN ENJOY, NOT JUST YOU! I’m talking big juicy salads, couscous, sweet potato wedges, olives, hummus and veggie sticks, antipasti, and corn on the cob!

People forget that there is more to having a barbecue than just burgers and sausages, so when you come along with the healthy side dishes, people are so grateful, because they completely forgot.

Don’t just bring a little tupperware box JUST FOR YOU – you don’t want to exclude yourself or make yourself ‘the special one’ – so bring big sharing dishes that everyone can tuck into and enjoy.

Yay for you!

2. MAKE YOUR OWN BURGERS/PATTIES/GG CREATIONS – AND SHARE, SHARE, SHARE! Beauty Burgers? Sweet Potato and Kale Cakes? The Green Goddess Bowl of Love? All of these are great options to make your own burgers/patties so you don’t feel like you’re missing out – and again – offer them around! Don’t make yourself the odd one out – own the fact that you don’t eat meat, and be proud of the fact that you brought some absolutely delicious alternatives for anyone who wants to try them out. Act as if it’s the most normal thing in the world, and don’t be embarrassed or make apologies for not wanting a sausage, thanks very much.

After all, who wants sausages in buns when you could be nourishing your goddess bod’ with these kinds of foods…

Top Tips for BBQ Season Goodness

DM | NUTRITION 39

“Don’t make yourself the odd one out – own the fact that you don’t eat meat!”

DM | NUTRITION 40

3. STAY AWAY FROM THE PROCESSED FAKE MEATS I know it can be really tempting to go for the quick-and-easy option like Quorn and pre-made Veggie Burgers, and when people think ‘vegetarian at a BBQ’ they often think “Oh. Quorn.”

However, here at The Green Goddess Life we’re all about eating what is nourishing for you and your body, and Quorn unfortunately isn’t, due to it being highly processed. If you wouldn’t buy Quorn burgers or sausages at home, don’t buy them to take to a barbecue.

If you don’t know how something is made, (does Mycoprotein really sound like a food to you?) then don’t stick it in your body.

Don’t be a people pleaser either – if you don’t want that veggie sausage, it’s absolutely fine for you to say no thank you!

4. DON’T MAKE IT ALL ABOUT THE FOOD, YOU GUYS As I say in my video; Eating Out without Freaking Out, make the event about the PEOPLE, not the food. You’re there to have a great time with your friends and family so don’t stress about having different food choices.

You might think everyone is looking at you for not eating the burgers or the sausages, but most people don’t actually care whatsoeover! They’re more focused on their own stuff to worry about what you’re eating!

Honestly. People are not judging you as much as you think they are.

Be present, engage in conversation; be the one that brings the Frisbee or badminton set and focus on enjoying the day!

All my friends totally accept now that I don’t eat burgers, sausages, steaks or chicken.

They still invite me to all the barbecues even if they don’t have a veggie option in the freezer, because they know I will bring a bunch of stuff anyway that suits me and that everyone else can tuck into as well. Be confident about your food choices, and know that you are free to eat whatever you choose.

DM | NUTRITION 41

Beauty Burgers

Enjoy and share your beauty burgers with your friends and family in the sunshine! @IAmMelWells

Ingredients MAKES 12

2 large handfuls fresh kale 2 large handfuls fresh spinach 2 large handfuls fresh romaine lettuce 1 cup red onions, chopped 1 cup cherry tomatoes 3 tbsp of coriander (cilantro to americans!)

1 cup of cooked and drained red lentils 2-3 cups of gluten free brown flour 1 tbsp lemon juice

More from Mel...

Directions

To find out more about the Green Goddess way of life, head over to Mel’s website, for recipes, blog posts, videos and more!

1 Preheat oven to 200 degrees 2 Whizz up the kale, spinach and romaine in a food processor (or chop very very finely if you don’t have one!) Drain the greens afterwards so there is no water remaining – you may have to press the greens into a sieve) 3 Mix all ingredients including greens in a large mixing bowl.

4 With your hands form 12 veggie patties from the mix.

5 Place baking paper on a baking sheet, arrange the patties on the sheet (optional here you can spray with olive oil spray) and bake for 20-30 minutes depending on your desired consistency. (alternatively, you can light fry the patties in a little olive oil, for about 5-8 mins on each side!)

DM | NUTRITION 42

CLA – Is it really the wonder tablet for fat loss?

D E SK M ON S T E R S SCI E N C E

BY

DAV I D L AW SON

There is a lot of conflicting information flying around when it comes to nutritional supplements.

It is often hard to know who to listen to and who to trust – the advisors in stores selling these supplements, the manufacturers themselves?!

Here we take a look at some of the scientific evidence published on CLA supplementation and try to decipher fiction from fact.

CLA or Conjugated Linoleic Acid is a poly-saturated fatty acid (this simply means it is a fat with more than one carbon double bond, making it structurally more flexible and functional than saturated fats in the body) found in milk, eggs and in some meats. There are five (5) different variations CLA can exist depending on the structural location of double bonds (1.).

Naturally occurring CLA, which you would find in your diet, comprises of only two forms of CLA; cis-9,trans-11 CLA, which accounts for the vast majority of dietary CLA and trans-10,cis-12 CLA (2.).

This means that although there are potentially many forms of the fat, the vast majority of what you will find in your diet is accounted for by only two of these.

Following publication of literature illustrating a possible link between CLA and a decreased risk of tumour growth in cancer (3.), research into CLA exploded with a plethora of studies into animal and human health being conducted. Investigations into the potential health benefits of CLA has been wide spread across a number of human health concerns, not only fat loss but also reduction in diabetes and coronary health.

We are all aware of the cholesterol test your doctor sometimes does, particularly in overweight people but what is the purpose of this? Circulating cholesterol, or specifically Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) has been long associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure.

CLA has been shown to decrease

the risk of development of atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries associated with high levels of circulating LDL cholesterol.

“CLA has been shown to decrease the risk of development of atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries associated with high levels of cholesterol.”

DM | NUTRITION 43

W H AT I S C L A?

- CLA or Conjugated Linoleic Acid is a poly-saturated fatty acid found in milk, eggs and in some meats

Studies into the supplementation of the Cis-9-,trans-11 form of CLA has been demonstrated to increase the ratio of HDL:LDL cholesterol (4. 5. 6. 7.). This results in a positive impact on coronary health. HDL cholesterol is responsible for the transportation of LDL away from the circulatory system and so protects your veins and arteries.

It is apparent that the form of CLA ingested is indicative of its potential benefits. With CLA supplements available presently, not denoting which form is present and at what ratios, it is impossible to differentiate the good from the bad.

What may be of greatest interest to you is the potential for CLA to reduce body fat storage.

A broad range of studies have been conducted to investigate

both the potential mechanism for this and also the actual impact on fat storage in humans.

Studies conducted on mice (8. 9.), rats (10.), hamsters (11.) and pigs (12.) all found a similar outcome; a reduction in fat deposition but does this relate to the effect on humans?

The simple answer appears to be no. Conflicting evidence exists with regard to the impact of CLA on energy expenditure with studies demonstrating increases in energy expenditure in mice fed with a mix of CLA (13.).

Latter studies (10.) however demonstrated conflicting data with no apparent change in energy expenditure.

Though the mechanism which results in a decrease in body fat is not well characterised,

DM | NUTRITION 44

“Supplement manufacturers often fail to declare the form of CLA present in their products and so knowing exactly what you are consuming is somewhat impossible.� the outcome of a decrease in the mass of fat tissue is (14.), the postulated mechanism of action is suggested to be in the ability of CLA to preventing fat uptake.

In humans, a CLA dose of equivalent to 3.4g/day demonstrated notable decreases in body fat in 60 obese patients (15.). Subsequent studies of obese populations have demonstrated contrasting results including; insulin resistance and increases in lipid peroxidation.

CLA supplementation over three (3) weeks, equivalent to 6g of CLA in recreational weight lifters (who had trained for over 2 years and at a frequency of approximately 3 times per week), did not result in any significant changes in total body weight or composition, indicating that short-term supplementation may not be of benefit (Macaluso 2012).

Longer term studies investigating the impact of CLA supplementation of 5g per day over seven (7) weeks were conducted (Pinkoski 2006) on both men and women participating in resistance training. Data from this study

demonstrates significant increase in lean tissue mass and a reduction in fat mass.

Continuation of the resistance training programme for a further seven (7) weeks yielded no further benefit to participants.

A further study conducted over twelve (12) weeks in adults who do not regularly exercise, found promising results (Lambert 2007). CLA was consumed at 3.9g/day over the course of the study. During this study, participants were given CLA or a placebo oil. All participants exercised at least three (3) times per week typically but there was no prescribed exercise programme followed by participants of this study.

Interestingly the findings of the study suggest that CLA positively impacted on insulin sensitivity and circulating fatty acid.

Though the mass of data on CLA supplementation in both animals and humans supports a theory of beneficial effects, a minority of studies have reported ambiguous or conflicting data.

As with all scientific literature, one should consider the potential benefit and the potential risks before proceeding with any supplementation. CLA is found naturally in the human diet in meat, eggs and dairy.

Supplement manufacturers often fail to declare the form of CLA present in their products and so knowing exactly what you are consuming is somewhat impossible.

Though the jury is still out with regard to scientific evidence on CLA, it is highly improbable that supplementation with CLA will result in negative impact at the levels suggested for supplementation <5g/day.

DM | NUTRITION 45

References 1.

Belury, M.A. (2002) Inhibition of carcinogenesis by conjugated linoleic acid: potential mechanisms of action.

J Nutr 132, 2995-8.

10.

2.

11.

Parodi, P.W. (1997) Cowsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; milk fat components as potential anticarcinogenic agents.

J Nutr127, 1055-60.

3.

Ha, Y.L. et al. (1987) Anticarcinogens from fried ground beef: heataltered derivatives of linoleic acid.

Carcinogenesis 8, 1881-7.

4.

Kritchevsky, D. et al. (2004) Conjugated linoleic acid isomer effects in Atherosclerosis: growth and regression of lesions. Lipids.

39, 611-6.

5.

Toomey, S. et al. (2003) Regression of pre-established Atherosclerosis in the apoE-/- mouse by conjugated linoleic acid. Biochem Soc Trans 31, 1075-9.

6.

Valeille, K. et al. (2004) Lipid atherogenic risk markers can be more favourably influenced by the cis-9,trans-11-octadecadienoate isomer than a conjugated linoleic acid mixture or fish oil in hamsters.

Br J Nutr 91, 191-9.

7.

Tricon, S. et al. (2004) Opposing effects of cis-9,trans-11 and trans10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid on blood Lipids in healthy humans. Am J Clin Nutr 80, 614-20.

8.

Ohnuki, K. et al. (2001) A single oral administration of conjugated linoleic acid enhanced energy metabolism in mice. Lipids 36, 583-7 9.

Ohnuki, K. et al. (2001) Increased energy metabolism and suppressed body fat accumulation in mice by a low concentration of conjugated linoleic acid. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 65, 2200-4.

Azain, M.J. et al. (2000) Dietary conjugated linoleic acid reduced rat adipose tissue cell size rather than cell number. J Nutr 130, 1548-54. de Deckere, E.A. et al. (1999) Effects of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers on lipid levels and peroxisome proliferation in the hamster. Br J Nutr 82, 309-17 12.

Ostrowska, E. et al. (1999) Dietary conjugated linoleic acids increase lean tissue and decrease fat deposition in growing pigs. J Nutr 129, 2037-42 13.

West, D.B. et al. (1998) Effects of Conjugated linoleic acid on body fat and energy metabolism in the mouse.

Am J Physiol 275, R667-72.

14.

Poulos, S.P. et al. (2001) Pre- and postnatal dietary conjugated linoleic acid alters adipose development, body weight gain and body composition in Sprague-Dawley rats.

J Nutr 131, 2722-31.

15.

Blankson, H. et al. (2000) Conjugated linoleic acid reduces body mass in overweight and obese humans. J Nutr 130, 2943-8.

“ M O T I VAT I O N I S W H AT G E T S Y O U S TA R T E D . H A B I T I S W H AT K E E P S Y O U G O I N G . ”

- JIM ROHN

D M | M O T I VAT I O N 46

You get what you work for!

CONTENTS

4 8 W H AT D I E T I S B E S T F O R Y O U ?

5 0 T R A I N I N G F O R FAT L O S S

D M | M O T I VAT I O N 48

What is the Best Diet For You? N U T R I T I ON T H AT F I T S

BY

Now more than ever we are suffering from information overload.

This is very common within the world of health and nutrition.

Every single day we are exposed to adverts, articles, books and newspapers all telling us the next best thing when it comes to what diet plan to follow.

ever.

Actors, athletes, celebrities and doctors all have their say on the best way to approach our nutrition. Low carb, high fat, low fat, high carb, low protein, high protein, gluten free, dairy free, alkaline dietâ&#x20AC;Ś.

The list could go on and on.

It really is little wonder why people are more confused than

JON N Y S TA N N A R D

The important thing to point out is that when it comes to nutrition, there are so many variables that determine what particular diet will work for an individual.

Things we have to consider are, stress levels, activity levels, goals, allergies, body type, sleep patterns and much more.

One nutritional approach may be absolutely brilliant for one person. Helping them lose weight, increase muscle tissue, ramp up their energy levels and their sex drive.

Yet if we apply the same nutritional approach to someone with different goals, activity levels and a different body type, they could experience completely different results.

There is a lot of trial and error in finding the right nutritional approach for you. You may have to do a few things wrong before

D M | M O T I VAT I O N 49

you find the right balance.

The good news is we do have a few basic fundamentals to stick by. Do these consistently and then you can manipulate things like protein intake, carbohydrate intake, fat intake, nutrient timing etc.

H E R E A R E OUR BODY T R A N S F O R M AT I ON F U N DA M E N TA L S : Eat a decent amount of protein with each meal

Prioritise resistance training for fat loss

Eat a wide variety of vegetables and fruits

Get a minimum of 7 hours sleep every night. If this is not possible try 20-30 minutes of deep breathing or meditation daily

Include some healthy fats for good cellular health and improved hormonal function Drink 1 litre of water per 25kgs of your bodyweight Chew your food and take your time when eating

Focus on what you want to achieve instead of what you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want Eat foods you like! Life is too short and consistency beats perfection every time!

If you apply these fundamentals to your nutrition and lifestyle you will start to look and feel much better within weeks!

NEED MORE HELP AND GUIDANCE SETTING UP YOUR NUTRITION? HEAD OVER TO WWW.YOURTRANSFORMATION.COM AND DOWNLOAD THEIR FREE 10 STEP BODY TRANSFORMATION EBOOK.

D M | M O T I VAT I O N 50

The Best Type of Training for Fat Loss F I G H T I N G BODY FAT

BY

JON N Y S TA N N A R D

We work with people that want results and FAST and a lot of people initially seem to be surprised when we prioritise resistance training over cardio for weight loss, fat burning and general health.

groups such as these, we can elevate metabolism much more effectively then just walking or jogging.

Whilst cardiovascular work does have many positive health benefits and is a great way to burn calories, we still see resistance training as more important.

People with more muscle mass have a higher metabolic rate.

This means that people with more muscle mass can burn more calories throughout the day.

Resistance training will increase our muscle mass. Before females start to worry about bulking up, increasing muscle mass isn’t a bad thing at all, quite the opposite actually. If your nutrition is good and consistent, as your muscle mass increases your body fat levels will come down.

“If your nutrition is good and consistent, as your muscle mass increases your body fat levels will come down.”

When we are doing any form of resistance work, such as bodyweight routines, kettlebells or dumbells we are looking to work large muscle groups. For example, squats for the lower body, press ups for upper body and plank variations for the core.

When we work large muscle

For example, Mary weighs 9st at 30% body fat and Jean weighs exactly the same but with a lower body fat percentage at 21%. Mary’s resting metabolic rate (the amount of calories burnt during the day without exercise/activity etc…) might be 1250 calories.

Jean will have a higher metabolic rate, say 1450 because she has more muscle mass.

D M | M O T I VAT I O N 51

So by doing resistance training we can target all the muscle groups that we want to tone up and at the same time keep our metabolism healthy by increasing muscle tissue.

Be sure to try and include a few full body routines initially to get you started then see how your body responds. If you are a fan of running, or any other form of cardio, then feel free to add that a couple of times a week to your resistance routines. Always be sure to prioritise resistance work before your cardio. Your body and metabolism will profit from doing so!

Try not to judge your progress by the digits on the scales.

As you increase muscle mass and decrease body fat you may not see massive amounts of scale weight dropping off. You can be certain that you will be fitting into your clothes a lot better within a matter of weeks as the inches drop off.

MORE INFORMATION ON THE COURSE CAN BE FOUND ON THEIR WEBSITE – WWW.YOURTRANSFORMATION.COM

If you need any help or guidance with exercise selection and want a program to follow then Jonny & Vera have created two fantastic online programs: • One is ideal for gym goers who need to follow something that delivers quick results • The other program is ideal for people who do not have the time or confidence to go to the gym but still want amazing results

“ M O T I VAT I O N I S W H AT G E T S Y O U S TA R T E D . H A B I T I S W H AT K E E P S Y O U G O I N G . ’

- JIM RYUN

DM | LEARN 52

LEARN 53 | H I G H F LY E R S : N U R T U R I N G L E A D E R S H I P S K I L L S

THRIVE IN YOUR CAREER

DM | LEARN 53

HIGH FLYERS: NURTURING LEADERSHIP SKILLS

BY

CL AIRE TR ANTER

TRANSFORMING ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE WHO IS THIS FOR?

High Flyers is an executive development experience for senior managers and leaders who are looking for a new and challenging learning programme to develop key skills and behaviours that will transform

FROM

WAVE LEARNING

personal and business performance.

As part of our exclusive leadership development programme you will have the opportunity to fly one of the most advanced Boeing 757 simulators in the country with the support and guidance of a current commercial airline pilot and training instructor and an experienced business trainer.

DM | LEARN 54

Whether you are looking for an executive leadership development programme, a team-building event, or a personal challenge, we are able to create a programme to suit your individual business requirements. We offer experiences that build on developing the following key business skill areas:

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

ÂŁ8,000 FOR A 2 DAY PROGRAMME.

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

Leadership Skills and Behaviours

Communication Skills

We can also offer accredited behavioural profiling assessments such as MBTIÂŽ that focus on identifying your strengths and personal development areas as a leader.

Teamwork

Handling Conflict/Pressure

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Challenging Others

Giving Feedback

Coaching Skills

For 2 people this includes 8 hours of flying time with a current commercial flying instructor, 4 hours of facilitated preparation and debriefing, in-depth pre and post programme work and a leadership behavioural profiling assessment with feedback that focuses on your personal development.

For 4 people this includes 4 hours of flying time with a current commercial flying instructor, 4 hours of facilitated preparation and debriefing, in-depth pre and post programme work and a leadership behavioural profiling assessment with feedback that focuses on your personal development.

DM | LEARN 55

â&#x20AC;&#x153;WE USE A FULLY OPERATIONAL SIMULATOR THAT CURRENT COMMERCIAL PILOTS ARE TRAINED AND TESTED IN.â&#x20AC;?

OUR SIMULATOR AND TRAINING VENUE

EXAMPLE PROGRAMME

Based in Manchester, the Boeing 757 flight simulator we use is a fully operational simulator that current commercial pilots are trained and tested in. It moves, sounds and feels like a real flight deck and you will be completely immersed in a very realistic flying environment.

Our two-day programme for two to four people is a challenging and highly participative experience that requires a high level of leadership, teamwork and excellent communication skills.

The venue we use provides the space and support to enable you to fully prepare with detailed pre and post-flight briefings. Basic refreshments are provided and we can recommend and/or organise accommodation nearby if you need any help.

To help you prepare for the experience and ensure you get the most out of the programme, there will be some pre-work to enable you to familiarise yourself with the simulator environment and identify your personal learning outcomes.

After a thorough introduction and briefing, each pair will have two hours of simulator time to begin to learn how to fly a Boeing 757, including a takeoff and landing. After the flight experience there will be an in-depth debrief to review what went well and what could be improved; day two will be your opportunity to improve on your performance, with a couple of new challenges thrown in!

CREATING A PROGRAMME FOR YOU

This is just an example of what we can offer. We can create a bespoke, tailored programme for you, your people and your business and are very happy to talk through what you need.

CONTACT DETAILS Claire Tranter Training Consultant 07734 209424 01457 877648 claire@ wavelearning. co.uk Wave Learning Ltd www.wavelearning.co.uk

“ Y O U A R E Y O U R G R E AT E S T A S S E T. P U T Y O U R T I M E , E F F O R T A N D M O N E Y I N T O E N C O U R A G I N G Y O U R G R E AT E S T A S S E T. ”

- TOM HOPKINS

DM | ST YLE 56

ST

DM | ST YLE 57

TYLE your guide to the summer!

CONTENTS

58 ARMAND BEASLEY

62 MARTINE ALEXANDER

6 6 H A I R D O E S M AT E R

DM | ST YLE 58

ARMAND G E T S U N SAV V Y !

BY

ARMAND BEASLE Y

T HIS ISSUE, I WANT TO FOCUS ON GE T TING READY FOR T HE SUMMER HOL IDAYS.

Exfoliation is key to preparing the skin for the summer sun, so invest in a good body polisher like Dr Organic Virgin Olive Oil Body Scrub (£6.49 Holland and Barrett). This hydrating body scrub combines natural micro particles of volcanic lava with natural ingredients like Aloe Vera leaf extract to gently yet efficiently remove dead skin cells.

DR ORG A N IC

£6.49

BE T T ER YOU

£8.00

While protecting your skin from prolonged sun exposure is vital, it’s important to know that the sun’s rays also generate much needed vitamin D, so 10mins in the sun can do wonders. A lot of people in the UK are vitamin D deficient, which, if left unchecked, can lead to brittle bones and tooth decay. Add foods like salmon,beef liver, tuna and sprouted seeds to your diet or look for a good supplement like Better You DLux 1000iu spray (£8) which is suitable for vegetarians.

DM | ST YLE 59

Keep your hair and skin protected this summer

Good sunscreens are imperative to protect against premature ageing and skin damage.

I love Green People’s sun care range as its free from phthalates, petrochemicals and alcohol, so perfect for people who suffer from sensitive skin or prickly heat, plus they do a fantastic children’s sun range. Their new travel size SPF30 (£12.99) is water resistant yet non-clogging and rich in anti oxidants, plus 30p of every purchase goes to the Marine Conservation Society.

GREEN PEOPL E

£12.99 Protecting your hair is important too, especially if you colour treat it, which is why I love Herra Hair Protect & Perfume (£33 Harrods). This nifty little product acts like a shield, protecting your hair from everyday damages like UV, smoke, food odours and pollution, as well as heat treated hair. The signature fragrance is a unique combination of floral, woody, oriental and citrus notes so it compliments most tastes.

Combined with ingredients like olive and glycerin, Herra won’t weigh down the hair or make it feel greasy.

HERR A H A IR

£33.00

Exciting news is that they have just launched two Oud styles! Oud Inspired and Oud Intense.

Both still have all the protection and nourishment of the original but Oud Inspired combines patchouli, saffron, rose and lemon with the distinctive White Oud ingredient, whilst Oud Intense has the uplifting note of neroli, which gives way to Rose and Jasmine before tumbling into the seductive Amber and frankincense.

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Safety in the Sun HERE ARE A FE W TIPS TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE SAFE WHILE ENJOYING T HE SUNSHINE!

1 Did you know that sunlight is made up of 95% UVA (ageing) rays whilst only 5% are UVB (burning) rays?

Apply a generous amount of sunscreen and don’t forget to reapply every 1-2 hours, no matter how high the factor.

For those of you who prefer ‘faking’ rather than ‘baking’ then try James Read self tanning range. The Sleep Mask Tan (£25 Marks and Spencer) is a real cult favourite and helps to deliver a subtle golden glow by the morning. A clear gel that can be applied under makeup as well as worn in bed but without staining your bed linen!

JAMES RE A D

£25.00

2 Avoid prolonged sun exposure when the sun is at its strongest (usually between 12 and 4pm).

This can vary though depending on where you are in the world, so check in your holiday brochure, and start with a higher SPF for the first couple of days of your holiday so that your skin can get used to the sun.

Only Fingers And Toes (£16 Harvey Nichols) is the perfect accessory this summer. This luxurious nail varnish range is a trend led collection that is free from ingredients like DBP, toluene, camphor, phthalic acid and formaldehyde, yet has a striking array of colours to suit every skin tone and taste. My two favourite shades from their Candyland summer collection are Sweet Satsuma, a glorious glittery Orange and Lemon Sherbert, a fresh pale yellow.

OFAT

£1 6.00 @ArmandBeasley www.armandinternationalltd.com

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3 Know what level of protection you are getting!

For example, an SPF 30 will protect you from 97% of the UVB rays whilst a SPF 15 will protect you from around 93%.

There is only 1% difference in protection between factor 50 and factor 30!

4 Be aware that the level of protection from UVA rays is now indicated in the UK by the ‘star rating system’ Or it says Broad Spectrum.

Do not go for less than a 4 star as it’s important to have high protection against UVA, as these can cause premature ageing and skin damage.

This month's sneaky peak...

This is one for the chaps and is by my favourite perfumer, Roja Dove. Risqué Parfum Pour Homme (£345 Selfridges & Harrods) appears, on the surface, to be refined, structured and sophisticated yet once you delve, you discover a daring yet suggestive character. The fresh notes of lemon and bergamot give way to a heart of geranium and jasmine, whilst the warmth of cedarwood and leathery vetiver mingle with animalic labdanum, to create a unique and daring fragrance that borders on the indecent!

5 If you’re fair skinned then be aware that even in the shade, 40% of UV radiation can still reach you.

Make sure that your sunglasses have a broad spectrum sun filter too! The eye area is 40% finer than the rest of the skin so make sure you look after it. And chaps, if you’re a little thin on the top then invest in a good high factor, broad spectrum sunscreen and reapply frequently.

ROJA PARFUMS

£345 .00

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Martine Alexander Summer Holiday Must Haves WITH SUMMER JUST AROUND T HE CORNER, T HOUGHTS OF SUMMER HOL IDAYS WILL START TO FILL OUR MINDS, DISTR AC TING US FROM T HE DAILY ROUTINE OF SPREADSHEE TS AND MEE TINGS. T HIS ISSUE, I T HOUGHT I WOULD TICKLE YOUR HOL IDAY TASTEBUDS WIT H THE FASHION MUST HAVES EVERY WOMAN NEEDS IN T HEIR HOL IDAY SUITCASE T HIS SUMMER. WORK T HESE PIECES AROUND YOUR EXISTING HOL IDAY WARDROBE FOR A FRESHER, MORE ON-TREND LOOK, WIT HOUT BREAKING T HE BANK.

TOPSHOP Dress up a simple white vest with these amazing printed culottes and a vibrant heel. Block colour culottes are available but won’t give you the ‘wow’ look. This season it’s all about the print. One point to note, always wear your culottes with a heel - with flats your legs can look shorter and chunkier.

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COAST VIEW PRODUCT

To give any skirt or trousers a more youthful, 2015 look, wear a cropped top and show off your toned tum. This Coast top is embellished and will glam up any look effortlessly.

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“DEMIN SHORTS SHOULD BE IN EVERY WOMAN’S SUITCASE.”

IDA AT DONNA IDA Denim shorts should be in every woman’s suitcase. Dependent on age and leg shape, the length of the shorts should be longer.

Denim shorts are ideal over swimwear and also dressed up with a heel at night. If you’re looking for a younger style of denim short, opt for distressed or ripped denim.

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MICHAEL KORS AT SELFRIDGES

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The tote is the bag ‘du-jour’ this season and this Michael Kors bag is no exception. It’s perfect for all your beach sundries while still looking classy and luxurious.

JILL STUART AT HARVEY NICHOLS Dressed up or dressed down, this maxi dress is effortless.

If you’re worried about looking too top heavy in this dress, add a gold or tan skinny belt to nip you in at the waist and show off your curves. Plus, the belt will shorten the length of the dress, making it perfect to wear with flats.

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VINCE CAMUTO AT KURT GEIGER The ‘heel’ is the new ‘wedge’ for this season, and a tan heel will work with any colour outfit so if you can only pack one heel in your case, tan is the way to go.

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CARVELA The hottest flat sandal this summer is the ‘flatform slider’. It’s the shape of the season. The ‘flatform’ gives you the height and comfort, with the ‘slider’ giving you width and style. If you’re feeling adventurous, try these amazing leopard print Carvela sliders. If not, then plain block colours are also available.

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RIVER ISLAND Kimonos are not only perfect over swimwear but can also double up as a cover up on those chilly nights.

With fringing being the adornment of the season, this kimono ticks every style box.

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BEAT THE HOLIDAY BAGGAGE LIMIT YOUR SUITCASE SHOULD CONSIST OF KEY PIECES THAT CAN BE WORN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS

follow @YourStylist

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Hair Does Mater MATER HAIR RESTORATION CLINIC SPECIALISTS IN FUE HAIR TRANSPLANTATION, MATER HAIR PROVIDES MODERN SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE FOR ALL STAGES OF HAIR LOSS, IN BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. NO PAIN, NO STITCHES, NO LINEAR SCARING, 100% GUARANTEED.

Our Dedicated Doctors are capable of recreating nature with the FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) technique.

Gone are the days of the old fashioned plug method or the painful strip procedure, known as FUT (Follicular Unit Transplant). FUE offers a far less intrusive procedure, where healthy hair follicles are removed directly from the scalp and grafted one-by-one into the bald areas of the head. The back of the head is a non-testosterone area where follicle units survive for the duration of your life. At Mater, we do not use scalpelsor sutures during the procedure,

making it minimally invasive, so no linear scaring.

The follicle unit is implanted into thinning or balding areas oneby-one with a small implantation tool, which is like a ball-point pen. Our Doctor will place the hairs at the correct angle and depth, which is vital to create a high density coverage for a natural looking result.

The new implanted hairs will start to grow through in three months post procedure, and will thicken up after five to eight months with full growth after 10 months.

Our technique is popular, as it

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delivers more natural looking results. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also less painful, with minimal downtime. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be back in the gym within a week.

Hair loss is personal. We understand how it can impact on your life. At Mater, we listen to your needs and expectations, and keep you fully informed from beginning to end.

We offer a personal service and ensure you are completely comfortable and secure, and above all happy with the end result.

For more information, or to discuss your hair transplantation needs, please e-mail info@ materhairclinic

WWW.MATERHAIRCLINIC.COM INFO@MATERHAIRCLINC

“ Y O U A R E Y O U R G R E AT E S T A S S E T. P U T Y O U R T I M E , E F F O R T A N D M O N E Y I N T O E N C O U R A G I N G Y O U R G R E AT E S T A S S E T. ”

- TOM HOPKINS

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PLA H

W ORK HARD

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A Y HARD

CONTENTS

70 PKB RUGBY & BUSINESS

78 CI T Y SL ICKERS AN INSIDERS GUIDE TO BR ISTOL

W E QU I Z R U G B Y L E A G U E S TA R S J O N W I L KI N & M A R K F L A N A G A N O N T H E S EC R E T TO J U G G L I N G F I T N E S S & B U S I N E S S

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A BALL

a whole different

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A GAME Winning Super Leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grand final last year would be satisfactory for most mere mortals, but not for Jon Wilkin and Mark Flanagan of St Helens Rugby League. In December last year, the seasoned players took their dedication on the pitch and applied it to a new business venture, launching speciality coffee shop, Pot Kettle Black.

Already an award-winning venue, PKB is fast proving to be one of the Northâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular and talked about businesses. With a cup of exceptional coffee in hand, we sat down to see how the duo have got it so right and how it is possible to balance such demanding athletic careers, whilst building an award-winning business from scratch.

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TELL US A L IT TLE ABOUT PKB, WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM AND HOW YOU BOTH CAME UP WITH CONCEPT? • Mark Flanagan: The idea behind opening a specialty coffee shop was conceived during a two-year stint of playing rugby in Sydney. I would spend far too much time (and money!) in cool, independent cafes, which sold a kind of coffee that I had never tasted in England.

These places were on every street corner. Needless to say I became a regular at most!

Upon returning to England I realised the market, especially in the north, was saturated with the soulless corporate driven chains we now see on the high street. Apart from a few gems in Manchester, there weren’t many places you could have a really good cup of coffee.

• Jon Wilkin: As Mark says, the idea came about from his stint in Sydney. He introduced me to speciality coffee, which is far removed from the high street coffee we’re all so used to. Speciality coffee is about the best coffee, sourced directly from micro lots around the world, which is hand picked, prepped, washed and perfectly roasted. As opposed to coffee on the high street, which is a commercial and mechanised process with zero attention to detail at times.

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Mark and I started to throw the idea around and went on a few research trips to London to check out the speciality coffee scene down there. A trip to a coffee shop called Workshop in London changed my life! I realised coffee was varied in flavour and was a beautiful product. At that stage I knew Mark’s idea would work in Manchester. We then set about turning a concept into reality and here we are today.

“I realised the market was saturated with the soulless corporate driven chains” - MARK FL AN AG AN

DM | PKB

“ I N R U G B Y, O U R J O B I S O N E O F D E T A I L E D A N A LY S I S , P L A N N I N G A N D P E R F O R M A N C E . T H O S E A R E A L S O T H E C O R E D R I V E R S O F P K B . ”

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74

HOW HAVE YOU FOUND JUGGL ING A HIGH-PRESSURE PROFESSIONAL CAREER IN RUGBY ALONGSIDE MANAGING A BUSINESS DAY IN DAY OUT? • JW: My rugby career is my priority and that will not change any time soon. That being said, our lifestyle suits setting up and running our own business. We train and play one of the most intense sports out there but we do have down time between sessions that we utilise and invest in driving standards at PKB. We are the bosses at the end of the day and we can design the business to suit our schedule. The staff meetings and strategic meetings are scheduled around our rugby commitments, so in that respect we have to be organised and have some foresight into the times of the year to ramp up our coffee game and the times to ramp up our rugby game.

HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN AN AMBITION TO OWN A BUSINESS OUTSIDE OF RUGBY? • JW: 100% rugby as a lifestyle is very prescribed. We are giving a strict schedule and instructions to follow. I’m massively creative and being a business owner has allowed me to express that side of my personality. As well as being passionate about bringing a better coffee experience to the high street we obviously want to make money too and that’s essentially the driving force behind any decision to go into business. If it’s not I’d suggest it’s a flawed plan from the start.

• MF: Sadly, you can’t play rugby forever, so I think it has always been at the back of our minds that one day we will have to get a ‘real’ job - the thought of which scares the crap out of us!.And whilst we have a decent amount of time on our hands and limited responsibilities in terms of children, families etc, it felt like a good time to give it a go. Going from a life of playing ball with your friends everyday to sipping cappuccinos in our own coffee shop, seemed like a good career transition!

• MF: It hasn’t been easy juggling both, especially at the beginning, as we needed to be on site at PKB a lot of the time, as we battled the numerous teething problems that all new businesses experience. However, as time has gone on we have been able to delegate more to our dedicated PKB team. We have been very fortunate with the people who work for us; they’re all highly skilled, very hard working and genuinely care about the business, which is invaluable to any company.

WHERE DID YOU LEARN YOUR BUSINESS SKILLS FROM? • MF: We both studied business at school and college before professional sport came knocking. We tried to juggle sport and university at different times in our careers but found it quite tough, so decided we would learn how to run a business actually on the job. By throwing ourselves in headfirst we have learnt so much in a small space of time. We have benefited from great advice along the way; Mark’s father, Terry acts as a non-executive director and has been a great support for us so far. Our good friend, Nick Bianchi and our landlord at Barton Arcade, Morgan Leahy have supported us from the outset and we’ll always be grateful for them taking a punt on Pot Kettle Black.

• JW: Business is common sense, costs versus sales.

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The idea is to keep one as low as possible and the other as high as possible. The detail or lack of it is what makes small businesses thrive or die in my opinion. In rugby, our job is one of detailed analysis, planning and performance. Those are also the core drivers of PKB. We want detail in brewing coffee that surpasses the high street.

Coffee is chemistry in action and we understand that chemistry and utilise it to maximise flavour.

We hope people notice.

DO YOU FEEL YOUR SKILLS AND TR AITS USED WITHIN RUGBY, ARE APPL ICABLE IN BUSINESS? FOR EX AMPLE, LEADERSHIP, TEAMWORK, MANAGEMENT E TC? • MF: There have been certain aspects that we have been able to transfer from the sport, certainly leadership and teamwork. During the first couple of months we worked as a united team with an ‘all hands on deck’ approach. Jon and I would be clearing tables and washing pots the same as the other staff. We have a very flat management hierarchy at PKB, despite the fact we’re the bosses we muck in and do all the nitty gritty chores, leading by example, which helps to build a team.

• JW: Cultivating a motivated team is what I’ve been in the business of doing for years.

Rugby helped me understand people and how they react to good and bad news. Sports people often deal with criticism more easily, as sport is at the sharp end of analysis, feedback and improvement. This cycle

“I’m massively creative and being a business owner has allowed me to express that side of my personality.” drives standards and pushes things forward and I suppose that’s one of the biggest traits I have taken into business. The other would be problem solving.

Quickly solving issues and using your initiative is a skill I assumed was commonplace, I suppose we learnt it’s not.

WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND TO BE T HE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN STARTING A NE W BUSINESS? • JW: People!! People are the business. The staff have, on the whole, been excellent but we have learnt some very harsh lessons about recruitment also.

Good people are crucial to really execute our vision.

• MF: Organisation.

We have definitely become more organised over the last few months after implementing a clearer management structure – a structure that helps our team. We now have monthly board meetings with financial forecasting, so we run effectively as a business. Also, delegating responsibility has been hard

at times, as PKB has been our baby since the beginning, and we wanted to make every single decision along the way. However we have realised that our team are more than capable of making day-to-day decisions, especially being at the coal face of it everyday, and we, instead, must focus on the strategic vision of PKB and concentrate on making the bigger decisions.

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W HO O R W H AT M O T I VAT E S YO U ? â&#x20AC;˘ MF: To be the best. We are both ambitious people, which has been a big driving force in us making a career in professional sport. We have taken the same winning mentally to our business careers and strive to offer the best speciality coffee shop in Manchester.

â&#x20AC;˘ JW: A fear or not being good enough. A fear of not being perceived as the best.

All successful people utilise fear as a motivation. Fear makes me competitive.

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WHO ARE YOUR HEROES? • MF: Superman • JW: Batman • MF: Joking aside, I’d say both our families have had huge impacts on our lives and have made us the people we are today, so our families are our heroes.

WHERE DO YOU GUYS SEE YOURSELVES, BUSINESS WISE, 10 YEARS AFTER THE RUGBY HAS FINISHED? WHAT’S THE MASTER PL AN? • JW: We would love PKB to be the most recognisable small chain of speciality coffee shops in the North. Around six to ten profitable sites in character buildings with the same focus on quality, service and detail would be the dream.

• MF: We are already on the lookout for site two, so watch this space!

CAN YOU GIVE OUR READERS YOUR TOP T HREE TIPS ON STAYING AT T HE TOP OF YOUR GAME IN BOTH FITNESS AND BUSINESS? • MF: 1. Hard work 2. Hard work 3. H ard work nothing worth having is just given to you, work for it.

• JW: 1. M ake peace with the fact you are going to let people close to you down at times but trust they will support your journey.

2. T rust yourself, doubt will chip away at your dreams. Don’t let others talk you down.

3. S mile, love life and be positive. The sun rises and sets everyday. Each day is a new chance to change it all.

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City Slickers Guide T H E I N S I D E R’ S G UI D E

BY AR MA ND BE A SL E Y

Bristol is an ever evolving city surrounded by the rolling hills of the South West of England. It’s the first city in the UK to win the prestigious European Green Capital award, and when you visit, it’s easy to see why: pretty, clean, quirky, full of heritage and good shopping...plus it’s the home to Wallace and Gromit.

This is a city that’s great as a conference base with plenty to see and do whilst you’re there or even as a city break with your pals. I strongly suggest, if you have time, to do the City Sightseeing bus tour. I find this a great way to discover a city whilst giving you a sense of its geography and ideas of places, which you may wish to explore further during your stay. Keep an eye out for the street art, especially the handiwork of Bristol’s very own iconic artist....Banksy!

Check out Google Maps, to find your feet before you hit the streets!

CLICK HERE

COFFEE CRAZY

SHOPAHOLICS

As avid readers of the City Slickers Guide will note, I like to drink an excellent coffee! Life’s too short for mediocre coffee so, as well as the old faithful Caffe Nero in Bristol city centre there’s the wonderful Baristas Coffee Collective, (29, Victoria Street, Bristol. 0117 9227111)

If designer labels are your thing then head over to Harvey Nichols (27, Philadelphia Street, Quakers Friars, Bristol.

01179168888), where you can shop, then drop...you and your bags in the swanky 2nd floor bar for a well-deserved cocktail.

John Anthony (3, Philadelphia Street, Quakers Friars, Bristol.

0117 9220799), is a local designer menswear shop that has labels like Burberry, Gourmet, DSquared and Armani.

Close by to Bristol is The Mall at Cribs Causeway, which, housing over 135 shops, is clearly High Street Heaven!

a rustic cafe with home baked cakes and own blend coffee, that opens as early as 6.30am through the week.

In the nearby quirky little village of Clifton (take the sightseeing bus from the city centre) is Coffee#1 (33, Princess Victoria Street, Clifton, Bristol. 01179 238021), another independent coffee shop. Clifton is definitely worth a visit, as it has a plethora of independent shops along with some lovely eateries to suit all budgets, like the very affordable The Clifton Sausage (7-9, Portland Street, Bristol. 0117 9731192).

If you want to sample more of the local produce then why not visit the Markets, open all year round and situated just a short stroll from the centre?

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(2 Lower Castle Street, Old Market, Bristol.)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Bristol’s waterside is lovely and has quite a few good restaurants with my favourite being The Glass Boat (Welsh Back,Bristol. 01173323971).

Great food and lovely location.... and yes, it’s actually on a boat!

Please do not be put off by the ugly 70s style exterior. This hotel is a great place to stay. Excellent location for shopping, with Harvey Nics and House Of Fraser on its doorstep,

STAY AND PLAY Brooks Guesthouse (St Nicholas Court, Nicholas Street, Bristol) Situated in the heart of Bristol’s ‘old town’, this modern, four star boutique B&B offers luxury compact accommodation, which is on the slightly quirky side.

it also offers 24 hour room service with one of the largest conference spaces in the region. I stayed in one of the Executive Rooms, which gave me access to the Exec Lounge for complimentary beverages and snacks. There is also a fitness centre with swimming pool and onsite parking.

If you’re a meat fan, then The Cowshed (44-46, Whiteladies Road, Bristol. 0117 9733550) is the place for you with their steaks being cooked to perfection using locally sourced beef.

For creative vegan cooking, why not try Maitreya Social (89, St Mark’s Road, Easton, Bristol.

0117 9510100)? This laid back Bristol institution has been dedicated to creating tasty yet inventive seasonal dishes for a number of years.

All rooms have ultra comfy beds with pristine white linen, wifi and hospitality goodies. Well appointed for the nightlife but also a good place to work on your laptop whilst relaxing in the ‘urban haven courtyard garden’.

Marriott Hotel City Centre

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