16 July, 2022
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Sort Your Sh*t Out This January

Sort Your Sh*t out this January
Written by Ellie Gibson from the Sort Your Sh*t Out Podcast

Every January 1st, I tell myself the same thing: this year, things will be different. I will rise at dawn every day and meditate for an hour while writing in my gratitude journal, doing yoga, and making my own sourdough. I will get into wild swimming, even though just looking at cold water makes my downstairs clench up.

I will build a vision board of all the things I want to manifest, which will mainly consist of pictures of cute dogs and Henry Cavill’s arms. I will eat well and drink 60,000 litres of water a day. I will live a life of endless calm and fulfillment, in a clutter-free home inhabited by well-behaved children who would rather play the flute than Fortnite.

By January 2nd, it’s back to reality. I am woken at dawn by someone trying to stick a lightsaber up my nose, and asking me why his poo is the colour of conkers. Swimming seems even less appealing when I realise no one hung the towels out after the last lesson before Christmas. By the time I’ve fished the football socks out of the dirty laundry, shouted “PUT YOUR SHOES ON” for a solid hour, and made sandwiches out of old pizza slices because we’ve run out of bread, I am exhausted. And it’s only 9am.

This year, I’ve decided, things really will be different. Instead of trying to turn myself into some mythical person who realistically will never exist, I’m aiming for a bit of balance. Yes, I want to make changes, but not in a way that leaves me feeling knackered, or like a failure when I mess up. It’s about small adjustments and changing old habits, rather than a radical overhaul. Basically, I want to get my shit together.

Because it’s the fashion these days, I’m starting a new podcast about it. Titled Sort Your Shit out, it’s for anyone who fancies having a bit more balance in their lives - whether that means managing mum guilt, getting stuff done without feeling so knackered, or just drinking less. It’s not about perfection. It’s about working out what works for you, and when to let shit go.

Obviously, as a comedian and idiot, I know nothing about how to actually do this, so I’ve enlisted some help. In each episode, I’ll be talking to experts who know stuff about this sort of thing. Each season covers a different topic, starting with how to balance the booze.

No, wait, it’s more fun than it sounds. This is something I’ve been working on for the last year or so with Stephanie Chivers, a coach who specialises in helping people who want to reduce their alcohol intake - whether that means cutting down or banning the booze altogether. For me, it’s about moderation, so we’ll be discussing what that looks like, why it’s a good idea, and most importantly, how to make a start and keep it going.

Along the way, Stephanie will be sharing loads of practical advice and top tips. Here are five of my favourites…

1. Think It Through - TIT!
This is one of Stephanie’s favourite acronyms… Before you have a drink, have a think about why you want it and what value it will add. Have you had enough already? Will this one really improve your experience? What will tomorrow look like? TIT!

2. Make your own rules
I’ve learned it can be easier to make the right decisions if you have rules in place. These might include not drinking at home, or at work events, or saying no ta when you’ve already had 2-3 drinks. We discuss loads of options on the podcast - it’s about picking the rules that work for you.

3. Join a community
This doesn’t necessarily mean going to an AA meeting. Check out Facebook groups like Club Soda, which is for anyone who wants to stop or reduce their drinking. Stephanie also runs smaller accountability group meetings online via womenwhodontdrink.com.

4. Check out the alternatives
When I first started reducing my booze intake, I got sick of fizzy pop and sugary juices pretty quickly. But there are loads of great alternatives out there now - I’m a big fan of zero per cent lager with a curry, and I love Remedy Kombucha. It doesn’t contain sugar or artificial sweeteners, and it feels like a proper grown-up’s drink. It’s also got good stuff in it like organic acids and antioxidants. I’m into the Ginger Lemon flavour at the moment but there are lots to choose from - have a look at remedydrinks.com.

5. Have a plan
If I’m going to a social event where I don’t want to drink, I might drive so I won’t be tempted. Or I’ll book something in for early the next day, that I won’t fancy doing hungover - maybe a gym session if I’m feeling healthy, or breakfast with a friend if I’m feeling like a bacon and sausage roll with two fried eggs and extra mayonnaise. It’s about balance, innit?

Which is really what this whole sorting your shit out thing comes down to, I think. Making good choices and small changes, in a way that’s doable and sustainable, with a view to making things just a little bit better overall. Maybe this year really will be different. Cheers!

12 April, 2017
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How Pro Cyclist and Type 1 Diabetic Sam Brand Inspires His Community

Remedy Lovers

Words by Sam Brand: @samuelnealbrand

Hey everyone. First things first, please let me introduce myself; I am Sam Brand, a professional cyclist, living with type 1 diabetes – racing on a global scale to inspire, educate and empower everyone around the world affected by diabetes.

I only began cycling in 2016 having graduated from university and switching my focus from Triathlon to full-time cycling. My parents might say it was to avoid a full-time job, but the opportunity to push my limits and to show what’s possible with diabetes was something I couldn’t turn down. That opportunity moved quickly, and in 2018, less than two years after my first race, I had turned professional and was selected for the 2018 Commonwealth Games for the Isle of Man. A journey I could have only dreamt of. Whilst living this journey, it is of utmost importance to me to include the diabetes communities – change my small part of the world, one smile at a time.

As a professional athlete, beyond the time, spent training and pushing my limits, there are a lot of routine shifts, a lot of travelling, multiple time zone changes, different (fantastic) cultures and an abundance of tastes. This is absolutely a privilege - but it comes with some challenges, and for me, one that’s notable is the way my gut handles these dynamic alterations; with a few recent races I’ve ended up with an overly sensitive stomach. It happens.

Let me take you back a few months and whilst travelling home from one of these races, combined with a little more than normal airport layover time and having the urge to wander, I came across the fantastic Remedy Drinks. Now if you’re reading this, you’re probably already a huge Remedy Fan but I happened upon the fantastic tasting Kombucha. Now, when people hear ‘Kombucha’ they might often think hipsters and millennials but seeing the benefits on the can itself with ‘Live Cultures’ and naturally ‘No Sugar’ and in the circumstance with my gut – I decided to give it a whirl. Wow – not only did it taste incredible, the way it supported my digestion felt astonishing. My second thought was ‘I need to get a fridge full of this'.

Whilst home, and training, I aim to make sure that my digestion is as stable as possible and implementing naturally sourced ingredients with little to no sugar is not only better but imperative to me. This has helped me to adapt better when I do travel and race.

Currently, my racing calendar has me racing throughout Europe having just returned from the Tour of Denmark as well as the Tour of Limousin in Nouvelle-Aquitaine (Southwestcentral France to you and me). Over the next few weeks, my racing will take me to some classic one-day races in Belgium. As you can see, this is a lot of different countries, cultures, tastes and changes. Something I focus on during these changes is keeping as much normality I can control as possible. For that, there is a Remedy.

Thank you.

Sam

13 March, 2033
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Five Nutritional things that work for me, says Team GB star Shona McCallin

Remedy Lovers / Kombucha

There’s that cliché old saying “you can’t out-train a bad diet” and it’s something that definitely rings true with me. There’s no point pushing yourself training-wise without complimenting it with quality nutrition. I’ve learnt you just won’t get the best out of yourself as an athlete.

Education has been crucial for me when it comes to nutrition. What have I learnt? Here are my 5 top tips:

Plan your meals. Don’t just wing it when it comes to your meals. Sit down with a cup of tea or coffee, get a recipe book out and pick out a couple of dishes you want to eat that week. Being organised with your meals makes eating healthier easier. Top tip: make extra so you can have leftovers for lunch the next day.

Hydration is key. As humans, we don’t drink enough water. I find if I always have a water bottle with me, I’m more likely to drink. There are so many nice ones out there at the moment so treat yourself and buy one you like and won’t lose. Sometimes we all have a sweet craving when it comes to drinks to get an extra kick. Instead of reaching for sugar-filled fizzy drinks, my go-to is a cold can of ginger and lemon Remedy Kombucha.

Understanding calories. I made the mistake of not eating enough early in my career as I thought this was best. With the help of a nutritionist, I worked out my basic metabolic rate (BMR) and the energy I was expending training and tracked my diet to reflect this. I used MyFitnessPal for about a week to get an understanding of portion sizes and this really helped my education in how much I should be eating. When I started to eat more, I felt leaner, stronger, fitter and had better concentration for it. Top tip: use calorie counting as a short term education tool rather than something to become really fixated on.

Breakfast is king (or queen!). Kick start your metabolism in the morning and make sure you have a good breakfast. I try and get 20g – 30g of protein in. Eggs are a great source of protein or adding in extra protein powder to smoothies or oats.

Supplement your diet. For as long as I can remember I’ve used multivitamins to help give my body an extra boost. I will also periodically use Probiotics to help keep my gut healthy. During winter I will use Vitamin D to help with recovery and mood. Top tip: don’t be scared of using supplements but don’t depend on them. Try to get as much as you can from your diet naturally.

11 February, 2022
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Top 5 Health And Nutrition Tips From Paralympian Hannah Cockroft

Nutrition / Remedy Lovers / Kombucha

Hannah Cockroft's Top 5 Health & Nutrition Tips to Keep your Body and Mind in Winning Condition

Words by Hannah Cockroft

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games have almost arrived, and as 5-time Paralympic Champion, Remedy asked me to share my top 5 health and nutrition tips to keep your body and mind in winning condition. I’m currently training to race over the 100m and 800m wheelchair races, aiming for another two gold medals for Great Britain and Remedy have kept me refreshed and hydrated throughout my training over the last couple of months. So, here are my top 5 tips:

Everything in moderation

I’ll start with my golden rule first, and that is; ‘everything in moderation'. Everyone thinks that as a Paralympic Gold medallist and elite athlete, there must be loads of things I don’t eat or drink, but I don’t rule anything out of my diet completely. I train hard, 6 days a week, so if I fancy a bit of chocolate or a slice of cake, I’ll go ahead and have it. I find there is nothing worse than telling yourself you can’t, as it then turns into all you can think about, whereas if you allow yourself anything you want, you feel better after the healthier option, so you’ll naturally reach for them. All foods play a vital role in our body functioning, so don’t restrict yourself to just a few of them!

Stay hydrated

It sounds so simple, but it’s so hard! It’s something I’m still working on, but especially in this hot weather we’re having, keep having a drink. We should drink 2 litres of water every day, so fill a bottle in the morning and keep it with you throughout the day to encourage you to stay hydrated. It’ll make you feel more awake, alert and it’ll keep your skin clear of mask- acne- all the benefits!

Limit sugar

This is another tricky area to control, as it includes all your food AND drinks and fizzy drinks can really tip this over the edge. This is where Remedy comes in handy for me, as sometimes there’s nothing better than a can of pop after training to beat the craving. Now, I can grab a can of remedy (the new peach flavour is my favourite!) and get that fizzy hit without the sugar- it’s all natural and so satisfying!

Rest is best

I push my body to its limits, training 2-5 hours daily but Sundays are my favourite day of the week, as they’re my day off! Too many people think that taking a day off is counterproductive to progress, but, your body needs rest to maximise on the gains, so use the excuse for a sleep in every once in a while. Sleep also relieves stress and helps you think more clearly, so it’s much easier to process that bad session once you’ve had some sleep and you can come back in a better mood and work on it.

Keep active

And of course, the most important part of staying healthy- stay active! Aim to do 30 minutes of exercise a day, but keep it varied. Whether it’s a jog with a friend, a bike ride, walking the dog, an online yoga class or a Joe Wicks programme, there is so much to choose from and something available for everyone. Exercise naturally relieves stress and boosts your mood, so I always feel better after I’ve done my training sessions, even if I didn’t feel like doing it, to begin with. Time to get moving!

Follow more from Paralympian Hannah Cockroft here.