Polygiene does it again- a stink test

Polygiene does it again- a stink test

by | Apr 27, 2016 | fashion, product review, technology

Freya lingerie brand has recently added an activewear line to its offerings.  Smartly, they chose to use fabric treated with Polygiene for their designs, which helps prevent bacteria (and therefore odour) build up after repeated gym sessions without washing in between.  You can read my other suggestions on how to avoid stinky gym kit at your desk here on H2 Life Blog.
To put these Polygiene-treated shorts to the tests, I wore them for over 5 hours of running and indoor cycling without washing.  After each use (and then drying on a hanger or floor), my husband gave them the sniff test.  Only this last time did he start to notice something, and as he pointed out, he had to put his nose right against the fabric.  What a brave soul!  I was really surprised because they were really sweaty after each of my workouts.  i thought there would have been some indication before then.
Overall, I am very pleased with how the Polygiene treatment helped delay the onset of smell to these shorts. It helps save me time from doing laundry and save energy/water from less loads.  My husband is happy too as he feels is he constantly washing gym kit while his collared shirts require fewer washes if he layers properly.  Less washing also helps your clothes last longer, as the washing machine can be a bit rough on fabrics.

Yes, a dryer uses a lot of energy, but boy do I miss having one!

The only thing I would suggest is that Freya start using Polygiene fabrics for their sport bras too.  It would make me feel more confident knowing I am not going to smell after wearing my sport bra for a second time without washing (come on- you know you do it too!) or that if I douse myself with water on a hot day, I won’t smell horrible.

What tips do you have to avoid your gym kit from smelling?

Thanks to Polygiene for gifting me these shorts to try out.  All opinions are honest and my own.

Does measuring activity levels make it less fun?

Does measuring activity levels make it less fun?

by | Mar 15, 2016 | health, technology

A recent study, highlighted in this article, indicated that measuring an activity makes people less motivated to do it.  This result wasn’t only with wearing an activity tracker, but with reading and coloring in shapes as well.  The point the researchers are trying to make it that if you are doing something just for the sake of doing it, not towards a goal, makes it less enjoyable.

My first activity tracker was a FitBug, which just tracked my steps for the day.  I found it really motivating to get more steps in each day.  Since then, I have had other step counters, heart rate monitors, and GPS trackers.

Do they make my workouts fun?

I guess that depends on your definition of fun.  When my trackers don’t work, or I forget them, I tend to get upset.  It is like my workout didn’t even count if I can’t track it somehow.  Which is a shame, as my body benefits whether or not I have an official record of the account.

I also get stressed at night if I am a few hundred steps away from my next reward level, but am about to get into bed. I feel compelled to walk around the flat until I have accumulated enough to hit my target.  That is not fun for me or my husband.

Remembering to pack a charged activity tracker before a big race and then hoping it doesn’t die on me isn’t fun either.

But the achievement itself can be rewarding (and then be deemed ‘fun’) to some people.  My mom found it fun when she learned how to use her iHealth app on her iPhone.  It was when she was visiting me in London, but she didn’t bring her FitBit with her. Every night, she would be so pumped to see how many steps she walked around London that day.

I am a scientist by training, so I like data.  I like watching my progress over time and seeing an improvement in my splits and overall efforts.  It is fun when I log a PB or 50,000+ steps in a day (hint: running 26.2 miles helps) as I feel like I have accomplished something.  That, to me, is fun (especially when my tracked activities give me rewards on Bounts (referral code: Millington1695) or with Health Rewards).   I am a competitive person, so beating myself is a good goal to work towards with the data I accumulate.

The tracker might also make me workout harder, for example if I use my heart rate data in real time.  I will know when I should push myself a bit more, which might not seem fun as it will be hard work, but it will pay off in the end (as soon as those endorphins start flowing).

Overall, activity trackers help me enjoy my workouts.  This result is a combination of earning rewards, bring competitive by nature, and seeing an improvement in my performance.  But I think this is an individualistic trait that might not resonate with everyone.  My ethos is to find something you enjoy and keep doing it to make being healthy fun.  I recommend giving an activity tracker a try to see if you find it helps you be move more.  There are many free apps you can download if you want to try before you buy.  Having it on your phone might be limiting though so consider if carrying a phone versus wearing a bracelet would capture the same data.

Are you an activity tracker convert?  Or is your’s sitting in a drawer somewhere?  Did you find exercise more or less fun after wearing a tracker?

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This post is part of a debate with fellow UK Fitness Bloggers.  Read a few more posts on the topic, won’t you?

Keep It SimpElle
Dance Flow Fit
Fit and Happy
How Many Miles
All The Gear

Last minute shopping for Valentine’s Day

Last minute shopping for Valentine’s Day

by | Feb 11, 2016 | gift guide, giveaway, technology

Doubling up on  my trackers,
because they do different things.

Christmas just happened and we are rapidly approaching Valentine’s Day.  How do you celebrate the ‘holiday’? My husband sees it more as a card company promotion, but I try to get him a little something.  If you have a sporty partner and are considering getting them an activity tracker, here are my tips on selecting one as a gift:


Be ready with a ‘why’. Hopefully they have mentioned wanting one, how all their friends got one for Christmas, or seem curious about how activity trackers work. Valentine’s Day is not the time to make your partner feel insecure about their body shape so give it consideration as a gift choice and be ready to explain why you choose this as a gift. 

Technological abilities. Are they capable/interested/confident in learning how it works? Will they want to monitor heart rate or keep track of how much water they drink? A basic model might suite your partner fine or if they are a technophile, bells and whistles might be best.

What apps they use.  If your gift receiver has all of their training logs on Nike’s free app, they might not be keen to switch to TomTom.  Check if they use Bounts (my referral code is millington1695) or another reward program and if their activities can link.  It would be a shame to loose all that sweat for nothing.

Primary sport.  Is the person a runner, swimmer or cyclist? Different disciplines are tracked with various measures (GPS, altitude, RPM, etc) and you need to match this. You also will need something waterproof for swimmers as not all trackers can get wet and/or used for swimming.

Should the tracker have a large visual display?
This Mio FUSE lights up when you tap the screen.


Size of wearable and the person– If possible, check out the wearable in person to see how big it is. Getting the most expensive GPS watch won’t do your wife any good if it weighs down her arm so much that she can’t run.

I have dainty wrists, so big trackers can be cumbersome for me.


Additional accessories required. When in doubt, accessories are always a good option as they tend to be a bit less specific.  Headphones, arm band, bum bag, portable charge pack, Bluetooth remote control, selfie stick, or a paper based training log are all good items if you can’t decide which activity tracker to pick.

Ready to try out an activity tracker (or give it to a friend)?  Rem-Fit offers s sleeker wrist activity tracker with their 200 series that syncs with the Rem-Fit app on your SMART phone.  It is only $99.00 (£68) so very affordable for newbies to give activity tracking a try.  There are loads of different color silicon bracelets too so you can find one that will match every outfit.  Or you can wear it on your belt.  This tracker will monitor your sleep, steps, distance travelled, and calories burned.

Enter today.  Competition ends 15/2/16.  Winner will be drawn by random by Raffelcopter.  Best of luck!

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