Build Your New Year, New Me Wardrobe Now with Decathlon

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Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you click through the links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission from that purchase at no extra cost to you. To learn more about affiliate marketing and how I use the income from affiliate inks, check out my affiliate page

Winter is well under way and up here in Canada, we are deep into “bundle up” season. Weather-proofed boots, warm jackets, and all the cute and cozy accessories to help get through these colder months. 

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know I am always on the hunt for the latest and greatest in sportswear, athleisure, and everything in between to support your healthy lifestyle goals.

Last Christmas, my mum got me a couple warm layers from a store called Decathlon. If you don’t know, Decathlon is a French sportswear retailer that sells well-known brands, as well as some lesser-known brands. The items are well curated, and they’ve got everything to support you from swimming, to skiing the slopes, to outfitting your own home gym. 

I loved the products so much that the last time I was visiting Lisbon, I stopped by a Decathlon store and picked up one of my now favourite sweaters. 

In the spirit of not gatekeeping and helping you discover your next favourite brand, I’ve put together a Decathlon wish list. Whether you’re looking for last-minute gifting inspiration, are planning your Boxing Day haul, or are just looking for a new retailer to try, this list should have you covered. 

Winter Wish List

The next items will have you covered up and cozy – head-to-toe! 

Quechua Women’s Waterproof Winter Boots – SH 500

As someone who used to walk dogs every winter as a side gig, I know the value of a great winter boot. Something waterproof that goes high up enough on your calf that you can step into deep snow to pick up after the dog. 

These boots stood out because they have a minimalist design – nothing too flashy. Also, because they aren’t the classic black, you won’t show the salt stains as much on these boots. They also look similar to the Sorel Joan of Arctic boot, but with less fur on the top and no black detail on the bottom of the boot – and for just $70 these are a third of the price of the Sorel boots.

Shop Here

Quechua Women’s Warm Water-Repellent Hiking Pants – SH 500

Snow pants may not be the cutest part of staying warm in the winter, but if you’re more worried about staying warm than serving looks while you’re out for a walk this winter, then you definitely need a pair of warm pants. 

I picked up a pair of pants like this that I throw on over my workout outfit in the morning.  It’s especially nice when I am wearing shorts to the gym that day. It keeps my legs warm before and after the gym, and I don’t have to do a full change at the gym.

For just $40, these are a functional and affordable addition to your winter wardrobe.

Shop Here

Women’s Merino Wool Long-Sleeved Half-Zip T-Shirt, Merino Resist

For the first of the 2 sweaters on this list, I’m including this merino wool sweater. Again, just something basic but a warm layer to throw on under your winter coat that will give you a little extra insulation on those extra windy and cold winter walks.

It makes such a difference on those days when you know you need to be outside to meet friends for a winter activity, walking the dog, or going cross-country skiing. 

At $80 it is a little more expensive than most sweaters from Decathlon, but it is well worth it if it means you’ll be staying warm this winter.

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Domyos Women’s Crew Neck Training Sweatshirt

The sweater that I bought from Decathlon this summer is no longer available, but this sweater is the closest thing I could find to it! Just a classic crew neck sweater. Great for lazy days, throwing on over your workout clothes, or wearing for your warm-up. And right now it is only $15 (!!).

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Wedze Warm and Waterproof Ski Mittens, 500

For your more intense winter activities, a warm, waterproof, and windproof set of mittens is essential. These mittens check all of those boxes and will keep your hands cozy in -10 degrees celsius and 20km/h winds.

A staple in every winter wardrobe.

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Wedze Cuffed Hat, Rider 500

To finish up the winter wardrobe, every body needs a good beanie. You lose a lot of your body heat through the top of your head, so it is important on the coldest days to add a hat to your winter ‘fit.

They offer many different styles of beanies and hats, but I thought this one was the most versatile in terms of where it could be worn. It is also had the most variations in terms of the colour of the hat, so if pink isn’t your vibe, you can check out the other 7 options.

Shop Here

Indoor Sportswear

If you’re like me and your sports or workouts move indoors in the winter, then the next items are for you.

Decathlon Women’s Chlorine-Resistant One-Piece Swimsuit with Print, Kamiye

Looking to pick up swimming to switch up your cardio routine this winter? Then a high-quality swimsuit is needed. This suit is sleek, built for lane swim, and also looks really cool (imo).

And for just $35, it is cheaper than any speedo swimsuit you’ll find. 

Shop Here

Domyos Pilates Ring – Black

Looking to start pilates as part of your New Year’s resolution? This pilates ring is something that will definitely come in handy then! Having one of these also means you can start pilates at home and love it before you invest in pricey pilates classes.

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Corength Fabric Glute Bands x3, 10-14-22 kg

There is so much you can do with a set of resistance bands like these. They are perfect for building out your at-home or travel workout kit. I like these fabric bands because they come with a gripping material on the inside of the band, the resistance of the bands are clearly labelled, and this selection of colours is the cutest I’ve seen!

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Domyos Pilates Mat – Comfort 500

Every home gym set-up needs a good quality mat. I have learned recently that I prefer a thicker, foam-y, and extra long yoga mat when I am using a yoga mat at home. For a similar length and thickness, you won’t find a mat like this on Amazon for this price.

Shop Here

Decathlon Mini Massage Gun

Lastly, you’re going to want to pick up this massage gun. For starters, it is only $90 when most massage guns start at $200. It is small enough to fit in your gym bag, to not take up too much space at home, and can even be easily packed in a carry-on or purse for muscle release on-the-go!

This little massager will give you up to 3 hours of massage time and comes complete with a charging chord. 

Shop Here

With the above items, you’ll be set for winter and your indoor training activities at an affordable price. 

Build Your New Year, New Me Wardrobe Now with Decathlon

This winter, equip yourself with cozy and functional gear from Decathlon! Featuring waterproof boots, warm pants, and stylish sweaters, you’ll tackle the cold with ease. Whether embracing outdoor adventures or indoor workouts, this affordable wish list ensures you’re prepared for a…

Holiday Gift Guides 2025: GymShark Gift Guide for the Gym Girlie in your Life

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Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you click through the links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission from that purchase at no extra cost to you. To learn more about affiliate marketing and how I use the income from affiliate links, check out my affiliate page

You didn’t think I’d let the season go by without a GymShark holiday gift guide, did you? If your life has been as busy as mine this holiday season, then you are also looking at the next 10 days and thinking how you’re going to fit in all of your holiday shopping before you turn your OOO on.

I am here to help you not only find the perfect gift for the gym girlie in your life, but to also inspire those oh-so-important “treat yo’self” gifts that make the madness of holiday shopping worth it.

These are the items I would get my fitness friends from GymShark, as well as the items that are on my holiday wish list.

Crew Socks 5pk – $28

Available in 3 different colors, I always include GymShark socks on my gift guides and GymShark wishlists because they are always a good idea. Whether your laundry machine is stealing your socks, or you’ve just worn through your last pair and don’t want to go to the gym with holes in your socks anymore, these make a great gift for you or someone on your shopping list.

Buy Here

Vital Leggins – $42 (On Sale!)

Available in 11 different colors, you are sure to find the right color and fit for that special someone on your list. As of writing this (Dec 13), they are on sale, so not only are they a great gift, they’re also a great gift at a great price!

Shop Here

Whitney Leggings – $64

You can’t have a GymShark gift guide without a Whitney Simmons product. Designed to sculpt the booty and you know it will be squat-proof, these leggings are functional and flattering and will make a great gift, or a chic new addition to your workout ‘fits. These leggings come in 6 colors, and in sizes XXS – XXL

Shop Here

Training Oversized Fleece Sweater – $60

This sweater is a Certified Favourite of mine. Size up for an even more cozy, oversized look. It makes a great gift because it is the kind of sweater that becomes a staple item in someone’s closet. You can wear it to the gym or workout class or when you’re rotting at home after a big weekend. This sweater can do it all. It comes in 3 colors, and sizes XXS – XXL, however not all sizes are available right now – so stock up quickly before they’re all gone!

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Everyday Tote – $40

If you or your fitness friend is anything like me, they’ve been using the same gym bag that they used in university in their early 20s. We’re in our 30s now, and it is time we replace the old, worn-down bag. This tote is cute, affordable, and comes in 2 colours. It fits all the essentials, but if you or your friend likes to pack your shower essentials and a change of clothes, then I’d recommend going with one of their duffle bags instead.

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Pump Cover Structured Fleece Pants – $90

Sweatpants, joggers, trackies – whatever you call them, these heavyweight pants are a luxurious addition to GymShark’s wide selection of sweatpants. I have been eyeing more structured, thick, wide-leg sweatpants lately and I think these are going to be another one of those items that become a staple in you or your fitness friend’s wardrobe. Warm for these colder months of the year, great for covering up after a great workout, but would also be so cozy to bring to a cottage in the summer.

Shop Here

Everyday Seamless All in One – $52

I recently purchased GymShark’s bodysuits and I am obsessed with it. Yes, going to the bathroom means basically getting naked, but I still love how simple and easy it is to wear these. The All in One is a great option because not only is it insanely affordable, but it is also so easy to throw on when you want to run errands, sweat it out in a pilates class, or just to hang out around your home. This bodysuit comes in two colours: the black one above, and a deep navy blue.

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Everyday Seamless Shorts – $36

It may be winter in the northern hemisphere, but these are a great option to wear underneath the Pump Cover sweatpants mentioned above. With a 5″ inseam, these shorts are just the right length to flatter most body types. They also come in 7 different colours, and you can get them in sizes XXS – XXL, but act fast because there are very few sizes left!

Shop Here

Training Oversized T-Shirt – $38

I have had this product on my wishlist for 3 years and have purchased more versions for myself because I love it that much. Super affordable and is a great staple in anyone’s workout wardrobe. This shirt comes in 6 colours and in sizes XXS – XXL. At that price, you can get one for a friend and one for yourself!

Shop Here

Training Fleece Straight Leg Joggers – $56

If you’re looking for a more classic jogger than the structured, heavyweight style mentioned above, then these are a great option. Classic waistband, ankle length, and a straight leg style making them great for everyday wear. They come in classic black or grey, and are available in sizes XXS – XXL

Shop Here

Peek-A-Boo Sports Bra – $38

This sports bra is another Certified Favourite and is the only sports bra I am including on this list because I believe it is the only one you need. It offers structure, the pads move around in the laundry but are easy to fix, and there’s enough support for this sports bra to flatter and support chests big and small! It is available in 6 different colours, but sizes are running out quickly so make sure you act quickly before they are all sold out!

Shop Here

(Bonus!) High Quality Yoga Mat – $39 on Amazon

I know this is a GymShark gift guide, but I really wanted to include their yoga mat, and unfortunately, it is no longer available (on their Canadian site, at least). So I thought, as a second option that matches the quality of the GymShark mat, I would share this one from Amazon. At $39, it is actually cheaper than what I paid for my yoga mat, and it is available in 4 colours and 3 thicknesses. It’s a great gift for

Shop Here

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Getting to know Arrae: A Clean Supplement Brand Designed for Active Women

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Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you click through the links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission from that purchase at no extra cost to you. To learn more about affiliate marketing and how I use the income from affiliate inks, check out my affiliate page.

There are so many supplement brands on the market these days, with new ones popping up every week. With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to know which brand is right for you and if their supplements will satisfy your health needs. Luckily, you’ve come across this article where I will be sharing an up-and-coming supplement brand that is not only selling high-quality supplements, but is a brand you can trust.

That brand is Arrae, a supplement brand offering 3rd-party tested, clinically studied, potent supplements to support the sexy – and not-so-sexy – realities of being a woman pursuing a healthy lifestyle. 

In this blog, I’ll help you get to know the brand Arrae, its founders, and their top products so you can decide whether or not they are the right brand to add to your personal wellness kit. 

The story of Arrae

Arrae was founded in 2020 by husband and wife duo, Nish and Siff, after Siff had struggled with chronic health issues for most of her life. According to an interview with the Quality Edit, Siff had a chronic cough, which led to broken ribs and doctors simply sending her home with pain meds and no real solution to her health. 

As she thought more about this issue, she began testing different natural remedies to help improve her chronic coughing situation, as well as help her and her girlfriends deal with bloat and anxiety. 

From this time of trial and error, Siff became more and more passionate about the cause and shared with her husband that she thinks they could “do a really good job” to not only create supplements that solve for the common issues women face, but to do it in such a way that inspires women to be consistent with the supplements and enjoy the process of healing from the inside out.

From this passion and vision to build a brand of supplements that actually offer high-quality solutions came Arrae, named as such because they solve an array of problems that women face. The first 2 products were their game-changing Bloat and Calm, addressing the 2 most common issues Siff’s friends would talk about.

Now they offer a number of different products, which are manufactured in North America in CGMP-certified (Certified Good Manufacturing Practices) facilities and “each individual ingredient is FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) tested to confirm its identity and purity before formulation. All of their products undergo third party-testing–including heavy metal testing and a complete microbiological analysis–ensuring what’s on the label is exactly what’s in the bottle.”

Learning about the founder story and why they started Arrae really made me trust this brand.The supplement industry can be quick money-grab endeavor and many people get into it thinking they can sell low-quality products and make a quick buck. 

But Nish and Siff did it differently. Siff was experiencing health issues first-hand and came up with Arrae after experiencing the junk supplements first-hand and wanting to change that experience for other women looking for solutions. 

With Arrae, women now have a brand they can trust and a selection of supplements that were designed, formulated, and tested to solve problems. 

So now let’s get into those problems and the products Arrae has created to solve them.

Arrae Tone: A Creatine Supplement that Tones and Addresses Bloating

There is an incredible amount of research on creatine supplementation, and more recently, research is looking into how creatine specifically benefits women through the various ages and stages of our lives. 

So it seems like a no-brainer that Arrae would release their own creatine supplement, but do it in the Arrae-way. 

What I mean by that is that they designed the Tone supplement to not only give women a creatine supplement, but to design a supplement that was a true solution for women. 

Tone solves the following problems:

  1. Improves strength, endurance and performance during workouts
  2. Supports muscle recovery
  3. Reduces muscle soreness between workouts
  4. Optimizes body composition with the help of Slimbiotics, meaning less bloat and “puffiness’ that is often reported when women take creatine
  5. Includes 1g of sugar to help with Creatine absorption

Add in the fact that every ingredient in Tone has been 3rd party tested as well and you hae a creatine supplement that is not only working hard for you, but, in true Arrae fashion, is also a supplement you want to take.

I talk about this in my 2-month results and review of Tone, but the number 1 takeaway from taking Tone was that I actually took it consistently for 2 months. The formulation of the gummies, the packaging, and the results made this a supplement that I looked forward to taking every morning. 

Consistency plays a huge role in the efficacy of a supplement, so Arrae has done a really great job of creating a supplement that is not only great quality, but that you’ll have a real chance of experiencing the expected results. 

Arrae Bloat: A Game-Changing Supplement that Reduces Bloat in 1 Hour

As I mentioned above, Bloat was one of the first 2 supplements that Arrae created. And girl did they ever come out swinging! 

Arrae Bloat is so effective that studies have shown that it reduces 86% of bloat within 1 hour of taking the supplement. Going to an event but feel like your bloat is throwing off your look? Take bloat an hour before you go and you can go out feeling great in your outfit! 

Or maybe you’re like me and you get really bloated when you travel. It doesn’t matter if I drink water, eat slowly, fast, or make sure to take plenty of bathroom breaks – I always get to my destination and am puffy for 12-24 hours with no way to find relief. 

Arrae Bloat is the perfect supplement for this scenario and would decrease the discomfort I feel, as well as the time I need to start feeling like myself/like I can start experiencing the new place I am in.

This would also be a great supplement on a big day like your wedding day. Imagine going into your wedding day with the peace of mind that you wouldn’t have to worry about bloating? 

It’s a game-changer for a reason. 

Arrae Calm: Your Anti-Anxiety Companion

Although not listed as a best seller, Calm is one of the original supplements, and so I wanted to highlight it in this article since anxiety is one of the most common challenges women face today.

Similar to Bloat, Arrae Calm gets to work in about an hour and helps reduce feelings of anxiety and panic with just 4 natural ingredients. Those are:

  1. Magnesium
  2. Inositol
  3. L-Theanine
  4. Passionflower 10:1 Extract

When I see this list of ingredients, I think of the all natural sleep supplements that I have taken in the past. However Arrae Calm takes into consideration that often times you can’t swap anxiety for sleepiness. Sometimes stress hits before a big presentation at work and you need something that will reduce that feeling of stress, without making you feel groggy and tired.

The addition of passionflower 10:1 extract helps balance the supplement so that not only do you feel calm, but you also feel clear. 

The reviews really help support the brand’s claims, with Calm users sharing comments like “I was skeptical, but now I am a believer” and “From someone that tends to have negative intrusive thoughts that I fixate on this does help me relax. It’s been a miracle in my life and helps me relax with less anxiety.”

If you’ve been looking for a more natural way to manage stress, then I’d definitely recommend trying Arrae Calm.

Arrae TriBiotic: Tackle gut health, skin health, and vaginal Health with one supplement

As someone who went through a pretty aggressive round of antibiotics earlier this year, I know how important gut microbiome support is for keeping your body, skin, and vaginal pH in order. Arrae’s Tribiotic is a power supplement, covering all the bases of gut support so you can glow from the inside out.

The tribiotic contains 1 prebiotic (feeds to good gut bacteria), 8 probiotics (support proliferation of healthy gut bacteria), 1 heat-killed post-biotic (supports immune function), AND an immunoglobulin to help remove toxins from the body. 

All of these work together to give you a diverse and therefore healthy variety of happy gut bacteria. When you have a healthy and diverse population of gut bacteria, your body will work like an ultra-efficient factory, where the output is clear skin, a strong immune system, healthy digestive function, and a balance vaginal pH, which can reduce the risk of yeast infections and reduce unpleasant smells from that region. 

This is a great foundational supplement and one you’ll definitely want to add to your supplement stack if you want the peace of mind that you are supporting your body from the inside out. 

Final Thoughts on Arrae

I do think it is important to mentioned that with such high quality products available, you are paying a premium with most of their products costing between CAD $50 – $60 for a one-month supply. 

With that said, they do offer discounts when you buy in bulk and sign-up for automatic deliveries, so if you find a supplement you like, you won’t have to spend CAD $50- $60 every time you restock.

I’ve also only mentioned the most popular and their foundational supplements here. They’ve grown from 2 to 10 products and continue to innovate and create new products to solve life’s unsexy problems.If you’ve been looking for a supplement brand that is designed by a woman for women’s most common issues, and one that you can trust is producing only the highest quality solutions to those problems, then I definitely recommend checking out Arrae.

Arrae Tone Review: Former Personal Trainer’s Experience and Results

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Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you click through the links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission from that purchase at no extra cost to you. To learn more about affiliate marketing and how I use the income from affiliate inks, check out my affiliate page.

As we are all well aware by now, I am a big fan of testing new supplements, gadgets and training gear. So this past summer, when my socials were flooded with ads for a revolutionary new creatine supplement from Arrae, I knew I had to try it. 

In this blog, I’ll be sharing my first-hand experience of using Arrae’s new Tone supplement for 2 months to see if it lived up to all the hype. 

My Experience

I figured if you’re reading this, you’d rather I cut to the chase and tell you how it went. However, if you’d like to learn more about the brand Arrae and the science behind their Tone supplement, you can skip to that section here. 

Alright, let’s get into my experience.

As with all supplements, especially with supplements that make bold claims about de-bloating and helping you achieve your physique goals, I came into this experience very skeptical. 

Gummy supplements are historically the weakest in terms of potency, and they can be filled with, well – fillers. So for Arrae to say that this is one of the best creatine supplements for women felt like a tall order for them to fill.

To begin with, the cost is pretty hefty for a creatine supplement starting at CAD $59 for a single, one-time purchase. I think they justify the price by including additional benefits, but if you’re looking for a simple creatine supplement, there are more affordable options. 

With that said, Arrae is great at putting together bundles and discounting their supplements when you buy in bulk.

When I made my order, I purchased the Tone + MB1 bundle, and then purchased a single additional portion of the Tone gummies. I bought a second serving because creatine supplements require time and consistency in order to see results, so I wanted to make sure I gave this a fair shot.

Once I received my order about 10 days after placing my order, I opened up my first jar and tried a gummy. The gummies are a classic shape, have a slightly gritty texture, and are coated in some kind of sugar-free sweetener. 

One dose = 4 gummies, which may seem like a lot but is actually a normal amount for creatine gummies. 

The taste was not my favourite to begin with, however, over time I actually enjoyed the taste. So maybe my first taste test was influenced by my skepticism. As time went on I learned to like the flavour because – spoiler alert – it came with great results. 

Speaking of results – this was the most pleasant surprise. 

The Results

For starters, when a supplement is in gummy form, I am far more likely to take it regularly than other forms of supplements. Starting my day with 4 gummies that promise me a shredded body and no bloat – yes please. Easiest part of my day!

But with that, came consistency and as I mentioned, consistency plays such a big role in the efficacy of creatine supplements. 

So combine consistency with a unique creatine supplement that promises de-bloating, energy support for workouts and a more toned look, and you actually do experience these results. 

Yes. I just said that you do actually experience what the supplement promises. 

Truly a pleasant surprise. 

I didn’t train very hard in the summer months, and even had a week and a half where I didn’t train at all due to a vertigo spell, but I felt like I didn’t experience nearly as much bloat as usual. When I did train, I found my body always felt a little more ready than usual. 

There was gas in the tank and my body felt warm before the workout even started. 

I even started running! I haven’t felt motivated to add running to my routine in years, but I think that feeling toned and not feeling bloated makes running a more enjoyable experience. 

Their website said that the best results happen after 3 months of taking Arrae tone, but I can confidently say that in 2 months my bloating had decreased significantly, my muscles were looking toned, and I had great energy. 

Will I Keep Arrae Tone in my Supplement Stack?

Would I like to keep taking Arrae? Yes. 

I am testing some other creatine supplements right now, so I am on a short break from Arrae tone. With that said, as soon as I am done testing these other supplements, I have a feeling I’ll be going back to the Arrae Tone supplement. 

It is formulated for women who train. The ingredients have been chosen specifically to support the female body and what it needs to train regularly, all while addressing bloat. 

Now, there’s a lot of great science behind this supplement, so I encourage you to read the next sections that gets into the Arrae brand, the benefits of creatine for women, and what makes Arrae Tone so special. 

But if you’ve gotten what you need, you can shop Arrae tone here. You can buy a 1-3 months of Tone either as a stand-alone purchase ranging from CAD $59/container to CAD $56.75/container, or you can subscribe to regular deliveries and save up to 20% on your purchase and monthly fee (CAD $47.20/month with 3 month supply).

Getting to know Arrae: A Supplement Brand Designed for Active Women

There are so many supplement brands on the market these days, with new ones popping up every week. With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to know which brand is right for you and if their supplements will satisfy your health needs. Luckily, you’ve come across this article where I will be sharing an up-and-coming supplement brand that is not only selling high-quality supplements, but is a brand you can trust.

That brand is Arrae, a supplement brand offering 3rd-party tested, clinically studied, potent supplements to support the sexy – and not-so-sexy – realities of being a woman pursuing a healthy lifestyle. 

In this blog, I’ll help you get to know the brand Arrae, its founders, and their top products so you can decide whether or not they are the right brand to add to your personal wellness kit. 

Read more here.

Arrae Tone: The Science behind Creatine and Arrae’s Slimbiotics

To learn more about the creatine and slimbiotics, the two ingredients that make Tone such a powerhouse supplement in your stack, check out this article coming soon!

IM8 Daily Ultimate Longevity: A Deep Dive into the Ingredients and Benefits for Long-Term Health

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Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you click through the links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission from that purchase at no extra cost to you. To learn more about affiliate marketing and how I use the income from affiliate inks, check out my affiliate page.

Black Friday Deal: 30% Off 60-Day Subscription + Limited Edition Mixer

IM8 has quickly become my go-to supplement brand for my daily essentials because they’re well-researched, tested, and I have noticed positive changes in my well-being since starting their Daily Ultimate Essentials back in early March of this year (2025).

Since then, the company has grown in popularity, completed their first clinical trial with amazing results, with participants experiencing 95% increase in energy and 85% improvement in feeling of bloat and/or digestive upset.

So when I heard that they were reformulating their longevity supplement, I knew that they were going to be cooking up something to not only complement the daily essentials, but that it would be a leader in its category.

In this article, I want to take you through the new IM8 Daily Ultimate Longevity supplement, the ingredients that make this supplement special, and whether I think it is worth the investment.

A Brief Introduction to Longevity Science

Before talking about the supplement that is designed to support longevity, let’s clear up what longevity really means.

The scientific study of longevity is one of the most interesting fields of human research. We are all bound to age. It is the most natural process and cycle, but being the curious creatures that we are – we’ve been trying to decode this cycle to determine what we can do to live a longer, healthier life.

You may be familiar with the famous study from Harvard which is the longest longevity study, tracking 238 Harvard students from the 1920s to the present day, and has followed their children and grandchildren, expanding the study to over 1300 participants. Their major conclusion is that our social lives and the quality of our interpersonal relationships are key indicators of how long we will live.

At a deeper level, longevity research has looked into things like our diet, with many scientists promoting fasting as a way to secure a longer lifespan. Nobel Prize winning scientists researched how telomeres, which are like caps on the end of our DNA strands, gone deeper, studying our DNA, can be indicators of longevity or shorter lifestpans.

Illustration titled "Clue to longevity" showing how telomeres shorten with cell division. On the left, a chromosome with long telomeres is shown inside a cell. On the right, that cell divides, and the resulting chromosomes have noticeably shortened telomeres, illustrating how their length serves as an indication of age and general health.

It’s safe to say that we are obsessed with looking for the proverbial “Fountain of Youth” and from this obsession, we’ve seen some incredible science and research on display. From the research, we’ve uncovered several compounds that are showing promising results in how they interact with the internal systems controlling our biological aging process.

This is where IM8’s Daily Ultimate Longevity supplement comes into play.

What is IM8’s Daily Ultimate Longevity Supplement?

IM8 has recently (October 2025) released their new and improved longevity formula to complement their daily essentials, giving you a supplement stack that not only helps you feel more energized and vibrant today, but that is quietly supporting your future self.

Product image for IM8 Daily Ultimate Longevity, an "Advanced Daily Ultimate Longevity" supplement. The image displays an orange-to-red gradient box of "IM8 Daily Ultimate Longevity + Healthy Aging Acai Berry Pomegranate" sachet packs, with three individual sachets visible to the left. A "World First" claim in a circular badge states it's "Formulated to support all 12 hallmarks of aging." Checkmarks below list benefits: "Activates Cellular Cleansing," "Promotes Cellular Renewal," "Slows Cellular Aging," and "Aids Youthful Aging."

The Daily Ultimate Longevity contains 10 key ingredients, all expertly chosen to support the best longevity science available, targeting the 12 markers of aging. Those 12 markers are:

  1.  Genomic instability: Damage building up in your DNA over time, like having too many typos in the cell’s instruction manual.
  2. Telomere attrition: The protective caps on the ends of your chromosomes (like the plastic tips on shoelaces) getting shorter, which limits how many times cells can divide (as mentioned above).
  3. Epigenetic alterations: The “software” that tells your genes what to do and when to do it gets buggy and confused as you age, causing the wrong genes to be turned on or off.
  4. Loss of proteostasis: Your cell’s quality-control system failing, leading to a build-up of damaged, misfolded proteins (like cellular “gunk”).
  5. Disabled macroautophagy: The cell’s recycling and clean-up system slowing down, leaving old, damaged parts to clog up the machinery.
  6. Deregulated nutrient-sensing: Your body losing the ability to correctly sense and respond to nutrients (like sugar and fat), leading to metabolic issues.
  7. Mitochondrial dysfunction: The power plants of your cells (mitochondria) becoming weak and inefficient, resulting in less energy and more harmful byproducts.
  8. Cellular senescence: Cells that should have died but instead stop dividing and become “zombie cells,” releasing toxic signals that damage healthy neighboring cells.
  9. Stem cell exhaustion: The body’s repair crew (stem cells) running out of steam, meaning your tissues and organs lose the ability to regenerate and heal.
  10. Altered intercellular communication: Cells having trouble talking to each other, leading to coordination breakdowns between different tissues and organs.
  11. Chronic inflammation: A persistent, low-grade level of inflammation throughout the body, like a slow burn, that damages tissues over time.
  12. Dysbiosis: An unhealthy imbalance in the community of microorganisms (like bacteria) that live in your gut, which affects overall health and immune function.

Backed by some of the brightest minds in longevity science, IM8 has updated its previous formula for maximum potency, now in a powder format that you mix with water.

Their longevity supplement organizes their ingredients into a 5-Complex system:

  1. Cellular Foundation Builder
  2. Cellular Protection Activator
  3. NMN NAD+ Energy Booster
  4. Metabolic AMPK/SIRT1 Activator
  5. Cellular Renewal Activator

Now, this can all seem like mumbo-jumbo, word salad, so let me try to break down what each complex, and their respective ingredients does to support longevity.

An informational graphic detailing "5 SYNERGISTIC COMPLEXES" in IM8 Daily Ultimate Longevity's formulation. Text explains, "IM8's breakthrough formulation combines five scientifically-designed complexes that work together to target all hallmarks of aging with unprecedented precision." The five complexes are listed with icons and benefits: "Cellular Foundation (Essential amino acid support)," "Cellular Protection (Senescent cell elimination)," "NMN NAD+ (Cellular energy optimization)," "Metabolic AMPK/SIRT1 (Metabolic optimization)," and "Cellular Renewal (Cellular housekeeping)." On the right, a hand is pouring an orange powder from an IM8 sachet into a glass of orange liquid.

Complex 1: Cellular Foundation Builder

This complex provides high doses of two critical amino acid-derived compounds, Glycine and Taurine, totaling 5,000 mg.  

1. L-Glycine (3,000 mg)

Glycine’s primary function is described as supporting master antioxidant processes and enhancing sleep quality.

Glycine is a precursor to glutathione, the body’s primary endogenous antioxidant, which basically means it helps to protect your cells from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is an indicator of chronic inflammation, a precursor for more serious health issues.

Additionally, Glycine has been shown to support a restful night sleep, with users reporting deeper and uninterrupted sleep. Getting a good night’s rest is crucial for general wellbeing, as it is an important time for recovery and clearing out the cellular “gunk” that you’ve accumulated throughout the day.

The 3,000 mg dose is considered therapeutic for metabolic health and sleep.  

2. Taurine (2,000 mg)

Taurine is another amino-acid and it’s role it to support healthy aging decline and cardiovascular protection.

Research published in the journal Science highlighted that taurine levels decline significantly with age in mammals (like us!), and supplementation increased the lifespan of mice by approximately 10% while improving muscle endurance and strength.

In humans, Taurine has been shown to offer beneficial cardiovascular effects, including blood pressure regulation and happier, healthier blood vessels.

The 2,000 mg dose used in the IM8 supplement aligns with the amount explored in human and animal studies and stands out as the compound with the most direct, highly-cited mammalian lifespan extension evidence amongst all of the ingredients in this longevity supplement.  

Complex 2: Cellular Protection Activator

This complex is designed to activate cellular protection and clear your “zombie cells”.

1. Trans-Resveratrol (250 mg)

Resveratrol is lauded for its ability to activate Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) enzymes, which are key regulators of metabolism and genomic stability, mimicking the effects of caloric restriction.

From the 12 markers of aging, resveratrol targets the changes to our intercellular communication and deregulated nutrient sensing.

Important note: While the 250 mg dose is moderate, its inclusion introduces significant drug interaction risk, as Resveratrol inhibits CYP enzymes, which are critical for drug metabolism in the liver. This may either increase the therapeutic effect or the toxicity of certain prescription drugs. Please speak with your doctor if you are on any prescribed medications.

2. Quercetin (250 mg) and Fisetin (100 mg)

Quercetin is included as a powerful “senolytic “zombie cell killer” (senolytic) and anti-inflammatory agent, while Fisetin is included due to its potent natural senolytic compound.

Senolytics (zombie-cell killers) function by selectively clearing out your zombie cells, which accumulate with age and contribute to inflammation and tissue dysfunction.

Targeting cellular senescence is a major goal of longevity scientists. However, please keep in mind that the research on compounds like these is still relatively new so it isn’t entirely clear what the long-term effects of taking these supplements will do. The research is promising, but it is important to keep an eye on how your body reacts to these types of supplements and to stop taking them if any weird symptoms appear.

Complex 3: NMN NAD+ Energy Booster

The third complex works to improve your cellular energy while also supporting mitochondrial health.

1. Nicotinamide Mononucleotide (NMN 300 mg)

NMN is a direct precursor to Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+), a coenzyme essential for hundreds of metabolic processes, including DNA repair and mitochondrial function.

NAD+ levels decline significantly as we get older, which contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction and DNA damage, two of the fundamental hallmarks of aging.

The 300 mg dose is situated within the fixed dosages used in current safety and efficacy human clinical trials for middle-aged and elderly individuals. While some research suggests maximizing benefits may require doses up to 500-750 mg, the 300 mg dose is scientifically relevant and supports the goal of NAD+ restoration.  

2. Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (PQQ 10 mg)

PQQ is included for its role in mitochondrial biogenesis (the generation of new mitochodria) and protects those mitochondria from dysfunction. It is essential to the multitude of processes that manage oxidative stress in the body, and it supports the creation of new mitochondria.

The 10 mg dose falls within the 5–20 mg per day range shown in human studies to reduce inflammatory markers and improve signs consistent with enhanced mitochondrial oxidation. The combination of NMN and PQQ is a sophisticated pairing, providing both the necessary energy fuel (NAD+) and support for building and protecting the cellular powerhouses (mitochondria), reflecting a comprehensive approach to mitochondrial dysfunction.  

Complex 4: Metabolic AMPK/SIRT1 Activator

Still with me? You’re doing great – we’re almost done! The fourth complex focuses on metabolic regulation and antioxidant defense.

1. Dihydroberberine (100 mg)

Dihydroberberine (DHB) activates key longevity pathways, including AMPK (Adenosine Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase) and SIRT1 (sirtuin 1).

Activation of these pathways targets deregulated nutrient sensing (one of the 12 markers of aging mentioned before), improving cellular health and metabolic health.

The selection of DHB over standard Berberine is based on the claim of 5x greater absorption. If this absorption advantage is true, 100 mg of DHB could deliver a potent metabolic effect, equivalent to a much higher, non-absorbable dose of its traditional counterpart.  

You may recognize berberine from the health supplement section of your local pharmacy. Berberine has been sold as a weight-management supplement, with the goal of supporting a healthy metabolism and, specifically, balancing blood-sugar levels. With IM8’s Ultimate Daily Longevity supplement, you are getting the more potent version of berberine to maximize your results and more effectively support a healthy metabolism.

2. Astaxanthin (6 mg)

Astaxanthin is an ultra-powerful carotenoid antioxidant intended to provide ultra-powerful antioxidant protection. It helps shield cells from free radical damage, a central mechanism of aging, and may support immune function. The 6 mg dose is within the standard, possibly safe range of 4–18 mg daily used in supplements.  

Complex 5: Cellular Renewal Activator (Autophagy)

You made it! The final complex in the 5-Complex system. This complex is dedicated to promoting cellular self-cleaning mechanisms, known as autophagy. 

1. Spermidine (3 mg)

Spermidine is a natural polyamine that stimulates macroautophagy, a naturally occuring process where our cells break down and recycle damaged components, thus maintaining protein balance (proteostasis).

If you’ve done any research or reading on intermittent fasting or the ketogenic diet, then you’ll be familiar with autophagy. It’s a necessary process, but one that has been impeded by western lifestyles of overconsumption and chronic stress.

Declining spermidine levels are correlated with age-related deterioration. Preclinical evidence is strong, showing that external supplementation extends lifespan and healthspan across species, including mice.  

These 10, well-researched, and highly focused ingredients come together to create an industry-leading longevity supplement. Similar to what they did with their Essentials vs. AG1 comparison table, IM8 has clearly outlined how their longevity supplement compares to other longevity supplements on the market.

How to Get Your Daily Dose of Longevity

This new formulation is now available for purchase on the IM8 website. A single purchase, which includes 30 servings, is CAD $219/USD $149. Not your currency? Their website now allows you to update to your preferred currency so you know what this will cost you.

If you want to purchase this once, and re-stock automatically, you can sign up for a subscription of the Daily Ultimate Longevity for USD $119 per month.

If you’re like me and you’ll be taking advantage of their Daily Essentials and their Daily Longevity, you can get them in the Beckham Stack bundle and save a little money while you’re at it!

A one-time purchase of the Beckham Stack, which gives you 30 servings of the Daily Ultimate Essentials and the Daily Ultimate Longevity, costs USD $261. If you opt for the subscription option, you’ll save a whopping 32%, with each monthly payment coming to USD $179.

When To Take Your Longevity Supplement

The IM8 Daily Ultimate Longevity supplement is a great partner to their daily ultimate essentials because I believe it is best taken at night.

Where their daily ultimate essentials give you natural energy, hydration and nutrients to support brain function, the daily ultimate longevity supplement supports cellular recovery and sleep due to their high dose of glycine.

So you’ll start your day with the refreshing, berry-flavored essentials supplement, and then end your day with their tasty, berry and pomegranate-flavored longevity supplement.

For those of us in our 30’s who are starting to feel the effects of aging, like not being able to eat like you did in your 20’s, or struggling to have the same energy as you used to – this new supplement is a new tool for our health toolkit that will ideally bring back some of that vitality that we may have thought we lost.

I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on this new supplement and even more excited to share with you how it makes me feel and the results I experience! To get caught up on my experience with IM8’s Daily Ultimate Essentials, check out the previous articles below.

SuperMush Review: My Honest Review of Their 4 Functional Mushroom Supplements

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If you have been following the wellness space or have been interested in the next generation of supplements, you’ve likely come across functional mushrooms. Functional mushrooms have quickly moved from niche health stores to the mainstream, driving important conversations around natural energy, focus, and sleep support.

At the forefront of this movement is SuperMush. Blending the ancient wisdom of functional mushrooms with a modern, funky, and fun approach, SuperMush has positioned itself as the “Daily Dose of Good Vibrations.” But is this brand just a colourful marketing campaign, or are their sugar-free, organic gummies actually delivering on their promises?

In this article, I want to introduce you to the SuperMush brand, highlight the influencers and experts singing their praises, and give you my honest review of their four core gummy products to help you decide if they should be part of your 2025-2026 health journey.

What is SuperMush? The Rise of the ‘Daily Dose of Good Vibrations’

SuperMush distinguishes itself in a crowded supplement market with its mission to make functional health “fun, approachable, and science-backed”. Instead of traditional pills or gross mushroom powders, they deliver their benefits in the form of delicious, sugar-free, vegan gummies.

The brand’s identity revolves around a vibrant, energetic aesthetic, focusing on clean, transparent ingredients. Every SuperMush gummy is built on the promise of being:

  • Organic & Non-GMO
  • Sugar-Free (a key differentiator from many gummy brands)
  • Fast-Acting
  • 3rd Party Tested
  • Vegan

They make it very clear on their website that their products are “rooted in real clinical research” and are “built to actually work,” which speaks to trendy supplement skeptics (like me) who value potency over filler ingredients. SuperMush is proudly trusted by 400,000+ athletes, establishing a strong base of verified customers who rely on their daily dose.

Backed by Buzz: SuperMush Ambassadors and Influencer Endorsements

SuperMush has amassed an impressive array of endorsers across health, fitness, and entertainment, lending significant credibility to their products.

The brand has been praised by industry leaders and health experts, including:

  • Mark Hyman, MD (Physician and Author): Intrigued by the healing benefits functional mushrooms offer, lending medical authority to the brand’s core mission.
  • Charlotte McKinney (Actress, Model, Comedian): Specifically endorses the Sleep Gummies, calling them “just phenomenal” and advising readers to “buy them immediately.”
  • Mona Sharma (Nutritionist and avid IM8 user): Believes that nature heals and that “the more we can use the gifts from nature, and align with nature, the more we align with our ability to heal”

This blend of celebrity influence, expert medical backing, and nutritionist testimonials gives SuperMush a diverse and powerful social endorsement portfolio.

Breaking Down the Core Lineup: SuperMush Gummies Review

Alright, so let’s get into their 4 key products. The SuperMush lineup is strategically designed to cover the core pillars of daily wellness: energy, mood, and recovery. Here is a breakdown of their four core gummy products and what makes each special.

Daily Energy Gummies: Fueling Your Day Naturally

The Energy Gummies are designed to replace your morning coffee with smooth, sustained focus. They feature Cordyceps, lion’s mane, rhodiola, and ginseng.

  • Key Benefit: Sustained energy without the crash or coffee jitters.
  • My Experience: I’ve been taking these whenever I get that mid-afternoon slump and need a quick boost of energy to finish my work day. The flavour is great and the increase is energy is steady and not overwhelming.
  • What makes them special: The focus on clean energy that avoids the over-stimulating effects of high-caffeine products.

When we look at the reported benefits of each of the ingredients, we can understand why these were the perfect natural blend to include in an energy supplement.

IngredientCategoryPrimary Mechanism of ActionWhy It’s Used in Energy Supplements
CordycepsFunctional Mushroom (Adaptogen)Increases Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) production (cellular energy) and improves oxygen utilization.Physical Energy & Endurance. It is often used by athletes to boost stamina, fight fatigue, and improve aerobic capacity, providing clean, non-jittery physical fuel.
Lion’s ManeFunctional Mushroom (Nootropic)Stimulates the production of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and enhances myelination.Mental Energy & Focus. It is used to support cognitive function, mental clarity, concentration, and memory. It helps combat brain fog, which is often a source of mental fatigue.
Rhodiola RoseaAdaptogenic HerbHelps regulate the body’s stress-response system (HPA axis) and balance stress hormones like cortisol.Anti-Fatigue & Stress Resilience. It doesn’t stimulate like caffeine; instead, it helps the body adapt to physical, emotional, and environmental stress, effectively reducing the perception of fatigue and increasing mental work capacity.

Daily Passion Gummies: Ignite Your Inner Spark

Positioned as the “mood booster,” the Passion Gummies are meant to rev your internal engines and give you that deep, inner spark, making them popular for daily wellness and social settings.

I have to be honest, when I first saw these, I questioned whether they were a good fit for me, or how I would incorporate them into my day. But after reading more about them, I realized that these are my focus go-to gummies.

When I know my goal is to get into flow state and be super productive at work, I always reach for these. And they can do it all naturally with the powered by cordyceps, reishi, horny goat weed and maca.

  • Key Benefit: Enhances mood, vitality, and social energy.
  • My Experience: I have found these really helpful on those mornings when I don’t want to get out of bed, but know it’s good for me to get up and go. They worked particularly well when I was starting my mornings with a run while visiting family. Not only did they wake me up, but I also felt a steady energy during my run.
  • What makes them special: They offer a natural way to support emotional balance and liveliness without being a stimulant, emphasizing “good vibrations” from the inside out.

When we dig deeper into the 4 main ingredients, we can see why SuperMush decided to go with this combination in their mood-boosting gummie:

IngredientCategoryPrimary Mechanism of ActionHow It Improves Mood & Vitality
CordycepsFunctional Mushroom (Adaptogen)Increases Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) production (cellular energy) and improves oxygen utilization.Physical Energy & Endurance. It is often used by athletes to boost stamina, fight fatigue, and improve aerobic capacity, providing clean, non-jittery physical fuel.
ReishiFunctional Mushroom (Adaptogen)Helps the body manage stress by modulating the HPA axis (stress response). Contains compounds that can increase the precursor to serotonin (the “happiness molecule”).Calm, Stability & Reduced Anxiety. Known as the “Mushroom of Immortality,” Reishi doesn’t stimulate, but rather calms the nervous system, helping to reduce the body’s physical reaction to stress, which is a major driver of poor mood.
MacaAdaptogenic RootConsidered a “hormone balancer” (though it doesn’t contain hormones itself) and a powerful adaptogen that supports adrenal function and the body’s overall stress resilience. Contains mood-boosting flavonoids.Energy, Resilience & Positive Outlook. It helps the body bounce back from physical and mental stressors. Its mood-boosting effects are well-documented in reducing feelings of anxiety and depression, often attributed to the underlying improvement in energy and hormonal balance.
Horny Goat WeedTraditional Chinese Herb (Aphrodisiac)Contains Icariin, which increases blood flow (nitric oxide) and is traditionally used to support sexual function and vitality.Confidence & Passion (Indirect Mood Boost). While its primary action is improving libido and sexual vitality (the “Passion” component), the resulting increase in sexual satisfaction and confidence has a powerful, positive flow-on effect on overall mood and psychological well-being.

Please be mindful to only take the recommended dose “2 gummies”. Horny Goat Weed is an ingredient that is still being widely researched and there have been instances of people presenting with adverse effects when they take more than the recommended amount of this ingredient.

Daily Sleep Gummies: Better than melatonin or any over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aid

The Sleep Gummies are one of SuperMush’s most popular products and come highly endorsed by figures like Charlotte McKinney. These are formulated to help users quiet a racing mind and achieve deeper, more restful sleep with ingredients like reishi, chaga mushroom, magnesium and l-theanine.

  • Key Benefit: Promotes deep rest, helps users fall and stay asleep.
  • My Experience: I cannot believe how well these work. In the past when I have taken melatonin or things like sleep-ezzz to help me sleep, I have been able to “beat” them, meaning I can still be up for hours after taking them. With these, I find I am tired within 30 minutes of taking them, and likely asleep within an hour or less, depending on my where I am at in my evening routine.
  • What makes them special: Customers rave about their effectiveness, with one reviewer noting that they no longer struggle with their mind “running” when waking up in the middle of the night—a powerful testament to their calming properties.

With the SuperMush sleep gummies, I am asleep within minutes. Not only that, but I sleep through the night and I have really vivid dreams. So I am getting good quality rest when I take these gummies.

Here’s how the 4 main ingredients support an incredible sleep:

IngredientCategoryPrimary Mechanism of ActionHow It Supports Sleep & Rest
ReishiFunctional Mushroom (Adaptogen)Modulates the HPA axis (stress response) to lower stress hormones like cortisol. Bioactive compounds (triterpenoids) interact with the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA.Deep, Restorative Sleep. It is not a sedative, but an optimizer. It calms the central nervous system, reduces the “racing mind” from stress, and has been shown to increase total sleep time and the amount of non-REM sleep (the most restorative phase).
ChagaFunctional Mushroom (Adaptogen)High in antioxidants and beta-glucans, it helps reduce chronic inflammation and manage the body’s overall stress load, similar to other adaptogens.Indirect Sleep Quality Support. While not a direct sedative, its primary role is reducing systemic stress and inflammation. Chronic inflammation can disrupt the sleep-wake cycle, so Chaga’s immune-supportive action helps set the underlying biological conditions for a better, more comfortable rest.
MagnesiumEssential MineralEnhances the activity of GABA (the “off-switch” neurotransmitter). It is also vital for the production of melatonin and acts as a natural muscle relaxant.Physical & Nervous System Relaxation. It works to physically relax tense muscles (reducing cramps/restlessness) and chemically calm the brain, helping to reduce sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) and improve overall sleep quality.
L-TheanineAmino AcidPromotes the production of calming neurotransmitters (like GABA, dopamine, and serotonin) and increases Alpha brain waves, which are associated with a state of “wakeful relaxation” (like meditation).Calm the Busy Mind. It actively reduces the brain activity that leads to pre-sleep anxiety and rumination. It helps you smoothly transition from the frantic Beta wave state (awake, stressed) to the Alpha wave state (relaxed, calm) needed for sleep initiation.

The Latest Release: SuperMush Creatine & Cordyceps Gummies Review

This latest release is a game-changer in the supplement industry. SuperMush boldly claims the title of the “World’s First Creatine & Cordyceps Gummy.” Creatine is arguably the most researched supplement (with over 1,000 peer-reviewed studies), traditionally taken as a powder for muscle strength.

I have been taking creatine this summer and find the results are subtle, but my muscles do appear to be more toned, despite having a more relaxed training schedule this summer.

  • Key Benefit: Combines the physical recovery and strength benefits of creatine with the mental and physical vitality boost of Cordyceps.
  • What makes them special: They deliver this highly studied ingredient in a delicious, sugar-free gummy format, making creatine intake convenient, palatable, and fun. The synergy is designed for both “mental clarity and physical vitality.”

So why would they combine cordyceps and creatine? Turns out when you combine cordyceps with creatine, you cover the full energy spectrum, which is important for folks who are training multiple days of the week, and need both energy and recovery.

IngredientPrimary BenefitWhy it’s paired with the other
Cordyceps MushroomAerobic Endurance & EnergyFocuses on oxygen utilization (VO₂ Max) and cellular energy (ATP) to delay fatigue during long-duration exercise.
CreatineAnaerobic Power & StrengthFocuses on providing immediate energy (ATP-CP system) for short, intense bursts of activity like lifting or sprinting, and supports muscle growth.

Final Verdict: Are SuperMush Gummies Worth the Hype?

I came into this review skeptical, as the wellness market is saturated with brightly packaged products that often fail to deliver on their promises. However, after diving into the brand’s commitment to being organic, sugar-free, and 3rd-party tested, as well as seeing the science-backed foundation and impressive list of endorsements, SuperMush feels like the real deal.

The main value proposition here is convenience and quality. You are getting four distinct, functional mushroom formulations, delivered in a highly palatable gummy format. If you are looking for a simple, fun, and effective way to integrate the benefits of functional mushrooms—energy without jitters, deeper sleep, better vitality, and now creatine for recovery—SuperMush offers a compelling solution.

My Only Caution: Skin Side-Effects

Although each of these supplements do what they say they are going to do, I have noticed one down-side: a strange skin reaction.

The skin on my face has always been a great indicator of how I am feeding my body, and if my internal environment is healthy or not. I noticed my skin was getting a lot of small bumps, with a few larger, breakouts along my jawline.

This is typically an indicator of my gut flora being off balance, and my hormones being impacted by something I am eating. I even developed a small eczema-like rash on the right side of my face between my right nostril and just below the right corner of my mouth.

I wasn’t sure what was causing this because I have been eating really well, and staying hydrated, but when I stopped taking the SuperMush gummies, the small bumps on my cheeks went away, and the eczema-like rash got better as well.

So if you are someone who has skin that is sensitive to changes in your diet, or new supplements, please keep in mind that these supplements may cause some skin irritation.

For those interested in trying SuperMush gummies for themselves, I highly recommend checking out their full lineup to see which gummy best fits your health goals.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve ever experimented with functional mushrooms?

Plunge: Your At-Home Contrast Therapy Toolkit

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Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you click through the links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission from that purchase at no extra cost to you. To learn more about affiliate marketing and how I use the income from affiliate inks, check out my affiliate page.

For many years, cold plunging and saunas were reserved for the physiotherapy office, professional sports team sidelines, and your local Scandinavian spa. But now, Plunge is offering a solution to folks like you and me to be able to bring cold plunging and saunas home so you can experience the benefits of contrast therapy on your schedule, in the comfort of your own home.

In this blog, I am going to share more about the brand Plunge, their selection of contrast therapy products, and how you can get your hands on one sooner than you may think!

Related Content: Contrast Therapy: How Cold-Plunging and Saunas Build Resilience

Plunge: Dedicated to High Quality Cold Plunge Baths and Saunas

Plunge began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The founder, Michael Garrett, had to close his float spa in California due to lockdowns. He saw the value of float spas and decided he’d take the time to develop the best cold-plunge possible.

Once Mike, with the help of his dad, were happy with the design, they started reaching out to influential figures in the sports and wellness space, including icons like Tony Hawk and Andrew Huberman. These big-name endorsements helped catapult them into the public eye.

Within a few short years, Mike and his new partner, Ryan Duey were on Shark Tank pitching their state-of-the-art cold plunge technology to the Sharks. This gave them national awareness and they’ve been growing their community of cold-plungers ever since.

Now with a complete line-up of cold-plunges and saunas available, Plunge is setting the gold standard for at-home contrast therapy tools, making the health benefits accessible to more folks than ever before.

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Plunge – Cold Plunge Options

Plunge has developed a selection of products that are meant to suit your cold-plunging needs. There is the All In, the Plunge, the Pods, and Air.

Plunge All-In

The All In is their top model cold plunge and is a “plug and plunge” set-up, meaning you don’t have to worry about any special plumbing or complex installation to start your cold plunge journey. The All In goes down to 37 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 4 degrees Celsius.

The great thing about the All-In is that the temperature can be controlled using the Plunge app. So you can quickly change your cold-plunging experience with just a few taps in the app. Want to do a quick 10-20s at a colder temperature? Open the app, set the temp with a timer, and then prepare for a new challenge.

The All-In starts at $9,990, but they are regularly running sales, so be sure to check out their website for the best price.

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The Plunge

The Plunge is similar to the All In, except it’s cooling system is on the outside. This cold plunge simply requires you to plug in the chiller unit, connect two hoses and you’re off to the races! Their website says it should take about 20 minutes to set-up.

Similarly to the All-In, The Plunge’s temperature can also be controlled with the app, giving you full and precise control of your plunge experience. The Plunge starts at $6,990, but again, check the website for the best price.

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The Pods

Then they have the pods, which are a smaller tub that resembles many of the other cold plunge options on the market in terms of how they look and how you’ll sit in the tub. However, since it is a Plunge system, you’ll get their chiller and will be able to control the whole experience within the Plunge app. So again, no need to fill your freezer with ice bags to achieve the coldest of plunges.

You can get the pods in two different colours – white or granite – and The Pods start at $5,490.

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The Air

And finally, they have the Air, which is an inflatable tub along with their chiller system. This is the lowest cost option, but you get a tub that you could, theoretically, move around more easily than the other options.

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The Air can be purchased with the standard chiller, or you can upgrade to the pro chiller for a high-performance experience.

Alternatively, you can choose to supply your own ice and just buy the tub, which brings the price down from $5,490 to $1,190. But again, double check the site to get the best price.

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These aren’t cheap, but Plunge does offer a $0 down, 0% financing option and you can pay over 12, 24, 36, or 48 months if this is something you’re interested in adding to your home wellness set-up.

All cold plunges come with various purchasing options as well. For example, you can get the Plunge, Pods, and Air with their Standard chiller, or their Pro chiller for a more high-performance experience. You can also add a heater to your plunges.

They also say that all of their cold-plunge products take about 20 minutes to set up. So you can get your Plunge delivered and be cold-plunging within the hour.

Plunge also offers 2 sauna options to complete your at-home contrast therapy routine.

Plunge – Saunas

There are two saunas available from Plunge: the standard sauna and the mini sauna.

The Standard Sauna

The standard sauna can fit you and your friends in it, with spacious upper and lower seating benches. It comes in two sizes: the standard which can fit you and up to 3 other people, or the XL which can fit you and up to 5 other people.

The Plunge does offer a sauna assembly service for $1,880, but it is currently on sale for $880 so be sure to check their site for the best prices. You will also need to buy the sauna power separately for $253.

The standard sauna starts at $12,990, but financing options are available and they regularly run sales so you should always check the site for the best price.

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The Mini Sauna

The mini sauna, is, as you’ve probably guessed it, a smaller version that can comfortably fit 2 adults.

Similar to the standard sauna, you can purchase an assembly service and you have to buy the sauna power cord separately. The mini sauna starts at $11,990, but, as you are not used to, please check the website for the best prices.

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All-In + Standard Sauna Bundle

If you know you want to dive into the deep-end of contrast therapy and get the full system, Plunge does offer a bundle, which saves you about $2.7K on the full size Sauna and All In plunge, or $2K off the mini sauna and Pod plunge.

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Accessories and Support

With The Plunge cold-plunges and saunas comes a number of accessories, an app, and a ton of support so you can get the most of out of your new contrast therapy tools.

I’ve already mentioned it a couple times, but when you buy a Plunge product, you also gain access to The Plunge app, which allows you to control your cold plunges and saunas from anywhere. Heading home from the gym and want to have you cold plunge ready when you get there? You can set this up from the app. Want to set a timer for your sauna sessions? It can all be done from within the app.

From the video on their site, it also looks like you can connect your other fitness devices, so you can monitor things like heart-rate during your contrast therapy sessions to get a better picture of how your body is responding and adapting to the therapy.

To keep your cold plunge running smoothly, you can purchase a variety of cold-plunge maintenance products like filters and cleaning supplies.

To make your cold plunge experience more comfortable, they also offer a plunge basin (pictured below), a neck pillow, and a phone mount.

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Similarly, you can purchase maintenance supplies and accessories for your Plunge Sauna. The maintenance supplies include the power cord, which I mentioned before, as well as replacement sauna stones and heater coil sets.

The accessories for the saunas include an ultimate sauna accessory kit, which includes a sauna bucket and ladle, a thermometer and hygrometer, a sand timer, and grey felt sauna hats, which help keep your head from overheating in the sauna.

Plunge is a real game-changer in the at-home wellness industry

I think that what Plunge is doing is changing the game when it comes to at-home wellness. For the folks with the space available to them, this makes some of the best recovery and wellness science into your backyard.

No more cold showers or relying on expensive trips to the spa, where you have to share the space with strangers. With The Plunge’s quality systems, you can not only train like an athlete, but also recover like one. Not to mention the mental health benefits of these systems, which are such a crucial element of living a truly well-rounded, healthy lifestyle.

I currently live in an apartment, so I don’t have the space or authority to bring one of these systems into my home, but for my friends and family who do have the space, I’ll be recommending the Plunge products to them.

Contrast Therapy: How cold plunging and saunas build resilience

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Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you click through the links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission from that purchase at no extra cost to you. To learn more about affiliate marketing and how I use the income from affiliate inks, check out my affiliate page.

There are few wellness trends like contrast therapy. It seems every fitness influencer, leadership coach, and healthy hobbyist is touting the benefits of cold plunging and saunas these days. Netflix’s Battle Camp had an entire challenge/punishment around extreme cold plunging for its reality stars, while Bryan Johnson’s documentary showed him using contrast therapy as one of his many tools for reversing aging.

In this blog, I’d like to deep dive (no pun intended) into contrast therapy, which is the practice of combining cold plunging and a sauna bath to improve overall well-being. I’ll share the benefits of both, the risks and considerations, and I’ll also be sharing a really cool company that I came across that can bring the power of contrast therapy to your backyard.

What is contrast therapy?

Contrast therapy is a common practice used by physiotherapists and sports medicine specialists to help improve a person’s recovery after an intense training session or when recovering from an injury.

Studies show that the benefits of contrast include:

  • improved circulation
  • reduced muscle fatigue and cramping
  • reduced pain, swelling and lactic acid build-up
  • decrease inflammation
  • improved mood and mental clarity
  • release of “slow dopamine”
  • improves both physical and mental symptoms of PMS, peri-menopause, and menopause

Essentially, it builds a very deep level of resilience, where “resilience” is your body’s ability to quickly adapt and self-regulate in extreme environments. It means resilience to colds and flus, injuries, and drastic changes to your environment.

We live in a world that’s becoming more and more designed to be convenient and comfortable. Which is great in some ways, but as a former personal trainer and someone who cares deeply about the health of our societies, I also worry about how we are decreasing our resilience.

Luckily, contrast therapy is becoming more available to folks like you and me. Most gyms have a sauna, and many Scandinavian-style spas offer contrast therapy as part of their experience. Now, we are seeing more and more companies popping up that are developing contrast therapy tools that we can bring into our own homes, like Plunge. More on that later!

Let’s first look at each phase of contrast therapy, the benefits, and the considerations of each.

What is cold plunging?

Cold plunging is the practice of submerging your body in very cold water. Typically around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 15.5 degrees Celsius. The temperature is often debated by true cold plunging enthusiasts and scientists, but 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 15.5 degrees Celsius is a good place to start, and then you can work your way down.

If you’ve ever jumped into a cold pool, lake, or you ran out of hot water and were stuck in a cold shower, then you’ve experienced the sensation that is an essential part of cold plunging.

That feelings is shock, and maybe even the sensation of adrenaline.

This is because your body is constantly trying to maintain homeostasis. Homeostasis is very complex, so for the sake of this article, I’ll focus on the temperature associated with homeostasis – 98 degrees Fahrenheit, or 37 degrees Celsius.

So when you quickly go into an environment that is 38 degrees Fahrenheit/11.5 degrees colder than that, the body kicks into high gear to try and regulate itself. Heart rate increases, you may feel like your breathing is constricted as your diaphragm contracts and struggles to fully relax in the cold temperature.

All of this feels like an extreme feeling of stress, and in today’s very comfortable world, you may feel inclined to get out of there right away and return to your comforts.

However, staying in the bath and going to a place mentally where you support your body as it regulates is where so many of the benefits come from. Mentally, you learn how to focus, slow down, and stop the stress in its tracks.

You learn how to take control of your breathing, a powerful connection to your nervous system, and that will further decrease your stress levels.

All this leads to a surge in “slow dopamine”, which is essentially the type of dopamine that we produce when we push through the hard thing. It’s our body’s internal reward system to say that was a hard thing, but here’s a mood boost to let you know this is a good thing, and you should come back and do it again.

Once you’ve regulated your nervous system and the initial shock wears off, then your muscles and joints can experience the recovery benefits associated with cold plunging. Inflammation decreases, lactic acid buildup slows down, and your muscles are flooded with essential nutrients to rebuild and prepare for your next training session.

Cold Plunge Considerations

This all sounds great, but it is also very important to consider your personal condition before trying cold plunging. If you align with any of the following, it is best to speak with your doctor before trying cold plunging:

  1. Cardiovascular Conditions: Individuals with a history of or current heart disease, high blood pressure, or arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) should be very careful with cold plunging. Cold water immersion causes your blood vessels to constrict, which can increase blood pressure and stress the heart. This also goes for folks who are on medications that affect heart rate or blood pressure, like beta-blockers.
  2. Peripheral Neuropathy: A doctor’s approval is essential if you experience any numbness or dysfunction in your ability to sense temperature in your hands and feet. You might not be able to accurately gauge your body’s response to the cold, which could lead to detrimental.
  3. Compromised Immune System: If you have a compromised immune system due to conditions like HIV/AIDS or from chemotherapy, you should consult a medical professional. Your body’s response to cold stress might be unpredictable and potentially harmful.
  4. Pregnant folks: You should always consult your doctor when looking into extreme temperature treatments while pregnant. The effects of extreme cold on pregnancy have not been thoroughly studied.
  5. Anyone with an open wound or skin infections should avoid cold plunging to prevent bacterial exposure and potential infection.
  6. Epilepsy: Cold shock can trigger seizures in some individuals with epilepsy.
  7. Fever or acute illness: The body is already under stress when fighting an infection, and adding cold exposure can be dangerous. (I actually did this once when I had a very bad fever in college, and can confirm that it does not help to take a cold shower.)

Cold Plunging and the Menstrual Cycle

Before moving on to the benefits of sauna, or heat therapy, I want to quickly touch on a final consideration for women and folks with a menstrual cycle. I’ve spoken about cycle syncing on my blog before, which is the practice of syncing up your training styles and nutrition with the phases of your cycle to better support your hormones.

Well, you can actually cycle sync your cold plunges as well. One of my favourite authors and doctors who specializes in women’s hormones and the menstrual cycle, Dr. Jolene Brighten, recommends the following cold plunge cycle:

  1. Menstrual phase (days 1-5): Avoid cold plunging as your body is more sensitive to extreme temperatures at this time. Rest, refuel, and be kind to your body at this time.
  2. Follicular phase (days 6-14): 2-3 minute cold plunge to improve circulation and support your increasing energy levels
  3. Ovulation phase (days 15-17): 1-3 minutes to support physical performance and your mood.
  4. Luteal phase (days 18-first day of your period): A quick 30-90 seconds will be just enough to reduce PMS symptoms, but won’t be so long that you end up exacerbating them.

So you’ve had your cold plunge, which means it’s now time for part 2 of contrast therapy – getting in a nice, cozy sauna!

What are the benefits of the sauna?

So you’ve braved the cold and had your invigorating plunge. Now it’s time for the other half of contrast therapy: the cozy, comforting heat of a sauna. If cold plunging is about shocking the body, sauna is about relaxing, expanding, and detoxifying.

If you’ve never experienced a sauna, they are basically a small room with wood benches and a central heat source. That heat source is cranked up to about 150°F to 195°F (65°C to 90°C) and the goal is to sweat.

They’ve been a staple of many cultures for thousands of years, most famously in Finland, where they are a central part of life and community. Sauna is actually a Finnish word!

There are a few different types of saunas, and it’s worth knowing the difference:

  • Traditional Finnish Saunas use a wood-burning or electric heater to warm rocks. You can often pour water on these rocks to create steam, which raises the humidity and creates a different kind of heat experience.
  • Infrared Saunas use infrared light to heat your body directly, rather than heating the air around you. This means they operate at a lower temperature, but can still cause a profuse sweat. Many people find the heat from infrared saunas to be more tolerable for longer periods.

The Benefits of Sauna

Just like cold plunging, your body goes to work as soon as you step into a sauna. The heat causes your blood vessels to expand (the opposite of what happens in cold water), which increases blood flow and circulation. Your core body temperature rises, mimicking a fever, which is why saunas are often said to have immune-boosting benefits.

But the benefits don’t stop there. Regular sauna use is linked to:

  • Improved Cardiovascular Health: By increasing your heart rate and circulation, sauna use can be a mild form of cardiovascular exercise. Studies have shown that frequent sauna use may be linked to a lower risk of heart-related issues.
  • Stress Reduction and Mental Clarity: The deep relaxation that comes with sitting in a warm, quiet space is a powerful antidote to hustle and bustle of everyday life. The heat helps to relax your muscles, and the quiet time allows your mind to slow down. I love to finish my workout, have a cold shower, and then jump into the sauna for a few minutes before work. You can’t have devices in there, so it’s a few moments of pure peace and quiet to prepare mentally for the day ahead.
  • Muscle Recovery and Pain Relief: The increased blood flow helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to sore muscles, speeding up recovery and reducing post-workout pain. Being in a sauna also helps activate heat-shock proteins (HSPs), which help support muscle recovery.
  • Detoxification: While your kidneys and liver do the heavy lifting of detoxification, sweating is one of your body’s natural ways to get rid of toxins. The deep sweat you experience in a sauna helps to cleanse your skin and remove heavy metals and other impurities.

Sauna Considerations

While saunas are safe for most people, the heat can be intense. There have been many occasions where I’ve gone into a sauna at a spa and it is just too hot. It’s important to listen to your body and know when to get out. Here are a few important considerations:

  • Dehydration: You will lose a lot of fluid through sweating. It’s crucial to drink plenty of water before and after your sauna session to stay hydrated.
  • Dizziness or Nausea: If you start to feel lightheaded, dizzy, or nauseous, get out of the sauna immediately and cool down slowly. Pushing through these sensations is a bad idea.
  • Pregnancy and Underlying Conditions: Just like with cold plunging, pregnant individuals and those with pre-existing heart conditions, very high blood pressure, or a history of fainting should consult a doctor before using a sauna.
  • Alcohol and Medications: Avoid using a sauna if you have been drinking alcohol or are taking medications that affect your blood pressure.
  • Duration: Start with a shorter session, around 5-10 minutes, and gradually increase your time as you become accustomed to the heat. Most sessions last between 15-20 minutes.

The Ultimate Combination: Contrast Therapy

Now that you understand the benefits of both cold plunging and sauna, you can see why they make such a powerful combination. By moving between the two extremes, you send your body on a rollercoaster of vasoconstriction and vasodilation. This process is believed to pump blood throughout your body, further stimulating circulation and delivering nutrients.

Whether you’re looking for physical recovery, a mental reset, or just a new way to challenge yourself, the combination of hot and cold can be a powerful tool in your wellness routine.

How to start contrast therapy today

We are busy women, so it is important to recognize that this therapy will take about 10 minutes out of your day, at a minimum. If you can spare 10 minutes at any point in your day, then contrast therapy has the potential to take your current health routine to the next level.

So how cam you start contrast therapy today? You have a few options:

  1. Most affordable option: Take a cold shower, followed by a warm bath.
  2. Mid-range option: Use your gym’s facilities
  3. Mid to high range option: see if your local Scandinavian spa offers a membership so you can go through their contrast therapy circuit on a regular basis, just like you go to the gym.

Now, for those of you who want to bring contrast therapy home, there are a ton of companies that offer solutions. Most cold plunge companies sell you some type of vessel that you have to fill with water and ice. But I came across a company, called Plunge, that actually offers a state-of-the-art system for cold plunges that doesn’t require you to use all your freezer space for ice bags. They also sell saunas, so you can get your contrast therapy solutions all in one place.

Is it an investment – absolutely, and they do offer $0 down, 0% financing options to help you get into a cold plunge or sauna faster. You will also need space in your home or backyard, and some cash to invest in their products, but if we girl-math it, it’s really saving you from going to the spa for the same experience and giving you time back on your life, which is truly valuable.

To learn more about Plunge, check out my complete review of Plunge here.

As always, I’d love to know if you’ve ever tried cold plunging before? If so, have you experienced any (or all) of the benefits listed here? If you haven’t how will you try cold plunging? Leave it in the comments below!

Hitting the Fall Reset Button: Why You Should Treat September as New Years Round 2

How time flies! We are already in the second week of September, and just like clockwork, my goals and motivations are feeling a new sense of energy. September marked the beginning of a new school year for over 15 years of my life, so it makes sense that when the excitement of Labour Day weekend starts to wear off, I start to feel like it’s time to hit the reset button.

Truthfully, it takes me about 2 weeks to really hit the ground running as I spend the first week of September living in denial that summer holidays are actually over, and then the second week reorganizing my life in preparation hit the ground running in week 3. As someone who also works in marketing, this is the beginning of the critical Q4 season.

So my life is just one big kanban board at the moment.

Though it may feel overwhelming, it is important to take advantage of the renewed sense of focus and energy that comes with this type of year. Taking the time to think about how you are going to finish the year strong is exciting!

So how will I be hitting the reset button this year to finish my year strong? I’m so glad you asked :)

Planning for a Busy Q4

I am looking at the next 4 months a little differently this year. In the past, I haven’t had much travel planned, and I was planning how I would get cozy and adjust my workouts to the season.

Typically, I start ramping up my strength training again. Colder months mean my body craves warm, heavy meals like chili, shepherd’s pie, and turkey dinners.

However, this year, I have a lot of travel planned, so I need to think about how I can maintain a routine, even when I am not at home at my usual gym. Part of this involves doing a little more research into gyms in the cities I’ll be traveling to and understanding if my accommodations will have some type of fitness offering, but this also means getting used to a fall workout routine that doesn’t rely on a barbell or my usual strength training program.

Fueling for a busy Fall

I’ve been doing a lot of research into the neurochemicals that control our mood, motivation, and energy levels and one of the consistent messages across the various books I’ve read has been that nutrition plays a critical role in supporting the healthy function of things like serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins.

With my renewed sense of focus on my goals, and understanding that my access to a gym is going to be changing over the next few months, I figured this was another great opportunity to work on building some healthy eating habits.

One way to ensure I maintain nutritional consistency is to have a really good multi-purpose supplement. I’ve spoken about it many times before, but if you’re new here, my go-to is the IM8 Daily Ultimate Essentials. You can check out the rest of my IM8 content here.

I’ve done a pretty extensive deep dive into the supplement and have been using it for over 6 months now, and I feel like it has made such a difference in my life. It’s loaded with the highest quality ingredients, backed by an incredible team of researchers, and is trusted by athletes like Aryna Sabalenka, who just won the US Open.

Beyond supplements, I will also be focusing on more protein and less processed sugars. As I mentioned before, I’ve been reading books (this one and this one) on the brain as someone who may be neurodivergent, and one of the key drivers for reduced focus, energy, and motivation is eating too much processed sugar.

I love sweets, and with the summer holidays being such a busy time, I find myself reaching for sweets on road trips or during recovery days after a busy weekend. Now is the time to kick the habit so that I am giving my body the fuel it needs to stay focused and motivated during a time when my life is going to lack a “normal” routine from week to week.

Sticking to just 2, relatively basic nutrition goals isn’t a total 180 on my current habits, but it is specific enough that I will start seeing the results of these changes within a few weeks. And as we know, results can be incredibly motivating!

A Great Day Starts with a Great Morning Routine

As always, one of your greatest tools for achieving your goals is a great morning routine. I wrote about this last September in this article about my fall morning routine, and truthfully, the process remains the same:

  1. Wake up with a sunrise alarm clock. As the sun starts to rise later and later in the day, you can simulate an early sunrise with a quality sunrise alarm clock. This is my favourite one, but there are so many options out there these days.
  2. Wake up the rest of your senses. Splash some water on your face, drink a cold glass of water, use an ice roller, and do some simple arm circles to get the blood pumping and the senses up to speed.
  3. Take some deep breaths and practice your meditation. As the brain and body begin to wake up, it can be easy for your thoughts to race. Take 5 minutes to take a few deep breaths and follow a short morning meditation. Those 5 minutes can have a huge impact on your mindset for the rest of the day. My favourite app is Headspace, but there’s also a great, free morning meditation in the FitBit app.
  4. Get 30-90 minutes of exercise. Whether you go for a morning walk, hit the gym, or head out to that early morning pilates class, starting your day by moving your body will work wonders for your physical and mental health. 30 minutes is all you need, but of course, 60 minutes is great, and 90 minutes is an amazing goal to work up to if it fits in your schedule. The key is finding something you enjoy doing, and that you’ll do consistently.
  5. Eat a nourishing breakfast. As mentioned above, starting your day with a nourishing, high-protein breakfast will help your body recover from your exercise, while also fueling you brain for your morning of work. Aim for a high-protein, low carbohydrate breakfast to ensure your dopamine levels stay balanced throughout the day. Balanced dopamine = better focus and steady energy to carry you through the full day.
  6. Set your mind up for success. You’ve just had an amazing start to your day, but as time ticks towards your workday, you may start to feel anxious. This is normal and something I experience, even at a job that I love. I’ve started to journal again to try and get the thoughts out of my head and into organized thoughts on paper, but using your meditation app or reciting your affirmations are also great ways to calm the mind.

Seize this opportunity and finish the year strong

September is your New Years Round 2. Motivations are high, the seasons are changing, and you have a more manageable amount of time to look forward to and plan for. Think back to what your goals were at the start of this year. Do a self-audit on how those are going:

  • Are you closer to your goals or farther from them than when you started
  • Have your goals changed throughout the year due to new or unforeseen circumstances?
  • What have you enjoyed about your year so far?
  • What are you proud of accomplishing so far this year?
  • What do you hope to achieve in the next 4 months?
  • Why are those goals important to you?
  • What will your life look like at the end of the year if you achieve those goals?
  • How will you feel if you achieve those goals?
  • What do you have to do to achieve those goals in the next 4 months?

I encourage you to store your answers to these questions somewhere. Whether its your note app or your journal, writing it down will help you reflect more deeply, and will give you a better chance at remembering your goals and the motivations behind them.

As they say, failing to plan, is planning to fail. So let me know in the comments what your goals are for the rest of the year! Let’s rally behind one another to help each other succeed and have a great end to 2025.

Rucking 101: The Hot Girl Walk Upgrade

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Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that this article contains affiliate links. This means that if you click through the links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission from that purchase at no extra cost to you. To learn more about affiliate marketing and how I use the income from affiliate inks, check out my affiliate page.

I love walking. I walk dogs, I will walk home from the bar (when it is safe), and it is my go-to first date activity. It’s a gentle form of exercise and a great way to increase your daily physical activity.

If you also love walking but have been wanting to increase the intensity of your walks, then let me introduce you to rucking.

Rucking is walking or hiking, but now with a weighted backpack. It’s a low-impact, high-reward exercise that gives you a one-two punch of cardio and strength training in one highly functional, adaptable workout. Originally born from military training, rucking has recently exploded in popularity among fitness enthusiasts, weekend warriors, and even beginners looking for a fun challenge.

Whether you’re looking to burn more calories on your daily hot girl walk or you want to train your body for more endurance, rucking is a practical, approachable way to build strength and stamina—no gym required.

Let’s dive into the history of rucking, what it looks like today, how to start, and what gear you actually need.

The Military Origins of Rucking

I remember when I first brought up this trending workout to my brother in law, who used to be in the military. He laughed and told me that rucking is something they had to do as part of their military training, known as ruck marches.

The word “ruck” comes from “rucksack,” a term commonly used in the military to describe a backpack used for carrying gear, often weighing 30-70 pounds depending on the mission. Soldiers and military recruits have long been trained to carry heavy loads over long distances to build endurance, mental resilience, and tactical preparedness.

Military ruck marches, also known as “forced marches,” were designed to test not just physical fitness but also discipline and perseverance. Today, many militaries still incorporate rucking into their training routines as a foundational movement that reflects real-world demands.

Civilians began adapting rucking as a fitness method around the early 2010s, largely popularized by groups like GORUCK, a company founded by a former Green Beret. GORUCK began offering rucking gear and organizing events across the U.S. that mimicked military-style endurance challenges.

What Is Modern Rucking?

Modern rucking is essentially walking with a weighted backpack. It can be done wherever you go walking or hiking, whether that’s around the block, on popular hiking trails, at the beach, or even on a treadmill. If you can walk or hike there, you can ruck there. It’s ideal for people who want:

  • A low-impact but challenging workout
  • To burn more calories without running
  • To build functional strength, particularly in the legs, back, and core
  • To improve posture and balance
  • A way to train outdoors and get fresh air

Unlike running or HIIT workouts, rucking is easier on the joints and accessible to beginners. You control the pace, distance, and amount of weight, making it adaptable for any fitness level.

Rucking Benefits:

  • Burns more calories than walking (up to 3x more depending on your load)
  • Builds strength and endurance at the same time
  • Improves posture by engaging your core and back muscles
  • Reduces stress by combining movement and nature
  • Can be social or solo — ruck with a friend, pet, or podcast!

How to Start Rucking: Workout Plan for Beginners

If you want to try turning up the intensity of your walking workouts, here’s a sample training plan to get you started:

Frequency: 2–3x per week

Gear: Backpack + weight (dumbbells, books, or ruck plates)

Week 1:

  • Duration: 20 minutes
  • Distance: 1–2 km
  • Weight: 10-15 lbs
  • Pace: Brisk walk (you should be able to talk, but feel challenged)

Week 2:

  • Duration: 30 minutes
  • Distance: 3-4 km
  • Weight: 15-20 lbs

Week 3:

  • Duration: 45 minutes
  • Distance: 4-5 km
  • Weight: 20-25 lbs

Tips:

  • Keep your weight evenly distributed and close to your back.
  • Use a backpack with padded shoulder straps and a chest strap, if possible. A weighted vest is a great alternative to a backpack if your backpack doesn’t have the straps and buckles to secure it to your body.
  • Engage your core and focus on walking tall.
  • Hydrate before and after your ruck.
  • Don’t be afraid to scale back if you feel discomfort in your knees, back, or feet.

Once you’re comfortable, you can increase the duration, try hill routes, or even try interval rucking (walking at a steady pace, then doing bodyweight exercises every 10 minutes).

If you’re looking for inspiration on some good walking and hiking trails in your area, I suggest checking out AllTrails. I’ve gotten bored of the my regular neighbourhood walks and have used this to explore new parts of the city I am in. You can get a free trial of the app here.

Rucking Gear Guide: Essentials and Budget-Friendly Alternatives

If you Google “rucking gear,” you might get overwhelmed by all the expensive specialty equipment. The truth? You don’t need much to get started. Here are some common rucking products and their budget-friendly alternatives:

ProductWhat It DoesAffordable Alternative
Rucksack (e.g., GORUCK GR1)Heavy-duty backpack with padding and weight supportAny sturdy backpack with padded straps
Ruck Plates (flat steel weights)Slide into backpack for consistent weightDumbbells, books, water bottles (my HydroFlask is quite heavy when it is full of water), or bags of rice
Ruck SandbagsAdjustable soft weights for loadingPillowcases filled with sand, rice, or wrapped ankle weights
Water Bottle (I use this one from Hydro Flask)Keeps you hydrated and can act as a weight in your packYou could get this collapsable water flask for $15
Weight Vests (I used this one)Wearable weight for walks without a packThrifted weight vest, or layer light weights inside jacket
Hiking boots or trail shoes (I’ve been really impressed with Hoka lately)Extra ankle support for outdoor routesYour current gym or running shoes (check for support)

I think a safe place to start is by getting a weighted vest and going out with your usual walking gear. If you fall in love with rucking, you know that there’s a whole world of products you can invest in. But the real beauty of this exercise is that you can get started with equipment that you likely already own.

Final Thoughts: Is Rucking Right for You?

Rucking is one of the most accessible, functional, and empowering workouts you can do—especially if you love walking but want more challenge. It doesn’t require a gym membership, fancy gear, or a strict routine. Just add weight, start walking, and enjoy the transformation in your strength, endurance, and mindset.

Plus, it’s a perfect complement to your existing workout schedule. On non-lifting days, swap in a ruck to keep active while giving your joints a break.

Question for you: Have you tried rucking before? Or are you thinking of giving it a try this summer? Let me know in the comments below—and tell me what gear you’re using to get started!

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