I’ve started “Doing Exercise”. It’s not really my thing, and I can assure you I don’t have any fancy reasons for taking it up, involving endorphins or core muscles or anything like that.
My justifications are simple:
1. I may or may not be having some kind of mid-life crisis.
2. My thighs have the appearance of a bowl of Ready Brek left to go cold.
3. I believe burning calories will allow me to eat more, specifically more cake.
So I have been going running, which suits me surprisingly well. And what’s helping enormously is, of course, some lovely ‘post exercise’ products. It’s a whole new world. Come, join me.
First up is Aromatherapy Associates. Post run, I stagger, wheezing into the shower and use their De-Stress Muscle Bath & Shower Oil (£37), then slap De-Stress Muscle Gel (£21) on my screaming-for-mercy calves.
It’s like posh Deep Heat, with black pepper, rosemary and ginger. Gorge.
When time allows a bath instead, my new ache-buster is Thalgo Thalassobath with Algae (£25.55) which, in spite of being 24% ‘fresh algae’, smells fairly posh and not of ponds. Perfect for a pre-pyjama soak after an evening run.
I do not like having hot, sore feet, but I would rather suffer them than put something minty on – my least favourite beauty smell. Thankfully LCN Cool Down Foot Gel (£9.75) is zingy but has a fruity smell, and because it sinks in you won’t be skating around the bathroom floor.
Next is a supplement, CherryActive, which is made from Montmorency cherries, proven to reduce muscle soreness after exercise. I personally like the use of the word ‘tart’ to describe the flavour on their website – you don’t see that enough these days.
Try the ‘shots’ (from £1.95). Actually rather yummy and I like the whole ‘inside and out’ thing too. Hark at me.
Finally, Circulation Patch-It (£29.99) – kind of adhesive patches you put on the soles of your feet overnight. They contain menthol and double-distilled mandarin wood vinegar, both of which have been clinically proven to help to ease tired, aching legs and improve circulation.
I thought they were pretty good, and I like the idea of the detox ones too. One mid-life crisis at a time though, I think…