STYLE of SPORT | Gear & Apparel Curated for the Stylish Sports Enthusiast

STEVEN KOTLER

We all know what it feels like to be “in the zone”, that sense of effortless execution, be it on the tennis court, a ski run, or even working on a project. It’s total focus, clarity, and absorption in the task at hand, a challenge solved with ease, and seeing both the finish line and the steps to get there. We’ve all experienced this state that’s known as “flow”, and it’s more than a feeling. Neuroscientists have in fact discovered that flow is a physiological and recreatable state of consciousness in brain.

The term flow has recently been popularized by Steven Kotler, Executive Director of The Flow Research Collective. Kotler has spent decades researching and decoding the neurobiology of flow, and the connection between the brain and the body when humans are performing at their best. The Flow Research Collective is an organization whose mission is to understand the science behind human performance, and train individuals and organizations how to achieve more flow and optimize the benefits it provides.

The concept and term “flow” is not new. It has been around since the 1970’s, and was originally introduced by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a Hungarian-American psychologist who was the first to identify and research the phenomenon. Csikszentmihalyi coined the term in his 1990 book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience and described flow as “a state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it”. Read More

Cage-free, non-GMO, gluten-free… when it comes to grocery shopping these days there are so many labels stamped on a product it can be overwhelming. While all are there to tell you how healthy a product is, these labels can sometimes be misleading too. “Farm fresh”, “whole grain”, “all-natural” may sound good, but you need to look closer to know what’s really inside the packaging.

Even the health food store can be a minefield when shopping. Take eggs for example: there are a plethora of cage-free and free-range choices, but neither label means those chickens were not raised in a cage, and it can get quite complicated when you really get into each category of food.

The key, says our resident health and nutrition expert Sarah Wragge, is understanding the “sourcing” of all these foods. That’s how you know what to look for and what to avoid. On the basest level she has two non-negotiables:

Rule number 1 is a product must be Certified Organic. This goes for all food groups. Says Sarah, “When you buy something that is not organic, you are consuming pesticides, you’re consuming hormones, you’re consuming antibiotics.” The Certified 100% Organic stamp guarantees fruits, vegetables, and all the ingredients in a product have been grown or raised according to the USDA’s strict organic standards. For meat and poultry, that includes the provision that the animals must be raised exclusively on organic feed, have access to the outdoors, and cannot be given antimicrobial drugs or hormones. Read More

About 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep problems. Although not always serious, left untreated, lack of sleep can cause an array of problems for daytime function, and lead to other health issues. Physiologically, when it comes to our fitness goals, not getting enough sleep can interfere with performance and even sabotage our weight loss… regardless of whether we are exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet.

Sleep has become one of the buzziest wellness topics, amplified over the past year by the inordinate amount of stress and anxiety the pandemic has caused. More than ever, people are not sleeping well. There is even a name for it, “Coronasomnia”. Here, at the start of Sleep Awareness Week we turned to our resident health and wellness expert, Sarah Wragge, for some answers and solutions to the sleep conundrum facing so many of us.

STYLE OF SPORT: I feel like I could not be talking to you at a better time as you just had a baby a few weeks ago and are the mother of a 4-year old as well!

SARAH WRAGGE: (Laughing)… You could definitely say I’m sleep deprived!

SOS: I know you’re usually on top of your sleep game, so let’s talk about this phenomenon of sleep deprivation and how it’s affecting so many of us. Read More

With the popularity of intermittent fasting, a nutritional tool that can help your body burn fat, that first cup of coffee is often the break-fast meal. For those who prefer training in the morning, while in a fasting state, fueling their workouts can be a challenge. Many athletes and fitness enthusiasts have conditioned their bodies to use fat for energy — as opposed to carbs which were once the norm — and have turned their morning brew into nutritional, fat-burning fuel.

Bulletproof coffee was one of the first fat-packed recipes to gain popularity: essentially black coffee with a scoop of grass-fed butter or ghee, and MCT or coconut oil. The added fat slows down caffeine absorption for more sustained energy. The theory is by adding fat to a cup of black coffee, you can transform it into an energy-boosting, brain-fueling, fat-burning meal. Grass-fed butter or ghee adds high-quality fats and essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids; fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K; and antioxidants. MCT Oil, which is derived from coconut oil, is said to help to increase energy levels, improve cognitive performance, regulate blood sugar, and boost fat burning. Bulletproof manufactures its own MCT oil called Brain Octane Fuel.  Read More

Every January, after a festive month of non-stop eating and drinking, many people decide to go on a “cleanse”. It’s usually a quick fix deprivation program designed to shed those holiday pounds fast, jump start your New Year’s goals, and get you mentally back on track. No sugar, no alcohol, no carbs, no fat, no more fun. It’s short term, so people think it’s doable, and a cleanse does usually result in some initial weight loss. The problem, however, is what happens after the cleanse… or during, should you slip up.

We checked in with our resident nutrition and wellness expert, Sarah Wragge, about whether to cleanse or not to cleanse after a period of indulgence. “Most people decide to do a cleanse because they think they must do something extreme to undo what they’ve been doing,” she says. “It’s an all or nothing extremist mentality, with no room for failure, and so it’s not sustainable.”

So here you are feeling congested, bloated, and confused. The good news, says Sarah, is there are a number of things you can be doing right now to get back to your fighting form and sustain it for the long term. Cleansing doesn’t have to be extreme, and it can actually be a regular part of your daily routine. Here are some healthy ways to kick off 2021, and keep it going all year!
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