The Health Huns
The Messy Side of Health and Fitness!
Your favourite amateur athletes keeping it real, discussing the messy side of health and fitness
The Health Huns
EP.7 Do You Really Need That Running Vest?
Ever stared at a cupboard full of abandoned fitness gear and wondered where you went wrong? You're not alone. The UK fitness industry is booming at £5.7 billion annually, despite economic challenges. But how much of that spending translates to actual progress, and how much collects dust in our homes?
Between us, we represent opposite ends of the fitness spending spectrum – one cautious with purchases, the other more experimental. This contrast allows us to explore the psychology behind fitness consumerism with both skepticism and firsthand experience. Why do we convince ourselves that a new gadget or supplement will transform our fitness journey when deep down, we know consistency matters more than equipment?
We dive into our personal best and worst buys, with running shoes and comfortable clothing emerging as worthy investments across the board. Meanwhile, protein powders and heavily-marketed supplements take the crown for most regrettable purchases. Our community weighs in too, sharing unexpected wins (Primark running socks!) and devastating disappointments (those trendy Pure Sport products that failed to deliver).
The environmental impact of fitness consumerism deserves attention as well. When ultra-runners fuel 100km races with simple boiled potatoes instead of plastic-wrapped gels, we're reminded that effective solutions don't always require specialized products. Second-hand marketplaces like Vinted offer sustainable alternatives for acquiring quality gear while reducing waste and saving money.
Whether you're considering your first fitness tracker or contemplating that expensive running vest, this episode offers guidance on making purchases you won't regret. Join us as we navigate the messy intersection of marketing, motivation, and meaningful progress in your health and fitness journey. What's been your best or worst fitness purchase? We'd love to hear from you at thehealthhunspod@gmail.com or on Instagram @thehealthhunspod.
Oh, have you done a poo, my God.
Speaker 2:Hello and welcome to the Health Huns, the pod where we discuss the messy side of health and fitness.
Speaker 1:From gym fails to newfound communities.
Speaker 2:We're here to help you feel like less of a failure and find your place in the messy world of health and fitness.
Speaker 1:Hello, hello and welcome to yet another episode of the Health Hunts. We are currently in Amber's walk-in cupboard.
Speaker 2:The best place to record a podcast from apparently.
Speaker 1:It's asked her to just sell a little poo-poo in the bed. Yeah, but she can't help it, so we'll let her off. We've had a pre-podcast meeting this podcast, haven't we? We have, yeah, basically we went and got a drink somewhere and made more lists yes, which seems to be quite, um quite a thing for us.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, it's what we do we are getting some stuff done.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we are slowly. We've got a logo coming soon we are gonna find a jingle we're gonna get a jingle going. We've got a bit of a structure. We have yet actually thought about this podcast episode yeah, we have, yeah, and thought about it. Who'd have thought so, amber? Yes, what has your week been like?
Speaker 2:rate out of 10 for me, um I would say my week has been probably around about a seven.
Speaker 1:A seven Interesting. Why is that?
Speaker 2:Well, it's been fine. Yeah, Work's been all right. I haven't run as much as I wanted to because it's so fucking hot. So Monday we were going to go out and do the run norwich route, which is 10k, um and got to 8k in the cathedral and just had to give up yeah, it was really muggy monday oh my goodness, it was awful um, but you know I've got a new tattoo.
Speaker 2:Yes, today it's fresh. It is fresh um, just been a pretty average week, really, like not good, not bad, but you know okay just a normal mundane. Yeah, what about your week?
Speaker 1:my week has probably been about a five, so at the beginning of last week I was violently ill right. I caught a bug off my kid. They are so gross yeah so that kind of wrote me off all of Tuesday, most of Wednesday, thursday. I was all right, I recorded the podcast with you yeah but it's just been so hot that, like you, I haven't been able to run as much. But I did do a new route through the city on saturday morning after that giant thunderstorm, okay yes, let's not talk about that, let's not bring that up, so that was good where did you go?
Speaker 1:ran through the city, down like the main street, by the river, by the cathedral, back looped around and it was almost a perfect 5k loop nice from my front door yeah, I'm back, and then I got a nice oat milk ice vanilla latte from my local coffee shop.
Speaker 1:Is it, flock, really good coffee, okay. So that was a wholesome weekend. And then this week I tried to do a 5k last night with gator 5k, yeah, midweek runners and I couldn't. I only done 2k because it was so hot it was so hot I hadn't fuelled properly yeah, I had a lot of water sloshing around. Oh, in my, in my tum tum. Yeah, that's not good it wasn't for me, but I think, apart from that, I just felt like it's been busy, but good, okay, I mean a 5 is not bad.
Speaker 2:It's just average, isn't it it?
Speaker 1:is average. It could be better, but this week is going better, so we'll see you next time. In this episode, we're going to be talking about the stuff you buy when it comes to fitness and health and reaching your goals, and whether you actually need it or not.
Speaker 2:I think this is a very important topic actually it is.
Speaker 1:We are kind of opposite ends of the spectrum, I think, when it comes to what we invest our money into activities, hobbies, yeah, all that kind of stuff. So I think it's going to be quite a balanced approach to uh, this might be a bit of therapy for Amber, actually maybe, but we'll see. So we actually looked into some facts, didn't we? We did, yeah, we did some actual real life research consumer Consumerism in the fitness industry Is booming, really booming.
Speaker 1:So the UK market, uk fitness market, was valued at 5.7 billion pounds. It was pounds, not dollars, in 2024. That's a lot of money 5.7 billion. Now let's also consider the cost of living. There's not many markets booming right now, no, but for the fitness industry to be one of them, it's very interesting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I wonder if there's some kind of correlation. Like you know, things are a bit shit. People haven't got much money, so they're like let's look after our health.
Speaker 1:Well, that is a recession indicator.
Speaker 2:According to some guy I saw on tiktok, okay, which is where I get most of my information from. I mean, yeah, always do other research. Nah, um, I wonder how much of that 5.7 billion, I wonder how much of that stuff is actually continuously used and found useful and how much is left in a cupboard, resold, thrown away probably not much of it is actually news.
Speaker 1:I you've, we've all been to like your grandparents, house your aunties, your uncles and you go in their garage and you've got some like relic of some sort of squat rack or those old school kind of power plates. Oh, are they those ones that jiggle you? Or some like really shit dumbbell selection. Yeah, my granddad used to have these like proper metal, cut your hands in half dumbbells. I never saw him use, but they moved to every single house of course, because you never know, one day he might need them he might need them, and I think that goes for a lot of people.
Speaker 1:Just got random bits in their house, whether it's resistance bands or a bike they bought, planning to do that every morning and it didn't get done. Yes, amber, what about you? What about me? Do you find that a lot of the stuff you tend to buy is useful in your journey? Do you do your research? Do you buy into?
Speaker 2:trends. I do do some research and I would say, although I do buy quite a lot of stuff, I do use most of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like I mean and actually I know we laugh about it, but I haven't really brought that much stuff, no, like I brought a pair of trainers that I didn't get on with so I resold them on Vinted yeah. And then I brought two new pairs of trainers, the same design in different colours, and I do one run in one pair and then the next run I use the other pair. So they, like you know, get to air out whatever Is. So they, like you know, get to air out whatever and that technical term?
Speaker 2:yeah, I think. So you are supposed to let them like oh, okay, yeah, and you know, I get quite sweaty feet.
Speaker 1:So I think that's.
Speaker 2:I think it's a good thing.
Speaker 1:I brought a garment never comes off the wrist it does when I'm asleep.
Speaker 2:Oh, does it yeah, I hate wearing it when I'm asleep. Okay, um, and I've brought some gym clothes and but like I don't think there's anything I've brought that I don't use, I think it goes beyond, just like accessories and equipment.
Speaker 1:I think you got, obviously, clothes, you got your accessories, but you've also got subscriptions to apps yes, um. Or coaches, if that's personal trainer, online coach, yeah. Gym memberships Does everyone use their gym membership? No, yes, well, I do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean there's a lot. There are. Yeah, I mean to be honest, until I joined the gym this time, I've had gym subscriptions that. I've had for a year and I've never gone once Supplements.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think had for a year and I've never gone once. Supplements, yeah, I don't. I think they're a big thing people waste their money on. I don't really use supplements, no, but they're one of those things that are sold to us as this magic pill. Like quite literally a magic pill. Yeah, athletic greens. I've been taking my athletic greens for three weeks. Athletic greens yeah athletic greens, is that not?
Speaker 2:what they're called? I don't know. Is that that green powder that turns into juice? Oh, okay, they're like.
Speaker 1:I haven't been bloated at all. I have a flat six-pack now. Obviously that's not going to happen. No, that is not the cause of that six-pack.
Speaker 2:I am never tempted really by a supplement. No, Because I know I will not take it. Yeah, so what's the point? And they're so expensive I can't afford to spend £40 a month on supplements.
Speaker 1:That is very true, they are very expensive, but people do buy them in hopes of it, curing this, that or the other. Yeah, there's a lack of transparency sometimes when these things are sold to us online and on our algorithms and TikTok shop and team you.
Speaker 2:Interestingly, later on in the pod we asked some people what their best and worst buys are, and a very heavily marketed product does come up, does it?
Speaker 1:I actually don't know which one it is. This can be a surprise to me as well, yeah it is. This can be a surprise to me as well. Wow, why do you think the reason is people end up buying so much stuff, and this goes beyond fitness and health. This this is kind of a big thing at the minute of consumerism and waste and the environment. Like what do you think?
Speaker 2:it is. I think it's because it makes people feel like they're going to fit in and be better.
Speaker 1:Yeah like they're doing something without actually having to do something. Yes, it's that short-term dopamine hit. Yeah, that little boost of motivation. Oh, once that gets delivered, I'm then gonna go on this run or I'm gonna do a workout in the morning yeah do you?
Speaker 2:and it's interesting as well because, like you know, I live with somebody who is an ultra runner and has run 100k and you know he did have some gels and he had some like carbohydrate stuff that went in his water but he fueled on baby potatoes I remember you telling me this yeah, and you know said they were amazing. So every hour he had two baby boiled potatoes and potatoes are quite cheap.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you haven't got any like past it.
Speaker 2:Packaging wasted like exactly, and stuff exactly. I think it's about two pounds for a packet potatoes. Wow, I keep you going for a long time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think a lot. We basically don't need all of it. No, and they're all very different.
Speaker 2:I mean, I don't know much about like you know, like I'm talking to gym people, I think. I think the spending more money is more prevalent in running and I think there's very different kinds of runners. There's people that are road runners, that are quite interested in how they look, and then you see ultra runners and they I love you ultra runners, but like there's no fashion sense. They're like, I mean, some of the things that my husband wears, I'm like, okay, you do you hun, but like they're more, it's like practical, it's getting out there, it's endurance like they know they're probably.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what's gonna keep me going for 100k? Yeah, not hurt my body yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So, re amber, have you brought anything recently?
Speaker 1:I think my most expensive and recent purchase was definitely my running trainers, and I use them every run, so I think that's a much. It's a worthwhile purchase yeah. I don't know. I'm not a buyer. I look at stuff and I think, oh, that looks good, that looks good. But I'm not big into commitment of buying things and some of it is just so expensive. I think like I don't need a vest right now yeah, because.
Speaker 1:I'm only doing like, not that you don't. You can wear a vest however long your run is. But like for me, in my phone, my phone in my pocket of my shorts. It works for me yeah my Strava on my phone tracking my runs works for me at the minute, but when it comes to our 10k we're doing in a few weeks, I am going to invest in a vest, so I kind of wait until I have to have something yeah before I buy. But no, the trainers is probably the last fitnessy thing I bought.
Speaker 2:I don't know what the last fitness thing I brought was, but I mean, I do think there are some things that I probably should have researched a bit more. Yeah, so I brought a cheaper running vest. I mean, it wasn't that much cheaper, to be honest, it was like about 40 pounds but it came with a bottle. Um, and actually I do. You know, if I I'm one of these people, if it's hot and I'm doing 5k, I might want a little sip of drink. Yeah, so I am gonna take it and I'm gonna put some water in it, like I don't care about that. But the vest I've got is quite thick and rubbery and like it's really hot and sweaty on my back. So I should have researched a little bit more. But I didn't really consider that being a thing and I'm going to.
Speaker 2:I have done some research, because I was like, oh, I'm just gonna get one of the Solomon, solomon, solomon vests and they're over 100 quid. And I spoke to Matthew and he was like get an innovate one. I think the one I want is 50 pounds and they are exactly the same. We've got the little crossover things and they are. They do them in different sizes depending on the distance you're doing. So he's got a big one from when he done his 100k, but you can get one for that's up to like, say, doing a half marathon, which is the smallest. So I'm going to get that, which is 50 pounds, and it's like looks much more breathable, and then I'll just use the bottle from my old one and I will sell.
Speaker 1:If it doesn't work for me, I do sell it yeah, I think that's a big part of it is get it. If it doesn't work, don't just let it lie around your house or put it in the bin, yeah make some money back, get something that does work for you. You know, sell it for a bit cheaper. Someone who can't afford like the brand new stuff yeah, then has the opportunity to get these things, participate in this sport.
Speaker 1:I think that's the big thing with. It's not the buying itself, it's the waste. I think behind it 100% and there was it like being a runner is to be like an environmentalist at your core, something like that you know you're so. Where did you hear that? Did you make that up? If I have made that up, you can, guys can have that the running community can have it.
Speaker 1:I thought it was like whatever, whatever. I think I think sports in general, the fitness community in general, could do a better job at making things more accessible by recycling, reselling whatever, whatever. Donating, yeah, um, and there's a nice little flow and an ecosystem, yeah, everyone gets a chance to do it, no matter what you can afford or not afford yeah, and a really good place to start is on vintage.
Speaker 2:Yeah, facebook marketplace oh god, I don't like facebook marketplace I'm thinking more for like equipment, for equipment, yeah, I mean Gym stuff, bikes. I've got to go to somebody's house later to buy something from Facebook Marketplace and I've already got the fear because I just hate it.
Speaker 1:See, meg, my wife does all the Facebook marketing like bartering and then just sends me in. So I could have died about many times. Yeah, luckily luckily I haven't come across a psycho yet.
Speaker 2:I mean, I'm going to buy a bike later and I'm scared, are you taking Matthew? No, I've got to go on my own. Maybe I'll make you come with me sorry, I'm busy. I've got to go on my own and like, get it onto a bike rack and I'm scared.
Speaker 1:I would like to know if anyone else has had any scary Facebook marketplace situation for anything you've brought.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't care what it is.
Speaker 1:Tales of Facebook marketplace yeah that could be a whole section yeah, it could be a whole other podcast.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, but vinted for clothes and stuff. I brought loads of like stuff off vinted and I sold loads of stuff on vinted as well. Like when I first started running, I brought a jacket from Nike and it's like a thin, really thin, like I mean I guess it's like windproof, and it's got loads of tiny reflective dots, so dots. So when you run at night, the car dogs on you reflective dots. So if a car shines, it's light, it can see you, but it's way too big for me now. And the other day I got like a little light it can see you, but it's way too big for me now. And the other day I got a little Adidas one from Vinted, because it's summer for £7. Bargain.
Speaker 1:It is worth doing just kind of trolling through it.
Speaker 2:Look out of season, Look for your summer stuff in winter and your winter stuff in summer, because nobody's buying it then.
Speaker 1:And that's the best advice we can give you on anything forever.
Speaker 2:That's it, we're out now yeah, we might as well give up. What would you say? I know you say you don't buy very much, so maybe I will have more to contribute on this topic, but what would you say? Have been your best buys and your worst buys? And this could be supplements. You know things from your past subscriptions.
Speaker 1:I think the best buys have been my clothes at times. So investing in clothes that I feel comfortable to work out in, whether that's running in the gym, doing whatever sport you do making sure I buy stuff that maybe just doesn't have to be trending or anything, but I actually feel good in If that's maybe a slightly more expensive pair of shorts, because they just fit my waist and my hips and my legs better, yeah, and that is a worthwhile purchase, because there's nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable when you're working out or yeah so I think clothes trainers, trainers massively, both in the gym and running, will have an impact, direct impact, on your performance I think and just preventing injury and that kind of stuff yeah in the past I have invested in personal trainers, which is a big investment, and that is contributing to that 5.7 billion pounds.
Speaker 1:But yeah, a coach of some description, depending on what sport you're starting can just jump start. You give you the confidence, make sure you're not doing things wrong, make sure you're not getting injured, help you see your progress. I do think that's a worthwhile purchase. Yeah, and maybe some of the well, none of the apps. I've never purchased an app and thought, god, this has changed my life, so that's probably about it. Like, at a very basic level, those things have had the best or the biggest impact on my experience in sports.
Speaker 2:And things that you've bought, subscribed to, that you think have been a total waste of money.
Speaker 1:I don't know. Supplements, supplements. See, I do a lot of research into things. Okay, so that's probably why I don't buy much, because I overwhelm myself with all the options.
Speaker 1:Biggest waste, I'd say a lot of the skinny foods and stuff when you could probably get something nicer to eat and it has the same low-calorie effect that you want and it's probably a bit better for you. Yeah, what else have I got? She's never wasted a single penny. I don't really waste money on that. Like, maybe food is what makes money. No, I honestly don't know. I'm a bit tight when it comes to things like this. Okay, I really would have to, like I did. Okay, actually, a big purchase I made was a road bike, right, um, what's the brand that we're gonna see? Corella Carrera. So, yeah, carrera. Um, I spent like 150 pound this bike it was secondhand as well, yeah and ended up selling it like within a month because I just never.
Speaker 1:I didn't try it out as a man's fit, okay, I couldn't balance myself on it, and then I had to sell it for like half the price did you have pedals?
Speaker 2:that where you had to have the cycling shoes with the cleats?
Speaker 1:well, I didn't wear the cycling shoes because I would have bought them, but so you could use them as normal pedals. Yeah, yeah yeah, so I just put that. That's hard, though yeah, it is because you have, that's a skill well, I mean.
Speaker 2:So I am buying a bike today and, um, it doesn't come with pedals and I'm gonna have normal pedals to start with, as I get used to it yeah because you know people fall off a lot when they're wearing the cleats to begin with, and I'm not ready for that, are you?
Speaker 2:buying the cleats, then no, so I'm, I'm gonna, I'm going to buy the bike and it doesn't have pedals on it, and then I'm just going to buy some normal pedals with, like the cagey bit, okay, whilst I get used to it, and then maybe one day I'll think about cleats.
Speaker 1:I can't wait for that.
Speaker 2:I know that's going to be. That's when we can go into our cycling era.
Speaker 1:I'm trying to persuade every like other people to buy bikes at the minute. It will take you about three years to buy a bike. I like to see what I'm a big like a preserver of what people use. So I'm gonna get the same garment as amber, because she keeps saying it's really good I mean it's the cheap.
Speaker 2:To be fair, it is the cheapest one, like you know. I so I mean my garment has been one of my best buys. And the reason it's been one of my best buys is because when I run, it has my pace on it yeah, I do need to get one and actually that has really helped me because I can.
Speaker 2:If I'm going too fast which does happen shockingly, but I can't sustain it for long, so I actually have to be like, oh okay, okay, I'm running too fast and then I slow down. So I would say my Garmin, which is like the Forerunner 55. It's the most basic. I brought it off Vinted, it was brand new. It should have been like 180 pounds, but I think I paid 110.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's loads on Vinted that are really good Because, despite buying stuff. I do like to not spend full price on things. Yeah, yeah, that is one thing you're really good at. Yeah, it's finding a bargain. Yeah, so what's the worst thing you've ever bought the biggest waste of money oh, the biggest waste of money controversial?
Speaker 2:I think the biggest waste of money for me is protein powder I was literally just thinking that, because it's fucking rank, it's disgusting clear away the biggest waste of money yeah, well, just the normal stuff. It's rank. It's disgusting. Like I don't like protein shakes no, I don't remember to have them. No, I like I've brought several bags of protein powder and I've given them to matthew. Yeah, because I am not interested in them and they're quite expensive yeah, I think any.
Speaker 1:Probably my biggest waste of money has been food supplements yeah some shape or form? Yeah, because that you could. They're just not nice no and the novelty wears off after one or two.
Speaker 2:Oh my god, so great I'm getting all this protein, but it's disgusting but if you're just a normal person and you will know more about this but, like, if you're just a normal person going to the gym, going for, like you know, five, maybe 10k run, do you need protein powder?
Speaker 1:I think no, unless you're someone who struggles to get protein in your diet. So I always say, people who are plant-based, who are struggling to get their protein up and want to whether they're building muscle or they just want to be a bit stronger it could be really useful to them Because you know you don't have to. There's loads of ways you can do it with plant-based foods, but that might just help them along if they get a plant-based protein powder.
Speaker 2:Which is the worst of the worst, which is the?
Speaker 1:worst of the worst, which is the worst of the worst, but no, I think a lot of these protein amounts are based on, like the optimal amount for muscle growth, and not everyone's doing that. I always say have it with every meal, have a high protein snack throughout the day and you're probably covered.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean recently I brought from the TikTok shop I think it was around one of the bank holidays, so it was really cheap. I brought a pack of clear vegan whey. Well, it wasn't way clear vegan protein powder and actually do you know what? It was much nicer than protein like the milky protein powder. It was okay. I still forget to take it or have it, but it was all right. And some like MyVegan protein bars and stuff and like they're really high calories. They taste of cardboard slash dirt. They don't really keep you full up. It just seems to be like food for the sake of it.
Speaker 1:It is a bit of a gimmick. Yeah, it is definitely a bit of a gimmick. I don't think that's as popular anymore. No I think, with this big shift in the fitness industry, like ultra processed food, avoid them at all costs and make sure you're having whole foods and gut foods and this and that and whatever. I don't think there's as much use for these protein supplements anymore. But maybe that's just a side of social media I'm on yeah, a lot of it anymore.
Speaker 2:Yeah, promoting to cook your food to try and get your, your stuff in that way yeah, and whilst I do think you can eat ultra processed food, oh, yeah, god, like also what the?
Speaker 1:what is the definition of a processed food? Anything that goes through any sort of process.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, right, literally yeah, like you know, bread, yeah, ultra processed food delicious, delicious, unless you're like grinding your own grains and even grain to be ground is a process yeah, so, but you know, like, generally, like you know, for me I eat quite a lot of tofu, which is really high in protein. But yeah, I it's. It's having a balance, isn't it?
Speaker 1:yeah, it is, but this isn't a nutrition episode no, it isn't. We have to save this, we have gone off on a tangent eat what makes you feel good do you think we should talk about what other people have said?
Speaker 2:I would love to hear what other people are buying. Okay, so here we've got the best thing I've brought a visor, amazing for the sun and keeps the rain off your face and I'm gonna like a hat visor yeah, yeah okay.
Speaker 1:I'm thinking of those big covid masks not one of them.
Speaker 2:Visors are like, yeah, a cap, yeah, but without the top bit, which actually is good, isn't it? Because I get very hot and wearing a hat would make my head hot, but having a visor that the heat could rise through the middle heat could rise through the middle.
Speaker 1:You're right, um fantastic, amber's gonna put that in your basket, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Uh well, actually matthew's got one, so maybe I can just steal his and try it. One of the worst cheap running armbands to hold my phone. They fall apart.
Speaker 1:Spend a bit more yeah, I do think a lot of these are going to be. It's cheap, spend a bit more. Yeah, it's cheap for a reason, and you know, pay a bit more by once, spend a bit less by multiple times yeah, it's a classic saying goes yeah that classic saying um so spent too much money on trainers and didn't think much about quality.
Speaker 2:Socks got blisters again socks.
Speaker 1:I haven't got blisters yet, so I haven't bought any running socks.
Speaker 2:I haven't got blisters from running, but I did get them from going on a 12 and a half k walk yeah, that's a lot but I am finding with the hot weather my feet are hot in my shoes yes, that gives me the ick, yeah, so I might, I might buy some like summer running socks? I assume they probably I mean, do you know what breathable socks? I don't think that really makes any difference.
Speaker 1:I mean, your feet are gonna get hot in a shoe anyway, exactly Okay, I won't buy that.
Speaker 2:Then yeah, okay, so the best, some shocks. So shocks are running earphones and I have got some of them. I've got a knockoff brand of shocks. I actually told someone about this the other day and you like them, don't you? They're good.
Speaker 2:Well, I have nothing to compare it to yeah, but they were better than my airpods, yeah, which, and they were like 20 quid and I'm going to give you a top tip for um running earphones where you can hear outside still so I went to London in January and I didn't know where I was going and I've heard lots of things recently about people having their phone stolen, um, so I didn't really want to have my phone out with sat nav, so I put my shocks in and I my hair covered them and I had my phone in my pocket, had my sat nav telling me where to go, so I looked like I knew where I was going, but I still had my sat nav on top tips safety.
Speaker 1:Street smarts is what that is. Yeah, it is. Yeah. What was our last week?
Speaker 2:it was like what three words oh yeah, what three we could just do the safety of um life, and then the worst a spy belt, spi belt oh, they won those really thin running belts I don't know, I'm gonna, and they like they're.
Speaker 1:They're made out of stretchy material oh, we're loading.
Speaker 2:Come on, google voted the best running belt. Oh controversial.
Speaker 1:Oh they're just one of these. Yeah, it's almost like a seat belt around your waist, yeah, okay, well, but I think if you probably got hips or any sort of belly and actually it wouldn't sit right yeah, it was.
Speaker 2:Um, I've lost my thing now. Yeah, it was a, a woman who sent that in. So, yeah, no spy belts, that's actually. I mean I like I said last week my running belt was from Aldi and it cost a fiver and it's fine, yeah, um, but Matthew's got like a. It's almost like the same thickness the whole way around and it's like a sort of swimming costume, sort of material. And he said to me about like because I didn't have mine with me one day, and he was like I'll wear mine. And I was like, no, that's too thick. Yeah, like my middle might be too big for that yeah uh, but I like mine from aldi.
Speaker 2:It's great um worst purchase running gels, eat jelly babies or freddos running.
Speaker 1:I have actually bought some before. I find they're too sticky. When you're hot and you're sweaty, putting that thick liquid in your mouth.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no one wants that when it's hot and sweaty.
Speaker 1:No, it's a lot. And also they taste rank.
Speaker 2:What ones did you have?
Speaker 1:S-I-S.
Speaker 2:Okay, see, I've got some high five ones. Okay, and I only got those because I stole one off Matt, and then actually they're all right. They're actually quite runny, they're not thick okay um, and they taste okay, and I haven't shit myself yet well, that's a positive see yeah we were speaking about this earlier.
Speaker 1:For our well, we're doing a 10k soon. I said I was going to get some of those nerd clusters, because one thing I will buy into is food trends and um, but I would just get. I would just be nibbling them.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you would, because I mean running, do you? I like sometimes I need some water when I'm going around, but anything in my stomach makes me feel sick, so I'm not sure that eating. So I couldn't have nerds cluster gummies because they've got gelatin in them. Me neither now, oh, skittles skills.
Speaker 1:It is, yeah, I did.
Speaker 2:Do you know what? I saw a post somewhere and it's how many grams of like carbs and sugar was in the small packets of skittles, which is like equivalent to like a gel, and I wish I'd have saved it, but um, I I can't really think of much worse than running and having to chew on a sweet.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I guess that might, whereas, like the, gel is literally just like, and those high five ones are really runny okay, I'll consider it I'm gonna give you one before you leave, so you come on to try well, at least I'll be going home, in case it doesn't agree with me. Yeah, exactly just have it now in the middle of the day and Freddo's. I definitely would not want to be eating chocolate while I'm doing a run.
Speaker 1:No, it's going to melt. What have you got in your running vest?
Speaker 2:a bloody ice pack best is Garmin Fenix 8, solar pro norder 001, I don't know. I mean, obviously the garmin fenix is a watch. I don't know what the solar pro norder is, maybe another watch. Okay, um, worst. Now this is the supplement brand that is heavily marketed. Anything by pure sport? Have you seen? Pure? Sport um, they bang on about their electrolytes, don't they have a superior to any other electrolytes and they're that kind of minimalist aesthetic kind of packaging. I think people it's like that, like you know, shoreditch kind of cool packaging.
Speaker 1:You do actually think they're better than everyone yeah, yeah, yeah, they would.
Speaker 2:they wouldn't want to be having a hi-fi gel, they want a pure sports gel. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Is it like a silver, the gels?
Speaker 2:I don't know about the gel, I know the electrolytes. I think they're in like a cream package, like single sachet.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like one of those sad beige, houses.
Speaker 2:Yeah, with like black writing on it.
Speaker 1:Okay, and best buying expensive shorts invest in your wear, in your wear, invest in your outfits. Yeah, and then that's what you're going to be wearing.
Speaker 2:The final one is primark running socks, actually one of my best purchases by miles maybe I'll get down there.
Speaker 1:I did see them actually a few weeks ago when I was perusing the shelves.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then actually there's one more Shocks, not a fan Interesting. I mean I like my Shocks. I just had some AirPods before and I mean the first time I wore Shocks I was like, oh my God, is someone following me? Because I could hear the sound of my own feet and I was like what is that?
Speaker 2:but now I like, I really like them and I like the fact I haven't got the ones on the band, I've got the ones that just clip on your ear and, um, I like that, even if I'm just walking and stuff like I like it because I can hear the traffic so, oh, I do think if you're someone who's running around in the city or a bit paranoid, I do think over the bone conducting headphones are the ones yeah.
Speaker 1:And then if you're going to do races, a lot of them, you have to have them or you don't have anything at all. Absolutely yeah, and there are cheaper versions on Amazon and stuff like that if you don't want to invest heavily straight away.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think the Shox ones they're only like £120, aren't they?
Speaker 1:Yeah, for some of the older ranges and stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think mine were about that.
Speaker 1:And again, vintage you could probably get some vintage for a good price.
Speaker 2:I would say so Depends if you want something that's been in someone else's ear, though.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but it just sits here, doesn't it?
Speaker 2:Well, they do sort of sit like just inside your ear, not like in like a normal earbud, but they are sort of here.
Speaker 1:Would you buy secondhand swimwear?
Speaker 2:Um, I feel you can wash that.
Speaker 1:I mean I haven't, but. Would you buy secondhand underwear? No, but what's the difference between that and a swimming costume?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's true. I yeah, that's true. When you wear, you would wear underwear more often than a swimming costume in my experience. I am cheap, I haven't bought secondhand underwear.
Speaker 1:I am an m&s girl me too. Cotton only let that pussy breathe, exactly, exactly. Okay, I feel like we kind of rated a lot of things. Let's go through some things and and we'll rate them out of 10.
Speaker 2:10 is definitely worth it, zero is right, I'm gonna go on instagram, okay, and I'm just gonna have a little scroll through and see what kind of um things come up for running and, okay, pure sport.
Speaker 1:Electrolytes I've never tried them so I can't comment. But I think electrolytes are maybe a little bit overhyped, unless you're running a long distance. Yeah, it should be okay just to kind of have your, your water and a coffee and some breakfast and you should be good to go okay or if it's really hot.
Speaker 2:Okay, and this is interesting because we're going to see what things are advertised to me on my running Instagram. Sweaty Betty clothing.
Speaker 1:I've never worn it. Have you worn it?
Speaker 2:I've got some Sweaty Betty shorts.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Power cycling shorts. Yeah, I really like them, but I brought them from Vinted.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:They were brand new, but they were about £30 cheaper than they were on the website, and I do like them.
Speaker 1:I've heard good things, so I'll go an 8 out of 10 for stuff like that if it's going to give you what you need in terms of comfort and sizing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think for those shorts I would give them an 8 out of 10.
Speaker 1:Okay, I don't have anything advertised to me right now. Haven the Holiday Park the Holiday Park, okay, okay, I don't have anything advertised to me right now. Haven the holiday park, okay, okay, strava, um, I like it. I'd probably give it, like I'd give it a six out of ten because you don't need it. Like it does a job. On your free, on the free version, yeah, but the premium version does give you that little bit if you're really interested in your progress and seeing your splits and breaking it down.
Speaker 1:It does give you that element of things.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I'd go six out of ten yeah, I think I probably would be the same like I definitely don't use the data that you know.
Speaker 1:Sorry, reese, just showed me her phone uh, what's been advertised to me is the uk's strongest man tickets we're going.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we should. Um. Yeah, I definitely don't use the data from strava like a pro um. But I do like the little athlete intelligence where it says you've done really good, yeah, it's a nice boost.
Speaker 1:Anything you've never been advertised to me wow, fostering.
Speaker 2:We are on different sides of the world. Yeah, what's this? This is a tool that cuts blackberries in half. What a knife. Okay, I've got a gym being advertised to me like a gym to go to gain fitness knowledge. Never heard of them, oh that's a crossfit box.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, I do think a gym membership. I'd probably go a nine out of ten if you're gonna use it. Yeah, because it can be like a really good investment into your health and wellness. Health, fitness, wellness um, if it's somewhere you enjoy going to and it makes you feel good, yeah, oh, I've got one.
Speaker 2:Come up now, scoop shake, sip free soul protein I mean I'm gonna, I haven't had it, but personally, for me that's probably a one out of ten that I wouldn't even use.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, I wouldn't use it either. But look, it's that nice aesthetic, kind of earthy pinks that's going to appeal to a lot. It's very like wellness for women Protein powders 4 out of 10. Yeah, Unless you've got massive muscle goals.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I've got a Whoop. Do you know what a Whoop is? I know what a whoop. Do you know what a whoop is? I know what a whoop is. The all-new whoop is here. Join whoop one. I had a client yesterday or Tuesday, one of those two days. She was saying to me she used to always wear her whoop and then they started to introduce like fees to like access it every month so she doesn't wear it anymore. Well, yeah, but like she, when she first bought it, there was like a free version. So, and that's pretty bad, isn't it, that you have a free version and then you start charging people once they've got them other things do that as well, like peloton, where before they went under they like have a peloton, not a thing anymore.
Speaker 1:I'm pretty sure they went under, did they? Might be having a rebrand, but I'm pretty sure they went when last year. But you know might be having a rebrand, but I'm pretty sure they went bust when Last year.
Speaker 2:But you know me, I make things up a lot in my head. I think you've made that up. Yeah, Peloton UK, they're still going.
Speaker 1:Oh, I feel like they had a big financial thing.
Speaker 2:Oh, I don't know, that was Weight Watchers.
Speaker 1:Oh, easy mistake. Whoop fitness trackers and stuff. I don't think you need them straight away, but if you're interested in your fitness improving, you do a lot of sports. You're maybe like a minor athlete then. Yeah, eight out of ten, but they're not something you need to get started. Is it whoop? More about your sleep, I think? Yeah, it's like heart rate monitoring and stuff. Oh, okay, so you don't. It's not like a smart watch, but if it measures your heart rate and then from that it deduces that kind of stuff, okay, like the Aura rings. Yeah, they're a lot of money. They are a lot of money and they get stuck in your finger.
Speaker 2:Oh, I can't wear rings because it makes me feel like I'm being strangled, and that's Amber's trauma for today. Okay, I've got one for you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for you, yeah, um built for athletes and it's a bag and I've seen lots of people that do high rocks have these, okay. So this is like one of those military bags. It's got all the fucking pockets. It's got those little badges. That is like no pain, no gain. It's got about five water bottle holders can I read you the patches?
Speaker 2:yeah, harder, better, faster, stronger, no excuses are they talking about the gym?
Speaker 1:are they talking about what they like in the bedroom? Could be either train hard, coach built for athletes so, within these bags, because I have seen them, because that is something I was gonna buy, you were gonna buy one when I was really into like bodybuilding oh, because they have all sections in them for like your meal prep.
Speaker 2:Your protein shakes. Wow, I mean, they must be good if you almost bought into one.
Speaker 1:Your chalk. I like an organ, so actually 10 out of 10 for me.
Speaker 2:I think when you do high rocks you actually get a patch that says like High Rocks Finisher that you can put on these. I could have just made that up, but people definitely do get patches after High Rocks.
Speaker 1:Oh, maybe I'll join High Rocks Biggest waste of money.
Speaker 2:High Rocks tickets Come to the local park near me and I'll set you up a circuit and I'll time you. Yeah, she'll get you doing um lunges with sandbags. I'm joking.
Speaker 1:If you enjoy it, you should do it yeah, and people do enjoy it and it looks like it's a cute community yeah, and people do it.
Speaker 2:You know, like crossfit boxes, loads of people do it together and it is a community.
Speaker 1:It's just not one that I'm no, and I I'm tough on hyrox, but it's just a bit like I actually don't. I think whatever you enjoy doing, yeah, it's good for you as long as it's not hurting anyone else. Have you got anything else? Um, let me find sperm one out of ten not even joking. That's the next advert on my phone yeah, the sperm bank. Yeah, I think that's kind of it really yeah, I've.
Speaker 2:I mean I've got like lots of coaching apps do you know?
Speaker 1:I didn't buy this, but Meg got this for me for Valentine's Day um last this year, and it was a self-mixing protein shaker. Oh, okay, so you put it in and then you press the button and the little for all that protein shake, yeah. I mean, I used it twice and that was just in my cupboard. I use it to do Ziggy's milkshakes oh okay, like the Nesquik one. Yeah, because he likes pressing the button, but that's kind of handy if you don't want to shake your own protein that is true um live on air.
Speaker 2:Shall I check my emails and see if I got in the London Marathon?
Speaker 1:Yes, have you just got it.
Speaker 2:No, I don't know. No, matthew's got his, he's not in. Oh Fucking hell, I better not get in, I'll be sick.
Speaker 1:So I applied, didn't get in.
Speaker 2:For context, today is the day, yeah.
Speaker 1:The results of the great disappointment ballot. Um, I didn't get in our friend rachel didn't get in, matthew didn't get in, amber is tbc, but I think maybe no, because I haven't seen anyone post they've got in yet. So maybe it's going in waves and the last wave will be the people that got in stop it, I'll be sick because, even if it's by surname, you should have got yours because you're both green. I'll be, sick. Oh well, it's gonna be a fun day out next April.
Speaker 2:I feel sick thinking about it god, you're gonna have to train hard. I don't want to do it. I only ended because I felt left out.
Speaker 1:Oh look, everyone, not this time and that's a lesson on peer pressure, not this time I'm just looking at people's Instagram and it is lots of. Yeah, which makes me really think it's been done in waves, not this time yeah. If I get in.
Speaker 2:We'll have a lot to talk about on the pod. Matthew's going to disown me. He's been trying to get in for about 15 years.
Speaker 1:Look, the universe wants what it wants.
Speaker 2:He told me to enter, so it's on his head. Really, he can train you up he can train me up.
Speaker 1:He can be my personal running coach.
Speaker 2:He could just pretend to be me and do it. You do have a similar vibe to me, fair, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:He's just a bit taller. I think that kind of sums up our little episode on things.
Speaker 2:And I'm sure that we will be reviewing more things as we get them, I promise.
Speaker 1:I will start buying more things.
Speaker 2:And I promise that I will continue to buy things. Next up on the list for me is the Innovate running vest.
Speaker 1:Next up on the list for me is a lot Trail running shoes.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, rhys says a lot trail running shoes.
Speaker 1:oh yeah, reese says, I need trail running shoes as well maybe it'd be worth looking into a running vest and a garmin.
Speaker 2:Okay, july is going to be fucking expensive for me, there it is, and we I mean, we've got a 10k race in, like what? Two weeks I haven't actually done a long run, for about a month now I did 8k on Monday and it was so hot I actually well, I mean, thank the lord. I got to the cathedral and had the eyes of the lord looking on me when I decided to stop yeah it was a lot, it was so hot you nearly met Jesus.
Speaker 1:I nearly met Jesus. Yeah, I'm gonna have to do a long. I'm gonna do a long run tomorrow morning because I think the weekend's gonna be even in the morning. It's gonna be too hot.
Speaker 2:I think, yeah, so I'm gonna do park run on Saturday and then I'm going to meet my friend and do a 5k with her. So it won't be a 10k, but it'll be two 5ks a fast well fast for me and then a really slow one, and then on Sunday um, I mean, this isn't going to age well, but this Sunday is the 2025 Norwich triathlon, uh, and so I'm well, gator 5k isn't on this week anyway. So I'm going to go to the triathlon to to spectate, but I'm going to go in my running clothes and have a run around trowels and there'll be all these people who are really quick at running looking at me like, why are you walking like that?
Speaker 1:no, they won't be judging you, but I don't want to miss my run, so no, you'll get it done well, thank you for listening next week. What are we talking about next week?
Speaker 2:next week. We are talking about getting started or nutrition, or nutrition, or wellness or wellness. Let us know what you want. So the three options are getting started on a new hobby in the fitness world, nutrition, or the wacky world of wellness, the wacky world of wellness. So yeah, let us know. Send us an email thehealthhunspod at gmailcom.
Speaker 1:Find us on Instagram at thehealthhunspod.
Speaker 2:Yes, at gmailcom. Find us on instagram at the health hands pod. Yes, um. Or if you know us, you can you know. If you're in the gator 5k community, you can let us know on the whatsapp community.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just just shout out us in the street. If you vote for wellness, we will both do a coffee enema. What I did not sign up for, this and sun are perineums. Speak for yourself. Anyway, thank you for listening. Thank you.