We all know how much better it feels when wearing the most comfortable sports kit. Trying to wear the wrong thing only ever results in discomfort and distraction. Over my adult life I've learned that carefully selecting my sportswear and dressing to feel good is really key. It's great to discover new brands, especially ones with something completely different about them so I'm happy to introduce you to Icebreaker who sell some fantastic outdoors wear for all the family. They use Merino wool as the principal material in all garments which makes them pretty unique. Wool, YES!
 The Merino sheep in New Zealand grows a fleece which has to cope with everything the climate throws at it. The garments keep you warm in the cold and cool in the heat; as a natural fibre they are breathable and odour resistant as well as machine washable and quick drying.
I was sent three pieces to review. Each of these come in sizes XS to XL (I wore a size S and usually wear a size 8, though occasionally 10). Here's how I got on.


Maybe after many years of wearing sports bras I thought I knew it all. It's something of a curveball when you find yourself holding an 83% wool sportsbra. Wool.... sports bra. Not two concepts I would have thought belonged together. HOWEVER, the Sprite racerback bra has defied my personal logic and works absolutely as a first class piece of sports kit. The remainder of the blend is 12% nylon and 5% elastane. The light amount of stretch is essential for comfort, plus as there are no fastenings, getting in and out easily is a must. The merino wool is so soft and smooth (completely the opposite to how a woolly bra would feel in my head!), the material is ideal for activities as it wicks away moisture, is breathable and naturally resists odour. Icebreaker recommend the Sprite bra is suitable for plenty, from travelling to running and fitness. Now, being me, I wore this bra to boot camp in the middle of summer to see how it fared. As it was a much less restrictive fit than all of my other sports bras I was concerned that it might perform in an inferior manner. Support is king (or queen, more aptly) when it comes to working out. I was wrong, it was a particularly comfortable bra to wear. There was no discomfort in the least, I felt great, cool, relaxed. Naturally, if you have a larger bust, it may be less practical to wear a softer bra like this for intensive activity.
It was a grotesquely sweaty session but still, my woolly bra kept me comfortable. Quite inspiring. The fit is first rate; good structured cups but no excess seams to rub or dig in. The thin racer back made for easy, free movement. To satisfy my perverse curiosity I gave my bra a sniff 24 hours later to see just how odour resistant it was. Weirdly, it seemed ok, not the gag inducing honk I was anticipating. Of course, I wouldn't want to wear it again but it was enlightening to know.
I wouldn't hesitate to wear this bra for any situation where I wanted a comfortable fit. From workouts to hiking, to long journeys and allotment pottering. I'm very impressed, it absolutely delivers on it's brief. At £45 it represents good value as a high quality, lasting product. It comes in a choice of four colours; black, orange, pink and the grey I have.


The Rush bra is more of the style of sports bra I would naturally gravitate towards; thick, high neckline, sturdy. It's a higher wool content, 92% (and 8% lycra). Again, this bra is very comfortable and I feel particularly at home in this one. It's secure, there is no chafing or rubbing and the material feels soft against the skin. At £50 it's a little more expensive, but you are buying a high quality, long lasting piece. his one only comes in black but hey, black suits everyone with sportswear. Although it is described as a bra, this one is suitable for wearing as a crop top while working out. I'd be happy enough to wear this without a tee.

I've not got much experience with leggings. I wear boingy lycra ones for workouts but the Oasis leggings are 100% wool and are soft, not stretchy. I consulted the Icebreaker recommended uses: base layer best for outdoor and hiking, snowsports and travel and lifestyle. So, they make more sense - I'd be happy to pop these under something else as a base layer but personally, I won't be wearing these on their own any time soon. Again, these are designed to keep you warm in the cold and cool in the warm, so they're suitable for all seasons. I spent a while round the house in them to see how I felt wearing them. Well, I can recommend them as loungewear, that's for certain! I loved the fit; they hugged in a gentle manner, not too tight but not too snug. A good shape for me, excellent length and the waistband was perfect, not too tight. The gusset is designed for comfort as well as super flat seams.
I'm envisaging wearing these under waterproofs out hiking in Autumn. And perhaps under long skirts in the winter to keep me snug as a bug when the temperatures drop.
These beauts come in black or light grey for £60 which represents the quality of materials and design.

I've had my eyes opened to the powers of wool! Big thank you to Icebreaker for sending me these items to review.
Sophie

Do you know what really made me smile this week? Two things in particular. One being that I had to do a boot camp workout class with my hair down. There was an unfortunate incident involving dropping a scrunchie in a loo. I can't tell you just how fun it was to be running around with my hair swishing around in the evening sunshine, quite liberating! Now, it wasn't all that practical for some activities but it didn't seem to matter. The difference was staggering; I felt like I looked nice, it gave me a huge grin and also made me feel like a proper rebel.
My fitness journey hasn't been a consistent upward trend; I go through both patches of things going really well and then other times some rocky days and weeks where everything feels like hard work and pointless. It's sometimes too easy to get bogged down with the 'right now' and forget to take a few steps back and give yourself the credit for everything you have achieved. It takes time to make progress and move closer to reaching goals; the commitments of time, energy and money are all worthwhile in the end. It's a journey, you'll get there if you keep working at it. Give it your best each time and make little steps of improvement, they all add up! Make sure you give yourself the encouragement and praise that you afford to others. You're doing great, go inspire yourself.

This new workout gear from Matalan has been a welcome addition to my wardrobe and made me so happy! I love the digital style print activewear range and this bright turquoise stretchy top is really comfortable for working out.
Who inspires you?
Sophie
This post was written in collaboration with Matalan, all content and opinions my own.

I've been gathering my thoughts on this year's fitness goals for a while now but it's been difficult to pinpoint exactly what I want to work towards achieving this year. I want to get back into eating sensibly; plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meat, more fish and whole grains. It all sounds so simple and straightforward but putting it into practice tends to be a little more of a challenge and it's one I want to rise to. Making small changes like drinking more water instead of coffee and limiting alcohol to weekends are all within my control. After years of bad skin, I have learned to relish my clearer complexion, so I'm willing to make compromises to keep it nicer for longer.

As an early bird, I really want to get my days off to the best start I can ensuring that both my appetite is satisfied and I'm nourishing myself from the start with a healthy breakfast. I want to get back into porridge ideally. My top tip is smoothies; if like me you really can't face eating raw spinach, try a home-made smoothie with some fruit and yogurt or milk, you can have it anytime of the day and you can pop in whatever you like.

In 2013 and 2014 I had my heart set on running; it gave me something to focus on and strive towards which was great in a way because it kept me busy and the rapid improvement kept me motivated. This year I'm not so sure that I want to focus on it so heavily. More than a few times I took to the roads with nothing more on my agenda than to jog along, enjoying the peace of the countryside, the fresh air, sunshine on my skin and the ability to run along while breathing easy. The enjoyment was immense. This year I want to capture that feeling of pleasure much more often.

Conversely, I also want to pursue the harder bootcamp style workouts that seem to be right up my street. I now go to two different classes a week, one of which is just amazing and pushes me in different ways every time. My original thinking was to seek out a personal trainer which should give me a regular commitment, way to keep focussed and some motivation to do my best at all times. Maybe something I will undertake come spring?

One thing I really have learned about a healthy lifestyle is that the more you enjoy it, the more likely you are to stick with it; the longer you stick with it the more you get into it. It's a real priority for me to smile more and to take more enjoyment my lifestyle. You only live once, this isn't a dry run. There is something gratifying about brand new workout wear; I don't often treat myself to new gear but maybe this year is that time to make a change. Let me say I've never worn such fabulous quality outfit, it's a whole new experience! I have Anthropologie to thank for sending me this outfit from Pure + Good. They have a fabulous range of high quality activewear online, it's great to see some unique pieces that stand out and look special.

The static stripe legwarmer leggings are such a great fit, I went for size small which is approx. 6 – 8 which is a comfortable snug fit, made from something incredible, a thick, stretchy fabric which gives and stays in shape (and certainly wont let anyone else see your underwear through it when you bend over – we've all seen someone else's wardrobe malfunction). The foot strap detail is rather clever too, I wish all my workout leggings were as good. I'm never usually confident enough to parade around in just a crop top but I'm happy to make an exception for this stripelace racer back bra which is again made of some kind of marvellous thick material. There is a flattering amount of padding to not only offer a reassuring amount of support but also leaves me feeling way more feminine than usual with a little bit of cleavage. Blink and you miss it, but still.

The pretty lace back really deserves to be seen, it's gorgeous isn't it?!

In summary, I want to smile; I want to lead a lifestyle that makes me happy, keeps me healthy, allows me to feel strong and capable while inspires others to do the same.

Sophie