I was thrilled when I was invited to Lunge and Learn tours with Arla Protein and Faya Nilsson. Lunge and Learn is unlike any other workout I have participated in. Paired with a city tour about local sights and lesser known landmarks, attendees run, squat and lunge their way through the streets of London. So, not only are you burning calories and getting stronger whilst exercising, but you are educating yourself about some of London’s buildings that you have probably walked past many times.
@fitnessontoast aka Faya Nilsson, leading the tour.
I arrived at the Royal Exchange ready for my evening workout with Lunge and Learn. Mindful of the fact that there would not be a locker for any possessions, I did not bring a bag, instead I wore my trusted Flipbelt which held my necessities securely. Warming-up for our workout we ran up and down the steps at the Royal Exchange. Normally, I would be rather self-conscious exercising with an audience; tons of smartly dressed business men and women were hurrying by in their frantic effort to make their way home. However, as there were a group of us together being distracted with trivia knowledge and questions whilst running up and down those steps, I didn’t have time to be embarrassed by any staring and quizzical onlookers!
London’s beautiful Guildhall building where a Roman amphitheatre once stood.
Faya then led us around some of London’s landmarks as we exercised along the way. As this tour has yet to become a permanent fixture (I hope it does) I am sharing a few examples of what we did… Spoiler Alert…
- Warming up by running up and down the steps at the Royal Exchange, learning that 20% of the world’s gold is inside the Bank of England. I hope the ground is sturdy and solid to take that weight!
- Jumping squats whilst taking in the skyline at the roof terrace of One New Change.
- Squats whilst learning that the dark ring on the ground at London’s Guildhall represents where a Roman Amphitheatre once stood.
- Tricep dips at Postman’s Park, whilst naming as many of the 32 London boroughs that we can remember/know! Then push-ups, whilst naming London parks. I appreciated the short breather whilst observing the plaques of local heroes!
- Jogging by filming locations for Sherlock Holmes and Four Weddings and a Funeral.
- Lunges in Covent Garden whilst learning that this actually used to be a convent garden!
- Stretches outside the Savoy hotel – the first public building in the world to be lit entirely by electricity!
The roof terrace at One New Change, with stunning views of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Faya was knowledgeable on the trivia and made the Lunge and Learn tours really fun. Her enthusiasm for exercise is obvious as she both instructs and participates in the activity at hand. She pays attention to detail as she adjusts and corrects where necessary. She led the class with positivity and encouragement, slowing down or giving more instruction and help when needed.
“This is such a unique and novel approach to working out and so when I was approached by Arla, I jumped at the chance to bring this new workout to London. It can be tricky to fit in a work out around a busy lifestyle but the city tours provide an all-round experience to learn about the city, improve cardiovascular fitness, increase energy and toast some calories in the process!” Faya Nilsson
The spot where Sherlock Holmes ‘jumped’.
Arla Protein
Protein is essential to help repair muscles after exercise. Ideally, protein should be consumed within two hours of completion of your exercise, but as soon as possible is best, as the muscles are most receptive to protein at this time. Arla Protein comes in convenient drinkable yogurt pouches and milks perfect for on-the-go. Arla Protein also has quark snack pots and cottage cheese, to enjoy as part of a healthy meal or snack.
After the Lunge and Learn group training workout I was given a pot of Arla Protein Strawberry to eat as my post workout protein snack. Creamy, rich and filling, I thought the snack pot was delicious.
“Each pot of Arla Protein is packed full of, you guessed it, protein, with 20g in every single tub. That’s a perfect amount for a snack to give your muscles a workout boost. And as a quark product, it’s made from natural ingredients and fat free…” Arla Protein
The Arla Strawberry Quark Pot –
Nutritional values per 100 gEnergy 290 kJ/70 kcal, Fat 0.2 g of which is saturated 0.1 g, Carbohydrate 6.5 g of which is sugars 6.3 g, Protein 10 g, Salt 0.1 g
IngredientsQuark (milk) (91%), strawberry (4.5%), white grape juice concentrate, corn starch, natural flavouring, colour (aronia concentrate), lemon balm extract, gelling agent (pectin), sweetener (steviol glycosides)
Check out Arla’s full range of protein products here.
London’s first public drinking water fountain. Water was so polluted at the time that this fountain was needed.
Find Out More:
Lunge and Learn tours were a one off experience to promote the benefits of Arla Protein before and after exercise. Arla is considering making it a permanent fixture in London and Leeds. I hope they do and that they expand their tours throughout London, so that you can learn about new areas of this historic and stunning city.
Arla Foods
Website: https://www.arlafoods.co.uk/
Twitter @ArlaFoodsUK https://twitter.com/arlafoodsuk
Arla Protein
Website: https://www.arlafoods.co.uk/brands/arla-protein/
Twitter @ArlaProtein https://twitter.com/arlaprotein?lang=en
Fitness On Toast
Website: http://fitnessontoast.com/
Instagram @fitnessontoast https://www.instagram.com/fitnessontoast/
Facebook: @fitnessontoast https://www.facebook.com/FitnessOnToast
Twitter: @fitnessontoast https://twitter.com/FitnessOnToast
*Health Advice: It is advisable to consult with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.
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