For their autumn/ winter 15 campaign Adidas have snapped up three fitness bloggers Em Sheldon, Aj Odudu and Cat Meffan. All long lean limbs, toned muscles and swishy ponytails we reckon there’s no one better to showcase the new collection that focuses on bold colourways and patterns. In addition to modeling for the campaign the girls also worked with Adidas on a bespoke workout, each designed with a different goal in mind. Dubbed the #workit Summer series, each one is set to be released on a weekly basis via the Adidas women’s Facebook page. To celebrate we caught up with the bloggers to find out how they juggle a heavy work schedule with a similar heavy working out schedule. Prepare to be inspired…
Describe your sportswear style?
Cat Meffan: ‘I’m a full-length leggings with sports bra kind of girl. Normally with some kind of sweater or hoodie tied around my waist.’
AJ Odudu: ‘Loud and proud. I like bright neon colours and matching two pieces. I really look forward to dressing up to workout and get excited to see the latest sportswear collections. Is that sad? I think not. I like the fact that my activewear quite often takes the attention away from my sweaty face and greasy, messy hair.’
Em Sheldon: ‘I like my sportswear to be practical and functional but bright and colourful!’
What’s the most important thing you look for in sportswear?
Cat Meffan: ‘Obviously I like my sportswear to look great, but that’s no use to me if it isn’t functional. I can’t stand having leggings that fall down or that are see-through, as I’m normally jumping up and down doing a sweaty plyometrics workout in the gym!’
AJ Odudu: ‘That it’s comfortable and that the clothes’ functional shapes come in strong colours or interesting graphic patterns. A bright fit kit gets me in the mood. Look good. Feel good. Be good. It’s my morning mantra!’
Em Sheldon: ‘Definitely practicability, there’s no point wearing a sports bra that doesn’t do its job, for example. I also look for comfort, I need to be comfortable when working out. I think aesthetics are important too, I like to feel good when I’m working out!’
Do you wear sports pieces outside of the gym?
Cat Meffan: ‘I pretty much live in sportswear. I’ll wear a sports bra on a night out, with a mesh tee over the top. Styled with black skinny jeans, a leather jacket and my trusty trainers, for me, it’s the perfect outfit for a casual dinner.’
AJ Odudu: ‘Of course! I used to wear my adidas poppers out clubbing where I grew up in Lancashire when I was younger. I was always inspired by Missy Elliot’s full tracksuit style and Mel C’s Sporty Spice look. Whilst I’ve definitely moved away from those styles now that I have my own individual flare, I certainly channel the bright sportwear jackets with jeans and heels like Gwen Stefani and I wear my adidas crop tops and loose t shirts tucked into high-waisted skirts with heels for a sporty, chic look for nights out.’
Em Sheldon: ‘I basically live in sports leggings! They’re so comfortable and always look great with trainers and baggy tops or jumpers! I love wearing off the shoulder tshirts with my sports leggings!’
What is your favourite piece to workout in?
Cat Meffan: I love the adidas classic black with three stripe leggings & sports bra combo. Comfortable and subtle, whilst making me feel chic in monochrome.
AJ Odudu: I have a camouflage print adidas crop bra with matching leggings and blue stripey print that I love too. Not only do I love the style but they are practical too with sweat wicking material and medium support bra, perfect for my daily gym workouts. More camo more ammo!.
Em Sheldon: I am obsessed with the adidas printed pieces! The key prints run across five silhouettes including bras, shorts, and tights so I love to mix and match my outfits and wear the prints together in different ways as co-ordinating outfits
How does your sportswear differ when working outside compared to working out in the gym?
Cat Meffan: ‘Not much to be honest if I’m just taking my usual gym training outside. If it’s cold I’ll layer up to keep myself warm, but the rest stays the same. If I’m running, then I’ll wear running trainers, I’ll make sure the leggings I’m wearing have a zip pocket for my keys and I might wear a more supportive sports bra.’
AJ Odudu: ‘I definitely dress a lot more practically when training outdoors, mainly because I run in the evenings over longer distances on roads. For that reason I tend to ditch my headphones so that I can hear the traffic and wear clothes with reflective elements to ensure that I’m highly visible. I have a lightweight jacket on that I can quickly tie around my waist depending on the weather. I add a lightweight jacket to my outdoor wear to protect me from the wind and I often carry a rucksack which contains water, spare clothing and a piece of dark chocolate. If I’m just training in the park I make sure I have pockets for my keys and phone.’
Em Sheldon: ‘I think when working out in the gym my sportswear usually looks better as I have time to plan it but I tend to just throw everything on together when working out outside as I always feel so cold to begin with!’
What’s your quick tip for looking good while working out?
Cat Meffan: ‘If you’d seen me working out you’d know that there’s no such thing! But if you’re wearing sportswear you feel comfortable and confident in, then your confidence will show, so no matter how red and sweaty you get, you’ll look good!’
AJ Odudu: ‘Wear moisture-wicking fabrics. Really easy to find, these fabrics transfer sweat to the outside of the fabric where it can evaporate, rather than trapping it against your body making exercise a much more comfortable and attractive experience. Also, comfort is king. The better you feel the better you look.’
Em Sheldon: ‘Spray some hydrating facial mist on before your work out, you’ll feel cool and hydrated plus your skin will look amazing! I always love scraping my hair right back into a sleek high pony too!’
What’s your ultimate workout wear no no?
Cat Meffan: ‘Seeing someone’s thong riding above the waist band of their leggings is definitely a pet peeve of mine. Let’s tuck them in ladies!’
AJ Odudu: ‘Trainers with no grip on the sole are an absolute nightmare. You can’t do anything without slipping, sliding or tripping up. Also, NEVER to go to the gym in your boyfriend’s boxers and convince yourself that they’ll pass as sports shorts…Trust me. They don’t.’
Em Sheldon: ‘Trainers that aren’t supportive enough! It’s so important to wear proper trainers! My favourite are the adidas Ultra Boost.’
What was your favourite thing about shooting with Adidas?
Cat Meffan: ‘Obviously the kit is awesome, but the day was made so amazing by the incredible team I had the honour of working with. Absolutely everyone was a joy to be around and even though we had work to get done, we still had time to laugh and have fun.’
AJ Odudu: ‘Wow so many things. I enjoyed working with a team of creative and like-minded people, having the opportunity to show off some of my favourite, explosive plyometric exercises in front of the camera, whilst getting to see and try the functional, bright sports wear that aren’t available to purchase yet. Above all this, I’m mainly excited about the shoot modelling the new season collection as it marks the latest chapter of the adidas #WorkIt campaign, which aims to encourage women across London and the UK to try out fresh fitness moves and naturally, as a female who is passionate about health and fitness, I’m most proud to be apart of such a movement. It was a really special day.’
Em Sheldon: ‘Working with one of the best brands in fitness, Adidas inspire me on a daily basis and always get it so right with their amazing work outs and looks so it truly was (and is) an amazing experience!’
Describe your ideal workout and food day?
Cat Meffan: ‘I like doing my fasted cardio first thing in the morning, so on days when I have time I’ll hop out of bed early and go for a run. Normally anything from 2-4 miles. If not running, I’ll start the day with yoga, as it’s the perfect way to wake my body up. I’ll then refuel with a homemade green smoothie and then have breakfast number two at about 10:30am, which will either be eggs or porridge. Before lunch I do a resistance workout, either with weights or using my own bodyweight depending on whether I’m at home or in the gym. Lunch will then be whatever I made for dinner the night before, maybe a quinoa and butternut squash salad or if not leftovers I’ll have avocado on toast. If I don’t go for a run, and it’s a day of work at my desk I like to get outside, so I’ll go for a 45 minute power walk through the park. When my partner gets home from work we’ll cook together and depending on how fancy I’m feeling it could be a simple stir fry or something snazzier like a coconut and chickpea curry with turmeric quinoa fritters!’
AJ Odudu: ‘It changes every day. I’m quite spontaneous when it comes to working out. It keeps me on my toes. Because of my busy lifestyle I try to combine my time with family and friends into my fitness regime. Because of that, classes and run clubs are my favourite. I love HIIT training for a well rounded, full body workout. Something like Barry’s Bootcamp ticks that box for me. Or a gym class which incorporates cardio and weight training such as Body Pump at Fitness First followed by 10 minutes in the sauna is amazing. I always feel EPIC afterwards. A relaxing post workout breakfast is something I look forward to daily as it’s my time to properly catch up with loved ones before going about my day.I breakfast like a king at home, on the go (Pret, The Detox Kitchen) or in restaurants such as Riding House Cafe where they serve smoothies, salmon, poached eggs, spinach, avocado on toast: all the best things for a protein rich, healthy and filling breakfast. Some Sundays, I attend London Brunch Club, a London based run club where we quite literally run to eat and I have friends that I attend with so it’s perfect. I went to Morning Glory in Bethnal Green last week. It’s essentially a dance workout where you rave your way into the day. It’s so much fun and so positive. SOSFitness is great in the evenings and is another dance workout extravaganza. If a workout is fun, social and effective then I’m 100% in and if there’s good food afterwards then I’m in heaven.’
Em Sheldon: ‘My ideal workout is circuit training (my 12 adidas #workit Summer Series moves are great for toning the wholebody!) followed by 20 minutes of tough interval training on a treadmill! Poached eggs are my favourite post-work out snack and in the morning I’ll have a big bowl of oats topped with Greek yoghurt, blueberries, bananas, chia seeds, flax seeds and any other superfoods I can find!’
Read more at http://www.instyle.co.uk/fitness-wellbeing/why-these-adidas-models-are-the-ultimate-fitspiration#RJz5ovqYQcdmzrVI.99