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It’s All About Upcycling: Five Ways To Reuse Your Innermost Capsule Jars

12th January 2022

Community Life

12th January 2022

By Beth Shelper

  1. The year of upcycling – we’re calling it now.

In celebration of sustainability, and as part of our collaborative efforts to continually maximise our eco-conscious efforts as a brand, we’re making the switch. What switch, you ask? The plastic to glass switch, of course. It’s time to ditch the plastic jars that house our capsule collections and swap for a recyclable, up-cyclable glass alternative.

The switch is a bit of a no-brainer for us, really. Not only is glass more sustainable, it means that we can get creative when it comes to our recycling. Gone are the days when you just chuck out your capsule jars for recycling pick up – the lives of our capsule jars aren’t destined to stop there.

Glass jar uses are definitely not few and far between – to be honest, the possibilities are endless. So let’s get into our glass jar craft ideas, talk about how to recycle glass jars, and get the sustainable fun started. Glass jar recycling is nothing new, but we’re bringing a fresh face to the glass jar craft community – one capsule jar at a time.

Upcycling is the name of the game. And it’s time to play!

Inenrmost’s favourite ways to upcycle

Upcycling doesn’t have to be ugly. But we understand that sometimes, you need a little bit of inspiration when it comes to reusing your household and beauty items.

Never fear – Innermost is here!

  1. Pen or pencil pot

Our capsule jars are a little on the smaller side, so they would be perfect for your desk. Pens, pencils – you name it, your capsule jar can hold it. Get organised and live sustainably by reusing glass jars such as our capsule jars for organisational tools like this one (and show off that you’ve been taking care of your health and taking your health and wellness supplements, too).

Depending on the capsule jar you have – why not collect them all? Pokémon style.

  1. Spice jar

For all the foodies and Chefs amongst us, our capsule jars are the perfect size to store your herbs and spices. Whether you use multiple jars to create a uniquely styled, fitness-inspired spice rack, or create a spice mix to store in an individual jar for your ease and convenience when cooking up some tasty chicken wings, the choice is yours.

Sustainable and convenient – who can argue with that?

  1. Plant pot

If, like us, your kitchen (or bedroom) resembles a bit of a forest from your collection of plants, why not spice up your pot collection with an upcycled capsule jar from Innermost?

Perfect for your seedlings, cuttings and even cacti, the capsule jars are the perfect size for those extra plants that you’re trying to sneak past your flat mate because you’ve already bought too many this month. We got you.

They can’t argue if you’re recycling and doing your bit to save the planet – right?

  1. Candle holder

There’s nothing quite like cleaning your room, apartment or home from top to bottom and then lighting a nice warm candle, right? Why not save on your purchases, grab some tealights and let your Innermost capsule jar do the rest.

Place the candle jars on your shelf, mantle piece, windowsill, bedside table or even out in the garden (when that very much missed sunshine comes back) and kick back and relax – you know you deserve it.

  1. Good old fashioned recycling

If you’re not on the upcycling hype – don’t worry. You don’t have to be into glass jar crafts to do your bit for the environment. Just make sure that rather than chucking these capsule jars in the general waste, you’re using the glass recycling.

Not sure how to recycle glass jars? Check your local system, but just ensure that you’re separating your materials. It’s that easy!

Summary

If you’re making one change this year: make it a sustainable one. It’s up to every single one of us (and companies, too) to make sure that they’re doing their bit to improve our sustainability, up the recycling efforts and play a part in the effort to become a more eco-conscious society.

Whilst switching from plastic jars to glass ones is just one of the steps we’re taking here at Innermost to improve our sustainability, we feel that it’s a great step in the right direction, and can’t wait for you to join us on this journey with your upcycling ideas.

Talking of – we’d love to see them! Whether you take inspiration from one of the above ideas, let us know your glass jar craft ideas. Head on over to Instagram and tag us @liveinnermost to show off your ideas and glass jar uses – we’d love to see them.

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How to Beat Imposter Syndrome, According to Experts

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On the other hand, thanks to neuroplasticity, you can reprogram your brain to embrace more positive thoughts and, in turn, boost your confidence.” Shift to a growth mindset Beating imposter syndrome is all about shifting your mindset from striving for perfectionism to embracing growth. “If you are ready to stop self-sabotaging and stop letting your internal dialogue make you feel like an imposter you are going to have to let yourself be imperfect,” says Chrsitna. She adds: “Understand that mistakes and failures are part of life and a fundamental part of the learning process. Remember, courage comes first, confidence follows.”
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From the Bedroom to the Gym: Is Your Sex Life Affecting Your Workout Performance?

From the Bedroom to the Gym: Is Your Sex Life Affecting Your Workout Performance?

The relationship between sex and workout performance is one that’s long been debated by scientists and fitness fanatics alike. It’s complicated and multifaceted, so answering the question of whether your sex life is affecting your training is difficult. That said, today we’re going to take a look at a variety of evidence, both academic and anecdotal, as well as several different scenarios and at least try to reduce some of the mystery around the subject. First, it helps to understand what’s actually happening to the body, both physically and psychologically, during both activities.   The Effects of Sex on the Body Sexual activity causes several changes to occur in the body:   Physical Changes That Occur During Sex During sexual activity and the lead up to it, the human body undergoes a process known as the sexual response cycle. This is the case for both males and females, though the cycle can be highly individual and may not be the same each time for each person. 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So, whilst it is unclear whether sex itself affects workout performance, the reduction in stress levels it may bring is definitely beneficial for preserving our results!   The Effects of Exercise and Training on the Body Exercise and training also cause the body to undergo a number of changes. These occur both during and after the physical activity. There are in fact a number of similarities in changes that happen during exercise and sex:   Physical Changes That Occur During Exercise The physical changes that happen in the body vary based on the type of exercise being undertaken, however, there are some that are common to exercise in general: Increased heart rate Increased blood flow, especially to the muscles Faster, deeper breathing due to additional oxygen needs Heightened activity within the circulatory, respiratory, musculoskeletal and endocrine systems A full summary of the changes that occur within these systems can be found here. More aerobically demanding exercise will, of course, place greater emphasis on the circulatory and respiratory systems as well as causing fat to be metabolised as an energy source. Resistance training, which often relies more heavily on the lactate and creatine phosphate energy systems, instead promotes greater muscular and endocrine (hormone) activity. Note the common physical changes between sex and exercise here, as they do crossover!   Psychological Changes That Occur During Exercise The psychological changes that occur during exercise are similar to those experienced during sexual activity and are mostly related to the release of endorphins and other ‘feelgood’ hormones. These help to regulate mood, and it is common knowledge that frequent exercise and leading an active, healthy lifestyle promotes a feeling of wellbeing.   Does Sex Affect Our Workouts? This is where things become complicated. Though extensive studies have been done on the subject, the results of these have varied massively. We must also take into account the experience of individuals, and this anecdotal evidence again has huge variance. Let’s look at both:   Sex and Training: What the Science Says Scientific studies on the relationship between sex and training are contradictory at best. There’s no denying the positive benefits of both activities, particularly from a psychological perspective, but as for the effect of sex on actual performance in the gym the results are inconclusive. A study, published in April 2021, by Kirecci, Albayrak and co. examined the effects of sexual activity of 50 men in the 24 hours prior to training on lower body strength. The study measured effects by having the men perform 3 separate squat sessions, each at the same time of day. Each of these sessions occurred after participating in or abstaining from sexual activity the night before. The men performed 5 sets of 5 repetitions of their maximum squat weight during these sessions and the difference in weight lifted was observed. The study concluded that ‘sexual intercourse within 24 hours before exercise [has a] detrimental effect on lower extremity muscle force, which suggests that restricting sexual activity before a short-term activity may be necessary.’ Aside from this study, most others found either no notable relationship between sex and athletic performance. A meta-analysis of 9 crossover studies, conducted by Zavorsky and Brooks and published on 16 September 2022, confirms this. The analysis concluded that ‘The results demonstrate that sexual activity within 30 min to 24 h before exercise does not appear to affect aerobic fitness, musculoskeletal endurance, or strength/power.’ This is perhaps more notable, because these studies incorporated different types of exercise and were not restricted purely to a strength/power based activity like squats.   Anecdotal Evidence: What About the Experiences of Real Gym Goers? The anecdotal evidence is, as expected, highly individualised. However, there tends to be a bias against the results of most studies, particularly in those participating in sports involving strength and aggression. For example, many fighters claim that they perform better when they abstain from sex in the days leading up to a contest. Similarly, bodybuilding forums are full of debate on this topic and many claim they note a significant decrease in motivation to train at maximum intensity after sexual activity. It has been hypothesised that this may be due to a downregulation in testosterone production after sex; during orgasm the mineral zinc is released in the body and this is also a precursor for natural testosterone production in the body and may, therefore, provide some reasoning as to the experience of many trainees.   Key Takeaways The relationship between sex and workout performance will always be a complicated one. The effects of one on the other in terms of physical fitness and, in particular, mental wellbeing, are clear, but when it comes to actual performance this appears to be highly individual. We’d advise doing what feels best for you but not worrying too much about it. Instead, prioritise your nutrition and make sure you’re fuelling your workouts properly. While you’re here, why not take a look at the Innermost range? We’re proud to be completely transparent about the ingredients in our products and we always ensure they’re of the highest quality. Check us out, and be sure to get in touch if you have any questions!
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