When our Front Row team were out in force pulling items for our Three Ways to Wear looks with the divine Ciara O’Doherty, two gals chatting about shopping and how it should be considered a sport, gave us a little chuckle they had us convinced, shopping sure is exercise and given the competitive nature it could well classify as a sport. Now, hear us out before you deem us mad but picture this scene; There are 10 minutes left before Marshes closes, you’re still missing a denim shacket to finish off your weekend look. Time to fasten your pace, narrow your goals and swiftly snag your trophy piece. Gotcha, you catch a glimpse and run towards the finish line, ping through the till and proudly hold your hard-earned trophy. Now there’s just the money shot, check insta later!

If this experience sounds all too familiar, you’re a sporty shopper (Yes, you are now an athlete Tokyo 2020 here you come). Sporty Shoppers look at the overall shopping experience such as bargain hunting and discovering hidden gems as an achievement, similar to how athletes look at sports. So, it stands to reason that you need the right training and diet to keep up with the harsh shopping regime, need a training plan? Look no further, we’re here to help make you mall ready!

So before we begin, you need the right gear and in this case, it’s a comfortable but stylish pair of shoes and your smartwatch because if you are tracking your steps like the athlete that you then you are going to want to keep count! Recently we discovered that through shopping, you can burn around 7,000 steps and we were shaken to our very core. Anyway, you’ve all you need and now it’s time to head to the arena or Marshes Shopping Centre for a day of obstacles, relays and short-distance sprints.

We always recommend fueling up before any shopping-related event, you know the rule ‘never shop hungry’. To keep you in a healthy mindset, Treat & Green is the perfect place! Using only the freshest ingredients for their salads and sandwiches, Treat & Green offer a fusion of rich flavours that are not just healthy but delicious! We took a break from shopping with Ciara O’Doherty to indulge in a fresh Caesar Salad and should you find yourselves stuck for choice, then it’s a must-order. But, if you haven’t time to sit and relax in their peaceful surroundings, you can always grab a salad to go and refuel after the shopping is done, just make sure you grab a coffee before you head out because shuffling through rails will require a lot of energy and you’re going to need plenty of it!

Yes, it’s athletic, shopping is just as gruelling as a spin class. Any trip can help you hit that 10,000 steps goal and hey a salad along the way might even help you stave off eating junk from your fridge at home! But the logic applies, use shopping to top up your healthy workouts, not as an excuse to skip them. And for some advice on healthy habits click here for tips and tricks to stay on the wagon!

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