Choosing the Amount of Support You Need 

Previously we have discussed about determining the correct sized bra and the characteristics that you should take note before buying your new sports bra. In case you've missed it, here's where you can catch up 

1) Choosing The Right Sports Bra For You: Activity Level & Sizing Guide 

2) Choosing The Right Sports Bra For You: Characteristics of Bra  

Today, we are looking at the types of support that a sports bra may offer. Sports bras have 3 types of support: Encapsulation, compression, and a combination of both.

1) Encapsulation 

These types of bras use individual cups to support and cover the breasts. They provide low-impact support. They are usually found in everyday bras. 

2) Compression 

These types of bras are the typical, pull over bras that you would find when browsing for a sports bra. They are the kind that gives you that “flat-chested” look due to it compressing the breasts against the chest wall to restrict excessive movement. Compression bras that are non-adjustable are suitable for low to medium impact activities especially for those who have a smaller cup size (A-B) cup. For those with a larger cup size, (C and above) compression bras should have adjustable straps for proper fit and better support.

3) Combination (Encapsulation + Compression) 

Many major brands carry these types of sports bras to provide support and comfort. These bras come with more support than encapsulation and compression bras because they support the breasts individually while pressing them against the chest wall. These bras are excellent for any activity no matter the cup size. If they come with adjustable bands and straps, they are a plus point for high intensity workouts.  

Well Done! With the knowledge you have about correct clothing, you are now one step further into starting your movement journey. Ready to browse some of your favourites? Click Here 

Love, 

LIZ.  

Characteristics of Sports Bra to Take Note Before Purchasing

We are back again for part 2 of choosing the right sports bra for your daily active wear and comfort. No doubt, there are a lot of designs out on the sports bra market, here are a few features of a sports bra that you should take note of. 

1. Straps 

There are 3 types of straps to consider:

The Crisscross is a popular design right now due to its eye-catching style that can work as a fashion statement itself. These straps usually provide low to medium support.

These kinds of designs work like an everyday bra. The straps are often adjustable to provide more support and versatility. 

The Racerback straps are the classic Y-shaped straps that snug on your shoulder blades while wearing them. They provide medium to high support and allow more freedom in movement. Some people may not like this design because the straps put too much pressure on the neck and trapezoids. 

2. Bands

Some sports bra bands come with clasp at the back in which you could further customise your fit. 

3. Material 

Make sure to choose cool, sweat wicking fabric to keep you comfortable. 

4. Wire

Some sports bras come with underwire to provide even more support. The underwires are great for those with larger cup sizes as they minimise movement of the breasts. Do note that underwires may be uncomfortable for some people and over time, wires might protrude out of the sports bra which may cause discomfort.    

Hey! We hope you now understand more about the design and the characteristics of your sports bra. At the end of the day, comfort and functionality triumphs fashion style. 

Ready to have a browse and compare the different characteristics? Click here 

Love, 

LIZ

Choosing The Right Sports Bra For You: Activity Level and Sizing Guide 

The right sports bra is VERY important to keep your breasts well-supported throughout a workout session. The right sports bra that fits comfortably and gives optimum support can make all the difference in a workout; it allows you flexible movements by keeping you in place but not overly restrictive around your ribcage. 

Size, colour, and type of activity are indeed basic factors to consider while choosing a sports bra, but there are more factors to consider, like material, type of support and adjustable straps. Sounds overwhelming? Don’t be intimated! Just keep reading, we promise you will get the hang of it.

How to choose the Best Sports Bra – Activity level 

To choose a proper sports bra, you must first consider the type of activity you’re performing. You might need a better support sports bra if you’re joining an adrenaline-pumping Body Pump class compared to a Hatha yoga flow class as these exercises involve different impact levels of movements. The higher the impact of an activity level, the more support you will need to keep your breasts in place to prevent pain and distractions. 

High impact exercises involve bouncing and bigger movements, activities like running, rope skipping, sprinting, HIIT etc requires a high support sports bra which is designed to minimize the amount of breasts’ movement by keeping them in place. 

When performing medium impact exercises like spinning, power walking, hiking, strength training etc. you still need to have a multi-directional support sports bra, although less so than the high impact ones. Compared to the high impact sports bra, medium impact sports bras are usually made with softer and smoother material.

Finally, a light support sports bra is suitable for low impact exercises that involves less movement and force on the body, exercises like Pilates, yoga, stationary cycling, walking, etc. Most of the time, light support sports bras are soft, lightweight, and breathable, which makes them suitable for everyday wear even if you’re not working out.

Tips: For those with larger breasts, wearing a medium to high support sports bra is recommended even for performing low impact activities. The extra support prevents excessive breast movement, allowing you to fully enjoy your workout and perform at your best. 

How to Choose the Best Sports Bra - Measurement Guide

Sports bras fit snugger than your everyday bra, but that does not mean you need to size down on your sports bra.  

Here’s a guide to find your perfect match. This is also a perfect time to measure yourself if you haven’t done it in a while.

1. UNDER BUST MEASUREMENT: Place the measuring tape around your chest, under your bust. Make sure the tape is levelled and snug, not digging into your skin. 

 Sports Bra Band Size Chart 

1. B) Figure out your Cup Size 

This is a 2-step calculation. 

2) BUST MEASUREMENT: Measure the fullest part of your bust. Make sure the tape is straight at the back. If it falls between numbers, round up to the nearest whole number.  

3) Subtract your BUST MEASUREMENT (Step 2) from your UNDER BUST MEASUREMENT (Step 1). If you fall between sizes, opt for a larger cup size. 

EXAMPLE: 36”( bust measurement)- 31” (under bust measurement) =5” (B cup) 

Hence,

If your under bust measurement is 31”, your band size is 36.

Your final bra size would be 36B.  Your size in our Liz Athleisure wear would be L or XL depending on your preference.

Great, now you know your correct size of bra! Things will get easier from here. Stay tuned for the next best part of choosing a new sports bra. We are going to cover more on the characteristics and why it’s important not to only choose a sports bra that’s aesthetically pleasing. 

Ready to put your new knowledge to use? Click here to begin your journey.

Love,

LIZ.

Store-bought nut butters like Skippy Peanut Butter and Jobbie Peanut Butter are great, but home-made ones are even better! Plus, they are easy to make and you can customise them to fit your flavour palette. Once you've tasted the difference and cracked the magic recipe, you will never go back. 

The recipe below works with ANY kind of nuts of your desire, be it peanuts, cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds…… mixed blend or just one type of nut, it’s all good. Remember, the fresher the nuts, the higher the 'natural oil' content that will be produced.

Recipe for a bottle 
3 cups of Nuts of choice
Salt 
Optional: Sweetener of choice (maple syrup/ coconut sugar)

Equipment
Food Processor / Blender 
Oven / Toaster 

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C.
2. Measure out 3 cups of nuts. If you’re making a mixed blend of nut butter, measure out ⅓ for the 3 types of nuts.
3. Roast the nuts in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until a golden brown colour is achieved. 
4. Let the nuts cool until they are warm to touch. Now we’re ready to blend!
5. Add the nuts into the food processor/blender.
   (At this point, it will look like the nut chunks are not going to turn into butter, but just keep going, it will turn into paste.)
6. Add in salt to taste and/or any sweetener of choice.
7. Scoop out the paste and put them in a jar. You can choose to store it in a dry and cool place or it can be refrigerated for up to 2-3 weeks. 

TAKE NOTE:

1. Be sure to use a blender that is sturdy enough to blend the peanuts. 
2. If your nuts come with skin, be sure to remove them after roasting. 
3. Be careful not to over roast the nuts, they will continue to cook for a while after you remove them from the oven. 
4. Don’t put all the nuts into the food processor at once! Separate the amount and put them in by sections. It will get too hard to blend if you add everything in and your food processor might overheat. 
5. If the mixture gets too hard to blend, add some oil into the mixture.
6. This recipe makes creamy textured nut butter. If you intend to make it chunky, simply blend 1 part into chunks, remove them and blend the rest of the nuts into a creamy texture and mix them together in the jar later on.

Voila! The simplest and healthiest alternative to Skippy peanut butter is done. Remember, health is a relationship between you and your body. Eat Well, live well.

Love,
Liz. 

Q: Hi Zephyr! Tell us a little about yourself and your journey in fitness.
A: My fitness journey started 8 years ago when I quit my corporate job in preparation to be a mother. At the same time, I returned to yoga practice at the gym that I’ve been paying for years, but hardly showed up due to my busy work schedule. That was the time I received a Yoga TTC leaflet and that's how my journey in becoming a yoga instructor unfolded. 

Q: You’re a mom, fitness instructor and at the same time an entrepreneur, how do you strike a work-life balance?
A: Time management and prioritization. I’m thankful for my husband and business partner who is working alongside me that makes my life less stressful so I can focus on doing what I really love with all my heart. And not forgetting all the support I received from my family members whenever I need a helping hand!

Q: From your years of teaching fitness, what is your biggest challenge? 
A: Sometimes I blank out during group class teaching and forget what I have done on side A when moving to side B! Haha. But the biggest challenge is to make sure there’s no injury during the session from the members. I hope they feel good from the practice, not otherwise.

Q:What advice would you give to someone who is just about to get started into fitness?
A: Start with some realistic goals that are achievable. Ticking off those realistic goals no matter how small they are will be the small wins that keep you motivated and keep going. Trying to stick to a routine that is easy to commit and hard to compromise is important to make fitness a part of your daily routine.

You don't have to be great to start , but you have to start to be great!

Q: If you only have 15 minutes to work out everyday, what would you do?
A: Surya Nasmakara A/B and inversion practices. Pilates mat works especially bridging and roll up. 

Q: Besides work, what do you do during your free time?
A: Aside from spending quality time with family, I love to bake, cook and role-play with my daughter. I also practice to get inspiration for my teaching. 

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself, and why the name LIZ?
A: My name is Jieli, born and raised in Perlis. Liz is a name combining my name and my mom’s. Fun fact : it was actually a name suggested by my dad! We were brainstorming to create our page to promote a healthier lifestyle with a clean eating diet and easy workout exercises. 

Q: When did you first realise you wanted to get into the athleisure space?
A: Back in 2020, when global lockdown took place, I went home to Perlis to stay with my parents. They made me realized how vital movements are in life to prevent pain in daily movements when we age. I tried to encourage my parents to move more, using what I’ve learnt from BASI pilates (I’m an eager practitioner although I have not been certified yet). Mom and I have been looking for practical and cute workout wear but we couldn’t really find one that checks all the boxes and fits the bill. That’s when I got the idea of starting our own line of athleisure wear. We want to bring in affordable premium workout/leisure wear so that more people can enjoy them and be inspired to move more. 

Q: What do you do when you’re not working?
A: Aside from Pilates, most of my time is spent on playing piano, reading and making arts. Time passes by in a wink when I’m indulged in these activities.

Q: What was your favourite sport in your younger days?
A: I was quite bookish and did not really get into any kind of sports back then. The closest thing to sports back in high school was representing our school in a 4x4 800m sprint (because no one wanted to do it. Haha!) We were quite inexperienced and were being trained for a few months for endurance under the hot sun. Although we did not win, it has been a wonderful lesson to me. Those were the moments where I realized I’m capable of doing something completely out of my comfort zone if I am committed to put myself through it.

Q: What does your current exercise routine look like?
A: When I’m not traveling, I have a fixed time to workout everyday from 1730 to 1830. I practice Pilates mat workout most of the days and have cardio exercise once a week. 

Q: What is your current favourite meal and if you don’t mind, can you share the recipe with us?
A: Breakfast is the meal that I look forward to the most! Recently mom and I have just learnt how to make our own nut butter and they taste so good with our homemade wholewheat toasts. Our current favourite nut butter is walnut butter naturally sweetened with red dates. Roast 250g of walnut in the oven at 160c for 10-15 mins, blend it and add in 5-6 pieces of pitted red dates, and a pinch of salt. We usually have it on toast with berries or bananas as toppings. Our breakfast is usually accompanied by dad’s filtered coffee. It’s simply the best way to kickstart a day.