From supplements to physio sessions and meditation apps, here’s what Hotpod Yoga’s Beth Beake spends her budget on - and why
I’m Head of Marketing for the amazing Hotpod Yoga. I live with my boyfriend and cockapoo puppy in Balham, and I’ve just turned 30
Wellness for me is super important. After coping with a couple of health issues over recent years, I’ve been forced to appreciate just how important having good health is as you can very easily take it for granted. As soon as you can’t physically do something, you become incredibly aware of how lucky you were and regret all that time you spent beforehand focusing on what you didn't have.
I've learned to rely on some key elements to keep me as smiley and relaxed as possible. Regular yoga, meditation, music, nutritious food and simply spending time outdoors with people I love is crucial to my overall happiness and wellbeing. If any of these elements slip, my mind starts to feel a little frazzled.
I’d say that a large proportion of my disposable income goes on my mental and physical wellbeing each month. For me, it’s not about the most expensive or the most must-have treatment, it’s about the quality of the product or service and knowing that it works for my body and mind. Yoga is without a doubt the most important aspect of wellness for me, and if I didn’t work for a yoga brand (where a perk of the job is that I’m able to go to free classes), I would cut another area of my budget to be able to afford it.
Physio, £62
During my yoga teacher training, I found out that I had a herniated disc so I’ve been having physio and acupuncture at Reform Physio to help build up strength and manage the pain. The studio is beautiful, the team is extremely friendly and the treatment is so personalised. I love the fact that they use manual therapy and also Pilates exercises to help treat and prevent future injuries.
Reform Physio . £62 per one-hour session.
Massage, £40
I used to think a massage was something you only had as a special treat, but I now see the benefits of booking in regularly to remove toxins from the body and get rid of any aches and pains. It’s also a great excuse to be away from any tech for an hour and completely switch off.
Fabulous Beauty . £40 for a one-hour session.
Supplements, £96.59
I think I’m slightly addicted to Serenity! I mix it with hot water and have it as a hot chocolate type drink before I go to bed and meditate. It’s got magnesium hops in it which always helps me to sleep better.
It’s very easy to buy poor quality magnesium but these tablets are the real deal. They help me sleep better and are especially good if I have a slightly achy body after exercise as they are great for muscle recovery. I take two every night.
£17.95 for two months’ supply.
MORE GLOSS: The best sleep-boosting and de-stressing magnesium supplements
Lamberts Vitamin C - Time Tablets , £10.32
In order to keep my immunity levels high, I rely on these amazing vitamin C tablets. They keep me going especially in the winter months when there are a lot of colds going around.
£20.63 for two months’ supply.
VS3 probiotics , £17.90
I don’t love the taste of this probiotic, but I find that my tummy is much happier when I commit to drinking a glass of it in the mornings. It’s quite pricey, so I tend to only take it when I've had lots of rich food or if I'm going abroad and may eat things that I'm not used to digesting.
£17.90 for a 10-day supply spread out throughout the month.
Zinc Supreme , £9.39
I’ve taken zinc for years and find it keeps me feeling boosted if ever I’m feeling a bit under the weather.
£28.16 for a three month supply.
Spotify + Headspace, £15
Every morning, I usually (quite sleepily) do a quick yoga flow and short breathing exercise to set myself up for the day and put on a Spotify chillout playlist I’ve curated over the years in the background. I categorise all of my music by months so that I can go back and see the music I was loving at the time. It’s amazing to see how my music tastes change throughout the year. My friend who lives in Australia says she regularly checks out my Spotify playlists as an indication as to what kind of month I’m having!
Headspace is my second most favourite thing that I spend money on, after Spotify. I try to do at least 10 minutes of meditation every day, mostly in the evening, to clear my mind before I go to sleep. My boyfriend says he can tell when I haven’t used Headspace in a while as I talk a lot and can’t sit still! The soundscapes are great for helping me unwind, and the three-minute SOS meditations are perfect if you ever feel like you need a short break to reset.
£15 per month for a combined package .
Flowers and succulents, £20
We have an amazing little flower stall near our house in Balham. I love chatting to the flower man (although it’s usually me admitting to yet another plant I’ve killed) and treating myself to a new one. I genuinely find it so relaxing just sitting out in the garden with a G&T surrounded by the greenery. My proudest success is managing to grow a banana plant, although the actual bananas are yet to come through! One step at a time…
Yoga, £0
I’m very lucky as I can pop into a Hotpod Yoga class whenever my body and mind need it. There is literally no better feeling than spending an hour in a warm (37 degrees to be precise), delicious smelling pod while being led through a Vinyasa yoga flow to some amazing tunes. Sometimes I come out feeling really energised, other times I just feel extremely chilled out. Although I have to admit, I never want to get out of the pod when the class finishes!
Hotpod has 45 locations internationally so I try to do a class at whichever studio I’m working at. Recently, I’ve been spending a lot of time at our amazing new Belgravia and Dulwich studios, so I’ve been doing a lot of classes there. It’s a perk of the job which I love!
Hotpod Yoga . Free for me, but it would typically be £100 per month, working out at £6.67 per class.
Total: £233.59
When I’m strapped for cash I...
If I only had £2.50 to spend and needed to feel as healthy and happy as possible, I would take the dog for a walk around the common, sit down on a bench in the sunshine and take a few deep meditative breaths. I'd then meet up with my boyfriend and friends at our local coffee shop for a good old natter. I find this is the best, and cheapest, way to unwind!
The bottom line…
The way that I allocate my budget every month has totally changed as I’ve gotten older. Years ago, I would spend a much larger proportion of my salary on beauty products, however as time has gone on, I would much rather spend my money on a massage or supplement rather than an expensive face cream.