News

The power of a motivational message

The power of a motivational message

What started out as a small in-joke has become part of a ritual for Dann and I before he does a big race. Back in the early days when I used to make him VALA gels in my Nutribullet and Amazon heat sealer, I started writing small motivational messages on the back of the gels to lift his spirits during his runs. These one-liners ranged from 'Keep going' to 'You've got this!'. It might seem like a small gesture but it can mean a lot when your loved one or friend is hitting the dreaded wall and the struggle is...

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What our customers love most about VALA gels

What our customers love most about VALA gels

One of my favourite pieces of feedback from our customers is that our gels taste like 'real food' and that they actually look forward to munching a VALA during their run or ride. For a long time, energy gels have been considered a 'necessary evil' by most of us, as we don't have the time to be unwrapping a cling-filmed date whilst mid-activity - a feeling that I know all too well.Instead, we've resorted to taking whatever convenient goop comes out of a sachet to keep us fuelled up, even if it means compromising on flavour or overlooking the fact...

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The benefits of a good night's sleep

The benefits of a good night's sleep

It's well known that exercise can help with a good night's sleep and recent research reveals that it can even decrease sleep complaints and insomnia. Exercising during the day not only helps to create a positive mindset but it can also help to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and stress, which can be major culprits for keeping us awake at night.After a long exercise session we feel physically exerted, which helps us to feel more tired and ready for rest at the end of the day. Physical exercise also increases the amount of time that we spend in the restorative 'deep...

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Why we love Welsh sea salt

Why we love Welsh sea salt

It's well known that our bodies lose salt during exercise, but this is so much more than a way to cool us down. Salt regulates water content both inside and outside of cells, creating an electrolyte balance and increasing hydration. It also helps to regulate nerve function and muscle contraction, as low sodium levels can lead to dehydration and muscle cramps (which I'm sure we've all experienced at some point!).When I first started formulating VALA, I planned to use Himalayan pink sea salt in our gels. However, during the development process a friend told me about the process of mining...

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Meet VALA's founder

Meet VALA's founder

Hello to our new VALA customers that that we've been so grateful to have! I'm Gem, VALA's founder and thought I’d share a few ‘fun facts’ about myself. If you don’t yet know our brand story, head over to the 'ABOUT' section on our site to find out more about why I started VALA. Here goes...▪️I left my career as an Art Director for global fashion/beauty brands and advertising agencies behind to start an energy gel company and retrain as a Personal Trainer 💪🏻▪️I’ve been vegetarian since I was six years old, vegan for the past seven years and wholeheartedly believe in...

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Skip to it

Skip to it

If you're pushed for time or fancy a full-body cardio blast, try dusting off the skipping rope and giving skipping a go. Not only is it great for your coordination, balance and agility, it can also be done pretty much anywhere.It's said that 10 minutes of skipping is equivalent to running a mile in eight minutes, so it's perfect for days when you can't squeeze in a long training session or fancy mixing things up. As it uses the legs for jumping, the shoulders and arms for turning the rope and the abdominals for stabilising, skipping is a great full-body...

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