On December 2^nd, Lolë and Oikos hosted a special, invitation-only event at the beautiful new headquarters of the local activewear brand in the Old Port of Montreal. The Soirée Après-Boulot: Yoga & Smoothie allowed the two brands to unite and celebrate health and fitness, the two great loves of Kalya. As such, our fitness expert, Natacha Burelle and nutrition expert, Kim Naraine, attended the event as Kalya ambassadors of well-being.

Guests were welcomed to the spacious Lolë loft, where they found a complimentary yoga mat and gift bag waiting for them. Lolë ambassadors, Olympic athlete and nutritionist, Ariane Lavigne, and health coach and owner of Goji juice bar, Marikym Hervieux, provided pre-workout smoothies to clients, who were invited to shop the brand’s latest collection, as well as accessories from friends of the brand, at a 30% discount. To see our favourite picks from the collection, which included everything from outerwear to yoga clothes to accessories, visit the gallery above.

The evening continued with a gentle yoga flow guided by instructor Valerie Lavigne, and closed with post-workout smoothies and an informative nutrition workshop, hosted by Lavigne and Hervieux. The two nutrition experts provided a myriad of smoothie tips and shared their favourite recipes. Some recommendations from Lavigne and Hervieux included:

• Using Chai green tea as your smoothie base rather than the traditional milk, coconut water or juice.
• Freezing green tea to make ice cubes, then blending them into your smoothie for added texture.
• Choosing a greek-style yogurt, such as Oikos, for added protein (Kalya also suggests plant-based yogurts as a vegan option).
• Using natural maple syrup as a sweetener to benefit from the nutrient content, which includes manganese and riboflavin (Vitamin B₂), as well as polyphenols. Research suggests that regular consumption of plant-based polyphenols can protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease and even diabetes (1).

The Soirée Après-Boulot was a fun, active, informative celebration of yoga practice and smoothie making. It showcased Lolë’s commitment, with their partner Oikos, to inspiring healthy living in our community and upholding the Lolë motto of living out loud every day.

References

(1) Pandey, K. B., & Rizvi, S. I . (2009). Plant polyphenols as antioxidants in human health and disease. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2(5), 270-278.