
The Athlete Spotlight: Meet Chayse Byrd
CW // eating disorders. Please note, this blog contains information you may find triggering.
With a TikTok filled with hilariously funny videos, fitness tips and workout routines, we couldn’t wait to sit down and chat with our incredible AYBL Athlete.
Talking about what makes her content so successful and why working out is far less glamorous than everyone thinks, we caught up with none other than Chayse Byrd.
With almost 1 million TikTok followers and nearly 47 million likes, this girl is certainly no stranger to sharing the ups and downs of her fitness journey. And it’s not just her down-to-earth personality that we love, it’s that she’s not afraid to push boundaries and show what working out really looks like - and in Chayse’s case, it’s a lot of sweating.
See what she had to say when we caught up with her below.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT TO JOIN US! WHAT ARE THREE OF YOUR FAVOURITE OR MOST MEMORABLE VIDEOS THAT YOU’VE CREATED?
I wouldn’t say there’s just one video, it’s the series of videos that I do. I do these ‘Sweat Test’ videos, called ‘Piss Pant Reviews’. They’re so weird, but people love them and I love creating them. It’s just such an interesting way to review activewear, so that would be my top favourite series that I do.
Back in October, I also did this Pull Up Series. I couldn’t do a pull up or I thought I could do a pull up and someone told me my pull up form was incorrect, so I was like ‘you know what, let me work on it.’ So, I took it into my own hands and made it into a series which ended up doing really well. So, I would say my Pull Up Series is my second favourite.
For my third favourite, it would probably be the video I posted back in February about me opening up about my eating disorder. That created a huge community and from that, I saw how many women were also struggling with the same thing in silence, which really opened my eyes and broke my heart, but also, it was a turning point in my life.
@chaysembyrd Don’t be scared to try new things in the gym!! (Wearing @beaybl ) #gymtips #tryingnewthings #calisthenics ♬ Plastic Beach (feat. Mick Jones and Paul Simonon) - Gorillaz
USE THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOUR TIKTOK ACCOUNT.
Honest, relatable and transparent.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BEING AN AYBL ATHLETE?
I absolutely love getting emails from Chloe [my AYBL Sponsorship Manager], as well as the relationships I’ve built with the rest of the Sponsorship Team and the communication I get from them.
It honestly is the people behind the scenes who bring the brand to life that makes it so good.
WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVOURITE THINGS ABOUT AYBL AS A BRAND?
For me, it’s the way AYBL handles its social media. You’re very in touch with what’s going on across social media. If you look at other brands, they’re often delayed or a little bit behind in terms of reacting to trends or influencer marketing.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE AYBL COLLECTION OR SET AND WHY?
It has to be either the Balance V2 Collection or Evolve Animal Seamless Collection. They’re both my favourite.
I love the Evolve Animal Seamless sets for running because they don't slide down and they’re very compressive. While the Balance V2 sets are very stretchy and I can do a lot in them, so whether I’m running or lifting, it’s good for absolutely everything.
WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES YOUR CONTENT SO SUCCESSFUL AND RELATABLE?
I think it’s just the fact that I don’t hold back on what I’m saying and I don’t sugar coat anything, I give people the reality of the fitness industry and that’s what people want to hear. I think they’re sick of being, not so much ‘lied’ to, but not being given the whole truth. That’s literally why I do what I do and why I think people follow me.
WHAT SORT OF CONTENT DO YOU ENJOY MAKING THE MOST AND WHY?
The Sweat Tests. They’re very simple to make because all I do is record a ‘before shot’, do my normal workout because I get sweaty as it is, and then record an ‘after shot’ and people are like ‘wow, this is what I needed!’ and I’m like ‘okay, I’ll keep doing this’.
@chaysembyrd YOOO 8/10 ON THE PISS PANT SCALE!!! LINK FOR THIS IS IN MY BIO!!! @AYBL #clothingreview #cardio #sweat ♬ Bach Concerto in a Minor for Violin - Classical Music
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PEOPLE WHO MAY NEED A CONFIDENCE OR MOTIVATION BOOST DURING THEIR WORKOUTS?
I think if you’re searching for a motivational boost, chances are you’re probably not doing something you enjoy. If you’re doing something you actually like, you won’t need motivation, you’ll just want to do it. I think it’s trying to find a workout or a style of activity that you genuinely enjoy and then you won’t need to find motivation because you’ll wake up and you’ll want to do it. So, I think it comes down to learning what works best for you.
READ MORE: 6 Ways To Maintain Your Fitness Motivation.
WE LOVE SEEING THAT YOU WORKOUT FOR YOU AND NO ONE ELSE! HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS FITNESS HAS INFLUENCED YOUR FOLLOWING?
I’m going to be very honest - I don’t think I have a ‘positive attitude’ towards working out. I really don’t think I do and I think that’s why people follow me because I give them both the pros and cons of lifting.
For the longest time, the cons of lifting and working out, for me, outweighed the pros and that’s how I ended up with an eating disorder and horrible body image and, again, I make that very clear on my social media.
It all comes down to the relatability factor and the fact that I talk about subjects that most people don’t. I think how I approach certain topics and more sensitive subjects is how I’ve been able to influence people and have an impact on their perception of fitness.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT THAT WOMEN ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE CHARGE OF THEIR FITNESS ON THEIR OWN TERMS?
It’s not possible for someone to workout in the same way as someone else does because everyone is built differently. What works for one person may not work for you, so you have to think about what works best for you in order to see any form of progress and results. All you’re doing when you’re working out for someone else or because you want to look like someone else is setting yourself up for failure. You have to workout for yourself if you want to achieve your own goals.
Not a lot of women and men realise that working out works differently for everyone and it’s not all about what you see on social media. People see these workouts that these influencers are putting out, claiming ‘this is how I lost this much weight’ and the people watching think ‘I’m going to do this because it’s obviously going to work for me’. However, the reality is, your metabolism is different, your genetics are different, your weight, your build, your height - everything about you is different.
We truly couldn’t have said it better ourselves. Everybody is different and we’re all different for a reason. So, if a workout isn’t working for you, don’t sweat it! There are plenty of other options available out there for you to fall in love with, like yoga and dance. Read our blog on The 8 Best Alternative Workouts To The Gym for more.
Want to explore more from our Athlete Spotlight series? Discover our blog with Gracie Collis here.
RECOMMENDED READS
Move Your Body: New Year Fitness Challenge
If you’ve got fitness goals to achieve, we’ve got a killer workout challenge to put you in good stead.
As part of our Move Your Body Campaign, we want to inspire you to challenge yourself to change by forming positive habits that will last a lifetime. Whether those little changes are for your mind, or your body, Move Your Body encourages you to celebrate every goal, and every step made towards it.
Change is the essence of growth, but in order to change you need to go beyond your comfort zone, push your limits and seize each opportunity to become the best version of you.
To get you off on the right foot, we’ve developed a 10 week exercise challenge. But why 10 weeks, specifically? We’re glad you asked.
According to one study, on average, it takes more than two months before a new behaviour becomes automatic - 66 days to be exact - which is just shy of 10 weeks.
So, here goes. Your journey starts now.
WARM UP
First things first, before you participate in any sort of exercise, you need to do an efficient warm-up. This increases your heart rate, and therefore, your blood flow, allowing more oxygen to reach your muscles. A warm-up also activates and preps the connections between your nerves and muscles, which improves the efficiency of movement.
To warm up, perform the following for a total of 10 minutes:
- 1 min x jog on the spot;
- 1 minute x star jumps;
- 1 minute x mountain climbers;
- 1 minute x bicycle crunches.
Follow this with some dynamic stretching, such as lunges, to improve your range of motion and flexibility.
WEEKLY CARDIO CHECKLIST
Cardio is an essential part of your workout routine, and is associated with a whole list of benefits. Aimed at getting your heart pumping at faster rates, cardio helps to improve the health of your heart, thus reducing the risk of heart disease, and lowers your blood pressure by reducing the levels of bad cholesterol and raising good levels of cholesterol.
The US Department of Health and Human Services recommend at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity - equating to approximately 30 minutes five times per week. This could be 30 minutes in one go or blocks of 10 or 15 minutes throughout the day.
Here’s some ways you could incorporate cardio into our 10 week workout challenge:
- Run, 20 minutes.
- Brisk walking, 30 minutes.
- StairMaster, 20 minutes.
- HIIT, 20 minutes.
- Swim, 30 minutes.
- Row, 20 minutes.
- Cycle, 30 minutes.
- Elliptical trainer, 20 minutes.
- Jump rope, 15 minutes.
- Boxercise, 20 minutes.
WEEKLY WORKOUT PLAN
Screenshot the image below and help it guide you to get after your goals.
Move Your Body isn’t just about fitness challenges, it’s about making positive changes and learning to love how you move. This could be lifting weights, hitting the track or taking to the field.
Find what you love. Get up. Get moving. Because the only person that can make a difference is you.
Veganuary: Healthy Vegan Meal Prep
Love preparing your meals in advance?
Meal prep is a great way to save money on your food shop, save time, and sustain a more balanced diet.
And if you’re taking part in Veganuary this month, have already gone plant-based or just want to add some variety into your diet, these vegan meal prep ideas will satisfy your cravings in the healthiest way.
From breakfast to dinner, we’ve covered it all.
BREAKFAST INSPO: TOFU SCRAMBLE
INGREDIENTS:
- Crumbled extra-firm tofu. If the tofu is too soft, it will fall apart as you cook it.
- Almond milk - For moisture.
- Nutritional yeast - It adds colour and a savoury flavour.
- Dijon mustard - For a sharp, tangy flavour.
- Turmeric - Gives the scramble its sunny hue.
- Cumin, onion and garlic - For adding a sharp, aromatic flavour.
- Salt and pepper to season.
- Olive oil.
METHOD:
- Whisk together the almond milk, nutritional yeast, dijon mustard, garlic spices and salt in a small bowl. This mixture will give the scramble its bold flavour and soft texture. Set it aside while you start to cook.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it softens. Then, stir in the crumbled tofu and cook until it’s warmed through - approximately three to five minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the almond milk mixture. Cook for a further three minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and season to taste - we recommend a big pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper.
To serve, feel free to experiment with ingredients you already have or whatever tickles your taste buds. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Salsa.
- Avocado. Slice it and serve it on the side or mash it with lime and salt to make a quick guac.
- Sautéed greens, such as kale or spinach.
- Roasted veggies. If you have some leftover roasted veg, toss them with your tofu scramble for a veggie-packed breakfast!
LUNCH INSPO: CHICKPEA BUDDHA BOWL
INGREDIENTS:
- A choice of veggies. We recommend: carrots, kale and radish, but feel free to use any fresh veggies you have to hand.
- Whole grains. This recipe uses brown rice.
- Protein. We’ve used golden chickpeas, for which you’ll need olive oil, garlic, cumin seeds, chickpeas, turmeric powder, salt and pepper.
- Toppings. This is your opportunity to get creative! Spring onions, sliced chilli, watercress and sesame seeds are a winning combo. You can also add avocado to boost the healthy fats and fibre.
- Dressing. A creamy turmeric tahini dressing is the perfect pairing!
METHOD:
- With a sharp knife, carefully slice the radish into thin rounds and cut the carrots into bite-size batons.
- Cut away the woody stalk from the kale and soften the leaves. You can do this by boiling the leaves in water for a few minutes or by massaging the leaves in a large bowl with olive oil and lemon juice until soft.
- Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Then, peel away the skin and slice into wedges. To keep it from browning, squeeze lemon juices onto the slices.
- To make the golden chickpeas, warm extra virgin olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until golden and fragrant. Then, add the cumin seeds and toast for 30 seconds. Next, add the turmeric powder and drained chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the chickpeas are golden with crispy edges.
- To serve, add a serving of rice, chickpeas, kale, carrots, radish and avocado. Top with sliced green onions, chilli slices, sesame seeds and watercress. Drizzle with turmeric tahini dressing and enjoy!
HOW TO STORE
These meals are best kept in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoyed within four to five days. Keep the dressing separate and add when you’re ready to eat. The avocado is best stored separately, but it will begin to brown quickly, so it’s best sliced fresh right before each meal.
DINNER INSPO: LENTIL CHICKPEA CURRY
INGREDIENTS:
- 100g lentils
- 1 tin chickpeas
- 2 tins coconut milk
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 3 tbsp yellow curry paste
- 1 onion
- Coconut oil for frying
- Salt and pepper to season
Optional extras:
- Lemon juice
- 1 chopped bell pepper
- 2 tbsp cashew butter
- Tandoori spice cashews
METHOD:
- Heat a large casserole dish and use a bit of coconut oil for frying the onions and garlic. Do this for at least three minutes before adding the coconut milk, lentils and yellow curry paste. Then, cook for no longer than 20 minutes.
- Five minutes from the end, add the chickpeas.
- Choose your optional extras and tailor your curry to your liking.
HOW TO STORE:
Allow to cool before refrigerating and store in an airtight container for up to four days.
SNACK INSPO: NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
INGREDIENTS:
- Peanut butter - You can use smooth unsalted peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter, but just make sure it’s made with 100% peanuts and no added oil.
- Peanuts - Roasted unsalted peanuts give an extra depth of nutty flavour and a bit of crunch!
- Dates, pitted - These give the peanut butter balls a natural caramel-like sweetness. Use Medjool dates for extra softness.
- Rolled oats - For an extra boost of protein and fibre.
- Cocoa powder - For that extra decadent chocolate flavour!
METHOD:
- Place the dates, oats, cocoa powder, peanut butter and roasted peanuts in a food processor and pulse until combined. If the mix is a bit dry, you can add a couple of tablespoons of water to make it a bit stickier.
- Divide the mixture into 16 equal parts and use your hands to roll them into one inch balls.
- Place the balls into the fridge to firm up for about 15 to 30 minutes.
HOW TO STORE:
They store well for a week in the fridge in an airtight container. They also freeze well for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge prior to eating.
Ideal for work, travel and on those days when cooking is at the bottom of your priority list, these vegan meal prep ideas offer great variety - and taste - without the faff.
For more vegan food inspo, check out The Best High-Protein Vegan Foods, and keep your eyes peeled for more delicious vegan recipe ideas later this month.
How To Save Money: 10 Budget Hacks We All Need To Hear
It’s the middle of January - and for most of us, that means wincing at our bank accounts as we try to come to terms with the damage that the festive season and New Year celebrations have had on our money.
But we’re here to turn things around with a list of money saving tips everyone can adopt.
1. TRY THE 50/30/20 RULE
A popular money saving hack, but one you may not have heard of is the 50/30/20 rule. This means 50% of your take home pay goes on essentials, such as bills and food shopping, 30% goes towards treating yourself and going out, while 20% goes to the future you - AKA investing and savings for a rainy day.
This split may not work for everyone, so feel free to change the percentages to suit your financial needs.
2. DON’T SPLURGE ON PAYDAY
Hands up if you’ve ever got a teeny bit carried away on pay day? Safe to say, we’re all guilty of this one. In fact, one survey revealed one in five people spend over half their spare monthly wages within 48 hours of getting paid!
Don’t let your disposable income burn a hole in your wallet, always ask yourself if you really need it. Every time you feel the urge to buy something, don’t do it straight away. Add the item to your cart and leave it there. If after two to three days you still feel like buying it, go ahead and get it. More often than not, you’ll have gotten over that initial urge to spend, spend, spend.
Besides, it’s far more important to prioritise other outgoings, such as bills and food, before you start spending. This is where the 50/30/20 rule can really help!
3. MEAL PLAN & PREP
The US is said to discard more food than any other country - nearly 40 million tonnes every year to be exact - which equates to approximately 100 kg of waste per person. Meanwhile the average UK household is said to waste around £500 a year on food. That’s a huge amount of money that we’d all rather have in our own pockets right now, so let’s do something about it.
Before you head out for your food shop, plan what meals you’d like for the week or even fortnight and only buy the ingredients you need for those specific meals. Not only should that cut down on a considerable amount of food waste, you’ll be less tempted to reach for those pricier, ‘non-essential’ treats, like bags of crisps and chocolate.
Batch cooking is another great money saving hack, and is super easy to do if you’ve planned your meals in advance and have all the ingredients ready. You can freeze meals and take out a portion as and when you need it, which is perfect on those days when you can’t be bothered to cook anything. It also means your diet will be a lot more balanced, as you’ll have more control over what you eat.
Discover 6 Quick & Easy Recipes here.
4. SELL YOUR UNWANTED ITEMS
Even if you’re not looking to actively save money, selling your unwanted items is a great idea. You can do this on platforms such as eBay, Depop or Vinted, or even try a car boot sale. You’ll be surprised what you sell!
Besides, not only will it help you make a few extra pennies, selling your items is a more sustainable option compared to sending your items to landfill.
5. TRACK YOUR EXPENSES
This one kind of goes without saying, but keeping track of your expenses is crucial to living within your budget.
You can do this using a (free) budgeting app to monitor all your accounts in one place and manage your spending. Even simpler than that, you could write down your expenses at the end of the day, as this will help you understand exactly where your money is going. The more conscious you are of what you’re spending, the less likely you are to overspend or buy on impulse.
6. GET SHOPPING SAVVY
Asking you to cut out shopping completely just isn’t realistic, but what you can do is make the most of discounts, money-off vouchers and loyalty card points. The internet is full of money-saving deals - and it can pay to do a bit of online research to find the latest discounts.
Take us as an example. Not only do we offer 10% student discount, you can also receive 10% off your first order when you sign up to our newsletter, where you’ll also be the first to hear about our sales, drops and exclusive offers. And if that weren’t already enough, you can also create an AYBL Rewards account to earn points when you shop with us, and redeem as money off your next order. *Adds entire wishlist to cart.*
7. USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT (OR WALK)
You don’t need us to tell you that the cost of the fuel at the moment is extortionate, which is why using public transport could be a great way to save money. Granted, it might not be the way to go in all places, but if your city has a good public transport system, we highly recommend that you make full use of it! Public transportation often sells monthly or weekly passes at a discount too.
Alternatively, where possible, try to seek out any opportunity to stretch your legs and get walking. While it’s an easy way to get those 10,000 steps a day in, carrying your shopping bags back will definitely get your heart rate up - who needs dumbbells, eh?
8. SPLIT SUBSCRIPTIONS
If you use paid subscription services like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Spotify, you could save money by splitting the cost with friends and family. Most offer a number of users under each subscriber.
9. TRY FREE ACTIVITIES WITH FRIENDS
If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s how to have fun at home. But ever since restrictions were lifted, we’ve been using any and every excuse to go out for drinks, dinner, bottomless brunch - you name it!
But if you’re serious about saving some serious dollar, a free (or less expensive) activity with your friends could be the solution.
You could take it in turns to host a dinner party at home, go for a walk together in the park, cycle through a new city or, you know, even go to the gym together. Because a workout with your bestie is 10 times better than a workout by yourself, are we right?
10. SHOP DURING THE SALES
Sales are the best time to splurge a bit and get the things you want, and if you’re prepared to wait, you could save a significant amount of money on what you buy.
If you’ve just missed our Black Friday Sale, never fear, as you can expect plenty more where that came from in 2023 👀. Or if you can’t hold off till then, you can save up to 50% off in our outlet!
You’ve worked hard for your money, so you should spend it however you please. That being said, if you are wanting to watch your cash and discover how to save money, then hopefully some of our money saving hacks will come in handy!
If you do find you’re struggling to make certain payments or manage your money in general, never be afraid to reach out for support. Talk to friends and family or alternatively, many organisations and banks can provide financial advice.