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TikTok is a breeding ground for the next big thing. What was once predominantly a Gen Z dance app has since evolved into a catalogue of lifestyle habits repackaged under quirky names. Single? You’re ‘dating yourself.’ Attend the gym? You’re a ‘health girlie.’ Organised and minimal? You’re living the ‘Clean Girl Aesthetic’. With over a billion views under the hashtag, the Clean Girl Aesthetic has dominated the app for some time now – and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon. It has since adopted other areas of life such as health and mindfulness. So, what is it? For the blissfully unaware, the Clean Girl is a TikTok trend in which everything about someone’s life appears minimal and effortlessly chic. It is portrayed as being low maintenance. A ‘Day in the Life’ generally starts with an early alarm, followed by a smoothie and minimal makeup for a dewy 'no make-up' glow. The Clean Girl Aesthetic has since welcomed Pilates under its wing, often finished with a dash of bedtime journaling for good measure. @mirellagir ???♀️ #morningvlog #morningroutine #selfcare #thatgirlaesthetic #pilates #cleangirlaesthetic #aestheticroutine Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter While the lifestyle trend is proving popular across social media, some have argued that it isn’t as effortless as what meets the eye. Critics claim it actually takes more time, effort and money with five minute glazed ‘makeup-less’ looks being tied to £500 treatments. The trend isn’t shy of controversy either, being credited to mostly white influencers. Some have highlighted that aspects of the aesthetic (specifically the ‘beauty’ tutorials) have roots in other cultures. That said, it’s always important to understand the origin of trends across TikTok and give credit where due. The trend has since had a face-off with ‘Dirty Girl Aesthetic’, with Julia Fox declaring on EmRata’s High Low podcast: "Clean Girl Aesthetic is out." The model added: "It’s about, Dirty Girl." She went on to elaborate in a candid clip uploaded to her page, raising concerns about the said ‘rules’ of TikTok trends. "Just so you guys know, ageing is fully in. Like, fully. Dirty girl. Ugly. Not wearing clothes that fit your body type. Just fully wearing everything you want," she told her followers. @juliafox Ooooo I know this is gonna make the broke boys mad #OLDISIN Now, if we strip it back to basics, remove the label and the aesthetically pleasing TikToks, the ‘beauty ideals’ and bouji products, we’re left with a handful of seemingly unproblematic healthy habits. But, are they really effective as TikTok hypes them up to be – or are they merely a part of yet another internet fad? I spent the last month finding out. Now, I pride myself on being a morning person so 5am starts can't be that challenging, right? Wrong. The 5am club is a simple concept to understand – but much more difficult to carry out. You essentially rise at the ungodly hour in the name of productivity. During your time of solitude, you complete house chores, read, grab some breakfast and journal before starting the working day. Days 1-3 felt like a novelty and were filled with optimism and drive: journalling away, whipping up smoothies and taking long, hot showers. Then came along days 3-5 and my body was crying out for those additional two extra hours in bed. The 'snooze alarm' was being abused – and by day 7, I officially called it a day. I have full respect for the 5am rise and shiners, and admire that it's some people's bag – but it's a solid no from me. I ended up bored and restless. Not to mention, the constant reminder I could do all of these things at the end of the day with the same level of energy. Sadly, the first week of journalling my feelings, thoughts and emotions were dedicated to bitching about how tired I was from the dreaded iPhone alarm. But, once the two hours sleep were added back into my routine, we were onto a winner. It soon transformed into a mini mental health journey, allowing me to really gauge certain triggers and delve into feelings a lot deeper. One of the most surprising and unexpected finds for me was connecting the dots between sleeping and eating habits, prompting me to experiment with foods that perhaps weren't giving me the best time. It also allowed me to set my intentions for the day and helped me to stay on track with different areas of life, including fitness. Being the forgetful – and sometimes erratic – person I am, it really helped me slow down, unwind and actually remind me to follow through my my 'to do' lists. This brings me to Pilates: The latest fitness trend taking social media by storm – thanks to the likes of Hailey Bieber, Lori Harvey and Kourtney Kardashian. Even Harry Styles has been spotted giving the Reformer machine a go. You'll soon be humbled by what appears slow, effortless movements – as I learnt at The Health Lab. "Celebrity fitness secrets used to be kept under lock and key but now the more you share the bigger your community," Faye Bennett, Health Lab's studio manager and instructor told Indy100. "Pilates does come with a certain aesthetic as it is commonly very clean movements which appeal to the eye (disclaimer: it’s not always like that!)." "It is a sustainable style of fitness that you can ultimately do every day with no harm to joints. It’s low impact and the results are truly visible," Faye continues. "The short answer is, it works." Truth is, Pilates is far from a new concept and has been practiced since the 1920s. German-born Joseph Pilates worked as a circus performer, boxer and self-defence instructor in England in his early years, before serving as an orderly in an Isle of Man hospital where he helped patients unable to walk. He did so by attaching bed springs to hospital beds, later birthing the famous apparatus seen in most Pilates studios today. "I invented all these machines... it resists your movements in just the right way so those inner muscles really have to work against it. That way you can concentrate on movement. You must always do it slowly and smoothly. Then your whole body is in it," he famously once explained. Complete with 10 Reformer machines in an aesthetically-pleasing studio in the heart of Manchester, the Health Lab may look like an Instagrammer's playground – but it's much more than pretty pictures. You will put in work, through low-intensity movements that will leave you aching in places you didn't even think possible. Hand-in-hand with incredible instructors, experts and a passion for Pilates, I soon learnt there was much more to the phenomenon that meets the eye. Being a loyal high-intensity exerciser over the years, I initially couldn't wrap my head around how subtle slow-paced movements could make a difference to my body. I couldn't have been any more wrong. After a month of training 3-4 times a week, I noticed improvements in my posture, strength and flexibility. It also had a surprising effect on my mental health– especially when it comes to anxiety – as it really taught me to prioritise and focus on breathing techniques. "There’s an age old saying that 'you’re only as old as your spine,'" Faye says. "Pilates is both restorative and strengthening. It improves your posture and alignment so that when you do work out you can access those deep layers of muscle in charge of building strength from the inside out." Faye explains that the leaner muscles become, the faster the metabolism and protected joints become. "This means you will be less prone to injuries and generally feel more ease as you move. This comes from increased flexibility and mobility. We focus an awful lot on the core in pilates which gives you the ability to hold yourself taller, which takes pressure away from your spine and releases tension enabling a strong healthy spine. A healthy spine makes you feel younger, more agile and stronger." While Reformer Pilates can initially look and feel daunting, sessions are guided by well-informed instructors who are on hand to offer help and modifications suited to everyone's individual needs. It's pretty easy to grasp after just one session. "Just know, if you are finding that pilates burn or feeling a little bit wobbly, the rest of the class is too so you are never alone no matter what your experience level is," Faye adds. While my Clean Girl month failed in some areas (a girl loves her sleep), Pilates and journalling are two new positive additions I'll be taking forward with me. They've provided both mental and physical benefits, by adding routine, clarity and a clearer, more settled mindset overall. Maybe TikTok is onto something, after all. To find out more information about The Health Lab classes, click here. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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Sanjay Aggarwal’s now-booming business was based around a family heirloom: a 100-year-old spice mill. He started selling spice blends with his mother in 2012 almost by accident. “It wasn’t meant to be a business,” the 40-year-old admits. “It was only started as a retirement hobby for my mum. What started off as a silly little idea, so to speak, just grew. We started online and moved after a few years to selling in shops.” Spice Kitchen has been wildly successful, and now Aggarwal is adding another string his company’s bow by writing a cookbook. Above all the success, he’s really just appreciated spending time with his 72-year-old mother, Shashi. “She’s incredible – she’s a whirlwind. She was born in Kenya and raised in India, so she’s got a really eclectic mix of culture. And she’s a real spice expert – we’ve got a 100-year-old spice mill in our family that’s travelled the world and I’ve got it here now; we started the business using that.” Aggarwal says it felt “natural” to work with his mother, after helping his parents run their Birmingham shop when growing up. But he’s “learned loads” from her during their new venture. “It’s certainly made me realise how entrepreneurial my mum is, how creative she is… I’ve been really impressed by how similarly we think.” He says: “We’re certainly closer for it. It’s got the ups and downs and challenges that everything has, but we’re still talking!” While there are plenty of flavour-packed Indian dishes in the new cookbook – including coriander and tandoori fishcakes, chickpea curry and tarka dal – the recipes have a decidedly global outlook. Think fish tacos, jerk-inspired pork, crispy duck with pancakes – and Aggarwal credits this to growing up in the diverse city of Birmingham. “I was born and brought up there, so for me, that was all I knew. But for my mum, it was very much a big influence on her,” he explains. When she came to the UK as a young married woman, “her cuisine and culture was all very Indian” – something that soon changed. “My mum has really seen that development of food and culture, and that cosmopolitan nature of Birmingham. It’s had tidal waves of immigration – my mum being one of them from India – and from West Africa and Asia and all different places. She’s witnessed that, when she came to the UK.” Aggarwal recounts how in the early days of living in Birmingham, Shashi would grind her own spices – you couldn’t buy blends at the time – which “reminded her of home and made her less homesick”, but then her palate expanded. “She’s vegetarian, but got to try all these amazing different sorts of vegetarian food from all around the world, be it Middle Eastern, Chinese or Japanese or whatever. Some of those things weren’t accessible when she first came, but were as time went on – and my mum’s very experimental. “She’s a real foodie. She loves trying new things and experimenting – probably more than anyone else I know. I think she’s quite unique, because I think a lot of people from cultures where they’ve got a really strong food culture – certainly like Indian culture – a lot of my aunts and uncles, they don’t really eat or experiment outside of Indian food. They find it quite scary, not very flavoursome, or quite bland. But my mum really gets it – she’s got a really deep palate, and she can really appreciate different cultures.” This love of different cuisines means both mother and son are quite free with the way they cook– and they want other people to be the same. For example, if you’re making a frittata and you don’t have any Italian seasoning, Aggarwal says: “Try it with Mexican [spice blends], try it with jerk and you could still create something amazing. Don’t be afraid to experiment.” One of the more unusual combinations he’s tried? Mexican spices in a shepherd’s pie: “It actually tastes amazing in there. We’re just trying to get people to be a bit more free thinking and adventurous. What’s the worst that can happen?” Aggarwal says he’s often asked how to make an “authentic” dish – a question he struggles to answer. “It’s very difficult to understand what they mean by that – what is the meaning of authenticity? I’m a second-generation British-born person… Food has evolved over time. We wanted to make sure the dishes [in the cookbook] were authentic in terms of linking back to the original recipes and what they’re all about, and especially the blends being as authentic as possible – trying to respect the tradition. “But we’re also trying to say, we can only take our take on things. I can take my take on things and my mum can take her take on things – and things have changed over time.” That’s why Aggarwal advises against getting “too hung up on authenticity, because there is no way of achieving it”. Instead, he recommends taking a dish you like and “play with the flavours a little bit” to “make it your own”. ‘Spice Kitchen’ by Sanjay Aggarwal (Quadrille, £22).

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Sebastian Vettel revealed he “has some ideas” about a return to Formula 1 in some capacity in the future. The 36-year-old retired from the sport after the 2022 season, leaving a lasting legacy with his four championship triumphs with Red Bull from 2010-2013. The German, who also raced for Ferrari and Aston Martin, is a climate change activist and campaigner and regularly spoke out about environmental issues towards the end of his career. Now, Vettel admits that he would be open to a return to F1 down the line, hinting that the sport’s sustainability could be a potential avenue. “We’ll see but I have some ideas,” Vettel said, when asked about a return to the sport whilst appearing at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Sunday. “I’ve been to Monaco earlier this year. I had a very good meeting with Stefano [Domenicali, F1 CEO]. “Other than obviously the cars directly polluting, F1 has a huge responsibility because it’s a very big event. A lot of people attend, I think you had around 500,000 people at the British Grand Prix last weekend. “So there’s a lot more to it than just the cars but obviously the cars, everybody sees them. It’s important that it’s headed in the right direction. “But I’m talking and I have some ideas. Obviously, we’ll see what the future brings. I think sooner or later, I will probably figure it out and take on a new challenge.” Vettel drove exclusively with e-fuels during his drive of Nigel Mansell’s 1992 Williams car and Ayrton Senna’s 1993 McLaren at Goodwood. The four-day festival was impacted by heavy winds, forcing the cancellation of Saturday’s event, but it concluded without issue on Sunday. Read More How does Max Verstappen and Red Bull compare to the greats of Formula One? Mick Schumacher to drive father Michael’s car at Goodwood Festival of Speed Red Bull has handed Daniel Ricciardo the first step to Sergio Perez’s seat Daniel Ricciardo returns to F1 as he replaces Nyck de Vries The moment Norris came of age in British Grand Prix – and it wasn’t his super start

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