Tag Archives: workout

My Current Favourite Workouts

So its been ages since I’ve blogged anything fitness related, and that’s been for multiple reasons. Firstly, I’ve been struggling a lot with talking about fitness for a number of reasons, which I talked about in this post, and secondly because at the start of April I broke my ankle and I’m still very much in recovery.

Even after the ankle situation happened while I was at the gym, I was itching to get back. I actually can’t imagine my life without being in the gym at least 3 times a week and it was torture being on crutches, then having to wear the ugly boot cast, and I got so desperate that I actually went to the gym in my boot several times. Problem is, I’m still not fully healed, and I’m still going to physiotherapy, so my marathon training has also been thrown really out of whack, and I’m even having to adjust my usual gym workouts so I don’t put too much pressure on my foot and cause any more damage to myself.

Its forced me to try some slightly different things, and in doing so I’m finding some new things that I love, and also seeing results I didn’t expect!

Sit down bike

I’m trying really hard to keep up some cardio activity while also keeping my body weight off my feet and keep any impact to a minimum, and cycling has been great for that. Its also got some strength back in my thighs (which are seeing some shape come back as a result as well btw!) and the movement is helping stretch out the ligaments in my foot that are healing at the moment.

Boxing

Little known fact about me is that I’m actually a black belt in Taekwondo, but I had to give that up when I was 18 because of hip problems (isn’t my body fab?), but it does mean that this girl knows how to throw a punch! I’ve been doing a lot of boxing with my PT lately, because it gets my heart rate up, works a lot of my body but also doesn’t have to involve moving around on my feet too much.

Lunges

I’ve never been that much of a fan of lunges, but for a long time after my accident I wasn’t able to squat, so I switched to lunges, and they’ve become a really important part of my physiotherapy exercises because of how much they stretch out the ligaments and are helping to increase my flexibility again

Battle ropes

I’ve always liked flinging battle ropes around the gym, but I’ve just found myself using them a lot more lately and loving it. I can also feel how much stronger I’ve got because I used to get tired with them so quickly!

The road to recovery isn’t easy, but I’ve been so much happier getting back into things, and even though I’m not where I want to be right now, its all about those baby steps!

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My Favourite Lower Body Exercises

So despite starting the year with a promise of monthly fitness update posts, that literally only happened in January. Oops, my bad.

I’m a little bit ashamed to say I’ve yo-yo’d a bit this year. I started the year on a high, but various aspects of life have been challenging my fitness journey and this has led to inconsistencies and going backwards at times, and while I’m a little bit annoyed about this, there’s nothing I can do looking back on it so all I can do is move forward.

My gym recently went through a big refurb, and while it never looked back in the first place, it looks so much better now! We have new equipment, new areas and a new pink wall that I’m particularly fond of, and the update has done wonders for my motivation.

If you read my new fitness plan back in May, you might have seen that summer is the time when I tend to focus more on my legs as I’m not running as much (and hate running during summer heat), and these are some of my favourite workouts for my lower body at the moment:

Plyo Box Jumps

The most popular new piece of kit in the gym is our new PlyoSoft boxes, and while I’d always considered them to be torture before I’d actually used them, but now I’m obsessed! I start off on a 45cm, the quickly moved up to 60cm and now I’m on 75cm and I’m aiming for 90cm by the end of August. Its a great bodyweight-only workout and I’m already seeing results!

Bosu ball squats

Because squatting isn’t tricky enough at the best of times, I’ve now taken to doing them on top of a bosu ball.. While this might not seem too different to squatting on solid ground, you’ll be amazed at how many more muscles you get working while you’re trying to maintain your stability!

Donkey kicks

While it may seem very cliche gym-girl, I love donkey kicks, and all the different variations of them. I have a little donkey kick routine that’s my go-to on days when I’m focusing on lower body, and I will do it over and over until the backs of my legs are screaming just cos for some reason I really seem to enjoy it..

Wall sits

Wall sits are probably the easiest possible exercise for your legs ever, and its amazing how much you feel the burn afterwards. If my legs aren’t already knackered, I’ll try and get in a few minutes of a wall sit at the end of a workout just to push myself right to the end – and then probably fall down the stairs out of the gym.

Swiss ball leg raises

These are killer for both abs and legs! Gripping a Swiss ball between your knees/calves, then raising your legs straight up and down while lying on the floor; I’ll tell you now its a killer!

What are your go-to leg moves in the gym?

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Glass Slipper Camp – Tiana HIIT

Hey Glass Slipper campers, are you ready for another workout?!

This month we’re gonna mix things up a little bit with a HIIT workout, so get ready to dig a little deeper because this month its all about Tiana!

So what is HIIT?

It stands for High Intensity Inverval Training, and the basic idea is that you give it everything you’ve got for a set length of time, then rest for a short space, then go again. Push, rest, push, rest; you get the picture. The best way to keep to your timings on this is to download an interval timer app on your phone, and set it to beep at each changeover.

The best part about this workout is it requires no equipment whatsoever, so find yourself some space and let’s get going! I recommend starting off doing each exercise for 20 seconds, and taking a 10 second rest between each exercise. If this is quite comfortable, push yourself to 30 seconds on, 10/15 seconds off, and try and get in as many rounds as you can!

This workout is designed to focus on your legs, so be sure to stretch well once you’re done!

Burpee jumps

While I often consider burpees to be torture, they are a great exercise for working your whole body and getting your heart pumping!

Frog Hops

To get the full effect, keep your body low and stick your butt right out as you hop in and out. (Apologies for my weak left knee!)

Frog Jumps

Like with the frog hops, try and keep low and movements small. Focus on just tapping the floor with your fingers each time, but keep your chest and head up.

Lateral frog jumps

Imagine you’re hopping from lilypad to lilypad. Really push up from each jump to drive sideways, and be sure to land on both feet at the same time.

Squat jumps

Finish off the set with a round of power jumps! Squat low and push up hard, little frog princess!

Congratulations princesses, you’ve just earned yourself a discount code! Buy either the Glass Slipper Camp or KettleBelle tank top, and get the second for just £5! Shop here, and just use ‘FITPRINCESS’ at the checkout!

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Glass Slipper Camp – Merida

I love how much you guys are loving the Glass Slipper Camp series! Its so satisfying knowing that something I put a lot of work into and had a lot of fun creating is really being appreciated, so thank you all!

This month we’re gonna be shooting for our own hands in honour of our favourite fiery redhead princess, that’s right, its Merida month and we’re focusing on strong arms!

You can do these exercises with weights, or they all work really well with a resistance band! I recommend starting with 3 sets of 10-15 reps, but see how you get on and do whatever you feel comfortable with!

Pull the Bow

Load up your bow, aim and pull that arrow back! Keep your chest up and tuck your hips forward to keep the core engaged.

Bicep Curls

Work those upper arms and build strength in those bear-ceps!

Quiver Pulls

Get ready to reload! Be sure to support your weight-bearing arm with the other.

Shoulder Press

Show how much stronger you are than those pesky clan first-borns, and be sure to touch the sky as you push up!

Tricep Kickbacks

Feet together, knees bent and butt out! Push those weights back and be sure to control them on the way back.

Now you’ve toned up your arms, will you be changing your fate?

PLUS this month comes with another discount code! Using ‘FATE30’ to save 30% on all orders at The Happiest Fitness Co  – valid until June 30th!

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My New Fitness Routine

I mean, I couldn’t stay at Muscle Beach forever..

In line with my post from Sunday, I’ve gotta get back on track with my fitness training. Having only just recovered from the jet lag, this morning was my first day back at the gym since before holiday, and although I did spend my holiday running a 10K and a half marathon, I’m definitely feeling the slump from a lack of workouts recently!

Now I’m a firm believer that the term ‘bikini body’ is a load of bull, and it really does grind my gears when health and fitness companies try to use the summer as a way to shame people into thinking they should be slimmer, but while my motivation has nothing to do with that, I do want to up my training heading into the summer months, for myself, my body confidence and no other reason.

Running

Personally, I hate running during the summer. I live on the beach and you’d think that would be perfect for running during the summer but I cannot stand it; it’s busy and the sun is glaring down and there’s no shade plus kids and dogs and bikes are everywhere. No thanks.

I also don’t do any big races during the summer, primarily due to heat, so I don’t have to worry about training too much, but I do want to maintain my consistency, so I’ll be aiming to do at least two runs a week – preferably a 5K and a 10K, just to keep myself moving and on form. I don’t see the point in pushing myself too much as I’m too prone to injury!

Gym

The gym is probably where I feel my most confident when it comes to fitness. I’ve seen such amazing progression that I don’t feel at all ashamed to say that I’m proud of myself, and I’m not stopping here. I’ll be aiming to visit at least 3-4 days a week, mixing both weight and strength training with some cardio options like spinning and rowing.

Given that I’m reining back my run training, I can get away with doing more leg training, as when I’m preparing for races I’m very cautious about what lower body work that I do, so I’ll definitely be stepping up with squats and lunges galore. My main focus has always really been upper body, especially my arms, and that will still be a big focus for me, but I also really enjoy finding more functional moves and workouts to get my whole body engaged!

Home Workouts

Where most people would probably have an area rug on their bedroom floor, I have my yoga mat rolled out at all times. I try not to waste precious gym time doing exercises that I can easily do at home, so evenings are the times that I generally do more calisthetics. I have both the Tone It Up and Blogilates apps on my phone, so I’m aiming to stick to the TIU daily moves every day, as well as one video by either K&K or one of my Blogilates faves.

I’m also hoping to fit some more yoga into my routine, both for strength and flexibility as well as time for meditation and relaxation, and praying I can master that forearm stand!

Fun Fitness

On top of everyday exercise, I’m hoping to squeeze a lot more fun into the summer months – Swimming, long adventurous walks, high ropes, trampolining, anything that’s a little bit different and a whole lotta fun really! If I’m enjoying myself and I’m being active then even better, right?

Do you mix up your fitness routine when summer comes?

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Glass Slipper Camp – Mulan

As voted by you, this month’s installment of Glass Slipper Camp features our favourite warrior princess, Mulan!

Are you ready to get down to business?!

This is a great workout do at home home as you don’t need any equipment! Try starting out with 3 sets of 15-20 reps.

Sumo Squats

Defeat those buns with this wide squat that also works your inner thighs.

Lunge Kickbacks

This variation on a classic lunge gets your stability muscles working and also activates your glutes as you kick backwards.

Knee Chop

As well as stretching your legs, this doubles as an ab-crunch!

Glute Kickbacks

Try to keep your upper body still and focus on keeping your glutes tight as you lift your leg back. Push your hands together to work your arms at the same time

Squat Kicks

Another twist on a classic! Squat nice and low, then keep your leg straight as you kick it up, working those stability muscles and the sides of your core.

Did this workout make a man out of you? Well reward yourself with 40% off all orders over £15 from The Happiest Fitness Co using ‘MULANCAMP’ at the checkout – valid until the end of May!

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Glass Slipper Camp – Rapunzel

Its time for another installment of Glass Slipper camp, yay!

I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone’s support for the first post, making it one of my most viewed posts of the year already – I’m just so happy you guys are loving this series as much as I am!

This week’s princess inspiration is my personal favourite – the lost princess herself – Rapunzel, and it ties in to The Happiest Fitness Co’s new collection which is available for pre-order now here!

Right, frying pans at the ready! I used a weighted medicine ball for this, but you can use whatever equipment you fancy (including frying pans), or none at all. If you want to work without a weight, I’d recommend 5 sets of 20 reps, or 3 sets of 15 with a weight – but see how you feel!

Toe Touches

7am, the usual morning line up.. Kick off this workout with a stretch that works your whole body!

Overhead Frying Pan Extension

Get those arms strong to protect yourself against any ruffians and thugs. Engage your core by pushing your hips forward and tucking in your bum, and try and get a full arm extension as you push back up.

Frying Pan Swipes

Keep your hips facing forward, and use your upper body to swing that ball (or pan!) from side to side. Keep your chest up and your arms locked out for maximum effect.

Lift the Lantern

Lock your arms out and lift that lantern up to the sky, working your back, butt and core at the same time

Crowning the Lost Princess

Finish your first round by making yourself a workout queen! Try to keep your elbows forward, and slow down the movement for maximum effect.

BEST WORKOUT EVER!

Love the Who Knew raglan from THFC? Its available for just £17.50 until the 31st – don’t miss out, pre order here!

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My Post Workout Routine

When it comes to workouts and the gym, I think everyone has their own little routines for how stuff should be done, whether its what day you do legs, or what order you do your weight circuit in, it starts to become ingrained into us.

I think that when you’re working so hard on your fitness, its important to remember to look after yourself in other ways – your skin, your body and also your general happiness, and I’ve developed a bit of a routine for what I like to do after I’ve just smashed a session to relax and rejuvenate myself so I’m ready to take on the rest of the day.

1. Stretch in the shower

Probably one of the weirdest parts of my shower habits, but while I’ve still got my muscles warm, I tend to get some more stretching done under the hot water, and if I’ve been on a long run, I’ll do this in the bath too.

2. Moisturise my face

I can’t pretend I’m one of those girls in the gym who never sweats. I’m a workout til I’m bright pink and got a drip of sweat on the mat kinda gal 90% of the time, and I find that its my face more than anywhere else that really dries out as a result. I use either Nivea Soft Cream or Nivea Sensitive Day Cream and sometimes go for two applications depending on how my skin is feeling.

3. Deodorise!

As soon as I’m showered and feeling fresh, I’ve gotta make sure I’m gonna keep feeling fresh for the rest of the day! I’ve recently been using Soft & Gentle 0% Aluminium*, which is not only great for sensitive skin, but I also love the fact that its vegan and cruelty free, which is a huge selling point for me, and the cans are a great size for fitting into my gym bag.

4. Clean and comfy socks

I normally walk home from the gym, so this is a treat I’ll save for when I get home, but I love putting on a fresh pair of super comfortable socks. Right now, my favourite pair for this is my Brad Feet socks* from Chatty Feet because they are so soft as well as wonderfully whimsical!

5. A fresh dusting

Once I’m dry, nothing tops off that fresh feeling more than a sprinkling of dusting powder! Lush Fairy Dust is my absolute favourite because I adore and smell and the sparkliness!

Do you have a post-workout care routine?

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*these products were sent to me for review. All opinions are my own

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Glass Slipper Camp – Cinderella

HEY GUYS!

If you follow me on Twitter and Instagram, you may have noticed me dropping hints about a secret project that I’ve been working on, AND THIS IS IT YA’LL.

Glass Slipper Camp

Its a new fitness series, and its inspired by the Glass Slipper Camp tank top from The Happiest Fitness Co, so naturally, its princess inspired!

Each month, I’ll be sharing a new workout, each one inspired by a different Disney princess, consisting of 5 moves. There’ll be a mixture of workouts, from HIIT to kettlebells, but the majority will be simple but effective exercises, which can be done with or without the use of weights.

As she is the inspiration for the tank top, I’ll be kicking off the series with a Cinderella inspired workout! Be prepared to work those legs as we’ll be needing them to run away from the ball at midnight! I recommend 3-5 sets of 10-15 reps.

curtsey-lunges

Curtsey Lunges

Imagine you’re meeting the prince: drop that back leg down and lift your skirt up high. Keep your head up though princess!

Fairy Godmother Kicks

Fairy Godmother Kicks

On the spot, try and get your heels tapping your bibbidi-bobbidi-butt!

Goblet Squats

Goblet Squats

Keep your body and your goblet upright, you don’t want to spill anything down your ballgown..

Your High-Knees

Your High-Knees

Royal running on the spot, drive those knees up into your chest!

Single Leg Deadlift Bows

Single Leg Deadlift Bows

You’ve already curtsey’d, now its time to take a bow! Keep your head up and try not to wobble, then swap legs!

Ready to workout? Use discount code ‘CINDERELLACAMP’ to get your Glass Slipper tank top half price! Code is valid until the end of February.

Stay tuned for a new princess workout each month, and go follow The Happiest Fitness Co. on Twitter and Instagram!

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Airborne Fitness at Oxygen Freejumping

I’m a firm believer in fitness being fun, otherwise its just a chore, right? So I, quite literally, jumped at the chance to try out the latest craze of trampoline fitness classes at Oxygen Freejump in Southampton.

Oxygen Freejumping

Now I actually have a background in trampolining (which made me even more excited to try this out), as I did it from the age of 3 until about 15, everything from weekly training to regional competitions, but I was definitely a little out of practice when I took to the springs yesterday!

Oxygen Freejump

Not only was I lucky enough to try out this class, but I was also able to bring my friend Jess, so after an early morning drive to Southampton, which is about 30 miles away for us, we arrived early and had a coffee in the little cafe.

Oxygen Freejumping

I had no idea how big it was there! In my head I had pictured a big room full of trampolines, but there were actually a bunch of smaller sections, as well as the main freejumping area, and it was in one of these little side areas that our class was held. Before we could get onto the trampolines, we had to get a pair of special grippy socks, which were £2 (but you get to keep them for future use!) then we were lead through to the hall by our instructor, Tyler.

Oxygen Freejumping Airborne Fitness

There were 16 little trampolines making up the floor, one per person, as well as three walls of trampolines and a small strip in the middle which is where Tyler demonstrated all the exercises. As with all good workouts, there was a warm-up consisting of 30 second rotations of different exercises – high knees, star jumps, lunges etc – before we got into things properly, and by the end of the warm up I was already feeling the effects; it was hard work!

Oxygen Freejumping Airborne Fitness

An hour flew by! Although we had quite a few little much needed water breaks, I’m not really sure where the time went; we moved from exercise to exercise, some were solo, some were done in pairs, and exercise sets were broken up by jumping laps around the room. We did everything from planking to bouncing off the walls, and while it was hard work, it was so much fun! I don’t think I stopped smiling and laughing for the whole hour.

Its worth noting that while the class is held in a separate area to the other bounce sessions, there’s just a net between you and the other Oxygen users, so its not entirely private! Not a problem for me, but if you’re not keen on public workouts, this may not be for you. I’d also recommend bringing a water bottle with you, it gets hot!

The class is £10/session, but I would 100% recommend it to anyone looking for something a little bit different and I’d love to go back; if I lived closer I’d probably make it a regular thing, and I’d also love to give freejumping a go!

Have I inspired you to book? Use discount code HERO20 today to get 20% off at your local Oxygen Freejumping centre!

I was able to participate in this class free of charge in return for this review. All opinions are my own.
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Another Fitness Wishlist

Its been a little while since I shared a wishlist with you, and you know they basically go one of two ways: Disney or fitness. Today is the latter!

Keeping fit is such a huge part of my life now, and I’m forever looking for new ways to stay motivated, whether it be new workout clothes, adding something new and different to my routine or finding some great new healthy recipes, and I’ve found myself once again making lists of things to blow my hard-earned cash on..

Wishlist

I love how colourful this one is too!

So first up we’ve for the Eco Yoga Towel from Yoga Design Lab, which is so beautiful and bright I fell in love! I know its not a proper yoga mat, but I’ve got one of them and I think this would be great to take down to the beach in the summer and I miss doing yoga so I think a new toy will get my butt back into gear with my inner self.

How cute is this pastel foam roller and band set from Tone It Up? You might be familiar with their Youtube workouts, but they also sell cute fitness gear! I’ve been thinking about getting my own foam roller for a while now, and this mint/coral combo is perfect! Another recovery item, after having issues with my knee for a few months now, I’m looking to get a trigger point massage stick in the near future.

Ok, another fitness craze that I’m kinda wanting to get into is the weighted hula hoop. Now I’ve always been awful at hula hooping, but I still wanna try it and I think this multi-coloured hoop is the prettiest!

A relatively new fitness brand to the scene, Pink Soda clothing is available from JD Sports, and I’m crushing on this mint/black reversible sports bra big time! Rounding out this wishlist, I’m a real sucker for a cookbook, and Get the Glow by Madeleine Shaw looks like its going to be packed with healthy, wholesome foodie goodness.

Are you gearing up for a summer of fitness fun? Don’t forget to follow my #YearOfFit series!

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#YearOfFit – Fitness Goals for Everyone

Happy Wednesday! Are we all feeling good today?

I guess, following the previous introduction post, this is the first ‘proper’ #YearOfFit post of the year, yay!

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If you’re planning on joining me and having your very own year of fitness success, you’ll probably have set yourself some goals or targets for the year – I know I have! – but today I’m going to talk about the goals that anyone can have and achieve, even if it takes a little bit of hard work! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again and again: fitness is for everyone, whether you’re hitting the gym every day or just trying to walk more; it all counts!

Learn to swim

As far as I’m concerned, this is about more than just fitness, its about safety. An article in The Guardian last year said that 1 in 5 adults in England can’t swim, and to me that seems crazy! Swimming is not only a great way to keep fit (especially for those with injuries), but knowing how to hold your own in the water could save your life one day. I’m not going to get morbid, but please, if you can’t, promise me you’ll learn to swim this year?

Run a 5K

Yes, I’m bias, but a 5K is a great goal if you’re taking it up running this year. My best tip on how to get into running? Step outside your front door. It doesn’t matter if you start off running for just 10 seconds at a time, and walking in between; you’re still trying and it will get easier. Is that the finish line in the distance? Yes, yes it is.

Plank for 2 minutes

Planking is a great way of working your whole body with minimal risk of injury and minimal effort. Start by holding it for 10-20 sec, then add a few more seconds on every day. You’ll get there in no time!

Incorporate weight training

Weight training seems to have such a negative connotation with many people, but seriously guys, ITS REALLY GOOD FOR YOU! Try and add some weights into your workouts, and I promise you’ll find yourself feeling better and noticing results!

I truly and totally believe that every single one of these goals can be achieved by anyone. Go, surprise yourself!

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#YearOfFit 2016

Welcome to #YearOfFit 2016!

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New-ish series, following on from my previous #fitfordisney posts last year, this is going to be all about keeping fit and healthy, and enjoying it!

Now I just want to start off by saying I am no personal trainer, nor am I a nutritionist or expert; I am just a girl who loves keeping fit. If you’ve followed me for the last year or so, you’ll know that I spent the whole of 2015 training up for the two half marathons that I ran at the beginning of this month, along with another 5k and 10k. I love going to the gym, and tend to do so 3-4 times a week. Long story short, I am really enjoying my fitness journey so far, and I want to share more of it with you, and would love for you to have your own journey this year.

Another thing I want to clear up before this series really kicks off – there will be no body shaming here. This is about fitness and health, not size, but also your body is your body, and it can look however, and do whatever you want it to. Skinny? Good for you! Consider yourself a little on the larger side? Great! Fitness and a healthy lifestyle looks good on everyone!

So what can you expect from #YearOfFit this year? Well I’m going to be writing a combination of fitness tips and advice, sharing some of my favourite workouts, and also covering diet, from meal prep advice to some delicious healthy recipes, and if there’s anything you’d like to see, get in touch!

So right now I want you to think about what you want to get out of your #YearOfFit. You might want to run your first 10k, you might want to take up a new hobby; whatever it is, write it down, take pictures, whatever, and please please PLEASE get in touch to tell me what you’re up to! I’m excited to see who’s going to be with me on this adventure this year!

Ready?

Let’s do this!

(Want a little head start? Read my previous #fitfordisney series for some of my older posts!)

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Winter Run Wear

Its the season of big coats, woolly hats and hands stuffed into pockets because you forgot your gloves yet again, and any excuse to stay home in the warmth is welcomed with open arms, unless you’re a runner..

We’re a strange breed, and a year or two ago I would look out on those braving the low temperatures to get in a training run and think ‘is it really worth it?’, but now I’m part of this world I welcome a brisk winter run because I know how to dress for the occasion.

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My first winter essential is my fleece, which I save for the coldest weather; its great for keeping away the chill while you’re out, but once you get back home you’re gonna want to whip it off pretty quick before you start to cook!

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Next staple of mine is a bunch of lightweight long sleeved tops, like this once from Asics. On cool days, you might worry that they’re not gonna keep you warm, but once you get going you’ll warm up nicely, but also avoid overheating. Something I love about running in colder weather is that its cool enough to run with my hair down, so chunky headbands that keep the cool off my ears and the hair out of my face are pretty great!

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I love my bodywarmer in the winter months – its super lightweight and not at all bulky, but at the same time makes all the difference out in the cold. I would also recommend a lightweight infinity scarf; even if you don’t want to run wearing it, it’ll help keep you warm once you start your cool-down.

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Bring on the thermals! Forget the idea that they’re thick or too hot, and find yourself a nice light one because you’ll be amazed how much warmer they’ll make you! Sometimes I also like to wear a hat – you lose a lot of body heat from your head, so it helps prevent you cooling down too much, and the same principle applies to gloves!

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Finally, the dreaded waterproof jacket! I say dreaded because who likes running in the rain, right? Well, like it or not, a lot of runners still do it, so the waterproof is fairly essential. I found shopping for mine pretty tricky; a lot of jackets claim ‘splashproof’ or ‘water resistant’, rather than waterproof, so you have to take a risk on whether you’ll be fully protected from the weather, but generally I would recommend avoiding cheaper/high street brands and go to a proper sports brand!

Once you’re fully equipped for the cold, there’s nothing to stop you from keeping up your training through the winter months. You never know, you might enjoy it!

xoxo

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#fitfordisney – A Fitness Lustlist

Happy, healthy Wednesday everyone, good day to you all!

Today I’ve put together what I like to call my fitness ‘lustlist’. Its sort of like a wishlist, except full of wonderfully expensive products that I could never justify spending the money on, and that’s ok, because I’m happy to admire them from a distance! Sure, if I won the lottery or something, they’d definitely be on my shopping list, but while I find them beautiful, I can live without them, I just thought it would be fun to share a few with you!

lustlist

First of all, there’s Rundies! Yes, as the name suggests, undies for running, kinda like day-of-the-week pants, but with different runs printed on them, cute right?! $65

Sweaty Betty is a fitness brand that prides itself with beautifully designed workout clothes, and the Chromo Run Tee (top centre) and Ultra Run Bra (bottom right) are no exceptions! £125 and £42

I’m also a sucker for a bit of Nike, which I think makes me a bit of a fitness snob, but hey ho! I’m not 100% sure why, but I kind of love the Pro Engineers Giraffe Training Tights (bottom left) and I love the colour and design of the Dri-Fit Knit Epic Crew Training Top! £50 and £47.99

We also know how much I love Fabletics, right? The Moorea Bra (centre) is such a nice change of design from regular sports bras, and comes in a few different colours too! £30 (or £22 for VIP)

And finally, despite my general favouritism for Nike running shoes, these Asics GT-1000 are such a lovely colour! £97

Quite a stunning selection right? Do you have a lustlist too?

xoxo

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RunDisney 2016: 15 Weeks to go, and Tough Mudder!

Ok, we all know what this week was about.. Tough Mudder.

With that looming at the end of the week, we decided to only run once, on Tuesday, and skip Thursday to save ourselves for Saturday.. It was a nice little 5-6 miler, nothing special, but Saturday..

Saturday was all about the mud. If I’m being honest, I’m still a little in shock and awe that its all over, and that we did it. It was beyond insane.

Up and on the road by 7.30am, a rush to sign in and find our team, and into the warm-up zone for a quick jump around before making our way to the start line – which of course we could only get to by getting over a 6ft wall!

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From there, it was only 11.8 miles with almost 30 obstacles to get through before we crossed the finish line again, no biggie..

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Ice baths, mud miles, 12 ft walls, tunnels, hills, and electric shocks – the photos don’t do justice – and just over 4 hours later, we crossed the line and were greeted by goodie bags and a pint!

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I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it was such an incredible experience! Definitely hard work, but amazing. Our team was phenomenal, especially Dad, who only actually signed up for this during the week, but was such a trooper and blew us all away!

Would I do another one? Let’s just watch this space..

And as for Run Disney, today marks the first day of double digits – only 99 days until we leave!

°o°

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#fitfordisney – What’s in my gym bag?

I love reading ‘What’s in my bag’ posts on other people’s blogs, so I thought it would be fun for a #fitfordisney post to do a ‘What’s in my gym bag’ post!

I’ve written before all about my gym bag itself, and how much I love it – its the Fabletics Sophia Satchel, and you can read all about it here – but today I’m emptying it to share the essential items of my gym kit that I love.

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For starters, I have a LOT of hairbands; everything from scrunchies to headbands. Because I have such long hair, keeping it all out of the way when I’m at the gym or out running is damn near impossible with just a simple hair tie, so I generally keep a skinny headband on me at all times, either to wrap my ponytail up into a bun, or to control the wispy hairs around my face which drive me mad! The wider headbands I tend to wear more around the house, or when I’m doing yoga.

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I generally walk to and from the gym, so don’t use the shower and changing facilities there, which means I don’t carry a massive amount of toiletries, but I cannot be without lip balm so I keep one of my many Eos balls in with my kit, as well as Vaseline hand cream in a vague attempt to keep my hands soft after doing weights! I also always have my combination lock, because you have to provide your own at my gym, and the nifty tool that opens my Fitbit when I need to change the battery, just in case!

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While hygiene is important in most aspects, I feel that foot hygiene is pretty high up there on the list of most important places to keep clean, and generally fairly forgotten about. As a runner, my feet are the most used body part in my workouts, so I always keep a can of shoe deodorant in my bag to spray my trainers after use, as well as a spare pair of socks. On the topic of feet, I also keep my pair of yoga socks in my gym bag, should I need them. They might look weird, but they’re crazy comfy, super grippy and I love them.

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Then there’s the gym essentials: a water bottle and a sweat towel. We all sweat, its entirely natural and you can’t do anything about it, but you can be considerate to other gym users by wiping down your equipment after use, whether you’re super sweaty or not, and for your own good, keeping hydrated is vital for replacing the water you lose while you’re working at your hardest. I have an Aladdin water bottle which is 600ml, and I generally will end up refilling it halfway through my gym sessions because I try to drink as much as possible.

So that’s me and my gym bag, what’s in yours?

#fitfordisney
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#fitfordisney – My Top 20 Disney Workout Songs

1. When Will My Life Begin – Tangled

2. I’ll Make A Man Out Of You – Mulan

3. Zero to Hero – Hercules

4. One Jump Ahead – Aladdin

5. I Wanna Be Like You – The Jungle Book

6. I Just Can’t Wait To Be King – The Lion King

7. Under The Sea – The Little Mermaid

8. Let It Go – Frozen

9. He’s a Pirate – Pirates of the Caribbean

10. A Star Is Born – Hercules

11. Belle – Beauty and the Beast

12. Strut – The Cheetah Girls 2

13. I’ve Got A Dream – Tangled

14. Get’cha Head In The Game – High School Musical

15. Almost There – The Princess and The Frog

16. Hasta La Vista – Camp Rock

17. Digga Tunna Dance – The Lion King 3

18. Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo – Cinderella

19 – We Belong Together – Toy Story 3

20 – Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride – Lilo and Stitch

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#fitfordisney: The Lion King

The Outfit

(based on a few items I own myself!)

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1. Hakuna Matata crop top from Look Human

2. Hakuna Matata yoga pants from Kohl’s

3. Lion King socks from Hot Topic

4. Nike Free 5.0 from Nike

The Music

My top 5 upbeat Lion King songs 🙂

1. Digga Tunna Dance

2. I Just Can’t Wait to be King

3. Warthog Rhapsody

4. The Lion Sleeps Tonight

5. Grazing in the Grass

Standby for the movie workout, coming soon!

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Why get #fitfordisney?

Alongside a number of other upcoming events in my life, Disney is a big reason for improving my fitness levels.

‘Why do I need to be fit to go to Disneyworld?’

Yes, its a theme park, not an assault course, but there are still a number of reasons for hitting the gym before your trip;

1. You underestimate how much walking you’re going to do – the average guest covers around 7 miles per day in the park (I’m going to do some research on this during my trip with the help of my Fitbit), and if you’re not accustomed to walking long distances, or if you’re going in the scorching summer season, it can be a shock to the system.

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2. Disney food is to die for – the last thing you want on your holiday is to be on a diet; where’s the fun in that?! With ice-cream sandwiches, bakeries on every corner and some of the coolest restaurants in the world, you shouldn’t have to be concerned with calorie counting, skipping meals or feeling guilty about what you eat.

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3. Disney workout clothes – check out what Lookhuman have to offer, but Etsy and other places have amazing stuff too!

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4. If you’re going to run just one distance race in your life, runDisney – runDisney organise running weekends and festivals, and yes, the course you run is around the parks! Each weekend/festival usually has a 5k, 10k and half marathon, as well as a Fitness Expo, and these events run throughout the year at both Disney World Florida and Disneyland California. A runDisney half marathon is very high on my Disney bucketlist!

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5. Looking good on your holiday – whether its a summer bikini body or just slimming down for photos, a holiday is one of the most common reasons people give for wanting to get fit. It also gives you an excuse to splurge on new clothes, especially if you’re going to be hitting the outlets!

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I’m not a total selfie nut, promise! These pictures are from my Instagram @lottiedoesdisney and I tag my workout pictures with #fitfordisney 🙂

Now.. how #fitfordisney are you?

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