Tag: health

  • 3 Ways To Stay Motivated When You Really Can’t Be Bothered

    3 Ways To Stay Motivated When You Really Can’t Be Bothered

    Keeping Fit At Home

    This past month I’ve really been enjoying working out and getting back into the routine of keeping fit from home. There’s no better way to keep myself motivated than a push in the right direction and so when CollectPlus asked me to share the ways in which I stay motivated to work out, I thought now was perfect timing.

    I don’t know about you, but for me, the second month into the year always seems to be the hardest when it comes to keeping myself motivated with my fitness. I then have to remind myself that I’ll feel much better if I just keep at it. So here are some of the ways that I help myself to do just that…

    1. Change Things Up & Try Something New

    Workout videos on Youtube have been my thing this past month. I have a few favourites which I like to alternate and whilst they are fun, you can actually feel them working (check out my playlist of favourites here). I do know however that if I do too much of the same thing, I will soon grow bored and so to changed things up a little I decided to order some home workout equipment.

    I did of course have the equipment delivered via CollectPlus, which is an absolute game changer by the way, especially if you’re like me and sometimes out till late. It’s good because you can have your parcels delivered to your local shop, or in my case, to the petrol station. It’s open until very late, meaning I can pick up my parcels much more conveniently. It was of course perfect in this case because you know the post man wasn’t about to fit a stepper machine and flexbell through the letter box.

    I always loved using weights to do ab workouts in the gym and so I thought the flexbell would be perfect for reintroducing some of my old workouts at home, to change things up a little. With the stepper machine I thought this would be perfect for when I’m feeling super lazy because I can actually use it whilst watching TV, so there are actually no excuses!

    Twist Stepper

    2. Create A Workout Playlist

    When I think back to when I used to go to the gym, I remember the thing that would motivate me most whilst working out was music. I actually remember the odd occasion when I’d forget my earphones and I’d be so annoyed, as I knew that I would quickly lose focus and those were always the occasions when I’d cut my workout routine short.

    I’ve been wanting to get back into running outdoors for a while and I’ve slowly been building up to it this past month with long, brisk walks. I’ve now decided to finally create a playlist full of some of my old workout favourites that will be perfect to keep me motivated whilst I’m running.

    Body sculpture flex bell

    3. Set Yourself A Challenge

    I find setting myself challenges a great way to motivate myself, as I always feel determined to complete them. I’ve found it works best when you break things down. So for me personally, giving myself a different challenge month by month is the best way to do it. That way it breaks things up and I can actually see the finish line to each challenge too.

    I also think it helps to be realistic, so give yourself a challenge which you actually believe to be achievable. For example I might say that during February that I want to workout at least three times per week and one of those workouts has to include a 5k run (just an example but actually not a bad idea). It’s basically just another way of setting goals, but by calling it a challenge and giving myself a time frame to complete it in makes me much more determined to do it…So what are we waiting for, let’s set ourselves some challenges!

    At home workouts blog

    Equipment Used
    Yoga-Mad Warrior Mat – John Lewis | 8kg Flexbell – Very | Stepper With Resistance Cords – Very

    Workout Outfit
    Shock Absorber Sports Bra – (in different colour) Asos | Elle Sport Tights – Get The Label | Elle Sport Vest – Get The Label | Nike Hoodie – Asos | Nike Trainers – John Lewis

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    Those are three of the ways I like to stay motivated when I really can’t be bothered to work out. Just writing this blog post has given me another boost of motivation to be honest, so maybe that’s another one in itself; Writing a list of ways to motivate yourself, so that you actually start to feel motivated again. I also have to remind myself that I always feel great after working out, so why quit now! I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, however little you do, it’s always better to do something rather than nothing if you’re hoping to keep active and keep at it.

    I hope this blog post could help to give you a little boost of motivation. Just remember not to put too much pressure on yourself, have fun with it and find what works best for you! I’d love to hear some of the ways you help yourself to stay motivated when you really can’t be bothered. Comment below and let me know!

    Samio x

    Stretch out

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  • Tips To Help Beat January Blues

    Tips To Help Beat January Blues

    As we are often told, January is a depressing month, but it doesn’t have to be. Okay so Christmas is over and although I do miss that Merry festive time I don’t think I could eat another minced pie and I’ve had my fill of roast potatoes for a while. So in the mean time we have 2014 to focus on and if you are feeling down or need a little pick me up during this first month of the year, here are some of my tips to keeping happy and positive.

    Unfortunately this isn’t a guaranteed happiness guide but these are just some of the things that I do and have tried that personally help me feel positive and happy and so some of these tips may help and work for you too.

    Tip 1. Go Green
    I’ve been starting my day with a green smoothie/juice for several months now. I call them green juices as I put a lot of veg in them which turns the drink green. I soon got use to the savoury taste (as apposed to sugar filled smoothies I’d previously drank) and now I rarely go a day without one. The energy boost the juices give me each morning are amazing and it’s a great way to make sure I get plenty of vitamins each day. In an average day the ingredients I will use are; 1 banana, 1 apple, 1 carrot, a quarter cup of raspberries, a hand full of curly kale and a sprinkling of linseed, topped up with water.

    Tip 2. Exercise
    Exercise is a great way to keep you feeling good. I try to exercise at least four times a week (when I’m being good). Over the holidays I did no exercise for over two weeks and along with all the food and drink, I started to feel bloated and sluggish. After only a week back at the gym after Christmas, I was feeling my energetic self again. I realise the gym isn’t for everyone and many people see it as a chore or boring but there are plenty or other ways to keep fit, such as partaking in local sports or even just simply going for long walks, which takes me onto my next tip…

    Tip 3. Go on long walks
    Okay so when it’s not pouring it down with rain (as it usually is here in the UK), going for a walk is a great way to get some fresh air and a bit of exercise at the same time. If you live somewhere sunny, then perfect for you (unless you’re lucky enough to live somewhere too hot for walking). Recently we’ve had some clear days and even managed to see some blue skies. I love going for long walks when the air is still crisp but the sky is blue, as I find it really refreshing. Also when I’m stressed or need to think, I often find going on a long walk is a great way to clear the mind and leave me feeling reinvigorated.

    Tip 4. Phone a friend
    Two of my best friends live far away, the furthest living in Barcelona. So as you can imagine it’s not always easy to catch up, with our busy lives and the distance between us. Despite this I know that my best friends are only ever a phone or Skype call away. Catching up with my girlfriends is the perfect pick me up, I often I have a grin on my face for hours after our chats together have ended and I’ll still be giggling to myself at our silly conversations. Whether it’s catching up with a nearby friend over a coffee or speaking over the phone long distance, I can always rely on my best friends to put a smile on my face.

    Tip 5. Have a hobby
    It could be Wednesday night dance class, baking on a Saturday or putting an hour aside once a week to do that painting you’ve always wanted to do. Whatever your hobby is, make time for it, so that you can make time for you. Work and life can often take over and many of the interests you used to have can be forgotten. But remember the good things that make you smile and go do them.

    Tip 6. Be productive
    A new year can often be a fresh start and so if there’s something important you’ve been needing or wanting to do, then a good time to start getting it done is now. Rather than leaving what needs to be done till last minute or forever putting it off (something which I am often guilty of), you’ll feel much better if you start work on what you need to do, now rather than later. I was happy to finally get my bag site open last week and it’s shown me what I can do when I use my time productively. The process of the productivity might not always be fun and it might even be stressful but once it’s done you’ll be left feeling satisfied and happier.

    Tip 7. Have a clear out
    You may decide to make some extra cash with and eBay haul or do a good deed by giving a good chunk of your clothes to charity, either way a clear out is a great way to clear space and start fresh. I just recently did this and got rid of numerous items which I seemed to simply be hoarding. After being roofless with my clear out, not only did it leave me feeling refreshed It made plenty of space for more new clothes, hurrah! You know the saying, out with the old, in with the new.

    Tip 8. Buy a new lipstick
    So this tip seems really simple but it’s amazing what a bit of lippy can do. (For guys it could be buying a new grooming product, unless your a guy who wears lipstick of course). If you haven’t noticed already, I am lipstick obsessed. I love buying new lipsticks and I love trying out new shades. I am a strong believer of the positive effects that trying out a new look can do for your confidence and self esteem. A new lipstick shade alone can give you a completely different look and trying out a new colour is a great non permanent and inexpensive way to experiment.

    Tip 9. Pamper yourself
    I’m talking bubble bath, face mask, hair mask, nails, the works. Have a night in for you and make yourself feel and look fabulous. I find this especially important in winter months, when your skin and hair feels dryer and you feel like it’s been five years since you last saw sunshine (again if you live in a hot country, lucky for you). Pampering yourself is the perfect way to spend some me time. You could even make a night of it and get your friends over, or rope the other half in… How nice would a massage be after that bubble bath!

    Tip 10. Make a plan
    Having something to look forward to is a great way to keep you feeling positive. I love making plans, whether it be a girly night in, a weekend away with the boyfriend or a big trip abroad, making a plan to do something fun is always exciting. Even if you have to wait a while to do what you’ve planned, it can make you feel happier just thinking about what you’ve got to look forward to.

    So these were my 10 Tips, I hope you can find some of them useful and helpful, now go forth and be happy! 😀

    Samio x