THE INCREDIBLE LIMBER STRETCH - MY NEW ESSENTIAL LIFE AND WORKOUT PIECE (AND 20% OFF DISCOUNT CODE)

PRESENTING THE AMAZING LIMBER STRETCH!!!

So at first I was a little skeptical about how I would use this belt and wasn't sure if I'd have much use for it... And how wrong was I!!! In short; I LOVE this belt. It's an absolute essential for me now - both a lifestyle AND workout essential. So I thought I'd give you a detailed review of the product and hopefully you'll think about buying one too!! To be honest, I think it's actually a very sound investment. I will DEFINITELY stick with this belt. I've had my belt for about 5 days and barely taken it off.

Firstly, I don't know how much I can emphasize that this belt is sooooo comfortable. In fact, the other day I just wore it all day and almost completely forgot about it hah! Its Spandex Lycra band just sits effortlessly around your waist or hips. And even when you have your phone and other belongings in the belt, sitting down is just as comfortable.

I was a little worried about the sizing, because I have quite a small figure and an especially small waist. However, the smallest size fits wonderfully on my hips and doesn't loosen when I move. But the great thing is, they offer to replace your band if you do pick the wrong size, so you can't be put off by sizing!

I went for the black band, which is really subtle and looks like part of my yoga pants/running tights and just goes so well. Though I'm actually considering getting one of the aqua coloured ones to show off because that one is such a nice colour and would like nice in the summer hah!

As I've mentioned, I was skeptical about using it for running, but I MUCH preferred it to the usual arm band!!!

 I was also expecting the band to keep moving as I ran, and having to readjust it, but not at all - it stayed in place for a whole 5K! And it was SO comfortable. The problem with armbands is they wobble around and loosen and if you wear a jacket, and want to take it off whilst running, you can't without stopping your run, because it's strapped around your arm. I also really preferred having all of my belongings just at my waist so that I don't have to worry about them. It's much more comfortable on your waist and you don't feel the weight of your phone moving at all, like you would with an arm band.

Another feature I love is the little hook inside which I like to put my house key on so that you have no worries at all about it coming loose. However even running with my phone, key and money (as I was stopping off at the shop afterwards) was no problem at all and I didn't feel like anything was going to fall out during the run.

Also, I love to use the Nike+ Running App and having the phone easily accessible on my waist means that I can easily take it out mid-run and check my distance/speed/etc and easily place it back in - something I wasn't able to do with a running arm band. As well as running I also wore it to yoga, and even through extravagant poses it stayed in place and remained really comfortable with my belongings in

This belt is also really ideal for taking my dog for a run because normally I end up running with a handbag with treats and poo bags and my money and phone in (which is a nightmare) but this makes for effortless dog walking/running. Especially in the summer when I won't have jackets and coats with pockets in, I can't wait to wear this!!! I can imagine that it would be perfect for cycling and hiking too in the summer, which I'm looking forward to. I'm also doing some travelling soon with a lot of long flights and moving about and I just know that my travelling attire will be yoga pants and my Limber Stretch band as I'll be able to keep my passport, phone, money and boarding passes right around my waist (especially as I won't have jackets and coats where I'm headed)!! EXCITING TIMES!

So on the whole, I COMPLETELY recommend this product because it's so versatile and comfortable and convenient and I think everyone will have a use for it and some of you will have loads of uses for it like me! There's such a sense of freedom with being completely hands free! Especially during exercise or travel when you're rushing about and really do want to be hands free! I LOVE my Limber Stretch band!!!!! It is WELL worth the money! And the material feels really durable so hopefully it'll last a long time too!

You can order this band from Amazon UK by searching the Limber Stretch or by clicking this link here! AND FOR ONE MONTH I PRESENT YOU THE CODE: LOVEHUGS for a further 10% off of the price which already has 10% off, giving you a 20% saving!

P.S Delivery was super speedy too, I received mine within 3 working days!

Have a beautiful day!!!!! Courtney x

NEW NIKE RUNNING GEAR // DOWNSHIFTERS 6

Up until now I have absolutely loved my Nike Revolution 2 running shoes, but truth be told they have seen better days. They're by no means wrecked... I just thought a sparkly new pair would be nice. And it was between another pair of Nike Revolution 2 or trying the Downshifters. The Downshifters looked even more 'bouncy' and supportive and were only a little more expensive, so I went those!

And of course I had to (did I really? Really?) get some new Nike socks to go with them!

(I'm going to wear them out soon and will get back to you)!

Which shoes do you wear for running/working out? Any Recommendations?

Courtney x

UPDATE 10/01/2015 17:30
Okay, I've just got back from my workout and on land and treadmill these are AMAZING! Running is just so effortless. I am in love.

The running essentials! (Or how to make running more enjoyable and worthwhile)

SO, I thought I'd make this post because we all know how beneficial running is from the thousands of articles raving about it in terms of burning calories, improving heart health, releasing endorphins, etc etc! BUT, many of us take to running and very quickly begin to hate it for one reason or another. OR maybe some of you do love running but just want some tips to make running even better. Either way, give this a read!

1) A small coffee before a run will give you a boost!

It has been proven that coffee can actually help your workout! I find that having a coffee about half-an-hour (don't have it too soon before your workout) really helps me to run for longer and faster. Definitely give this a try, especially if you seem to never be beating your 'personal bests', you may surprise yourself after a coffee. Don't however try and run after a big breakfast. I like to do my run early in the morning before breakfast or anything else as this is proven to be the best time for a workout and burns the most calories, but it also doesn't interfere with my day then. Once I've completed my run, I have my shower and breakfast and get on with my day. Jogging early in the morning before anything else also makes me feel a lot more energised throughout the day and I tend to be more productive.

2) Use the Nike+ Running App!

I honestly cannot rave about this app enough! In fact, I should do a whole separate post about this app - it's truly wonderful. It tracks your whole run as you go and gives you feedback afterwards about distance, speed, calories burned, fastest mile, fastest 1k and even shows you a map of your run and where you ran more quickly and more slowly. The app counts your NikeFuel points and gives you little 'achievements' for certain things (and I have to admit, the points and achievements do give me extra motivation to run)! You can also add friends and compete with them which is great fun and the slight competition aspect encourages you to run more too. Though if you don't like the social aspect, you can have a completely private account.

3) Listen to a good album, playlist or audio-book!

A good upbeat album or playlist can make all the difference during a run and make you power through that last bit of distance. Recently, I've actually been listening to the new U2 album on my runs which I am loving. Alternatively you can create a playlist of your own, or even buy a workout CD. Some people enjoy listening to an audio-book on their run and find that when they get drawn into the story, they run further to find out what happens (you just have to set a rule that you only listen to the audio-books on your runs)! If you're using the Nike running app, it supports music playing and you can even choose 'power songs' for the last stretch of the run.

4) Use a running armband!

After using one of these, I really could not go back to the days of trying to hold my phone, house keys and water bottle (whilst trying also to put my earphones in)! These are really great and make it a lot easier to have a more comfortable run without holding anything (unless I go for a slightly longer run and just carry a running water bottle). Honestly, these will make your running experience better! And you don't have to purchase expensive Nike armbands, you can pick these up quite cheaply, for less than £5 in stores or online. 

5) Get a running water bottle!

A lot of people will find that after a run they'll have a very sore throat for a day or two and just can't see how running is worthwhile if you have a sore throat afterwards. However this is often because when you're running of course you breath much more quickly through your mouth, and quite simply, your mouth will get really dry and all of the air (especially cold air in the colder months) can give you a sore throat. A simple solution to this is a small running water bottle. It doesn't need to be big and it doesn't need to be expensive - just a small water bottle to stop the overwhelming thirst and a dry sore throat, is all you need. Again, bottles like these can be bought very cheaply online. Of course a normal, small water bottle is fine, but the running ones, such as the one photographed above are just a lot easier to hold whilst you run.

6) Comfortable running clothes!

A pair of comfortable running tights will also make a big difference to your run. And they need to fit! It's extremely annoying trying to run with over-sized bottoms falling down as you're running. And too tight, and you'll feel restricted and uncomfortable as you run. Tracksuit bottoms or jogging bottoms (despite the name) and not good for jogging or running. You want lightweight, and non-baggy clothing. Your choice of top is a little less important and as long as you don't go with over-sized, baggy jumpers and jackets, you should be ok. And for the ladies, a comfortable but supportive bra, or sports bra is ideal, especially for the bustier ladies.

7) Good running shoes!

Now this may be where the savvy savers think that 'this running business is getting all to expensive'. But it doesn't have to be like that, especially if you're just beginning. If you're just trying running then even stores such as Tesco, Primark and H&M will do some sort of running shoe. However I will say that running in court shoes and using proper running shoes is a very, very different experience. And even the best of us know that a bad pair of shoes can ruin a very good day. So don't give up on running because it's uncomfortable on your feet - you'll get there. Also, if you're someone that is trying to lose weight with running and you think that you may be a little overweight, getting some exercise insoles for your shoes will make running a lot less harsh on your feet.

8) Mix it up!

Running the same route every time, will inevitably get boring... Mix it up and run different routes and find some new places to run. Or incorporate your run into things such as your weekly shop. Is your supermarket a mile away? Take a quick run there, and walk back with your shopping. Another great thing about the Nike running app is that you can select a distance, or a timed run, meaning that you can just run in any direction and let the app guide you as to when to head back. 

I hope that you enjoyed this post and have got some new tips on how to enjoy running more! If you tried any of these tips, have any questions, or even have some tips of your own, please post your comments below! :-)

Get out your childhood hula hoop for a fun and effective workout!

I wanted a little change with my workouts and wanted to work on my stomach, but things like plank challenges or sit-up challenges where you just try to improve how many you can do each day tend not to work so well for a couple of reasons. Firstly, with plank and sit-up challenges, especially as beginners, you can only manage a couple of minutes before your 'workout' comes to a sorry end... But that wouldn't be so bad if you could do these workouts several times a day, every day - surely you'd build muscle quickly? Unfortunately not, because these measly few minute 'challenges' often leave you with very, very achy muscles the following day - having only got in a couple of minutes of exercise! 

Instead finding a good workout which is a mixture of cardio and muscle building would be perfect, and that's where hula hooping comes in! Now, I beg you not to dismiss this post because you're 'hopeless at hula hooping' because I promise you, progress is amazingly and surprisingly quick and I promise that you will get it!

I recently decided to give hula hooping a try when I found an old hula hoop in the garage and thought 'why not?' Since then, I've read some articles and discovered that hula hooping is actually 'all the rage' at the moment, with power women including Michelle Obama and Beyonce taking to the hoop! And my verdict? I wholly recommend it to everyone!

So why am I currently obsessed with hula hooping?

• It's such a convenient way to exercise. A hula hoop is very cheap to buy and once you've purchased one there are no further costs, unlike some of the well over-priced gym memberships, for which monthly costs of £70 a month are not unusual. You can do it indoors, so for those of us scared of venturing out during the winter months for long runs, hula hooping may be the answer. In fact, as someone who really feels the cold, on those colder mornings I actually grab the hula hoop for 5-10 minutes just to warm myself up a little bit before mustering up the courage to get dressed in the cold. 
• It's easy and everyone can do it. It may take a couple of hula hooping sessions of constantly picking the hoop up from the floor after 10 seconds, but once you find your rhythm and pace, you will make very quick progress and find that dropping the hoop at all is a thing of the past.
• It won't leave you aching for days. Many muscle building exercises can leave you in agony and aching for days and stop you from being able to do any more exercise, but (and of course depending on the intensity of your exercise), hula hooping doesn't tend to do that which means that the following day, or even twice in the same day, you can pick up the hoop again.
• It's a perfect balance between cardio and muscle building. For those of you who are trying to get in your cardio vascular exercise and get your heart going, but also want to trim your belly fat and even get abs, this is a perfect exercise. Like I've mentioned, hula hooping doesn't have the same intensity as something like planking, so you can do 30 minute workouts which would serve as great cardio.
• You can make hula hooping more interesting. If after a little while you become fairly good at hula hooping, never drop the hoop and find that your workout has become boring, you can up your game. There are lots of 'pro' hula hooping moves to spice up your workout like walking, jumping or kneeling with the hoop and many others which you can investigate. You can also upgrade your hoop to a heavier one for a better belly workout.

Hula hooping tips!

• When it comes to what to wear for hula hooping, less is more! Baggy clothing and even long tops will make your workout much less pleasant as the clothing will cause the hoop to fall and ideally you want the hoop to swing around your stomach in contact with it. So it's advisable to wear a cropped sports top, or if not, a tight and clingy vest top.
• If you're a beginner and trying hula hooping for the first time and don't want to spend much money on a hoop, you can even pick up a child's hoop for a couple of pounds. But do be aware that a smaller hoop is much harder to control and the lightness could also make it difficult, so don't be put off if you buy a cheap, child's hoop and don't get anywhere with hula hooping. You can get a Pro Fitness Weighted Hula Hoop from Argos for just £14.99.
• Music, especially a workout CD will make your workout a lot more interesting and enjoyable. You could even watch TV whilst you do your workout to catch up on your programmes and get your workout fitted into your day too!

So give hula hooping a go for an easy, cheap, convenient and effective muscle-building/cardio workout! If you have any questions or comments, please post them below! :-)

Dog walks at sunset!

I realised yesterday that I live in a really lovely area when I took our little Bichon Frisé for a walk at sunset. You can see her, Pippa-Anne, in the top left.

It's the perfect time of day; it's quiet, not too hot for Pippa and the scenery is actually rather beautiful. You should be able to see the picture of the giant, wooden apple chair and on the right, an apple tree - there's a small community orchard there with fruits to pick for yourself!

The walk we do is about 1.5 miles and takes about half an hour. It's really great evening exercise for me and for the dog and is a good way to wind down and enjoy the scenery before the evening dusks.

I'd really recommend a 30 minute walk at sunset to get some exercise and wind down for the evening! :-)

10 minute-100 calorie challenge!

So I didn't have that much time this morning before I had to leave the house and I wanted to get some quick morning exercise in without leaving the house for a run. So I took to the exercise bike to see how quickly I could burn 100 calories, just as a reference point.

As it turns out, and as you can see in the picture, in about 8 minutes and 30 seconds you can easily burn 100 calories on the bike! And the great thing about this is that it's a relatively easy mini work-out. You do have to cycle quite fast but because it's for a short period of time it's easily manageable and doesn't even cause any aching!

I know that many of you won't have an exercise bike at home, so I'm going to investigate lots of other quick 100 calorie burners to post up soon!

Don't forget to click on this post and leave your comments below! :-)

'All-in Yoga' App!

This yoga app, available on iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch is a really great way to practice yoga at your own pace. It's features include:

• A calendar to track your progress and make sure you complete the amount of yoga that you want to per week/month.
• A wide range of pre-made programs from beginner to expert level.
• The option to learn about the different yoga positions and which parts of the body they target.
• You can do yoga programs to suit your own needs or desires such as yoga for strength or for balance.
• The app allows you to create and personalise your own programs to include the positions that you like and for how long you want to do them.

A feature that I really love about this app is the 'inspire' section, which allows you to create a profile to post yoga/meditation related pictures of either your own yoga practice or pictures you find elsewhere. It's great to look through the feed and see the kind of yoga that other people are doing.

Below, you'll see a small video tutorial showing you some of the features of the app! 

Don't forget to leave your comments below! :)