fitness – realiTEE

My 5 top running tips to get you going (again)

Published on October 5, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

Running, it’s the marmite of cardio.

It’s also one of the easiest things to get into if you want to look to start a fitness journey. It’s a low-cost and a quick way to kick-start your fitness game and you’re free to go at your own pace- literally.

Personally I have a love hate relationship with running.

I love that I can run anywhere. I love that I can run for any amount of time. I love that I can run solo. I love that I can run with a friend. I love putting in my headphones and getting lost in an audio book or podcast.

Here’s why, it’s scientifically proven that running (a little) each day has immense long-lasting health benefits; physical AND mental! I’ve talked a few times about how important I think exercise is and running has been proven to reduce risks of all kinds of conditions, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and it reduces anxiety!

RUNNING MAKES YOU HAPPIER

Don’t believe me, check out one of the many books about running, Eat, Drink, Run or Running like a girl. Or my personal favourite Jog On by Bella Mackie , this book was so emotional and educational I ran everyday just to spend time alone listening to it.

That brings me to another plus about running. I think we can all admit that as great as social media is it can be overwhelming and we all need a break. When you’re running (or swimming) you can’t be on your phone, it’s not possible. It’s an activity that gives you time to be you. Whether you shut yourself off to mysterious c and your own thoughts or you get lost in one of the million audio options available.

Running is you time.

Whether you’re a beginner keen to break into the running world or a marathon pro check out the below tips for staying motivated and looking after your skin all year round.

Tip 1: A new top never hurt no body

It’s an undeniable fact we all love nice new things, and when our clothes fit we want to show them off. Running can be quite self conscious especially to start with so make sure you’re comfy.

Also don’t forget the high impact bra. Honestly years ago when I decided to get fit I thought I’d try running because it’s free… I lasted 10 minutes running around my block twice VERY slowly and I had no sports bra and I was well let’s say blessed in the chest.

By the time I got home I collapsed on the sofa, the world was spinning and my cleavage was red raw and bleeding slightly where my bra had rubbed and my boobs had bounced. It took me a while to get back out there after this.

Tip 2: Start Running

Nobody’s expecting you to run a marathon next week, and if you are signed up to I’m sure you’ve been training for a while. Point is talking it slow to start and building up is natural. There are so many great apps to help you get started like coach to 5k.

If you want to start running, you need to actually start to run,

If my first run story above doesn’t help listen to jog on, each chapter is an inspiring look into how Bella Mackey built up her distance by running up and down a ally way each night.

Start easy with 10-30 seconds runs, followed by a 1-2 minute walk for the whole duration of your first run. Remember it doesn’t matter how fast you’re going or how many times you stop. You’re lapping the people sat on the sofa.

Tip 3: Your skin is suffering with you

Most people don’t think about this but I’m crazy when it comes to looking after myself and I know for a fact that running in the sun, in the wind, in the rain etc whatever the weather my skin is going to suffer. Always match your skincare to the season. In winter you’ll need thicker moisturiser to stop your skin drying out and always wash your face after.

Don’t forget the SPF… I get this is easy to forget on overcast rainy days. However UVA and UVB are still always present and if you want to keep that workout glow wrinkle free a layer of SPF each day goes a long way!

Tip 4: Fuel Your Body

Want your body to perform? Fuel it right!

Food for me is so important not only do I love getting in the kitchen but I’m always looking how I can incorporate food that’s going to benefit my body.

Sugary sweets and fizzy drinks will not give you the energy you need to get through a run, there’s no nutritional value here so you can’t expect to gain anything (apart from a couple of unwanted pounds) by eating them.

Always think vegetables and fruit. Bananas are a great pre run snack (I may sneak some peanut butter on there as well).

The most important thing your body needs from you pre and post run… water.

Tip 5: Just do you

just do you… May be some of the worlds greatest advice and applies to every situation in life.

If there’s someone over taking you, or some annoying car going slow beeping its horn while shouting at you. Yes it’s uncomfortable and no person should be subjected to that, but just keep going. Just do you. Remember your why and even on the worst days, you’ll feel better for putting on those trainers and getting out the door.

Want to see your progress? Keep a journal or use an app like Strava, it’ll will track your map give you insights into your run and you can make notes and add pictures.

I hope these simple steps help get you going or remind you of the basics that can easily be forgotten (although I’m never forgetting the spf!)

What’s your top tip for running?

Leave your comments below…

Love,

Tee

Why your skin deserves healthy fats post swim.

Published on September 4, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

So for my birthday last week my cousin brought me this really cute fun t-shirt that lets everyone know my favourite food!

I honestly don’t need an excuse to eat avocados. At any given opportunity I’m ordering them (my order usually goes something like this… can I get x no cheese with avocado thanks 😊)

I probably eat avocado at least 5 times a week. You know when people say if you were on a island and only had one meal for the rest of your life what would it be… EGGS & AVO! Every time…. Call me basic if you like but I’m obsessed.

Although I was obsessed way before it became trendy as I loved guacamole and always got my mom to ask for it on the side of her dish so I could get extra when we went for Mexican food!

Anyway these days there are more than enough articles that encourage you to consume ‘healthy fats’ and avoid going fat free!

We all know by now that we need to be consuming good, healthy unsaturated fats found in nuts, avocado, olive oils etc…

Main benefits of these foods;

• Reduce sugar cravings (honestly I grew up thinking I have a sweet tooth however that’s changed with my diet, not going to lie I still llloooovvveeee chocolate)

• Increase energy levels

• Keep you fuller for longer

• Lower the risk of heart disease

• Aid the body in absorption of vitamins and minerals

But here’s my favourite thing about healthy fats… they’re amazing for your skin!

One of my all time favourite activities is swimming, it’s something I’ve enjoyed since I was a child, it works the whole body and allows you to completely disconnect. No phone = no social media and no beep beep beep. Just you and your thoughts, it’s perfect thinking time.

Here’s why fatty foods help your skin if you swim:

The effects of chlorine on skin (and hair) can put people off the activity especially if like me you have sensitive skin with conditions such as eczema.

If you fill your diet with radiance-boosting glow enhancing essential fatty foods and omega-3 you’ll nourish your skin from within.

Some of my favourites include:

• Avocado and eggs… did I mention this already?

• Salmon with or without avocado

• Nut butters (I love some nut butter on a rice cracker with a banana and cinnamon)

• Sprinkle of chia seeds.

Eggs avo & salmon

Why you should avoid trans fats; trans fats ( often listed under the names ‘hydrogenated oil’ or ‘hydrogenated vegetable fat’ ), are usually found in many packaged and processed foods. These are known to be extremely toxic AND have no health benefits.

Join the avocado debate… do you love them or hate them?

Comment below.

Love

Tee

How to achieve glowing skin post AM workout

Published on July 20, 2019July 24, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

Hey hey hey. You know I’m a girl that’s on the go but looking after herself 24/7 so I’ve put together a mini series for you guys to walk you through what I do throughout the day and WHY.

I’m someone who likes to mix up their routines whether that’s morning noon or evening. I’m generally a morning person and like to get my ass out of bed and moving before I give myself the excuse not to! However I do try and add some structure to what I’m doing at what time of day and consider what my skin and body need post workout to help me be the best version of me. I’ve put together a mini series to share with you over the next couple of weeks to get real specific about what I do when and what is essential to my beauty routine straight after.

Honestly timing is everything when it comes to exercise, when you workout you put your body under pressure and you get your stress hormones going so I like to keep the level of exercise in line with the time of day. For example you may think that if you do a hardcore workout late in the evening you’ll go home and crash out, not necessarily! When you get your heart rate up and the blood pumping mixed with the endorphins it can be stimulating for the brain making it harder to get a good nights rest. I’ve talked about it before, but sleep is one of my beauty ride or dies.

Everyone is different and some people do find it better to workout in an evening or maybe it just fits into your schedule easier, you have to do you here and find your sweet-spot. It will make all the difference but whatever the time of day pack your gym bag with glow-inducing skincare essentials for healthy glowy skin 24/7.

Depending on what kind of day I’ve got planned and whether I’ve made it into the gym or I’m at home depends on whether I’m doing weights or a full body HIIT workout. No matter which one I go with I ALWAYS start with some basic yoga stretches.

When you’ve been lying down for 8 hours you can’t just hop right to it (and you should always warm up anyway). Yoga can be energising and uplifting first thing and helps you wake up your body in a healthy way. Little tip I learnt in one of the many hours I spent reading… lunging with your right leg forward first helps aid your digestion system and that’s good for everyone!

Both HIIT and weights are known for burning calories even after you’ve finished your workout so I love doing these first thing, also more I challenge myself before 7am the more I feel I’ve achieved and it really helps set the tone of my day. I feel like I can do anything!

I know I preach the importance of washing your face but I also know there’s a balance and washing too much is bad for the skin- you don’t want to strip your skin of it’s natural oils.

Pre morning workout I actually don’t do anything apart from brush my teeth and drink green tea and a quick spray of my favourite balancing mist to help wake me up and give my skin a boost of hydration.

Post morning workout skin is where I get serious. Let’s brake it down.

1) Dry brush! Have you heard about dry brushing? I feel like most people have & are on board but if not let me give you a quick summary. I got mine off amazon and it’s a little hand held brush for exfoliating. You use it while your skin is still dry (hence the name dry brushing) then starting at your ankles you work your way up the body in circular motions towards the heart. This not only wakes your body up in a morning but is also amazing for your circulation and lymphatic drainage.

2) Shower. I’ll wash my face in the shower with warm water. Always start with warm water as it opens the pores so you can clean your skin and get any dirt or sweat out of them. Last 30 seconds blast the cold! It’s a great way to wake yourself up and also close your pores. I try not to get cold water on my face as I still want my skincare to sink in.

3) Moisturisers, YOUR WHOLE DAMN BODY! Your skin is an organ and the biggest one you have. It covers all of you and it all needs to be kept hydrated especially if you’ve worked up a pretty decent sweat. By now if I’m at home I’m probably on my second green tea or peppermint if I’m at the gym I’ll be on my second bottle of water. Always looking after my skin inside out.

4) Right clothes on now for the face, from all the podcasts I’ve listened to, all the blog posts, microblogging and books I’ve read there’s one thing I’ve learnt that you can’t ignore. When it comes to applying skincare start with the most water based products and work up the the heavier ones. A toner or serum isn’t going to sink in through an oil so your getting none of the benefits. I go; mist, toner, serum, colour corrector (not everyday but some days it’s a must more than others), Rosehip oil (eyes & forehead only), moisturiser, spf then makeup AND ALWAYS WITH A COLD JADE ROLLER. It’s less complicated then it sounds I promise, & here’s a sneak at what my current layout looks like…

5) Quick restyle and freshen up of the hair, I hardly wash it and try to avoid using heat so my hair is pretty low maintenance 6 days a week and I’m ready to head to work.

By this point I’m probably starting to get a little hungry as well so I’ll grab a pre-made juice or smoothie with added collagen to help boost hydration and keep your skin looking glowy while reducing fine lines and wrinkles from within. The perfect age prevention cocktail.

What’s your favourite AM workout or are you up & out?

Love

Tee

Are you doing these 3 things before a workout?

Published on July 6, 2019June 30, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

Happy Sunday everyone, doesn’t everything just feel better when the suns out? I’m loving working out outdoors this week, it’s such a refreshing change.

Every week at 5:30am Sunday morning my alarm is going off. Yep I’m THAT girl. Crazy early morning workout even on a weekend. What can I say I like to workout before giving myself an excuse not to, although I can think of plenty while hitting snooze, but I also like to get it over and done with and have the rest of the day to myself. Also let’s face it we look better after a workout, not immediately but when the beetroot has faded we look & feel better.

As you can imagine at 5:30 am I’m not sitting there giving myself a facial massage for lymphatic drainage and jade rolling. However, there are a few things I make sure I do, no matter how tired I am, before I work out. You don’t workout without a warm up so why push your skin? It’s just asking for breakouts. I like to keep this pre workout stage as simple as possible, think basic bitch but more basic.

Here’s my 3 pre workout skin care tips.

Light.

This sounds weird I know but switching lights on, open the curtains or get outside, tells your brain to get moving. We all need a little motivation first thing.

Mini cleanse.

I like to wash my face first thing and get out anything that may be blocking my pores. I have such dry skin that I use a fairly thick moisturiser at night so I get all of that out of my skin and let it breath again. In a rush? A all in 1 waterproof miscellaneous cleaning water works wonders and will life away any dirt in your pores while removing the need for additional rinse and repeat. I’ve also being using Elemis pro collagen cleansing balm it’s too early to review the product but I can tell you with complete certainty it smells AMAZING!

Hydration.

Green tea for my body (Although I’ve been loving mint water lately so refreshing) & my disciple for my face. I know I constantly go on about this anti inflammatory oil balanced cocktail but it really is a fav right now, I’m taking it everywhere and at £15 why should it not be in your bag, on your dresser in your gym locker? Back to the point, dehydrated skin is unhappy skin. It looks dull because dead skin cells are blocking your pores. Freshen it up and hydrate from the inside out.

BONUS ROUND! If I’m heading outside on the occasion that it’s nice & dry ALWAYS WEAR SUNSCREEN. I’m a little crazy when it comes to this honestly 365 days a year no matter where in the world I am. If the sun is out so are the UV rays. All this hard work to look good I’m not going to let a wrinkle or two stop me.

Are you already doing any of these or have your own routines? Share below.

Love,

Tee

Gym hair don’t care!

Published on May 11, 2019May 12, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

I’m so protective over my hair it’s unreal. I can be like nooo my hair! But with good reason, I damaged it so badly a few years back with no stop bleach and heat that it was actually frizzled at the front. The only solution was to cut my hair into a lob, not like this made much difference considering it kept splitting anyway. So now I do everything to keep it long and healthy to the point where I just don’t wash it. It’s effort and I don’t particularly enjoy it. If you’re a regular gym goer than you know the struggle is real, because you’re most likely going to work up a sweat tomorrow so what’s the point. Gym hair, don’t care! I’ve also learnt is not smart to train arms the day you wash your hair because holding the hairdryer for so long will come back to bite you! Anyway it’s so much more fun to style dirty hair. What can I say washing my hair is not for me. However if you do a LOT of cardio you probably need to wash your hair at least twice a week to help your scalp.

I’ve recently stretched my washes out to once a week, and quickly learnt the dirtier the better. Anyway who has the time to wash their hair everyday? I’ve got this down to swimming once a week and then washing my hair straight away.

Here’s why I don’t wash my hair;

1) I pay for my colour, why wash it straight out? It’s true blondes have more fun but the more you wash your hair the more you wash out the colour. I’ve never been able to keep ashy silver tones in my hair because it naturally has a red tint (thanks dad) but since I started to wash it weekly and switched to Charles Worthington toning shampoo the colour has never been better. Exactly what I wanted, and that’s still the case 8 weeks later. When I do wash my hair I always opt for sulphate free shampoo, this one is currently still my favourite. (Added bonus shampoo and conditioner lasts sooo much longer when you use it less often)

2) It strips out your natural oils, it’s the oils in your hair that make it look shiny and healthy. Isn’t that what everyone wants? So why strip them out, makes no sense to me. You can also end up causing your scalp to produce more oils to try and replace what you’ve washed out, leaving your hair more greasy and you end up in a vicious wash cycle.

3) It’s so much easier to style. Yep, probably helped by the amount of dry shampoo I use but my hair has so much more texture and thickness to it that when I style it it actually does what I wanted, most of the time.

Hair style curls

Here’s some tips for keeping it healthy;

1) The sleep bun, doesn’t need to be a bun but keep it up/ tied back. Buns are great and I use these great crocodile clips which don’t leave a mark in my hair but braids work just as well. I’ve honestly noticed a huge difference in my hair since sleeping with it up more, when I sleep with it down it’s noticeable greasy the day after. Last time I slept with it down my boyfriend rolled onto it in the night and I was trapped, lesson learnt.

2) Hair mask, we all love a good hair mask but my hair is always so much nicer after a hair mask and gym session. Yes that’s right a hair mask and gym session, I heat from my workout helps the hair mask and it’s more efficient instead of sitting around waiting to wash it out. I will comb my favourite mask through my hair from root to ends and then tie it up, completely out of my face so no product touches my skin.

3) Grapefruit oil, I have a little spray bottle with a concoction of water and grapefruit oil. Post workout I spray a little water on my roots and blow dry them for thickness the spray a little grapefruit to make it smell nice. And I’m good to go.

It’s so much fun to get creative with your hair when it’s dirt, here’s a few of my favourite styles;

When it comes to washing your hair I’m definitely a less is more girl.

What about you? Hair secrets accepted below.

Love

Tee

Ps: nothing in this post was sponsored or gifted just products and things I’ve tried and liked.

Accountability & how to do it.

Published on April 28, 2019April 28, 2019 by realiTEELeave a comment

I can’t be the only person that seems to be living life at 1000 WTF’s an hour right?

Honestly, life is a juggling act right now, please don’t think for one moment I’m complaining because I know I asked for this to come into my life and therefore I’ve fully accepted it. However it’s still a lot of plates to keep spinning all at once, and I know I’m not alone.

You’ve seen the people posting gym pictures, flashing abs like ‘Hey look at me I just spent 1.5 hours in the gym and now I’m going to eat pizza!’ For those people that’s great and yes you deserve pizza but for the remainder of us, those with kids they have to pick up after being at work all day then entertain and clean up after, or if like me you work full time, study and write a blog or maybe you work two jobs (double hustle) maybe you commute across the country, or you’re just so slammed at work right now under staffed and passionate about what you do that you’re willing to work 50 hours + All of this while keeping on top of the everyday life expectancies of us all such as maintaining social lives, eating, and yes you know it… WORKING OUT.

It’s freaking hard work!!!

For all of us!

That’s why I wanted to talk about not only intention, but how I hold myself accountable. FOCUS GOES WHERE ENERGY FLOWS

Last year my job was not demanding at all, and I wasn’t studying. I had the luxury of going to bed at night sleeping for 8 hours feeling refreshed waking up going to the gym doing my 9-5 job heading home cleaning and food prepping. It was so easy it was boring, that said when I went on holiday last year, I honestly looked the best I’d ever looked.

Now my job is so much more demanding but engaging and fun, I’m studying a minimum of two hours a day, looking after a house hold and still trying to balance my meals and workouts, and honestly some times I just don’t want to go to the gym!

Now to give you an idea my weekly workouts include the below:

• 3/ 4 x weight training

• 3 x lunch time runs

• 2 x Pilates

• 1 x yoga

Exactly… no surprise it’s rare I actually successfully accomplish all of this a week, but that’s all changed!

Here are a few of my tips that have helped me stay accountable for my workouts:

1. Schedule it in! Yes that’s right I’ve started to schedule in my diary when I’m working out, not only that but I get specific, real specific. If I have to think about my workout and start to make decisions it’s easy to talk myself out of it. What do I want to train today? Well not really anything so I won’t bother. Where do I want to run to today? Maybe JQ, or Mailbox or JQ or Mailbox… Oh I don’t have time now I was too busy deciding…. Take the decision making out of the equation! My diary already has my workouts scheduled in and what I’m doing, where and when. Added bonus it means I can make sure I’ve got the right meals planned to help recovery. Run days I make sure I have plenty of carbs to come back to, whether it’s my favourite ‘sausage’ and pasta dish or my home made Vietnamese ‘chicken’ vegetables and rice.

2. Buddy up! 100% unless I genuinely feel awful I’m not going to let a friend down when it comes to a session. If you agree to train with a friend you’re holding each other accountable and helping one another. Don’t make some wishy washy plan, like ‘errm yea maybe. I’ll be there for like 7ish?’ NO! Set a time, agree a workout. Now somebody else has had to ensure they align their leg day with yours, it’s just rude to let them down now.

3. Tell the world! Okay you don’t have to announce it on social media, but if you can’t get a buddy for a day tell a friend what you’re doing and when. My cousin and I do this sometimes, I’ll message her and say ‘hey I’m training legs nice and early tomorrow!’ Every time she’ll text me around 8, ‘how was your leg session?’ Checking in with someone helps hold you accountable.

I hope you enjoyed these few tips, they’ve really helped me especially since hitting the books again. What do you do to ensure you stick to your workout? All motivation tips accepted here!

Comment below.

Love

Tee

I got stitch… duh!

Published on March 23, 2019March 23, 2019 by realiTEE3 Comments

Hi again, it’s been a while since I’ve done a full blog post so if you haven’t seen on my Instagram I have recently signed up to run the Birmingham half marathon. Yes I know it’s not until October but I thought while the motivation was fresh I’d start some basic training and get myself into running, fortunately for me there’s a small group of people in my office that do this for fun at lunch. Madness I know running instead of eating but I’m actually starting to enjoy it 🙋🏼‍♀️

From one everything girl to another… You know that rule ‘thou shall not eat an hour before you go swimming’ (or something like that)? Well turns out it applies to running also!

I’ve recently started running at lunch with a small group of people in my office and also seem to get a stitch. Turns out it’s that pre-run snack I’ve been munching down me, 15 minutes before I head out!

Life hack: you should leave a large meal for up to four hours to digest before you go running and a snack 1-2 hours.

Lesson learnt…when running I need blood in my legs not still digesting my food. The body is an amazing thing but it still has limitations. I love food so planning my workouts around my food plan is my idea of fun (yes I know I’m a nutrition geek!), getting in the kitchen cooking/ experimenting and knowing what food best to help recover after I train is an additional benefit.

Pre-run snack try and aim for slow releasing carbs to keep your body going we all know oats are a great source of energy and for anyone that says ‘I don’t like oats?’ I don’t believe you! There are so many fun delicious ways to eat oats you just have not found a way you enjoy yet.

My cousin Sara became a porridge connoisseur last year with a multitude of fun ideas and each bowl was a work of art.

Personally, my favourite part about my run, post run meal! Running uses up so much energy it’s important to get your carbs in post run to provide your body with a new energy source along with some protein.

Post run (or any work out) meal of the week:

• Red lentil pasta (you can get this in most super markets).

• Chicken sausages (I’m currently on a two week vegan challenge & have switched these for vegan friendly Linda McCartney sausages and they taste just as good!)

• Garlic

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes (I like the one with the herbs infused)

• 1 chilli

• Mushrooms

• Paprika.

This is such an easy meal prep idea the night before and a great refuel meal!

Simply cook your pasta and sausages to the instructions. I fry off the mushrooms until brown then add in all the other ingredients, once cooked stir in pasta and chopped up sausages.

Not a fan of pasta? Noodles work just as well as you can see. I use Myprotein zero noodles they’re great when you’re high on carbs already that day.

What’s your favourite post work out meal?