Fitness Fashion Friday 5

Friday FriYEY. For my birthday I received a lovely new gym kit from one of my bezzies (they know me too well!) and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to show you all on Fitness Fashion Friday, so here it is…

First of all you know I LOVE an inspo quote and it’s even better if its on a top! So this top is just perfect.

 It’s loose fitted and light weight so doesn’t make you sweat any more than necessary (lol) and the fact that it’s black means that it goes with everything…perfect when you’re lazy and don’t want to spend time matching outfits like me! 

The other half of my present was these fab gym leggings.

Ft. my FAB new Garmin watch , look out for a blog post all about it!

 I love patterns and bright colours and these have both! They are high waisted so they suck you in and don’t fall down when you’re exercising, definitely a must when it comes to gym leggings. Both the top and leggings are from New Look which is definitely one of my fave places to find really good (and cheap!) gym wear. 

To complete this outfit I’ve been using my new Phillips headphones from my lovely mum. People who know me know that I have broken more headphones than I’ve had hot dinners I am SURE, so these new sturdy headphones are perfect for me as they are designed to be hard wearing (hopefully), water proof and block out all other noise, what could be better?

They came with this little bag which is perfect for travelling!

So there we go! Another outfit in the workout wardrobe. I love being nosey and seeing everyone else’s workout gear so hashtag #fitnessfashionfriday so I can see on Twitter and Instagram!

Have a FAB weekend! 

KT xo 

Top 5 Musical Workout Soundtracks 🎭

It’s Friday yeeeeee & for once I have that Friday feeling as instead of weekend full of work work & more work, it’s my BIRTHDAY and I’m off to London for a weekend full of theatre, food & friends. We’re watching Matilda the Musical AND West End Live…musical theatre heaven I hear you say? YESSSS! Perfect.
So inspired by my weekend filled to the brim with musical theatre goodness I thought I would share with you all some of my fave musical soundtracks that are PERFECT to run/workout to. 
1. Hamilton                                         

It’s literally storming through the theatre world! Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical is packed with passionate rap numbers and songs with a hip hop edge that is guaranteed to give you that burst of energy to spur you over the finish line. It’s also perfect for blocking out the heavy breathing of that man sweating on the treadmill next to you! 

2. The Color Purple                            

This soundtrack is perfect for enpowernent. For the times when you think you can’t run one more mile or when your legs feel like they’re going to fall off, the sound of Cynthia Erivo’s INSANE voice and beautiful lyrics definitely keeps you going. 

3. Legally Blonde                             

Now what could be better than pretending you’re Elle Woods with blonde flowing locks & more money than sense whilst running on the treadmill or lifting a weight! This soundtrack is full of uplifting and feel good songs all about being the best version of yourself and striving for success, perfect for your workouts!

4. Hairspray                             

Absolute classic. Full of upbeat, happy songs to keep you going no matter what. There’s nothing like belting out (or imagining you are) a bit of Good Morning Baltimore while running up that tough hill. 

5. Finding Neverland                    

Gary Barlow is a musical genius! His soundtrack for this musical is one of my absolute faves. It has a variety of songs from powerful fast tracks to give you that bit of strength out of nowhere, to heart felt ballads to make you feel inspired and empowered. Perfect for an all round workout. 

I know some people swear by exercising with no music, but on the days when I forget to take my headphones to the gym my workout suffers. Time goes by so much faster and my strength and stamina is immediately improved with a good tune in my ears, especially one of these musical soundtracks! If you haven’t already then have a listen, you won’t be disappointed. 
Have a fabulous weekend! 
KT xo 

Food food FOOD for running!

Considering I LOVE food I thought it would be cool if I tell you all my fave things to eat and drink before/after a run.

BEFORE. So you’re getting ready to go out for a run, what do you eat? Considering I usually run in the morning my fave thing to eat before hand is a bowl of porridge that I make with soya milk, honey, banana & raisins, YUM!

My fave is Quaker Oats Original which you just add milk to and put in he microwave for a quick 2 mins, perfect if you’re in a rush as I ALWAYS seem to be! This has lots of good carbs to give me the energy I need. I have this at least half an hour before I run so it has time to digest a bit and doesn’t give me a stomach ache (not fun!).

I find that if I eat foods which are high in fibre such as cereal or a lot of fruit before a run then it upsets my stomach and I feel bloated which is never good. However bananas work for me and give me just the right amount of energy I need.

If I run early in the morning there are times when I will run on an empty stomach, especially if it’s just a short run. To be honest I don’t really see much difference in my running other than I just feel a bit more hungry! If this is the case I will just eat my usual porridge breakfast after my run.

Before a run I always make sure I drink lots of water (and then make sure I go to the loo before I head out lol). I know this is probably the most said thing in the world but keeping yourself hydrated really does make all the difference!

AFTER. So you’ve finished a long run and you’re knackered, what do you eat? For me I always find that for about an hour or so after a hard run I don’t feel like eating, however what I will have is a smoothie to refuel. I make these with any colourful berries I have in and normally banana. To this I add a bit of soya milk and blend it in my Breville Blend Active.

So quick and easy and very yummy! I normally put it into a cute cup like this just because I like things to look nice 😝

As the day goes on I will try and make sure I have a good meal that involves protein which is great for repairing muscle tissue. One of my faves and defo my ‘go to’ meal is chicken (in Nandos lemon & herd sauce) with sweet potato and salad YES.

Now obviously I am no dietician or fitness expert, I am just sharing what works for me. You might find different things suit/disagree with you when it comes to foods before and after a run. If you want to check out a more detailed guide to what’s best to eat then click HERE.

Hope you enjoyed a little nosey into my eating habits!

Have a good one 🌻

KT xo

Fitness Fashion Friday 3

It’s Friday YEY! Although I can’t remember the last time I had a completely free weekend and didn’t have to work, I still get that Friday feeling! There’s something very satisfying about coming to the end of the ‘working’ week isn’t there, and OF COURSE I know you have all been waiting eagerly for Fitness Fashion Friday…so here it is! Number 3.

Of course it features lots of pink again obvs! These beaut leggings are from New Look and I love them.

They are so comfy and soft I could wear them all day every day (and I usually do)! They’re also high waisted, which is an added bonus in my opinion, and they don’t fall down which as you know is one of my BIGGEST hates when it comes to workout wear. The only downside is that they are quite long and being a short gal I have to roll them up a bit at the ends, but oh well you can’t have everything!

The top I’ve paired these with today is a white and black vest from Forever 21. It’s nice and loose which I love and it’s basic cotton style means that it can be worn with every day casual wear as well as in the gym, perfect!

Continuing with the cute pink theme I’m wearing one of my fave Nike sports bra. I also have this in black (featured in my first FFF). Simple, supportive, you can’t go wrong.

So there you go! Hope you enjoyed this weeks little insight into my workout wardrobe! As if it’s been over 3 weeks since I started my little blog (love!) Don’t forget to share your #fitnessfashionfriday outfit on Twitter (@ktrunningshoes) and Instagram (@brewsandrunningshoes), I love to see them 😊

Have a lovely weekend fellow runners/fitness geeks/nosey people 😝 Mine will be filled to the brim with work, some GOOD running/gym seshs and my Nan’s bday party on Sat eve…lovely!

KT xo

Sunny London Adventures ☀️

So Sundays rest day certainly didn’t include much resting (only from running!) as I hopped on a train to London, my fave place.

My day couldn’t have kicked off much better than with a good brew and the latest edition of Women’s Health magazine featuring the fab Caroline Flack as the cover girl, with her smokin bod and cool interview. It also featured some of my fave bloggers Carly Rowena and Charlie Watson…WOW spoiling me!

My first stop when I reached LDN was Camden Town. You instantly feel about 10 times cooler as soon as you step into the colourful (and VERY busy) markets with its quirky art work and buskers on every corner.

I love Camden Market…even if there is so many people you can’t breathe! 😝

But of course I was totally drawn into the food. I mean LOOK at this cute Dutch pancake stall!

I had to restrain myself as I was on the hunt for one of my fave places EVA, and I found it…CEREAL KILLER CAFE omg.

SO many options! 

This quirky little cafe, filled to the brim with every cereal you could ever imagine, is the place of dreams! Cereal has always been one of my guilty pleasures and after a trip to their other cafe on Brick Lane I knew I had to visit this one too. I had lucky charms mixed with curiously cinnamon and omg it was so good!

The best cereal combo and the cutest little bottle of milk, perfect.

The decor of the cafe made the whole experience even better…I mean who doesn’t want to enjoy a sugary bowl of goodness surrounded by SPICE GIRLS WALLPAPER! Totally check them out on social media guys!

On this sunny Sunday I also managed to meet up with my lovely friend and fellow blogger Georgia (Click here to check out her blog) After a roam around Camden and it’s hidden gems we decided to find a cute little place to sit, have a drink and a good catch up. We defo got that and MORE when we decided on Choccy Woccy Doo Dah! The name says it all. We shared an UNREAL plate of little treats and a pot of dipping choc sauce, perfect.

Dipping pot with milk choc & yummy treats. I had an orange lemonade & G had a pink one, perfect in the sun!

After this chocolate bliss we decided to have a look around Oxford street on the hunt for some cute things for our trip to France next week with our choir (very exciting!). We had a stroll to Buckingham Palace afterwards and sat in the beaut sunshine looking at the huge amounts of tourists surrounding the palace, contemplating the queen and whether she showers herself or has people to do that for her (still in debate).

Now to end the day as it began, with FOOD, Georgia suggested we go to Home Slice (GR8 choice). Have you ever seen the pictures of the pizza from there on Instagram?! If not you NEED to check it out. They sell 20 inch pizzas. Yes, that’s right, 20 INCH pizzas. And did we have one? Yes. Did we eat it all? Absolutely.

Just LOOK at this 😍 Half margarita, half salami, rocket & parmesan. No shame!

This hidden gem is in Neil’s Yard Covent Garden and you HAVE to visit! You won’t be disappointed.

I think a day in London always makes you feel tired and by the end of the day I was shattered (and full haha). My food choices were defo NOT the healthiest but I totally believe you have to treat yourself now and again otherwise you would lead a very boring life! And I did a mega 23,000 steps so it kinda cancels out the cereal, choc and pizza right?! 😝

This week is all steam ahead and my trainers are tightly fastened and I’m getting my legs into gear…especially after I’ve just signed up for the Great Birmingham Run in October, my first ever Half Marathon eeeeeek! Training is well and truly under way as i want to complete it in the best time possible! Not to mention the Race for Life and Color Run before it this summer!

Anyway, for now I must be off. Happy Tuesday my lil running pals!

Have a good one🌼

KT xo

Fitness Fashion Friday 2!

So it’s Friday already, how quick do the weeks fly by?! This means that it’s time for the second instalment of Fitness Fashion Fridays! Here goes…

Gym lovin (ft. My purple Nike Free Runs & 5 year old plaits)

These grey gym leggings are from Forever 21.The colour means that they go with everything, which I love because it means to don’t have to spend time thinking what to wear them with (and who has free time, not me!) I love that they are cropped which makes them great for the summer weather and also perfect for shorties like me 😋

The vest top I have paired with these cute leggings today is from New Look.It’s loose fitted and light weight just like I like them, and of course it’s PINK so what could be better?!

One of my fave sports bras is this patterned one from Forever 21. It gives so much support and is very flattering as it’s got a bit of padding in, perfect for us gals!

How cute is my flamingo phone case?!

I love to have my hair in plaits when I’m running or at the gym. Apart from looking super cute (and making me look about 5) it’s also practical because it keeps your hair out of your face. There’s nothing worse than having your hair all over the place annoying you mid run.

Hope you enjoyed this weeks little insight into my workout wardrobe! Why not have a nosey at last weeks post HERE. Don’t forget to share your #fitnessfashionfriday outfit on Twitter (@ktrunningshoes) and Instagram (@brewsandrunningshoes), I love to see them 😊

Have a fab weekend, happy running!

KT xo

Midweek Motivation

When the my alarm went off at 7am this morning to tell me if was time to get my arse out of bed and go for run I was FAR from motivated. The thought of an extra hour in bed sounded much more appealing but a quick scroll through my insta feed full of amazing runners with even better bods made me snap out of if.

Of course there is gonna be times when running (or any form of exercise) is the very last thing you want to do, however it’s times like those when you have to get your head in gear and get MOTIVATED.

Here are some tips that work for me:

REWIND. Think back to when you first started. How far have you come since then? How much further could you go? When I feel unmotivated and I’ve come to a bit of a stand still I always rewind back to the time when I couldn’t even run for 2 minutes without having to stop, let alone run a 10K and beyond! Would I have improved that much without persevering, even when I didn’t feel like it. Keeping a log every time you run with the distance and duration is a perfect way to visually see your improvement and spur you to carry on when you feel like you can’t.

CHALLENGE. Set yourself goals to challenge yourself. Whether that be to run for 5 minutes without stopping or train for a marathon, having something to aim for is a great way to stay motivated. My aim is to run a half marathon next year and so the thought of that motivates me to get out and run so I will be in the best shape possible when I take part.

REMEMBER. Remember how good you will feel when you have completed the run. I love the feeling when you get back home after a good run and it’s still early in the morning and you’ve got the whole day then to do as you please. You won’t get that satisfied feeling from an extra hour in bed!

HEALTH. You can burn up to 600 calories from an of hour running, crazy! Like it or not running is one of the best forms of exercise you can do for weight loss, toning and just overall health benefits. Who doesn’t want a beaut bikini bod this summer? This should be enough to motivate you to get up off that sofa and run! (Also think about the few extra cals you can eat after a killer workout!)

REST. Sometimes a lack of motivation can signal our bodies being tired and over worked. Rest days are vital for our bodies to recover and come back stronger the next day. Remember you’re not super man, you can’t do it all!

BE A BETTER YOU. The fabulous Carly Rowena said the wise words that…your ideal body should be the super hero version of you, not an unrealistic, unachievable goal. So take one step at a time. If you run a mile in 10 minutes who cares what time your friend can run it in. You are improving every day and with every stride. This is what you need to remember when you feel like you don’t want to carry on, you are working towards a better you!

Hope you found this bit of mid week motivation helpful 🌻

Happy running!

KT xo

Fitness Fashion Friday ✨

Welcome to my new little series all about (you guessed it) fitness fashion, my fave!

I have recently realised that 75% of my wardrobe is made up of workout gear. So much so that when it comes to dressing for an occasion that doesn’t involve exercise in some way I have a struggle!

So because of my wide variety of (pretty) workout clothes I thought it might be fun to show you guys some of my fave bits and what’s best to wear for different types of exercise, in a lil once a week Friday edition, cool idea right? Ok so let’s GO…

BLACK & WHITE.
Defo my fave and most worn outfit.

Ft. my FAVE pink Nike Flyknits (trainers review coming soon!)

These gym leggings from H&M (GR8 place for cool gym wear) have to be my all time fave for lots of reasons.

The main one being that I love the patterns (no one wants a boring gym kit), but also because they are just the perfect fit. They are high waisted but the waist band sits at just the right place, so it doesn’t push the bottom of your stomach out and make you look 5 months pregnant! They also never fall down which is VERY important when it comes to exercising, especially running. Who wants to be pulling up their leggings every second while they’re sweating and knackered!

To go with these fab leggings I like to wear my black Nike sports bra which gives just the right amount of support while still being really comfy. One of my fave tops to wear with this outfit is my ‘TODAY IS THE DAY’ black vest from Forever 21.

Today is the day!

Who doesn’t love a poz inspo quote whilst exercising?! I love how light and airy this top is. I always go for loose fitted tops whilst running because AGAIN there’s nothing worse than having to stop to adjust an annoyingly tight top that’s risen up to your armpits just as you get to the half way mark.

Now when it comes to socks I have a bit of a strange obsession (lol), I love cute socks with different patterns and colours. However when it comes to practically my fave socks are these sports trainer socks from H&M.

The back of the sock comes up your ankle slightly so they don’t fall down and end up around your toes by the end of your run…and they’re pink so win win right?

Now I know a lot of people would think that the clothes you wear whilst exercising are irrelevant but I think the exact opposite. We live in a world where our own view of our selves and how confident we feel in our appearance goes a long way. So putting on a cute little outfit and of course an even bigger smile before setting out means you will feel great and will be ready to kick butt.

Be sure to check back next week for more Fitness Fashion Fridays, when I’ll be discussing some more cute bits of gym gear.

Use the hashtag #fitnessfashionfridays on Twitter (ktrunningshoes) & Instagram (brewsandrunningshoes) or tag me so I can see all your fave workout gear! 🙂

KT xo