Tips for staying on top of your fitness this Autumn

While its coming into summer here in Cape Town, I am know that I have a lot of followers from back home in Ireland and of course across the Western Hemisphere. So that is why I love to stay in check with you guys and offer my best tips. Know matter what the season you should alway try to keep fitness a top priority. Yes the days are shorter, colder and wetter but making some realistic changes will help

My Top 6 Tips

1. Water - Keep your water intake the same as summer, at least 1-2 litres a day. While the temperature has drastically dropped don't slack on your water intake. Hydration is key for the body to perform at its full ability.

 2. Run - If you were fond of running alone after work then its probably safer to join a running club or get a group to run with. The dark/wet evenings are not ideal for running alone so get some buddies to run with you. Always wear a hi vis top so you can be seen properly.

3. Vitamin C - up your daily dosage of vitamin C to avoid any nasty colds and flus. Or or flu fighting vitamins like echinacea drops in a small glass of water.

4. Workouts - too cold to hit the gym? No excuse! Do your workout at home, my website offers a range of bodyweight workouts so why start doing them :)

5. Food - meal prep could be your saviour during the winter months as its very easy to reach for the warm toasted cheese sandwich at lunch. So prepping your lunch the night before is key. 

6. Clothing - change of climate means extra layers. Invest in some good thermal training gear. The last thing you want is a cold for not being warm enough. You can always take layers off but always start with plenty of layers on. 

Don't dread fitness in the winter, make small changes and allow it to be apart of your routine.

Happy Training, 

Laura 

My New FREE "Running Workouts" Ebook

After the success of my "4 Week Fat Burn" ebook I have been working on creating a new one for you guys. This ebook is all about running. Running has been apart of my life since I was 8 years old and although people tend to have a love/hate relationship with it, the benefits are real. Running has no barriers to entry, if you own a pair of running shoes then you have no excuse! This motto always motivates me, its effectively true, unless of course you are injured. Running makes me feel a whole lot of feelings, some days are really tough but when you get that 'runner's high' after a run that makes me love it so much. 

“If you own a pair of running shoes then you have no excuse”

With my new FREE ebook I have complied short & sweet running workouts with longer endurance based workouts. Now I am not talking marathon training because let's be honest, unless that is a personal goal of yours, we all don't have the time to dedicate to that type of training. With running it doesnt have to be a long slog so these workouts can be used at any point in your fitness regime, just add one in a week and slowly keeping adding the stronger you get. They can be repeated as long as you are pushing and challenging yourself. Run at your own level and ability. What might seem hard today won't be in 3/4 weeks time with some dedication and persistence. So download my ebook for free now, or if you are already a subscriber I will have sent it to your mailbox.

“What might seem hard today won’t in 3/4 weeks time with dedication and persistence”

Feel free to mail me or leave a comment below with any questions or concerns,

Happy Running,

Laura x

Post Run - Bodyweight Exercises

After a run or any cardio it's important to make use of your body being warm by doing some bodyweight exercise.

Here I focused on the core as a whole including arms

• 4 sets @ 12-15 reps per exercise
• Rest 30-60 seconds between sets

The exercises the video below have been sped up, please do them in a slow controlled form.

Low Impact Ab Workout

Low Impact - Ab Workout

Add these killer core exercises to the end of a session

12-15 repetition- slow & controlled 3/4 rounds 

• full extension V-ups 
• side V-ups (both sides)
• low plank knee to elbow

Beauty Products To Pack In Your Gym Bag

If you're like me and you want to keep your skin in check then this is the blog for you. I am very conscious about looking after my skin so I have my morning and night ritual that I do every single day but I also train once a day which means getting very sweaty and needing to shower a second time. So I make sure that I don't over treat my skin and that I use only the essentials before and after my training session. These are the top products I always have in my gym bag. Travel size are perfect as they take up less room and I am only using a small bit at a time.

1. Micellar water: I use Bioderma for sensitive skin as taking your make up off and back on can cause your skin to dry out. I use this before my session to take off any make up to avoid clogging my pores. I also use it after my session/shower to wipe off sweat and ensure my pores are unclogged http://www.boots.ie/bioderma-sensibio-h2o-250ml-10202361

2. Cotton Pads: Literally couldnt live without these bad boys. Primark do an amazing big value pack and are really gently on the skin. Aldi also have an amazing value pack https://www.aldi.ie/lacura-cotton-wool-pads/p/042860003154200

3. Rosewater- such an amazing product for toning and creating moisture to the skin. After I use the micellar water I use Rosewater on a cotton pad to remove excess dirt. It is very affordable and will last you ages. This is my must have product, oh and it smells amazing. http://www.inishpharmacy.com/p/ultrapure-rosewater/p-rosewater

4. Moisturiser - My morning and night regime is when I use my high end products with (retinol) so for my gym bag I use an Aldi day moisturizer to keep me going until I do my nightly routine. https://www.aldi.ie/ I find their range LACURA range such good value and amazing value. Their serum is also a must have for the neck and decollete area. I use the moisturiser after my gym session.

5. Body - after my session and shower I love to moisturise with palmers coconut oil, its non greasy and all natural. 

6. This is not in my gym bag but to keep my skin in tip top shape I love going to Clear Skin in The Beacon Quarter, Sandyford, Dublin 18, for their 5n1 facial when I am home in Dublin, but really your skin needs this professional TLC treatment every 6 weeks. They have a special running on this treatment now, click the link  http://www.clearskin.ie/

These are my essential items and really cost effective ones that will last for ages in your gym bag. Keep these separate to the items you have at home so you never have to take them out of your gym bag. If you would like to know my morning and night skin care routine please comment below.

Laura x

How to workout in 22 minutes (at home)

We all have days where time just runs away from you but in order to avoid unnecessary stress it's important to dedicate time to exercise. The drive to and from the gym can sometimes add on time that you just don't have, so I am going to give you a 22 minute at home workout that will be sure to get the blood flowing and leave you feeling ready to take on anything

Here I will break down the timing so set your stopwatch or timer on your phone and get moving.

1. 7 minutes: Warm up & stretch

3 Rounds : start your stop watch for 7 minutes only

Air Squat X 10 (slow & controlled)

Butt kicks X 30 (controlled speed)

Jumping jacks X 10

Stretches - basic upper body + lower body stretches (after 3 rounds of the above use the remaining time to stretch)

2. Workout - 7 minutes on the clock - do as many rounds as possible of the following

• 100 skips OR 60 High Knees
• Curtsey Lunge X 20 (10 each leg)
• Push Up X 12 (scaled on knees, beginner)
• Russian Twist X 20 (no weight)

- Rest 60 seconds -

3. 7 minutes on the clock - do as many rounds as possible of the following

• Reverse lunge into hop X 10 each leg
• Jump squat X 20
• Broad Jumps X 12 (length of yoga mat)
• Plank hip dips X 20
•  

Always cool down and do some light stretching after.

Sign up to my FREE ebook now.

Laura x

Full Gym Session (Resistance Workout)

Last week I had the pleasure of training with personal trainer Steffan Fusco in Rathmines, Dublin.  We did a full body resistance training session using weights, kettlebells and resistance bands. Below is a video demonstration of the workout.

warm up - 

3 sets of:

• Back Lunges X 10 each leg
• Curtsey Lunges X 10 each leg 

Stretch 

• Assisted hip flexor stretch - 30 seconds each leg

Video demo below

Workout 1 

3 sets of:

• Deadlift X 12
• Straight arm pull down with resistance band X 12
• Ring row X 12

Video below

Workout 2

3 sets: with 30 seconds between sets

• Kettlebell swing @20 kg X 12
• Kettlebell swing @16kg X 12
• Kettlebell back lunges @20kg (2X 10kg) X 20 (10 each leg)
• Rest 60 seconds

3 Sets of 

• Barbell row X 12
• Dumbbell row X 12
• Band resisted row (in squat position) X 12

Video below

Feel free to message me if you have any questions or concerns, 

Laura x

Strength Workout (Video)

Yesterday I had the pleasure of training in Steffan Fusco's personal training gym in Rathmines, Dublin. We did a full body strength session. Here is are full workout video.

Rest a minute between sets

3 sets of glute activation 

• band glute bridge X 20
• band squat X 20

4 sets of every minute on the minute .

•  Back squat X 15
• KB squat X 15

4 sets of :

• Kettle Bell swing X 15 
• Single leg squat X 10 (each leg)
• Pull ups X 10
• Push up X 14

 4 sets of:

• Box jumps X 15
•  Ball slams X 15