How to survive Winter

We've been having quite a mild winter here in New Zealand, up until a few weeks ago. Currently, there's a cold southerly wind making it feel very cold! A lot of people I've spoken to have been getting sick and it doesn't seem to go away, a pesky cough and runny nose even after a couple of weeks. And even my family didn't escape these bugs, we were down for a good 2-3 weeks. So, I thought this Blog post would be great timing.

What motivates me?

The one thing that really motivates me is losing weight. My youngest child is nearly a year old and I'm desperate to lose my pregnancy weight. I've found after two pregnancies, my body shape has changed. I've come to realise my body will never be the same again. But I do hope to lose weight overall and to especially lose some weight on my flabby tummy. I find running really good for this, it is high impact so you burn a lot more calories compared to walking.

I also get motivated by the thought of improving my fitness. I find the more frequent I run, the easier it feels. I found it really difficult to not run while I was sick, and I certainly felt a difference with my first run post-sick. It felt like I had to start from scratch again. I also notice a difference in my every day life when I'm fitter. It's easier to chase after and play with my kids, and I find I'm more confident to walk places instead of driving.

Lastly, I get motivated because I want to feel healthy. I find my mood changes a lot when I'm not running. And I'm amazed how quickly this changes after a run. Even my family notice I'm a lot happier when I'm exercising regularly!

What keeps me running?

Sometimes I find it really difficult getting out the door for a run. But then I remind myself how I feel after a run, that runner's high. I feel happy and energetic after a run and by visualizing this feeling, I get motivated to run.

I also want to be a role model for my kids. I want them to see me exercising regularly and that it's a normal part of every day life. I want them to participate and enjoy exercise knowing that it's helping them to be and feel healthy.

So what do I do when I'm sick?

Rest. I think this is important. It's your body telling you to slow down so that your body can use all it's energy on repairing itself and fighting off whatever bug/virus you've got. Sleep when you can, spend time watching tv, reading a book, doing puzzles etc.

Drink lots of water. Your body functions a lot more efficiently when it's properly hydrated. Have a drink bottle nearby to sip from and also try to drink a glass with every meal.

I also take vitamin C when I'm sick to help my immune system and drink a Lemsip before going to bed to give me that extra pain relief. Vicks vapour rub is also a favourite of mine, it helps to clear a blocked nose and smells really nice too.

I also enjoy having lots of warming food when I'm sick. Soups, casseroles and cups of tea to help rehydrate.

What are your tried and true tricks to helping you get through Winter? Let me know so I can try it out for next time!

Image courtesy of Bloggerfit.com

Beauty products I use before and after a run

Alright, this will be a bit different to my other two posts, but this will be about the products I use before and after a run. I decided to do this post to cover my two passions, running and beauty products. Cause let's face it, what female doesn't like beauty products right?

After I get my running clothes on, I'll put on deodorant. The one I use and like is Mitchum roll-on. It is an anti-perspirant with powerful protection all day long. It claims to be 24 hour active, and keeps you dry and odour free for up to 48 hours. It's also gentle on skin, won't stain clothes and dermatologist tested. I really like this roll-on as it has a nice scent and seems to work really well for me. I buy mine from my local supermarket.

I then do my hair. I recently purchased a tangle teezer and I absolutely love it! I have really long knotty hair and I can brush my hair very quickly with this hair bush. I purchased mine off beautybliss.co.nz, they have great service and fast postage! I then use a hair tie to put my hair up, often into a high pony tail (running hair styles will be in an upcoming blog post) and use a couple of clips to tame any random bits of hair. I purchase mine from the pharmacy.

I then spray my face with my Sukin hydrating mist toner to freshen up my face. I really love this toner and a lot of other products from Sukin as its a natural skin care range. This toner is alcohol and paraben free. It combines camomile and rosewater to soothe and tone the skin. It is suitable for all skin types. You can use this after cleansing or whenever your skin feels tired or stressed. It's perfect for hot days, long flights or long days in an air conditioned environment. It can be used on face and body, over and under lotions, creams, oils, gels and makeup. After spraying onto my face, I rub it in so that it dries faster. I buy all my Sukin products from Farmers.

Next, I apply some lip balm. This is especially important on cold or windy days. Lately, I've been using my Blistex intensive repair and really like it. I find it very soothing on already dry lips, and helps to protect my lips from wind burn. I buy mine from either a pharmacy or supermarket.

I then apply sunblock to my face. The one I've been using from last summer is by Serene birth products. Look them up on Facebook, they usually only make one batch up in late spring or early summer. This all natural sunscreen is made of organic sunflower oil, zinc, helichrysum roman camomile, coconut oil and organic beeswax. It's approximately spf 25. This product is thick, so a little goes a long way. I brought two tubs at the start of last summer and I've barely used half of my first tub. I'm really impressed with this sunblock and use it on my whole family. I use this during the winter as more of a moisturizer, but also like that it has spf too.

I sometimes use Plasters to stop chafing, there is a particular sports bra that I have to apply Plasters before wearing as I always get chafing from it. It's a pain, and I intend in replacing it soon!

Lastly, after my run if I don't have time to wash my hair, I use a dry shampoo. I had to mention this, I just love this product so much. The best one I've tried is from Batiste. I currently have the cherry scent and love it! This product is an instant hair refresh for all hair types. This dry shampoo is perfect to use between washes. A quick burst revitalises hair and removes any excess grease. Hair feels gorgeously clean and fresh with added body and texture. This is great for my oily hair and after brushing the product through my hair, it looks and smells clean. How easy is that?! I purchase mine from Farmers.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I'd like to know what your favourite beauty products are to use before or after exercise, please leave a comment below :-)

Race= entered

I have entered a race! I have entered the 5km distance at the Whangamata run walk festival. It is on the 6th September 2014, and I have competed in this race before. It's nice and close to where I live, so thought it'll be the perfect starting point.

Whangamata is a gorgeous beach town on the eastern coast of the Coromandel peninsular, only about an hours drive from my house. Quite often busy in the summer, it is a great holiday destination. My partner's family have been going every year for a long time now, so they know Whangamata quite well. There are a great range of shops, in particular, the surf shops are excellent!

The course of the 5km is all on-road and is a loop, starting and finishing at the Whangamata area school. 

From the website, 'All three courses take in spectacular views of ocean beach & pristine bush-clad hills along the way. The pride of the Coromandel, Whangamata, boasts a wide range of recreational choices including:  surfing, fishing, kayaking, tramping, mountain biking, birdwatching as well as plenty of shopping, arts and crafts, plus great cafes, restaurants and bars!'

I did this same race in 2010 with a time of 36 minutes, I'm aiming to better this time with 35 minutes or less, I would be really happy with 34 minutes! 

Currently, I can run 5km in about 40 minutes, so will work on increasing my speed with incorporating speed intervals into my training runs. I'm hoping that now I'm slowly getting better, I'll be able to get back into a good running routine.