natjtan One thing that always makes me happy is a bowl of cold pomegranate seeds. Now they’re in season, I’m a happy girl!
Thursday was first post injury HIIT workout! Mostly a bodyweight circuit and it felt good to sweat it out with decreased rest times. I gave about 85-90% effort. Still got a way before I’m going all out! Burpees and single leg deadlifts are my benchmark. When I’m happy with them, 100% effort!
The podiatrist trimmed down the insoles and they now fit. After yet another shoes edit, it was time to hit Nice. There’s no worldwide shoe size standard and many sizes cross size internationally so the best way to shoe shop is have a general size and go from there. Don’t go by the number, but by how it fits you!
My old Converse trainers fit fine sans insoles, with insoles a little snug. Pascal the shop assistant in Foot Locker knew his stuff (apparently insoles are very common in France). With the insoles I’ll have to go up half a size to accommodate them. It all made sense. It’s always good when you a have switched on sales person! I swapped the leopard print ones, for these that will go with more. That’s one pair off the list!
Yes, they’ve got studs. Gotta love studs!
Since I’ve been given the all clear to run, I’ve been running with P, for those ‘just in case something goes wrong’ moments. I wanted to run Friday and he was on watch. I didn’t want to wait until Sunday, so just went for it. Pre injury, I mostly ran alone and Fridays 5km run had no knee or ankle problems! Woo hoo! Boo hoo, my lungs were screaming! I had to walk, that’s okay, I just switched to a Fartlek run. My VO2 will improve with more HIIT circuits and cardio bursts in my workouts.
I’ve always purchased products not tested on animals and after reading Jessica Alba’s The Honest Life, earlier this year, now switching to non toxic ones (no SLS, parabens, petrochemicals etc). I online shop for skin care and I get very excited when the parcels arrive! I’d love to shop for them in person, however in France many of these brands unheard of. There are some great award winning natural and organic skin care ranges coming out the UK at the moment: Organic Surge and Balance Me (from bathandunwind.com and lookfantasic.com respectively. Both ship worldwide). I’ve been very impressed with Organic Surge’s shower gels. Normally non SLS products don’t lather well and these do. I wasn’t surprised today when reordering Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream, that it’s a now award winning product. Organic Surge is quite cheap and Balance Me being a little more expensive.
Some girls like shoes. I like beauty products. Below is just a small sample!
This summer I was very excited to discover that Alba Botanica products are now available in Europe (bathandunwind.com). I’ve always wanted to try this brand when I’d seen it in CVS on holiday, but didn’t as if I liked it I wouldn’t have been able to repurchase in Europe. Since using some of their products my skin has cleared up considerably. I’ve tried more expensive ranges and they seem to mess my skin up. That said, I was even more excited that Coola Sun Care is now available in Europe (lookfantasic.com). I like to wear high SPF all year round due to living in the sunny Mediterranean. I’ve been using the mineral face Classic Unscented Sunscreen SPF 30 for a while and it’s an amazing product. It provides a broad-spectrum of UVA and UVB protection, keeps the wrinkles at bay, sits well under make up and is lightweight yet moisturising. Definitely worth every penny!
As P was on boat watch, it was my turn to enter the kitchen! I can cook, just nowhere near as good as him and he’s a lot faster at whipping out meals. Well he should being a chef! Dinner was quick and easy quinoa salad and left over leek soup. P is now turning for ‘research purposes’ at the moment to a more plant based diet/eating plan (I’ve been following one for about 14 years) so I get to play guinea pig to his dishes. Not a bad guinea pig to be! I’m looking forward to his spin on flourless pizza made with a cauliflower dough.
Have a great weekend!
Friday’s bike ride break.
What are your thoughts on ‘toxic free’ skin care. Do you feel that if you lead a healthy lifestyle, your skin care, make up and cleaning products should follow? Beauty comes from within and our skin, our biggest organ absorbs all that we put on it.
Does someone know a good alternative for Palmers Cocoa Butter? It’s the only body lotion that my skin likes, yet is full of petroleum and palm oil. Bu**er!