Can you believe it is already February? Your Christmas decorations may be packed away by now but it is time to do a bit of shopping again. While I understand that some people may think Valentine’s Day is a marketing ploy to sell flowers, wine and chocolates, I love a day that gives me an excuse show people that I love them. There is nothing like choosing the perfect item that makes your bestie smile! The list below includes gifts for people who love the outdoors, whether that is while running, hiking, camping, swimming, or relaxing. I chose items that are under £40 to keep it affordable too. These Valentine’s Day ideas are for men, women, friends, and family. Some of these I have tried myself (*gifted PR product) and others I like the looks of. If you have any other Valentine’s Day gift ideas, please leave a comment below.
For those who run commute:Nuasan Active Body Wipes* are my workplace essential. I can freshen up my face if my mask gets too hot or do a quick wipe down after a run (£13.26).
For the chocoholic:80Noir Ultra dark chocolate was designed for your recovery and wellbeing. With a UK-based female-founder, this small business is one you should support (spices start at £2.00, chocolate at £5.50).
For al fresco lovers: The Hydro Flask Wine Bottle* has been on my wish list for a while. Perfect to avoid glass on the trial and to keep your wine at the perfect temperature (£35.00). The wine tumbler* can be used on the go, at work, and around the campfire too (£24.00). (Wine sadly not included)
For dog walkers and campers:SealSkinz has an amazing waterproof LED beanie* that is perfect for early morning dog walks and year-round camping. No more searching in the tent for a head torch. The built-in light has 240 hours of battery life and visibility of up to 500m (£35.00).
For those who live far away:Monty & Ridge letterbox gifts are the perfect care package for the adventurer in your life. With over a dozen themed-boxes to choose from, you can’t go wrong (from £17.95).
For the impossible to buy for:Sport Pursuit offers short-term deals on all the outdoor kit you didn’t know you needed. Clothes, trainers, SUP boards, sleeping bags, protein bars, and more from the brands you know and love. They don’t offer gift vouchers but have a look for the perfect gift anyways.
For those looking for health and happiness: My book, 52 Weekend Challenges, is available on Kindle or as a printed paperback. Each week there is a small goal to achieve to help you step outside your comfort zone to find something you love. Available on your local Amazon site (£15.85).
For those who can’t sleep/need to relax:R3ST 500mg CBD spray* from R3 CBD is something I have been using since the 2020 Running Show South. I spray it under my tongue after I brush my teeth to help me relax a bit before bed. CBD also helps some athletes with recovery (£24.99).
For those who work for the NHS:Donate to Duty To Care in their name. Duty to Care provides free wellbeing services to anyone with a NHS email address. From counselling, to yoga, to physiotherapy, to personal training with me, I am so grateful that Duty to Care is helping those who need it most.
For those who are environmentally conscious:dewerstone Chunky Knitted Beanie hat will keep you up on the bobble hat trend while doing good for the planet. dewerstone takes part in 1% for the Planet where 1% of their annual revenue goes directly to non-profit environmental action groups. Plus their products are Climate Neutral Certified and for every product they manufacture, they plant a tree (£19.95).
For those who want to run faster:Superfeet carbon insoles make the idea of using carbon technology to improve your performance without a hefty price tag (£40).
For those who always have cold feet:Rab Cirrus Hut Slippers look like small sleeping bag shoes, don’t they? Filled with recycled PrimaLoft Luxe synthetic insulation that comes from post-consumer waste, this material retains twice the loft of down when wet, breathes, has no allergens and retains warmth when wet. Available through specialist outdoor retailer, Trekitt (£36).
For those who cold water swim:Zone3 Neoprene Heat-Tec Warmth Swim Socks have a titanium lining on top of being 3.5mm thick. There are no more excuses to avoid open water swimming in the winter (£39.00).
For those who love pink:Designed By Sport Pink Amnesia leggings will make you smile each time you put them on. Featuring both thigh and waistband pockets, these high-waisted leggings are also squat proof (£39.99).
For those who love fun socks:Thought’s Heck Athlete socks are made from bamboo and come in a little gift bag. Patterns range from runners, to bicycles, to pugs, to robots, to polar bears. There is something for everyone (£7.99).
For those who need more support when train:Crossfly Men’s Performance Underwear can help men by offering additional support where they need it. The unique design of 3D breathable, fast-drying panels and a 7″ inseam plus anti-microbial fabric means you will be returning your cotton pants for good (£24.99).
I had a few other ideas I wanted to list, but they cost more than £40. Let me know if you would be interested in more gift guides here on the blog. There are already a few, which you can find here. Hope this list gave you a few more Valentine’s day gift ideas.
*Thanks to the brands for sending complimentary samples. All opinions are honest and my own. This post contains affiliate links which doesn’t cost you anything additional. I receive a small fee for each purchase to help cover the costs of running this website.
Let’s get right to it. The days are shorter. It actually is cold now. And wet. I assume you feel like I do this time of year and just wanted to stay under the duvet all day with the electric blanket on. Here are six tips on how to stay out of hibernation.
Stay warm with merino wool baselayer and socks–I discovered merino wool years ago and have never looked back. Depending on how ‘heavy’ it is, it will keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It also has the unique ability to not smell because it absorbs moisture so well, meaning there isn’t an opportunity for bacteria to start growing on your skin. I particularly like the socks for the winter because cotton holds on to the moisture (either from damp weather or sweat) which makes me cold.
Drink plenty of fluid– If you don’t carry a water bottle around with you, now is the time to get on board. Hydro Flask is a vauum-insulated stainless steel bottle that keeps drinks warm or cold (they gave me one filled with ice and it lasted through the night!) so it is a perfect vessel no mater what time of year (or beverage choice). You should still be drinking plenty of water in the colder months, even though you are not sweating as much. Carrying a bottle is super-convenient and will help you measure how much you drink each day.
Note the beer flagon/growler size
See sunlight- I am still using my Lumie alarm clock which helps me wake up a bit more naturally when it is still dark outside. I also have a Seasonal Affect Disorder lamp at work which helps the entire team during the dark months. Another way to see more sunlight would be simply to head outside for a walk on your break or eat lunch outside on the sunny days.
Stay active with home workouts with Julia– If you are anything like me, once I get home and sit down, I find it hard to get out the door again for a pint of milk, let alone the gym. That is the brilliance behind Julia’s online gym. I don’t need to rush about for a class schedule or to meet a personal trainer. Julia is my coach and available anytime I need her. Join now for free and give it a try. The workouts last 20-60 minutes making them very easy to slot into your day. You can even do them at work as some don’t require equipment. Julia is currently offering her Bronze level membership for FREE so you really have nothing to loose.
A photo posted by Mollie, the Happiness PT (@ptmollie) on
Cooking with colourful vegetables this time of year. Have you tried ‘crack vegetables yet? Sure, fruits in the summer are great, but now is the time of year to dig in (see what I did there) to the root veg selection at your local grocer. Select as many different colours as possible, and heck, pick one you have never eaten before and live on the edge a bit.
Pick up an old hobby– You probably don’t feel like going out quite as much as you did the summertime. You will need a new way to fill up your time did you love to read as a child.? Or take ballroom dance lessons at uni? Or did your grandmother teach you how to knit when you visited her during summer holidays? Keeping the mind active and doing things you enjoy is just as important as being physically active. You will meet new people as you take up your favourite pastime, rediscover a lost passion, and maybe even get a confidence boost if you find you still have a talent for it. How cool would that be?
These are just a few tips and perhaps you may have heard them before. Dd you act on them? Did you take control and make positive changes to feel better and stay fit? One of my favourite quotes is ‘if you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always got.’ Remember your goal is health and happiness, so take the first step today. And of course, let me know how it goes. Hydro Flask kindly gave me their bottle to try out. All opinons are honest and my own. This post also contains affiliate links. These are at no additional cost to you, but help maintain the cost of running the blog and supporting my activewear purchases.
Let’s get right to it. The days are shorter. It actually is cold now. And wet. I assume you feel like I do this time of year and just wanted to stay under the duvet all day with the electric blanket on. Here are six tips on how to stay out of hibernation.
Stay warm with merino wool baselayer and socks–I discovered merino wool years ago and have never looked back. Depending on how ‘heavy’ it is, it will keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It also has the unique ability to not smell because it absorbs moisture so well, meaning there isn’t an opportunity for bacteria to start growing on your skin. I particularly like the socks for the winter because cotton holds on to the moisture (either from damp weather or sweat) which makes me cold.
Drink plenty of fluid– If you don’t carry a water bottle around with you, now is the time to get on board. Hydro Flask is a vauum-insulated stainless steel bottle that keeps drinks warm or cold (they gave me one filled with ice and it lasted through the night!) so it is a perfect vessel no mater what time of year (or beverage choice). You should still be drinking plenty of water in the colder months, even though you are not sweating as much. Carrying a bottle is super-convenient and will help you measure how much you drink each day.
Note the beer flagon/growler size
See sunlight- I am still using my Lumie alarm clock which helps me wake up a bit more naturally when it is still dark outside. I also have a Seasonal Affect Disorder lamp at work which helps the entire team during the dark months. Another way to see more sunlight would be simply to head outside for a walk on your break or eat lunch outside on the sunny days.
Stay active with home workouts with Julia– If you are anything like me, once I get home and sit down, I find it hard to get out the door again for a pint of milk, let alone the gym. That is the brilliance behind Julia’s online gym. I don’t need to rush about for a class schedule or to meet a personal trainer. Julia is my coach and available anytime I need her. Join now for free and give it a try. The workouts last 20-60 minutes making them very easy to slot into your day. You can even do them at work as some don’t require equipment. Julia is currently offering her Bronze level membership for FREE so you really have nothing to loose.
A photo posted by Mollie, the Happiness PT (@ptmollie) on
Cooking with colourful vegetables this time of year. Have you tried ‘crack vegetables yet? Sure, fruits in the summer are great, but now is the time of year to dig in (see what I did there) to the root veg selection at your local grocer. Select as many different colours as possible, and heck, pick one you have never eaten before and live on the edge a bit.
Pick up an old hobby– You probably don’t feel like going out quite as much as you did the summertime. You will need a new way to fill up your time did you love to read as a child.? Or take ballroom dance lessons at uni? Or did your grandmother teach you how to knit when you visited her during summer holidays? Keeping the mind active and doing things you enjoy is just as important as being physically active. You will meet new people as you take up your favourite pastime, rediscover a lost passion, and maybe even get a confidence boost if you find you still have a talent for it. How cool would that be?
These are just a few tips and perhaps you may have heard them before. Dd you act on them? Did you take control and make positive changes to feel better and stay fit? One of my favourite quotes is ‘if you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always got.’ Remember your goal is health and happiness, so take the first step today. And of course, let me know how it goes. Hydro Flask kindly gave me their bottle to try out. All opinons are honest and my own. This post also contains affiliate links. These are at no additional cost to you, but help maintain the cost of running the blog and supporting my activewear purchases.
Today was my first EVER Julia Buckley workout. She recomends starting with 5 days of bootcamp sessions, so that is the plan for this week. I have to teach spinning Monday and Tuesday night, which means double sessions for me. The moves were simple and Julia gave exellent verbal instructions, along with options to make the moves more or less intense. It is up to the viewer to decide what level they are at and to work towards a positive progression over time.
One of the reasons I signed up to be a #FitnessRockstar was for the accountability. Strength training is something I never make time for, but always wish I had when I line up at the start line. Working with Julia means I have no excuses. Everything I need is available at my fingertips as all her workouts are available online. Luckily, I have some weights and mats at home which means I just need to take over the living room for an hour each night. Oldland isn’t too keen that he can’t see me when the door is shut but he will get over it.
To make this experience with Julia as real as possible, I am posting my ‘before’ photos. Note they were after 2 bottles of Diet Coke, a posh kebab, and small popcorn at the cinema. I am an apple-shape and am finding that the stress from work and lack of sleep make my stomach the place for even more fat to hang out. To combat this, I know I need to work on my food choices. For this first month though, I am going to work on sticking to my exercise schedule and then work on healthy food selection in November. It is important not to change too much too fast or too drastically because it can be overwhelming and cause you to quit. I am not about to become a quitter!
Drumroll please……
Julia thought it would be fun for all the Rockstars to share a bit about themselves and what fitness means to them, Here is the quickfire #JuliaBFit Fitness Rockstar Spotlight Interview with,errr, me:
1. For me, fitness is all about: Feeling healthy and hanging out with like-minded people who are always up for new adventures. I pride myself on being a capable person and being fit helps me be independent too.
2. I get most excited to do my workout when: I know the tunes are going to be awesome. Good music makes everything more enjoyable.
3. When a workout really pushes me to my limit, I think to myself: ‘Come on, Tubbs!’ which is my maiden name and what my husband shouts at me when I am finishing my parkrun. 4. I’m most likely to skip my workout if: I am super-tired, have to work late, or it is raining, hence why I need my community to hold me accountable with this project! 5. In a group fitness session I’ll be the one who: Is up-front so I can see what the movements are. I am also watching the other participants to see how they are doing. As a fellow instructor, I can also be a bit critical of the instructor if I feel they are being unsafe. 6. The item of exercise equipment I’d most hate to go without is: A sports bra, my running shoes or my GPS watch. Soon to be dumbbells? 7. The last thing I usually do before starting my workout is: Take a sip of water 8. My top 5 workout music tracks are: Well, I haven’t downloaded new songs on my iPod in several years, so ‘Put Your Hands Up For Detroit’, ‘Dog Days Are Over’, ‘Womanizer’, ‘Insomnia’, and anything 80s. 9. If I start feeling meh about fitness I give myself a boost by: Signing up for a race or setting up a meet up with some blogging friends at a new fitness class, follwed by coffee or drinks. 10. The most important thing I’ve learned about fitness in the last year is: Everybody struggles and nobody is perfect. But if you consistently work hard, you can achieve anything you put your mind to.
A photo posted by Mollie, the Happiness PT (@ptmollie) on
If you want to join me, Julia, and the other Rockstars, click here to sign up today. Online access is much cheaper than a gym membership. Plus you can do it at home, on your own schedule.
This post contains afflitiate links, which cost you nothing but help me maintain the blog. All opinions are honest and my own.
Today was my first EVER Julia Buckley workout. She recomends starting with 5 days of bootcamp sessions, so that is the plan for this week. I have to teach spinning Monday and Tuesday night, which means double sessions for me. The moves were simple and Julia gave exellent verbal instructions, along with options to make the moves more or less intense. It is up to the viewer to decide what level they are at and to work towards a positive progression over time.
One of the reasons I signed up to be a #FitnessRockstar was for the accountability. Strength training is something I never make time for, but always wish I had when I line up at the start line. Working with Julia means I have no excuses. Everything I need is available at my fingertips as all her workouts are available online. Luckily, I have some weights and mats at home which means I just need to take over the living room for an hour each night. Oldland isn’t too keen that he can’t see me when the door is shut but he will get over it.
To make this experience with Julia as real as possible, I am posting my ‘before’ photos. Note they were after 2 bottles of Diet Coke, a posh kebab, and small popcorn at the cinema. I am an apple-shape and am finding that the stress from work and lack of sleep make my stomach the place for even more fat to hang out. To combat this, I know I need to work on my food choices. For this first month though, I am going to work on sticking to my exercise schedule and then work on healthy food selection in November. It is important not to change too much too fast or too drastically because it can be overwhelming and cause you to quit. I am not about to become a quitter!
Drumroll please……
Julia thought it would be fun for all the Rockstars to share a bit about themselves and what fitness means to them, Here is the quickfire #JuliaBFit Fitness Rockstar Spotlight Interview with,errr, me:
1. For me, fitness is all about: Feeling healthy and hanging out with like-minded people who are always up for new adventures. I pride myself on being a capable person and being fit helps me be independent too.
2. I get most excited to do my workout when: I know the tunes are going to be awesome. Good music makes everything more enjoyable.
3. When a workout really pushes me to my limit, I think to myself: ‘Come on, Tubbs!’ which is my maiden name and what my husband shouts at me when I am finishing my parkrun. 4. I’m most likely to skip my workout if: I am super-tired, have to work late, or it is raining, hence why I need my community to hold me accountable with this project! 5. In a group fitness session I’ll be the one who: Is up-front so I can see what the movements are. I am also watching the other participants to see how they are doing. As a fellow instructor, I can also be a bit critical of the instructor if I feel they are being unsafe. 6. The item of exercise equipment I’d most hate to go without is: A sports bra, my running shoes or my GPS watch. Soon to be dumbbells? 7. The last thing I usually do before starting my workout is: Take a sip of water 8. My top 5 workout music tracks are: Well, I haven’t downloaded new songs on my iPod in several years, so ‘Put Your Hands Up For Detroit’, ‘Dog Days Are Over’, ‘Womanizer’, ‘Insomnia’, and anything 80s. 9. If I start feeling meh about fitness I give myself a boost by: Signing up for a race or setting up a meet up with some blogging friends at a new fitness class, follwed by coffee or drinks. 10. The most important thing I’ve learned about fitness in the last year is: Everybody struggles and nobody is perfect. But if you consistently work hard, you can achieve anything you put your mind to.
A photo posted by Mollie, the Happiness PT (@ptmollie) on
If you want to join me, Julia, and the other Rockstars, click here to sign up today. Online access is much cheaper than a gym membership. Plus you can do it at home, on your own schedule.
This post contains afflitiate links, which cost you nothing but help me maintain the blog. All opinions are honest and my own.
Hello there! So much has been going on behind-the-scenes here- marathons, international challenges, extra hours at the day job, and something that I can’t wait to tell you about. I will be posting details on it all but let’s get to the exciting news first.
I have been selected to be a Julia’s Buckley Fitness Rockstar. I have known Julia virtually for a few years now. My friend, Becca, of From Strength to Strength, introduced me to Julia back in the days of the Zero Calorie Advent Calendar. Julia’s workouts are simple, effective and accessible to everyone. She started off with a book, Fat Burn Revolution, and now has a huge online gym.
Julia was looking for Fitness Rockstars to help spread the word about her offerings (so affordable and accessible) and I was keen to get involved. As a fellow fitness professional, I am happy to support and promote Julia. Her programs work (several of my friends have had tremendous success) and I am ready to be her next success story. Julai’s Fitness Rockstars are a collective of people with a mission to make the world a healthier, happier place (it is like we are all curt from the same cloth!). We’re not professional athletes, or even what many would consider typical “fitness people,” but we all appreciate the privilege of having the ability to move our bodies and we’ve all experienced having our worlds rocked by the astounding difference fitness and health has made to our lives. You may think that personal trainers are always motivated to workout, but I can tell you that it isn’t true. We have struggles just like our clients.
Neither are we celebrities, or in a position to spread our message to millions of people, but if something we post can help light the fuse that helps anyone to discover myriad of amazing benefits of doing what takes to be fit and strong which ripple out into all areas of life, then we’ll feel like stars for sure. Together, we think we can shine enough light to make a difference. If I can get even one of my readers to start moving their body in a positive way towards a healthy lifestyle, I will feel like I have won.
From now until January, I am going to focus on strength training. It is something I always say I need to do and now is the time. The plan is to start with the 5 day bootcamp, as these videos have more instructions and will give me a solid knowledge base to proceed. The plan is to mix Ignite sessions (which are 30 minutes and require no equipment) with Rebellion Stength sessions. The Ignite sessions I can do at work on my tea break and Rebellion I can fit in in my free evenings.
Here is a rough idea of my training schedule:
Monday nights- I teach spinning at Forest Fitness
Tuesday nights in October- I teach spinning at the Velodrome
Wednesdays- Ignite at work
Thursdays- Rebellion workout at home
Friday morning- Adidas Runners session at King’s Cross
Saturdays- Rebellion workout at home
Sunday- Rest I will soon share from ‘before’ photos and take body measurements. Each week, I will aim to post a quick update on how things are going for me. This public declaration should hold me accountable so I will stick to it!
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