Autumn favourites

With September well under way I’m ready for knitted jumpers, pumpkin spice lattes and all the cosiness Autumn brings. I decided compile a list of what items I’m hoping will get me through training in the Autumn months.

Eco Recovery Magnesium Oil Spray

I’m really loving the Eco Recovery Magnesium Oil Spray

I picked up recently. The Magnesium is supposed to ease sore muscles and I find it really works. I just spray it on to my legs and my upper arms straight after a run or gym session, and again anytime my muscles feel tight or sore. It also contains Thyme and Marjoram Oils “to soothe and relax tight muscles” and Pink Grapefruit and Black Pepper Oils “to increase circulation and rejuvenate muscles” so it smells nice too! I bought mine from Home Sense for £4.99!

Mindset with Muscle Podcast

I’ve only recently started listening to podcasts and this was one of the firsts I listened to after hearing that Zanna Van Dijk and the Lean Machines had featured in recent episodes. The podcast is hosted by Jamie Alderton who I proceeded to stalk follow on snapchat, twitter and Instagram. Every week he talks to a new guest about how they got to where they are now and asks them about their training philosophies. What I love about this podcast is that Jamie emphasizes the importance of having a healthy mind and a holistic approach to training and reaching your goals.

Elle Pink Foam Roller

It’s a foam roller and it’s pink – need I go on. I’ve been wanting my own foam roller for ages because I find it’s great to use after a run to sooth my tight calves. I still don’t really know if I use the foam roller correctly so having my own means I can copy youtube videos in the privacy of my own home without the humiliation of rolling back an forth on my arse in the gym! The fact that it’s pink – icing on the cake.

Earthmiles

Ok so this is definitely not a new discovery but it continues to be one of my most used apps. Earthmiles essentialy works like airmiles – the more excersize you do , be in walking, running or cycling the more earthmiles you get. With these earthmiles you can then get a disciount on a tonne of healthy food, fitness clothing and accessorize and even some fitness classes.  I’ve used my earthmiles to get 25% off my first Sourced Box, 20% off Nakd Bars and 15% off Runners Need to name but a few. Definitely a must have if you spend as much money on leggings and snack bars as I do!

O’Neill Black and white leggings

In case you didn’t guess, leggings are one of my favourite things in the world. I picked these up from O’Neills for £19.99 and while they’re not “sporty” leggings (i.e their cotton) they’re really comfy so great to just chill in. They’re also a bit more exciting than my go to plain black leggings for day to day wear. I can’t find them any more on the O’Neills website but still go and check it out because the leggings they do have are equally as snazzy!  The 360 Harmony Legging and white surf legging have just been added to my wishlist!

70s Running 420 Mesh Trainers in Black

I actually squeaked in the shop when I bought these I was so excited! I’ve been wanting some black day to day trainers for a while and these definitely fit the bill. I’m not planning to wear these to train in the gym or when I’m running but I’ll wear them to walk to lectures and maybe to a dance class. These are actually under “mens” trainers on the website but it does say the sizing is unisex and I preferred these to any of the womens trainers. They’re lightweight and will go with basically everything I own!

Nakd Carrot Cake bar

Last but not least are the naked carrot cake bars which genuinely taste like carrot cake! A few months ago Nakd launched three new flavoured bars: peach crunch - which I haven’t been able to get my hands on yet *crying emoji*, peanut butter – which I LOVE and will write more about in a post to come, and finally the carrot cake. I love all the nakd bars and was not disappointed when I tried these. It tastes like a mash up between the cashew cookie bar and the ginger bread bar and I really recommend grabbing one next time you see it for a healthy snack!

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin

London - Where I Ate !

I’m finally posting my blog about London! I’ve decided to split it into two blog. This is the first and it’s all about where I ate! It’s not very often that I go anywhere and have such amazing food every time I eat out. All the places on my list except for one are on the Southbank simply because this was where I spent most of my time. Hopefully next time I go to London I’ll be able to explore a different area! 

THE FIND

Over The Road

This little cafe was such a great find! Tucked away on Union Street, a minute walk for Southwark tube Station, we nearly walked straight past it but I’m so glad we stopped here for some lunch. With plenty of outside seating and a busy bustling vibe it was a great way to start my trip. Not only  was my salt beef bagel delicious but we paid £10 for two bagels, two coffees and a packet of pipers crisps! A bargain you don’t often find in London.

Top Tip : Bring a book to swap on the Book swap trolly - a great way to discover new reads!

THE ONE WITH ALL THE CAKES

GAIL’s Artisan Bakery 

Walking in here was like walking into one of my dreams - gorgeous cakes EVERYWHERE!  I finally settled on a Pecan Salted Caramel and Banana cake (which was heavenly) and some fruity homemade ice tea. It was so nice in fact that we went back the next day and had some more cake (don’t know which one it was but it had pink icing so I instantly fell in love) and coffee. 

THE SPANISH ONE

Camino

 They had a great selection on small tapas dishes and we found it hard to narrow it down. We ended up getting a plate from each section on the menu, so we order the Manchego Cheese, the Jambón Ibérico Cebo (ham), the Octopus, the Chorizo de Rioja and the Baby Aubergine. All the dishes were tasty but my favourite was definitely the octopus because it was so different to what I normally eat and it was served with a delicious beetroot purée. We found that five plates were definitely enough between the two of us and left space for some cheeky chocolate churros for dessert. 

Top Tip : Even if you not that hungry it’s worth stopping here for a cocktail (or two) as spanish party atmosphere  will certainly get you in the mood for a fun night out

THE HEALTHY ONES

Crussh Fit Food

A healthy breakfast is one of my favourite ways to start the day hence I was so happy when I saw Crussh across the road from my hotel. Again there were so many things I could have bought (cacao & coconut bircher musli sounded sooooooo good!) but knowing I had a long day in front of me I wanted something I knew would keep me full for hours so I went for the Scrambled Egg pot with Hot Smoked Salmon and flax seed and as you might have guessed it was so *yummy and it did keep me full without being to heavy.  

(*I’m really running out of good adjectives to describe how nice the food was!)

I also had a latte with a ginger shot, something I’ve never heard of before let alone tried and it was surprisingly refreshing!

Leon

Another day, another healthy breakfast, this time at Leon’s a place I’ve heard a lot about but never been to before.  I don’t know if eggs in a pot is a London thing or just not a Cardiff thing but for the second day in a row I had eggs but this time poached and with smoked salmon and avocado.  I actually found this portion a bit small so I’d recommend either getting a large smoothie of which they have an abundance or requesting an extra egg.

THE ONE WITH THE VIEW

The Tate Modern

The last place we ate was the Kitchen and Bar on the sixth level of the Tate Modern. There are two  menus available the Bar Menu and the Restaurant Menu. Not being that hungry I just went for a roast beetroot, rosary goat’s cheese, orange, broad bean and quinoa salad and the crispy salt and pepper squid both of which were lovely but the main reason I’d recommend a visit? The view What’s better that relaxing in the calm oasis and chilled atmosphere of the Tate Bar while watching the hustle and bustle of Londoners on the other side of the river!

THE QUAINT ONE

Cafe Bella Maria

I don’t feel like I can give this cafe a full review considering I literally spent about fifteen minutes in here just to grab a coffee to go but I had to mention it. Even though it was insanely busy the service was impeccable and the cosy interior design and the delicious look of the cupcakes definitely mean I’ll make an effort to go back next time I’m in London!

THE PINK ONE

SNOG

Last but not least I had to mention Snog for their insane pink double decker bus ! On the southbank it’s the perfect place to grab a light dessert after your evening meal. At only 140 for a little original snog how could I say no! You can choose from original , chocolate, salted caramel  or pomegranate flavoured frozen yoghurt with healthy toppings like fruit, nuts or granola or maybe some not not so healthy toppings like chocolate fudge brownies, gummy bears or oreos, Whatever your in the mood for you’ll find the perfect frozen yoghurt for you! Personally I went for he chocolate flavoured frozen yoghurt with popcorn and mango (to be healthy…..not).

I hope you enjoyed my list. Please leave a comment so I know people are actually reading my blogs hahaha! 

B x