Healthy habits: How I plan to fall in love with running

Source: Google Images

Today I have a confession to make: I have some kind of love-hate relationship with running! I find it very hard to get myself motivated to go on a run but feel so amazing afterwards! It is one of the easiest and cheapest cardio workouts out there, so why can't I just be one of those people that loves to run!? 

Throughout the past year or so, I have however found some tips and tricks that help me get outside and start running. These tips are not foolproof but they help me to put on my running shoes more frequently, and I hope they will motivate you as well!

1. Follow a training programme! Especially for those beginners out there, following a programme is the best way to build endurance. Which is key, as running can't possibly be fun if you're no good at it. A training programme also forces you to run a few times a week in order to obtain the final goal. I personnally am doing the Start To Run programme, which helps you build up to 5K in 10 weeks. But you can find beginner running programmes all over the internet!
2. Plan your workouts! Another trick is to plan your runs and other workouts in your planner. I plan out the week ahead based on the TIU weekly workout schedule and take into account my other obligations for that week. This way, lack of time is no excuse!
3. Get inspired! Something that gets me going quickly, especially in the morning, is some fitness inspiration: blog posts, instagram photos, quotes, etc.
4. Prepare yourself to go running! Being prepared and ready to go is already half the work. Laying out your workout clothes and other things you need means you won't have to worry about it when you leave for your run. Everyone has other necessities to go running: for me it is drinking a glass of water beforehand, taking a handkerchief and using my inhaler because of my allergies. Of course I also take my phone and headphones.
5. Challenge yourself! Another excellent motivator, is to set myself a challenge. I especially love the Tone It Up #100byHoliday challenges! I always run a lot more during these challenges, because it is one of the best ways to add miles fast. Another way to challenge myself is by comparing my runs: can I go further this time, or faster, or maybe both? This way I don't just go on one run, they are linked and I can track my progress.
6. Use apps! An excellent way to track your progress, is using apps on your phone. I love using Runtastic because of the huge amount of possibilities but there are hundreds of fitness apps out there... Just pick the one that works best for you!
7. Reward yourself with a tasty healthy snack afterwards! I have found that one of my biggest motivators is knowing that there is a delicious breakfast or snack waiting for me at home. I try to have a healthy meal that complements my workout to reap as many benefits as possible. My favourite post-run breakfast options are TIU protein pancakes or overnight oatmeal (perfect to prepare in advance). If I go running later in the day, I'll generally go for a smoothie or some other kind of high protein snack.
8. Reward yourself with new workout clothes! Something that always motivates me to work out are new workout clothes. A cute outfit makes exercising so much more fun, right!?

Do you have any tips to add to this list? Also, I'll keep you up to date!

January recap

I'm SO happy January is over! 

The reason being that I spent the biggest part of this month in my room finishing school assignments and studying for exams. So I have to warn you about January's favourites: not very exciting in the beauty department!


Beauty favourites: dry shampoo, minimal makeup, skincare, and a rediscovered perfume

Exams = dry shampoo, or is that just me? The brand I'm currently using is not that special, it just does the job.

Studying for exams also means minimal makeup. I think I didn't wear makeup for at least half of January and if I did, it wasn't that much. My basic makeup look consists of: Rimmel BB cream, Catrice concealer, MAC eyebrow pencil, Marc Jacobs mascara, (tinted) lipbalm and maybe some Sleek contour and blush.

My skin wasn't at its best at the beginning of January, so I upped my skincare game. I focussed on keeping my skin clear and hydrated throughout the month. My go to products are: Kiehls Ultra Facial Cleanser, Bioderma, Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Riche, Kiehls Creamy Eye Treatment, Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight mask and Vichy Normaderm Hyaluspot spot treatment.

My last favourite is a rediscovery. Instead of buying a new perfume, I thought it would make more sense to use what I already have. The first one I grabbed was Givenchy's Ange ou Démon and I didn't use anything else! It is floral and feminine, a little heavier but not too much.

Health favourites: New Year's detox and smoothies

Like my skin, my body wasn't at its best after the holidays. I felt and looked bloated more than anything else! So I decided that is was time for a little New Year's detox: nothing too crazy, just more fruit, veggies and less processed foods.

My favourite way to incoporate all of this easily into my diet, is by making smoothies. I just throw some fruit into a blender, add liquid and maybe some green veggies and superfoods.


Technology favourites: Spotify and Netflix

I know I am so late with this, but I finaly discovered Spotify this past month! I downloaded the app on my phone and have been using it ever since. I especially love the playlists for different moods and occasions! However, I'm not sure about upgrading to the paid premium version yet.

Something else I have been loving, is Netflix! I have been subscribed since it was launched in Belgium a few months ago. I just hope they keep expanding their service!

What were your favourites this month?

2015: New year, new you!

As for most people, the start of the new year was a moment of reflection for me. I know the concept of New Year's resolutions is very cliché, but hearing about other people's good intentions kind of inspired me! I thought I'd share some of mine to keep me accountable...

Health goals:

1. Be confident about and happy with my body
2. Eat clean and work out consistently
3. Complete the Start To Run programme by running 5K

Beauty goals:

1. Quality over quantity when it comes to beauty products
2. Make an effort to do my hair, make up and nails regularly
3. Experiment with different beauty looks

Life goals:

1. Finish school and start my first real job
2. Blog consistently: post 2 times a week
3. Travel as much as possible

What are your goals for 2015?

Top 10: Cute college planners

A little over two weeks until my classes in France start, I'm thinking about everything I still need to buy before I leave. That's why I found myself spending almost a whole day searching the internet for cute college planners last week. So why not share my top 10 with you?

I firmly believe that a functional planner is the way to an organised life! (I'm not saying I'm the most organised person alive, but it helps me, a lot!) The last two years I used the planners that my school provides for free. I really liked them and found myself a pretty efficient system. But this year I want to buy my own planner.

 I'm looking for a planner for the coming academic year (september until june) that is practical and big enough to write down all of my homework, deadlines and personal commitments. Plus, it should look cute, because who wants to look at a boring planner every day?

These are some of the ones I found on the Internet (most ship from the US, for some reason it is very difficult to find cute planners in Belgium). In the descriptions I included the most obvious links, but you can always try Amazon for international shipping!

1. Kate Spade  2. Sarah Pinto  3. Etsy  4. Lilly Pulitzer

These four are the ones I like the most! They are both cute on the outside and functional on the inside.

5. Moleskine  6. Hema  7. Etsy printable

These three planners are my next choices. The Moleskine one is very functional, because it can be used both horizontally and vertically. They also come in a range of different colours. But I think there are cuter ones in this top 10! You can find number 6 at Hema (a Dutch store). They have a lot of other cute designs, except I don't really like the inside. They lack monthly overviews and don't have enough writing space per day. You can also find cute printables on Etsy, I just prefer buying an actual copy instead of printing all those pages myself.

8. May Designs  9. DIY with washi tape  10. Hema design service

These last three options, I also like but are just not for me. The first one I actually really loved but the shipping issue again! On the May Designs website you can design your own planner (but also a regular notebook, budget planner, etc.) from the background design to your own name or monogram. The possibilities are endless! Option 9 is a DIY project: the only thing you need is a regular planner and some washi tape. And last but not least, some photo printing services also offer an option for planners, in which you can include your own photos. I'm not really a photo person but if you like the idea of pictures of your friends and family in your daily planner, this could be something for you! I linked to the Hema website again for you Dutch/Belgian readers out there but I'm certain you can find similar services in your country.


I'm not quite sure which one I'm going for yet, partly because of the shipping issue. Let me know which one you prefer. Or if you have found other cute planners I would love to read your suggestions!

Haul: Estée Lauder Company Store

Last week I visited the Estée Lauder Company Store. Read: a factory outlet that sells the brands that are owned by Estée Lauder, at a 40% discount. Right up my street! 

I'm not going to go into too much detail, as most items are pretty selfexplanatory but I do want to share what I picked up!

From MAC I bought an eyeshadow in Satin Taupe (so pretty!), a 217 blending brush and an eyebrow pencil in Strawberry Blonde. I also got an overnight moisterizing face mask from Origins. I just had to buy my first Jo Malone fragrance and I chose the Earl Grey & Cucumber Cologne. I also bought a travel set with volumising hair products from Bumble&Bumble, which will come in handy while traveling or just to give them a try. Last but not least, I stocked up on my everyday moisterizer from Clinique. 

I'm very happy with all of my purchases and can't wait to give them all a try! If you're interested in a review on one of these product, let me know and I will definitely share my thoughts! 

Empties (July 2013)

I already have a second Empties post for you all! (check out the first one!) I'm just really enjoying using up stuff and replacing it with new products :)

• I'll start at the top: The little blue bits in the left hand corner are the remains of my favorite solid shampoo from Lush, Seanik. I figured that if I wait until it's completely gone I can't show you anymore... I like this so much that I already bought a new one (probably for the third or forth time by now).
• A jar of Virgin Organic Coconut Oil from Fushi, which I ordered from Feelunique. I use this for a lot of different things but particularly to take off my make up at night.
• Rituals Himalaya Wisdom body scrub, but only a sample package. I have a whole gift set of this line but the scrub is the first thing I used up because it only had enough for 3 or 4 uses. I'm thinking about buying the full size, mostly because I love the scent (it smells like a spa in my own bathroom), but first I'm going to use up scrubs I already have at home.
• A deodorant from Dove, very exciting! ;) Off course, I bought a new one already.
• A sample sized Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, which I got for free when purchasing other Kiehls products. I kept this on my bed side table and applied it before going to bed. It's very rich but not greasy, which I like. I'm not sure if I will purchase it myself, maybe in winter when my hands get dry again?
• A tube of Nutribronze from L'Oréal, a body moisturizer with a little bit of self tanner. I use this on my legs to give them a hint of color because I have very fair skin. I have a second tube at home at the moment.
• A lip balm with Cocoa Butter from The Body Shop. I also kept this next to my bed to apply before going to bed. I liked it but I'm using another lip balm at the moment and it does the job too...
• And last but not least... Ultra Facial Cleanser, also from Kiehl's. This is also a sample size and in fact the second one I used up. It is a good standard cleanser for sensitive (or just normal) skin, plus it can be used on the eyes as well! Just like with some of the previous products I'm trying another cleanser at the moment but I may buy a full size in the future...

That's it! 

More stuff to throw away and replace ;)

Deauty Box July 2013

I have yet another Deauty box post for you all! I know it hasn't been long since I wrote about the previous Deauty Box but I wanted to put this up tonight as you can still order it.* 

That being said, I'm also pretty exited about this month's edition! Deauty did their first themed box and they choose to do a "Respect box". You may have noticed a difference in the packaging (to compare: the "normal" may and june boxes) but the content is also different! All the products are either natural, fair trade or good for the environment.

• An eyeliner by Avril, made from all natural ingredients. 
• A mini nail polish, also by Avril. I'm not crazy about the color but it doesn't contain any harmful chemicals, not bad if you ask me!
• Savon Noir (black soap) from Alepia. This soap is especially good for opening and cleansing pores and can be used for face and body.
• In the little green bag are a hair mask and leave in conditioner with shea butter from René Furterer.
• The last product is a mini Shea Body Scrub from The Body Shop.

I love that Deauty decided to do themed boxes! This one has a lot of products and brands that I normally wouldn't buy or know about but now I get to try them. I'm curious to see what they come up with next!

If you are interested in this box and live in Belgium, you can still order until tomorrow night (21st July).*


* UPDATE: you can't order this box anymore, but you can still subscribe for the following months!