Fitness Post - How To Stay Motivated

Lulu Lemon top (USA), Cotton On Body tights, Nike running shoes

Today is the first day of Stroke Awareness Week in South Africa.  While nothing could have prevented my stroke, the fact that I lead a healthy lifestyle has been one of the reasons that I have recovered so well.  Keeping fit and taking care of your nutrition is so important for everyone to do, not only stroke patients.  Many religions state that your body is a temple and I believe this to be true.  It is worth looking after.  Your health is an investment in your future.

I know that health and fitness is something that not everyone is crazy about and that's okay.  The aim of this post is simply to encourage you to incorporate some small change into your daily life for the purpose of looking after yourself.  I, personally, think that diets are a horrible idea.  I'm also pretty much certain that I will never run a marathon.  If anything, I just hope that after reading this post you are more inclined to make sure that you take interest in whether you and those closest to you have had a good daily dose of fruits and vegetables, water and perhaps a little amount of exercise today.  I hope that today slowly becomes twice a week, gradually three times a week and, if we can be extremely hopeful, every day.  I have come up with a few tips for keeping you motivated to stay healthy because we can all be lazy creatures sometimes and, when health is an issue, laziness simply isn't good enough.

Let's Do It:

1.  Grab a friend:

Start with a walk in the evenings with your mom, sister or a friend.  You will naturally end up chatting for the duration of the walk and it will feel like its over before it even began.  It's such a lovely way to catch up with loved ones and also to encourage them to lead a healthier lifestyle too.  

2.  Sound the alarm:

If you know that you don't drink enough water during the day, set yourself alarms on your phone for every 3 hours.  Have a glass of water at every alarm.  This way you won't forget to drink water.  There are also many water-drinking apps that you can download that will do exactly the same thing for you.

3.  Dress to impress:

I have always worn such ugly gym gear.  This past year, though, I decided to treat myself to some fun, vibrant workout wear and it has completely changed my mind set.  Having bright sports bras, printed tights and bold coloured tops has had me feeling excited for a great workout and make me feeling instantly motivated.  It's so incredible to find what a difference this makes.

4.  Smoothies anyone?

Ensuring that you have the right amount of fruits and vegetables in a day can be quite a daunting task but a smoothie in the morning is an easy solution to the problem.  Throw in 2 bananas, strawberries and mixed berries into a blender in the mornings along with some coconut milk and you've already had a huge amount of vitamins into a single quick drink... and it's delicious which is an added bonus.

These are just four simple tips to encourage you to lead a healthier lifestyle.  I know that there are many of us that are constantly juggling a family life with appointments, studies and careers and as a result we are dealing with a tremendous amount of stress.  All the more reason why you should treat your body as a temple and look after yourself.  Make time for that yoga class/spinning session/ glass of water.  No one can look after your health other than you.

To learn more about Stroke Awareness Week you can visit the Heart and Stroke Foundation by clicking here.

Floral Playsuit

Cotton On playsuit | Cotton On hat | Blackcherry bag | Europa Art shoes | Lovisa accessories

I fell in love with this floral playsuit the moment I laid eyes on it.  I love absolutely everything about it from the light, soft fabric to the long wispy sleeves to the cinched in waist.  It's so feminine and perfect for summer.  I would definitely wear this for drinks or dinner with friends or out for a date with le bf.  What do you think?

Happy Monday!

Belle's Patisserie

Cotton On dress | Aldo wedges | Blackcherry bag | Zuri earrings

Last week my sister and I headed to Belle's Patisserie to help them pick out their Ultimate Summer Cupcake and I decided to throw on something light and breezy such a sugary occassion.  Cupcakes for breakfast?  Sounds like the best kind of breakfast.  I wore this dress with my favourite wedges which I can't seem to stop wearing.  They're just the very best shoes for daytime events because they're comfortable, summery and a little more casual than a stiletto heel.

The Ultimate Summer Cupcake flavours had been narrowed down to Orange & Ginger, Coca Cola, Lavender, Summer Fruit and Pina Colada.  It was a tough decision but the Pina Colada cupcake was my favourite flavour for summer and I was thrilled to find that it has since been named the Ultimate Summer Cupcake.  You need to try it!  The Orange & Ginger cupcake and their all time classic Red Velvet are aslo winners in my book too.  If you're looking for a sweet treat, you definitely need to visit Belle's Patisserie at the Blubird Shopping Centre.

Tel: 011 440 4474

A big thank you to Belle's Patisserie for inviting me to take part in the Ultimate Summer Cupcake selection.  It really was so much fun!

Merci Paris Graphic t-shirt and Skort

Cotton On graphic t-shirt | Cotton On skort | ALDO wedges | Blackcherry bag | Michael Kors watch | Zuri accessories

I have been all for the return of the skirt and shorts combination a.k.a the skort.  I think it is such a gorgeous trend.  I have to admit I do not feel comfortable in short skirts at all but somehow a skort doesn't bother me at all.  It's probably because it's a lot more practical and there is no risk of climbing out of my car and having my short skirt suddenly decide it would rather be a belt.  They also fit higher on the waist which makes them even more comfortable but also flatters your legs.  I found this particular pair at Cotton On.  They are so reasonably priced and they have also have a variety of different prints and colours. 

I couldn't wait to pair this skort with a graphic t-shirt and a pair of espadrilles wedges for a great summery look!  What do you think?

Green Sweater Weather

Cotton On sweater | LEGiT pants, flats and sunnies | Michael Kors watch | Sass Diva bracelet | Blackcherry bag

We had a massive storm here on Saturday and I loved every second.  I'd just bought this sweater from Cotton On so I threw it on with these leather pants for a pop of colour.  

This week I leave for California.  I'll be gone for three weeks but I've scheduled posts for while I'm away. I'll be writing up travel posts as soon as I'm back but in the meantime, keep an eye out on Instagram (@ArumLilea) and Facebook for updates on where I am and what I'm doing. 

Happy Monday!

Je viens de acheter ce chandail de Cotton On et je l’ai mis pour une touche de couleur.

Ce semaine, je vais aller à California pour vacance. Je serai parti pendant trois semaines. J’ai ecrit les postes pendant que je suis loin. Je vais ecrivé les postes vogager quand je reviens. En attendant vous pouvez lire Instagram et Facebook pour mise à jour.

Avez une bonne journée!