15 Minute HIIT Treadmill Workout

April Showers. The curse of the month.

We all anticipate light, sunny, spring days, and instead we’re greeted by thunderstorms. 

And that can really be a bugger for those of us who love to run outside, because running on a treadmill just isn’t the same.

The difference between running 5 miles outside and inside is incredible. Outside, you can run from one town to another and back. You get that feeling of fresh, cold air in your lungs first thing in the morning, the cooling breeze that tails cars as they drive by. A good morning here and there from people passing by, and then that amazing moment when you finally spot your house and you're on the home stretch. And when there’s such a beautiful world outside to be running through, the treadmill just seems to bore me out of my little mind.

Honestly, the only thing that entices me to use the treadmill in the gym is that appropriately, or inappropriately so, it is placed with a great view over to the free weights area. And we can all appreciate a man with a good bum doing their squats.

But cardio in the gym can be quick and exciting. It doesn’t have to be a slow slog on the treadmill for an hour. Meet HIIT:

High Impact Interval Training has many benefits, including improving cardio health, burning fat and calories, building muscle and increasing your metabolism. But the best benefit is that it is super short and super effective.

Short bursts of intense exercise at 90 - 100% of your maximum heart rate followed by periods of rest, keeping things interesting and making a big impact. You won’t get bored with the constant switch up between walking, sprinting and jogging.

If it’s set to rain all week and a run looks impossible, or maybe you’re looking to lean out and drop a bit of body fat, try adding this 15 minute treadmill HIIT workout onto the end of whatever workout you're doing that day a couple times a week.

Here's hoping it gets sunny soon,

K

March Favourites

Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire. A little mantra for me throughout April. 

I've overcome what may appear as only molehills to some, but steep mountains with ragged footpaths to myself, to get to where I am now. The end of March saw me achieve some big feats that I'd never thought possible, ever, giving me the confidence to finally pursue my dreams with a little faith within my steps. 

And I'm going to it do the best of my ability. 

Whole-heartedly. 

So at the end of the day I can say I gave it my all and I really couldn't have given it anymore. 

I've always been brought up to know that if you tried your hardest, the outcome doesn't matter. 

If you gave it your passion, your intelligence, your everything, you gave it enough and you should be proud of yourself too (even if I do forget that a little too often myself). 

So a little reminder for next month: if you've worked as hard as you could, thats enough.

I'm sure going to need to remember that.

Onto the favourites:

My absolute favourite this month is the Silver Hero 4 GoPro. After hesitating investing in for a very long time, I'm ready to film all the extreme sporting that I never do. Now I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to running - being able to measure and compare average stride lengths with friends is what I'd call fun - so a birthday gift to myself this year was the Garmin Forerunner 620. I was also gifted this classic red Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick in 51 La Bouleversante and haven't worn another red since. Chocolate just had to make an appearance in this months favourites, because if you didn't stuff your face with a bit too much of it this Easter, you're lying. This Lindt Dark Chocolate Bunny was coincidently dairy-free and delicious. I was a very happy bunny this Easter. No pun intended. A Thousand Splendid Suns written by Khaled Hosseini, is a beautifully written, heart-breaking tale of hope and despair, that'll definitely make you have a good ol' cry. I was about half way through this book when I realised it would tear my heart in two, but I just couldn't put it down. Jo Malone Sweet Almond and Macaron Candle because every girl deserves a luxurious candlelit bubble bath on their birthday. I had a nasty flare up of eczema on my face this month so I've been using this Cloud 9 Tranquility Ultra Soothing Cream for Dry Damaged Skin. The cream is rich in vitamin B12 and avocado oil that soothe and nourish the skin whilst being free from nasty ingredients and most importantly steroids, which makes it perfect for continued use. When my skin is extra dry and irritable, I sleep in a thin layer of this all over my skin as a really hydrating mask.

Have a lovely April

K