Along the way I've picked up different fitness related things that I really couldn't live without anymore. Hopefully this post will inspire you to start coming up with your own must-have collection! And if you already do, I'd love to hear about them! :)

1. Stainless steel water bottle


Ever since discovering the hazards of bisphenol A, I ditched plastic bottles. I avoid them the best I can, as BPA is used in certain plastics and it can dissolve into the water. While the research is still ongoing (mainly tested on animals) and the risks to humans isn't completely clear yet, there is evidence of BPA causing hormonal issues and danger to infants and young children. This is enough for me to steer away from plastic. And ignoring the health side, it's more environmental friendly.

2. Running shoes


Getting good running shoes was one of the most important things for me when I started getting back into running. My gym shoes just simply don't offer enough support for my ankles and lacked the grip on wet ground. Quite a lethal combination, don't you think?

3. Sports bras


A bit of a no-brainer really! I want to be as comfortable as I can when I'm exercising, and having proper support is so vital. Keeps things out of the way and they're just a million times more comfortable than a normal bra. I've actually started using a sports bra to work, I'm constantly bending over to lift things and wearing a sports bra just keeps the girls in their place. ;)

4. UP-band


While I haven't used my band for a while again, the Jawbone UP has definitely been a great investment. When I was still getting used to my own calorie burn and activity levels, being able to track it all was very valuable. Both times I've stopped using it has been because I got fed up with it getting caught on my pillow when I was trying to sleep. I like to be comfortable when I sleep and the band was having none of it!

5. Phone


Yes, as weird as this one sounds, my phone keeps me up to date with everything. I listen to music when I exercise, I track my activity and calories through various apps (I'm going to make a post about a few later on) and it's my main platform for taking pictures as well.

And my phone has definitely taken it's fair share of battering, the amount of times I've dropped it on the ground mid walk when I've been changing the song is a bit silly.


6. Foam roller


I've been all over this one lately! The benefits of using a foam roller are simply incredible - prevents injuries, helps you de-stress (I normally find myself rolling my calves for a good half an hour at least, time just flies by as I roll away while watching TV!), keeps you flexible, gets rid of muscle knots you didn't even know you had.. The list goes on! A foam roller is a very inexpensive way of keeping your muscles in good shape and it lets you get more familiar with your own body.

It's a known fact that we waste a lot of our resources on this planet. While one person might not make a huge impact on it all, it will definitely add up. If nobody thinks that they can make a change, where would we be today?

With this in mind, I actually ordered myself a stainless steel water bottle. I think I was mainly attracted to the fantastic colour of it, but oh well! Adding water also makes the surface of the bottle feel nice and cool, which will definitely be a plus during workouts. 


And as always, there's the health related side to this purchase. Normal plastic bottles can contain a chemical called BPA (Bisphenol A), a possibly very harmful chemical to the human body. It can cause negative changes in the brain, behaviour and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children. It can also affect fertility of women and block normal hormone function.

BPA can transfer from the plastic onto food and drink, especially when heated. It is quite worrying to think that it could have a huge negative effect on my life in the long run. I'm still not quite plastic bottle free (I still buy way too much Diet Coke..), but I'm definitely working on it. Now that I've got my new shiny bottle, I don't have to worry about it leaking and making my bag soaking wet when I'm out and about. That's right, I'm planning on taking this baby everywhere. It's so pretty.

Anyways, enough about all this seriousness. ;)

This week has been quite a busy one in all fairness. I've also had a few days when I've just felt upset for no good reason, I don't know if it's just my body's way of telling me that it's still in shock with all these changes to my daily schedule or something. Like for example, I don't have any days off this week and my next week looks exactly the same. And I should carry on with my uni work at home on top of that. Very shattered lately.



But thankfully we are getting a "day off" on Monday - our course tutor wants to take us to London! A bit torn about it to be fair, in a way it'll be very nice to do something completely different (and I love London) but then again I also can't really afford it right now. Getting there will cost a fair bit and whatever extra we do on top of our scheduled stuff won't be free either. :p Oh well, payday soon! :D

I do really enjoy uni thought, I feel like the course is exactly what I want and have made some lovely friends over these few weeks. :) Will just have to wait and see how these friendships evolve, though. Learned to be a bit cautious with new people. Maybe it's a bad thing, maybe it's not.

Oh and I coloured my hair (again). Right now not looking too presentable so a picture will have to wait.