For a very long time I've been researching what it takes to live a fit and healthy lifestyle. Well, when I say researching, I do mean merely googling different workout routines and meal plans every couple of days but still - you get the idea. To be honest, I don't typically love exercise but it is something I'm trying to incorporate into my life at least a couple of times a week. The one thing that used to bug me was never knowing how many calories I'd burned after a workout. It's all well and good making sensible food choices and counting calories, but after exercise you run the risk of over-eating if you don't low how many calories you've manage to torch.

This is where my new gadget comes in, the Polar FT4. This is a heart rate monitor which allows you to track how many calories you've burnt during your workout and also lets you know your average and maximum heart rate zone while you're exercising. It's basically like having your own personal trainer on your wrist! I've used this a couple of times now and I definitely wouldn't like to be without it - it's SO useful.

To use it, simply attach the Polar transmitter to the front of the belt and place it around your chest. You need to dab the black strip of electrodes with a little bit of water before you exercise so you can get an accurate measurement of your heart rate, but then you're good to go!

Once you've finished your workout you can rinse the strap with water to clean it and then let it hang to dry ready for next time. With the FT4 model you cannot sync the watch wirelessly to receive your workout results but you can use the Polar website to keep track of everything by typing your data in manually. This may be too much effort for some but if you're serious about keeping track of your workouts you shouldn't find it too tedious.

I really think this a great piece of kit for those of you who may be looking for an accurate estimation of how many calories you've burned during exercise. It's really simple and easy to use and it comes in a variety of colours - always a good thing for those fashion-conscious gym-goers! I opted for the green one as I thought it'd make a nice change from pink, but there are also silver and blue options available on the Polar website here.

While it is still a couple of weeks away, April 9th marks my 20th birthday. I'm definitely not one to write a huge wish-list of gifts that I demand my friends and family to buy for me; I was always taught growing up that you should work hard and earn the things you wish to buy for yourself as you learn the value of money and tend to appreciate and look after them more. Of course it can be a little different when you're younger: struggling to hold onto that single £5 note you've earned from delivering hundreds of papers around the neighbourhood, but as you get older you have to learn to budget your money and as my mum always says, "always save for a rainy day!".

For months and months I have longed for a lovely new leather wallet, searching high and low to find "the one". I don't wish for this to come across as materialistic in any way, as I would 100% agree that there are many more important things in life to be worrying about, but sometimes I do think it's important to take the time to treat yourself as well as those around you. I do enjoy buying things for others more than I do myself though - it's rewarding seeing their faces light up for a split-second and knowing that your good deed has brought them a little bit of happiness!

ANYWAY, that went off on a bit of a tangent and for a second I was almost going to have to look out my snorkel - things were about to get waaaay too deep! Below are some pictures I took of my lovely new purchase, complete with its own Karl Largerfeld dust bag.

The wallet comes in gold and silver, but I opted for the gold as I think it looks more striking against the black leather. On the subject of leather, it's so soft and has a butter-like feel to it... the quality is incredible. Inside there are eight card slots and a zipped coin compartment to keep those pennies safe. It's a little bigger than I expected, measuring 21cm long and 10cm high, although I very much prefer having enough space to store receipts and tickets etc as opposed to cramming everything into one zipped compartment.

I have to say, I absolutely love it. It's just what I was looking for, and believe me, I'm extremely fussy with things like this! I think wallets are quite personal as everybody has their own little preferences, but I'm very happy I took the risk of ordering this online as it's everything I was hoping for :D

Karl Lagerfeld Quilted Leather Wallet - The Outnet

When I have a day off there's always one activity that springs to mind... one which usually involves me scurrying through my purse looking for any form of useable currency or guiltily handing over my debit card to the sales assistant. You've probably guessed by now that I am indeed talking about shopping, and when I spot bargains or any kind of price reduction I'M THERE.

Today's purchase came from TK Maxx, which has recently become a favourite shop of mine. You can find all sorts of designer brands at amazingly discounted prices whether it's homeware, clothing, handbags, shoes... basically every girl's dream, right?

I don't usually bother looking around the shoe section as I used to find the nicest shoes in smaller sizes and could never find them in the size 6 section! However today I found these little beauties; they're the Ralph Lauren 'Polly' Sneakers which usually retail at £65, but I picked them up for just£24.99!

Being predominantly white makes them incredibly versatile as they'll go with pretty much anything - especially denim jeans for a simple, casual look.

They're so comfy and lightweight too... two necessities when looking for that perfect spring/summer daytime shoe.

What do you think of them? What do you usually like to wear on your feet during the warmer months? 

Chloe

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