How I Get My Cardio In

I grew up living a pretty active lifestyle. I started playing basketball in the second grade and ran cross country and track for seven years, so being active and fit is in my blood. Being a former cross country and track athlete, I still have a love for cardio, especially running. I love going out for a run and pushing my body to work as hard as it can. Incorporating cardio into your weekly workout schedule is important and will help maximize your results, so I'm sharing four ways I like to get my cardio in. 

1. Outside Run 

There are two different places I typically run at in Knoxville. I love going on at least one long run a week (if it fits into my schedule/weight training). I usually do at least three miles depending on how my body feels. There's nothing better than the feeling after a good run and the release of endorphins. I feel happier, healthier and just overall better after I go out and get my heart rate up. 

2. HIIT Workout 

HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. This means pushing yourself as hard as you can for short periods of time. I usually add this in after a good lift. Here's two treadmill HIIT workouts I usually do: 

:30 at 8-10

:30 off 

repeat 10 times 

1 min at 7-8.5

3 min walk 

complete for 20-24 min

3. Bodyweight Cardio 

I like to add cardio in between sets when I'm working out to help burn more calories. Jump-squats, burpees, jumping jacks and high knees are some of my favorite ways to add cardio into weightlifting. 

4. Incline Treadmill 

My gym doesn't have a stair stepper (lame, right?) so I'll use the incline treadmill to get some extra cardio and leg work in. Raise the treadmill as high as it will go and bring your speed down to about 3-3.5. I'll usually incline walk for 1 minute, :30 side shuffles on both sides and walk backwards for :30, totaling my time to 20 minutes. This is one of my favorite treadmill workouts! 

Golden Hour

Jumpsuit // Wedges 

There's just something about the top of a parking garage that I absolutely love when it comes to taking photos. We (Jordan, who takes my pictures, and I) waited until the sun was starting to go down before we started shooting this look the other day. The sky looked absolutely beautiful, giving off the perfect light. If you looked around, you could see different parts of Knoxville from the garage. Some of downtown, a little bit of Tennessee's campus, the up-and-coming North side of Knoxville, the Sunsphere... It was the perfect night to shoot this jumpsuit because it paired so well with what was happening around me, which was Golden Hour. 

This is one of my favorite times of the day. The sun starts to set, the sky changes colors, and the night begins. My jumpsuit from 2020AVE was the perfect look for this time of day because it was a transition, going from day to night. This jumpsuit I'm wearing? Perfect for going from day to night! I was surprised by how great the material was on this piece. It's thick enough to wear you can't see your underwear but still has a light and airy feel to it. I personally love pairing the wide-leg of the pant with wedges. It makes this look perfect for a spring day or summer night. I also really like the low cut and belt detailing on the jumpsuit, it just looks so flattering! Overall, this jumpsuit  is one of my favorite pieces from 2020AVE and I highly recommend checking them out. For sizing reference, it runs a little big so i ordered a small! I'm usually a medium or size 4/6.

-Kasey

Get Bikini Season Ready With These 4 Simple Steps

With bikini season right around the corner, I thought it was the perfect time to share my top-four pieces of advice when it comes to getting "bikini ready". These are simple and easy tips that will help keep you cool and confident all summer long!

1. Find your confidence
So this is probably the "hardest" of the four tips I have for you all because I know how summer time and swimsuits can bring out the insecurities in us. Maybe you think you don't look good enough for a bikini, you're too pale, you don't look as good as that one girl on Instagram... Well, that's all a bunch of B.S. No one is perfect. I'm not perfect nor do I ever look perfect in a bikini. One thing I've learned over the years is that I am more confident when I embrace the things about me that might not be "perfect". I'll never have the best summer tan or beach body, but I will be confident in how I look because there is nothing you and I should be ashamed of when it comes to how we look! So put on that cute swimmie you've been dying to wear, and say PEACE to all the haters that say otherwise.

2. Buy a Trendy Suit
The high-leg bikini bottoms are in right now and I am loving it! I kinda feel like my mom when she was in her twenties with this style. Trendy bikinis are always fun to wear and usually pretty cute. Plus, you'll probably get some compliments on it (which will help boost that confidence girl). Pac Sun has some of my fave trendy bikinis!

3. Get Yo Tan On
I think we all dread the first day of wearing shorts in the summer. It typically looks like my legs haven't seen the light of day in 10 years when I start wearing shorts, so that's why I always keep sunless tanning products around! I like using a tanning mousse because I think it comes out looking more natural and lasts for a long time! I've linked my favorites below.

4. Bikini Body Ready
It's not too late to reach those summer bod goals or lost New Year's resolutions. One thing I've learned is to focus more on getting good nutrients in my body and then focus on working out. When you sit down to make your grocery list this week, buy foods that are good for you and filling! Focus on cutting back on the bad stuff (Sweets, dairy, alcohol) and focus on more fruits and veggies. I'm a firm believer that abs are made in the kitchen, so simple changes to your diet can go a long way. When it comes to working out, set realistic goals for yourself. Add 10 more minutes of cardio, go to the gym three times instead of two, or try a new workout class. There are a lot of ways you can get summer ready without making HUGE changes to your life!

-Kasey

Shop my favorite suits and tanning products below!

Pearl Detailed Skirt + 5 Things That Can Make My Day Better

What's up guys! I feel like I haven't posted in forever (because I haven't HA) but Knoxville has had the worst weather lately, which  is extremely uninspiring when you want to shoot spring looks! I've been relying on my transitional pieces big time since the weather has been crappy. This cropped sweatshirt & skirt look is a great transitional look for going into spring. I love the ripped hem on the skirt and the pearl detailing. It kinda "dresses up" a more grungy look. More details about the skirt below!

 I also feel like this look is very "me" and I've really been focusing on truly expressing my style and not what everyone else is wearing. I'm a girly-tomboy and this look is a good example of that! At the end of this post I'm sharing 5 simple things that can make my day better because this weather can definitely get you down. So keep on scrollin'. 

This skirt is from SHEIN and I love it. The quality is amazing, just like the other pieces I've received from them. This skirt runs big so I suggest sizing down. I'm typically a medium and got a small and it fits just fine. 

I'm obsessed with these Van's Sneakers! A must-have shoe in my book. You can literally wear them with any kind of outfit... and I do! 

Cropped Sweatshirt  // Skirt // Vans

My cropped sweatshirt obsession is in full force and this one is perfect! It's so soft and I really like the length of this one... plus it's only $12. So why would you want to pass this deal up?! 

5 Simple Things That Make My Day Better 

1. Getting up early to catch the Today Show and drink my morning coffee. 

I love getting up and catching up on the news, getting a little entertainment and enjoying my coffee without the rush of getting ready for something. It's relaxing and calming for me and feel like I'm always in a good mood when I do this. 

2. Running

Nothing beats getting in a 30 minute run outside on a beautiful day. Or even on the treadmill if outside isn't an option. Just anything to get my blood flowing!

3. Coffee Breaks 

Taking a coffee break in the middle of the day always puts me in a good mood. Just getting up from my desk or stepping away from a busy day to refuel can be so refreshing and gives my brain a minute to relax. Plus, coffee shops smell like Heaven. 

4. Long Drives w/ My Favorite Music 

I'll take the long way home just to get a chance to jam out in my car a little longer! 

5. Netflix and Bath

Netflix and chill? Nah, Netflix and bath. Get a good bubble bath going then set up your favorite Netflix show on your laptop. I could sit in the bathtub for hours doing this. I love just chilling in the tub and watching New Girl after a stressful day. 

Have a great week y'all! Halfway to the weekend! 

-Kasey 

My Current Obsessions

Alright guys I'm gonna be honest here, this blog post might contain the most random items... ever. There's fashion pieces, beauty items and every thing else I've ben using or wearing lately. But hey, it's all good stuff! And I want y'all to know about it all too, so I'm just going to jump right in!

Let's start with fashion. I was recently sent this faux fur teddy coat from Shein and absolutely looovvveee it! I've seen a lot of influencers on Instagram wearing these coats and I think they're perfect for wearing on chilly days or throwing over an outfit at night. Winter isn't over yet in Tennessee, so a coat like this is a must for this time of year! 

This item was sent to me by Shein. Thoughts are my own.

These Nike Air Force 1's mid-rise sneakers are da bombbbbb! Fun fact: sneakers are my favorite kind of shoes. I'll pick out a new pair of tennis shoes before a pair of heels any day of the week. They really bring out the tomboy in me and are super comfy! I plan to style these a few different ways so I can show y'all how a sporty shoe can be a versatile piece. I have a wide range of Nike shoes so maybe I should start showing them off more on here... What do y'all think?

Im obsessed with crop hoodies right now and this one is super soft and cozy! I actually fell asleep in this outfit the other night and slept through the entire night in it, so obviously its pretty comfy ;)

I got a lot of DM's and questions about these lace-up jeans when I posted this picture on Instagram. These exact pair are sold out, but I've linked some similar ones for you all above! 

Now on to some of my current fave accessories!

First up is my new lipstick bag from M. LYNN BEAUTY called the LIPFOLIO! It's a bag designed to organize your lipsticks, glosses, liners and any other lip products you may have, and it holds up to 16 lip products at once. I think this is such a cool product because it provides an easy and mess free way of organizing and finding your lip products! It would also be a great item to have for traveling, that way all your products are together in one place and not stuffed in a makeup bag. Use the code FRIEND10 for 10% and free shipping! 

This item was sent to me from M. LYNN BEAUTY. Thoughts are my own. 



I've been using this bag as my work bag! It fits my laptop, agenda, chargers, makeup bag, hard drives, and everything else that I need to bring with my to work each day! It's also super affordable.



This mug though.. (insert heart-eye emoji). Jordan got me this mug for Valentine's Day and it is so perfect for me! I can't leave there without buying something I didn't come for.