Work Out!

I've gained a bit of weight since getting married. The "newlywed 10" I like to call it. Since the wedding was over we just weren't as determined to stay in shape and it just so happened that our gym closed down (without notice) and we were too lazy to go and find another gym so working out went down the drain. Hubs and I are a bit of foodies and love good food so the working out stopped but not the eating of good food. Hence, the weight gain. Our favorite food/restaurants are, the chicken milanese at Machiavelli, the escolar at How to Cook a Wolf, the beef short ribs at Spring Hill, the tapas at Txori, the hamachi at Village Sushi, the chocolate caramel cake at Simply Desserts, and so much more. (if you are in Seattle, those are my top restaurant picks, try them if you haven't yet!) So we obviously love non-low fat food which does not help my waistline. Finding out that my jeans are a bit too tight has finally brought me back to reality. We recently joined a new gym and my love of working out has returned. I do, truly love working out. I love the hard work and how I feel afterwards, it is all a plus to me. Hubs and I have even stepped it up and we walk to and from the gym, even in the rain!

I also love workout clothes. I am not one of those girls that just slaps on any old t shirt and shorts and works out (are you shocked? not. haha) I feel that the only way to help me look good is to feel good so when I go to the gym, I want to look good too. This does not mean doing my hair and makeup, for I could care less about that. I just mean getting the proper work out gear that fits my body and helps me feel good about myself even when I'm feeling that pudge. The thing is there is a lot of workout clothes out there but I find it hard for me to find any that are my style. I recently found some that I actually like so, wanted to share.

Cardio is my favorite, I do a lot of the treadmill, elliptical, the Summit Trainer (which kicks my ass! I love it.) and cardio kickboxing so these outfits are for these exercises.

Let's start with the leggings. I don't like to wear long pants when working out because I get too hot but I also don't wear a lot of shorts. I do prefer fitted clothes rather than anything slightly baggy because baggy just makes me look stubbier than I already am. (this to me is baggy) Fitted clothes help make me look taller and slimmer even in sneakers. So when I found these from the Nike Yoga section, I was so happy. I like that it ends right below the knee and the stretchy Dri-Fit fabric. These are absolutely perfect when running on the treadmill. Oh and for $40 the price is perfect, I mean stock these up!


(all images are clickable and will take you to the link)

My second leggings love are these from Lucy. A bit pricey at $68 but you won't find anything that fits to your butt and legs better. These ones end right at the end of my knee so when running it gets annoying but for the elliptical and cardio kickboxing they are perfect. A little detail I love is the little pocket that can hold your locker key. The material on these is a nice jersey, a bit thicker than the Nike ones but not too thick so you don't get too hot.

The tops are when you can get a bit stylish and I like to wear black or gray on my bottoms and a colorful tank on the top. This top from Nike fits my requirements of being cute, fitted and long. (Long to cover my butt, I hate it when tops are too short!) It is also made of the Dri-Fit material and I love the deep v-neck so you can see a pop of the sports bra. Plus, I'm a sucker for cute things and I love the cute cartoon girl in the corner. It comes in several colors so I have several of these tops.

I haven't yet tried this one yet but plan to go to the Nike store to check them out. I love the long length and the double layer look. And even though all these tops have a built in shelf bra, I always wear a sports bra underneath so I like to play with layering the colors of the top with the color of my sports bra. Obviously you can tell that I like the Yoga clothes but I think they are the only stylish workout clothes. Whenever I go to the running section I feel like I should be running in a marathon in those clothes rather than just going to they gym.

It might sound silly but cute clothes help motivate me to go to the gym and continue going. Right now we go about 4-5 times a week and I think that's perfect. It's only been a few weeks since we've been going but I feel 10 times better already. Plus my jeans are feeling a little less tight :)

Hope this has been helpful and remember that being cute at the gym is not a crime. Put away the old t-shirts and sweats and get clothes that will make you feel good about yourself!

psssst... sale alert! If you are a member of Ideeli make sure to check out their red sale starting tomorrow. They are having a ton of bags, accessories and clothes discounted at up to 90% off! I'm telling you early so that you can be prepared! I've gotten some great stuff at great prices so I will definitely be checking it out too. If you are not yet a member click here to sign up.