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Hey there! I'm Holly. A 40+ year old insurance-nerd wife, mom, beauty lover, and about a million other things in between.
This is the place where I share about our lives, what I'm currently loving, books I'm reading, plus-size style, beauty recommendations, health + fitness endeavors and anything else I'm finding interesting at the moment.
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Search Results for: running shoes
I Tried It: Barefoot Running
I don’t know when I concocted the fantasy in my mind of Becoming A Runner, but it was ages ago. It wasn’t because I thought it looked romantic, or because everyone on The Internet was doing it so I should try. Mostly I wanted to run because it looked hard. Awful, actually. And for some reason I have a sick fascination with doing hard things. Personality quirk, I guess. So I tried it, as I normally do, and it was AWFUL.
What was also overwhelming to hear about was all the potential gear and options and stretching requirements and overpronating vs. underpronating and supination and MY GOD, I just wanted to experience that feeling everyone talks about of “Runner’s High” and I never freaking got it — where on earth did one GET IT?
I did, however, experience stiff knees, shins that felt like they took a beating, Plantar Fasciitis that was almost debilitating and general displeasure when I thought about running. So, of course I did what many a lady is wont to do in a challenging situation and I bought new shoes. And then I bought a different pair. And then I was fitted specially for shoes at a fancy running store. And then I spent time running in front of strangers who were going to tell me how to run better. And then I ran around the inside of another running store looking like an ass. It goes without saying I also spared no expense because I was going to be A Runner. Yet I still did not experience pleasure while running.
And so after a while I stopped.
I was carrying a significant amount of extra weight at the time and just figured — well, running isn’t comfortable for people who are overweight. This isn’t a problem with my shoes, this is a problem with my ass — and that problem is that it needs to get smaller.
But I decided to try stopping one more thing before I completely gave up, and with my ass the same size as is always was, I decided to stop wearing “Running Shoes.”
Born to Run
What prompted me to do such a silly thing, and you probably saw this coming, was reading the book Born To Run at the end of 2010. I’ve mentioned it before and surely at this point if you have ears you have probably heard of it, but if you are someone who has even the tiniest desire to run, it is totally a worthwhile read. And since I’ve never really shared my story, I thought it was high time I did so.
So let’s get back to this book, shall we? Born To Run tells the story of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico, who are mysteriously the World’s BEST distance runners. I mean, their athletic feats are AMAZING, and they do it all running…barefoot. Like, Jesus-walking barefoot! For that alone it such a fascinating story. But the story goes even deeper into the history of the running shoe, the science of shoe technology and how common running shoes are made and marketed. So Interesting. Because the odds are that you have read it I won’t go on and on, but I will tell you it inspired me, and almost since the day I finished that book, I have been a “barefoot” running convert.
How I Started
The book was like a juicy article in a magazine but more inspiring. But I certainly rolled my eyes a bit at all these crazy claims. The Trend of Barefoot Running was being hotly debated, and I wasn’t sure which side I fell on. It all sounded a little extreme, but I was curious nonetheless. I’m not crazy, so I wasn’t just going to go out and start racing with nothing on my feet, no matter how natural and easy and Earth Mother-y it sounded in the book. But at the end of 2010 I did take the plunge and bought a pair of Vibram Five Fingers.
This was a tough purchase, you all. And I say that after having invested more than $1000 into my attempts at running at that point. They are $100 but more importantly, they are just about the ugliest shoes you can spend that amount of money on Also, people look at you like you are CRAZY when you wear them, which I didn’t love. Garrett called them my hippie finger shoes, my mom made fun of me. I mean, they were a tough sell!
But in the end: THEY WERE AWESOME.
Barefoot Evolution
Most sources recommend easing into minimal footwear because they stretch your calf muscles more than you are used to and engage the soleus muscle in a way that running in heavily padded shoes does not. So I did just that. And I certainly noticed a sore soleus muscle the first few weeks! But little by little I turned into a running machine. And a comfortable one, at that! But if you are having problems with the musculoskeletal region of your body, you may want to check sites like https://www.hingehealth.com/blog/digital-health-benefits-musculoskeletal-conditions/ for the best treatment options.
Since starting wearing minimal footwear in 2010, I haven’t had a running injury, experienced any pain associated with running, and most importantly I am completely devoid of Plantar Fasciitis even though I’ve INCREASED the amount of high impact exercise I do. My technique has improved without even trying and I honestly think it is mostly because your body has an intuitive sense about how to move itself safely. It is virtually impossible to have heel strike issues in barefoot shoes because your brain just WON’T let your body beat itself up over and over.
Now, quick disclaimer: This is not to say I am the world’s best runner, because I am not even close. Also, I’m not saying that this is right for you and you should run out and immediately do it. We are all different. But what I am saying is that at a time in my life where I thought I was too fat to have fun running, a stupid pair of hippie shoes turned me into something I never thought I would be: a confident runner. And to me, being someone who genuinely enjoys running is way more important than someone who is THE BEST at it. There is a freedom in knowing that you are just a pair of (minimal, of course!) shoes away from a great workout no matter where you are.
Currently
About a year ago I switched to running in a pair of New Balance Minimus M10s, for efficiency purposes because I also use them at CrossFit since I haven’t taken the plunge and bought a pair of weightlifting shoes. (I KNOW! I need to get on that!) And while I can’t say that I will never trade those in for something different, I can tell you that I wholeheartedly recommend them now. I still have love for my Vibrams, and always cheer people on if they are thinking about taking the plunge, but I like the way the New Balances look like actual sneakers, but have the Vibram sole. It’s a great compromise!
Some things to keep in mind for context: the longest distance I’ve ever run at once is less than a half marathon, and I generally run on asphalt or dirt, but not too heavy on the trails. So far, this is what works for me.
The craziest thing I can tell you is that I tried running in my old Running Store Sanctioned Professionally Fitted Very Lightly Worn Expensive Sneakers a few months back just for shits and giggles and my whole body hurt for a week. Knees, shins and feet…ugh, my feet! And that is AFTER losing 100 lbs.
Yes this is completely anecdotal and not scientific but I’ll just say I was ASTOUNDED.
Some Additional Resources
This video touches briefly about how the foot works while running and how a regular shoe helps/hinders your body. (Born to Run talks SO MUCH about this, it’s awesome!)
Why Run Bare?
Forefoot Striking & Training Tips
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So I’m not interested in striking up a huge debate on this issue, I just wanted to share my own experience. Whether you are For or Against Barefoot/Forefoot Running, I know you feel passionately. And that’s cool. We all have to do what works best for us, and this is what works best for me. For now.
But I’m curious — do you wear minimal footwear when you run? What has been your experience? Have you ever considered about it? Think it’s a bunch of hogwash? I love to hear varying perspectives.
The Juggling Act + Life Lately
If I had to make a loose list of the things I juggle in my everyday life it would read as follows (in no particular order):
*My Job
*My Workouts
*Meal Planning
*Cooking
*My Dog + My Man (both: attention whores, I tell ya! 🙂 Juuuust kidding!)
*Family
*Friends/A Social Life
*This Blog
*Errands That Keep My Life Running That I Haven’t Outsourced (Grocery Shopping, Trips to Target, De-cluttering, Car Washes, Oil Changes, Dentist Appointments, you know what I mean right?)
*Down Time
*Alone Time (which is not necessarily the same as Down Time)
*And I’m sure I’m forgetting stuff
As it turns out, at this point in my life, I’m only skilled enough to juggle 3-4 of those things at a time.
This is a sad realization for me, but it is an actual FACT. Another important fact: “My Job” and “Errands That Keep My Life Running Which I Haven’t Outsourced” are sort of non-negotiable. This is the part where we all acknowledge the bitter truth of adulthood.
Of course adulthood also comes with perks like: eating froyo for dinner because we feel like it, and planning impromptu weekends in wine country BECAUSE WE CAN, so it’s not all bad. 🙂
Anyway, juggling those two things doesn’t leave a lot of extra time for all of my other interests/priorities lately despite finally removing things like “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” from that bulleted list above. That’s a long winded way of saying: Hi friends, it’s been a while! Let’s catch up.
Here’s a random assortment of things we’ve been up to around here:
1. Summer has basically arrived, it seems. Spring was in and out with a quickness. It’s 100 degrees today, and I feel like it’s time to just buckle in for the heat. I’m using this as motivation to tackle a large closet reorganization project that I’ve been desperately putting off, and I’m kind of feeling excited about purging and adding to my wardrobe.
2. I’ve been a meal planning BOSS and have been relatively successful at incorporating more fish into our diets. I don’t know why this feels so hard, but I’m just so much more comfortable cooking chicken, beef or pork. Anyway, we’ve been branching out but if you have a particularly awesome seafood recipe (we love the shrimp and stuff around here too) that works well during summer (ie: doesn’t involve baking at 400 degrees and heating up my whole freaking house, sigh!) pass it along, would ya?
3. I’ve become obsessed with plants, flower + candles. This happens to me in phases. There are times when there is nothing alive or fragrant in my house and then there are times where I am like “Hmm…would this candle layer well with this candle? Maybe I should pick up peonies this week instead of tulips? SUCCULENTS FOR EVERYONE!” And I’m definitely in the latter phase.
4. One of the things I do when I have a lot going on and I’m feeling like I don’t have a lot of “Me Time” is buy myself things I have no business buying, but that make me happy. Do you do this? Tell me you do this? Lately it has been in the form of lip products. Glosses, balms, chapsticks, lipsticks — I’ve bought A TON and it’s made the whole “getting ready in the morning” process feel like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel. It’s amazing how a lip color can change your outlook in a day.
5. I scored the best pinterest patience bargain the other day and I’m so happy about it. A couple years ago I pinned these shoes but sort of rolled my eyes at the price and knew I would never buy them. I found them the other week at Nordstrom Rack for half the original price, and conveniently had that EXACT amount of gift cards, which meant they were FREE TO ME! My patience had paid off, I still loved them, and I happily brought them home to live with me. You know I love a good impulse purchase, so it felt mighty victorious to get such a good deal because I waited.
6. We’ve seen a ton of friends lately, we had family visit last weekend, and we are visiting family out in Sonoma this weekend. It’s been a whirlwind of social activities and cocktails (and pork belly — OMG the pork belly!) and it has really felt nice to have some good long visits.
7. I took Buster to be professionally groomed for the first time ever, and not only did he actually love it — he came home looking like the floofiest puppy ever. It was so damn cute I want to take him every week! I know it’s not reasonable, but seriously — had it not been 100 degrees out I would have made him sleep in our bed just so I could snuggle with him. He was like a fluffy stuffed animal.
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We are headed out of town this weekend to Sonoma, which is basically one of my favorite places on the planet. I’m looking forward to some much needed relaxation, catching up with family, riding bikes around town, wine tasting, and just enjoying what will hopefully be a bit of a cooler climate. I probably won’t be back here until next week, but I’m going to try and include juggling this blog in my 3-4 priorities next week, so here’s to hoping that works out. Anything new and exciting with you? I’m all ears to hear YOUR random assortment. 🙂
My Favorite Water Bottles
Craziness Confession: I am super particular about water bottles.
I realize it might be a little weird to have such strong opinions about what holds my beverage but I feel like the vessel MUST be up to the specific task! And all tasks are not equal.
I carry water with me all the time, but what I’m doing will dictate the container I use and some of my favorites are pretty great, so I thought I’d share my three favorites in case you are a Particular Patty too.
1. The Aqua Zinger
So I LOVE LOVE LOVE to drink lemon water, but lemon water in any old container just won’t do! The Aqua Zinger is completely bad ass because it is a regular stainless steel water bottle (with a straw!) that has a small strainer section at the bottom where you can add half a fresh lemon (or any other fruit infusion — I also HIGHLY recommend canteloupe and strawberry — YUM!)
All you do is add your fruit to the bottom, fill your bottle, and screw on the lid. It’s good for hot or cold beverages (infused tea, anyone?) and it is just about perfect! The mess is contained, you don’t accidentally end up drinking seeds or pulp, and you can use one half of a lemon (or a small amount of fruit) all day long and the water stays super flavorful. Aqua Zinger, will you marry me?
If I could change one thing: It would be just a little bit bigger. I usually use this at work, so I don’t really mind getting up and walking to the water cooler, but it would be even better if it fit 24-36 oz of water like the branded bottled water from customwater.com.
2. The Klean Kanteen Insulated Wide Mouth Bottle
When I’m out and about I like to keep water with me, but my big pet peeve is a water bottle that gets condensation all over it and ends up being a sweaty mess. Also: I like my water to stay cold. What I love about the Insulated Klean Kanteen is that when you put cold water in there it stays cold for TWENTY FOUR HOURS. You guys, do you know how amazing this is in the summer when it’s 100 degrees outside and I’m running errands or hitting the grocery store and I can literally leave it IN MY CAR and it is still icy cold when I return? It is a thing of (refreshing) beauty!
In the winter I also use this for bone broth because it also keeps things hot for up to EIGHT HOURS. I can heat up my broth at home, pop it in the Klean Kanteen and take it to work and drink it whenever I am ready or throughout the day. It holds 24 oz, so it is quite a good amount! It’s also super great for workouts, and they make a sport top version as well (but that one isn’t insulated as far as I know.)Â The sport top is still cool, but just not quite as long of hot/cold control.
If I could change one thing: I would make this NOT a $40 water bottle. It is definitely a splurge and I had to talk myself into this for a long time, but ever since I bought it I’ve never looked back. You guys this is an AMAZING water bottle. High quality material, crazy good temperature control, no leaking or sweating, works like a charm, AND it’s good looking — I LOVE IT. Yes, I just called a water bottle amazing. Yes, I’m aware my life is small. 🙂
3. Contigo Auto Seal Bottle with Storage Compartment
When I CrossFit I always have my gym bag with me because it’s full of shoes and wrist wraps and jump ropes , OH MY! I’m not packing a suitcase, but I carry a lot of crap, ya know? I usually throw whatever water bottle I feel like in the gym bag water slot and call it good. When I go to hot yoga though, I usually travel light: a mat, towels and water are about all I need, so this water bottle with a storage compartment is kind of a life saver. I can throw my ID and credit card in there and not have to bring my entire purse (which is kind of a gym bag in itself, according to Garrett – HA!) and be ready for whatever enlightenment awaits in that 100 degree room! 🙂
If I could change one thing: I would make this NOT plastic. At least it’s BPA-free?
Cast Technologies operates the midwest’s top bronze foundry and offers the best casting and machine shop services if you need a cast metal object for your project, learn more about cast technologies casting industries at their website.
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It may seem a little extreme, but hey — water is a big part of my life and I like having the right tool for the job. Feel free to call me crazy, or confess that you are similarly particular. And if you’re the latter, share with me your favorite bottles. LINKS PLEASE! 🙂
Real Life Style: January Closet
I post a daily picture on Instagram of what I wear. Well let me rephrase: what I wear when I actually put on an outfit that looks reasonable. If I’m home all day writing or watching Real Housewives of Anywhere in my yoga pants, I generally don’t bother with a snap shot. You’re welcome. 🙂
It seems a little vain to take pictures of your clothes — I get that, and to a certain extent it is —Â but over the past year I found it fun and inspiring to have a log of what I wore. It’s helped me figure out where my style is at currently and it gives me a foundation from which to decide where I want to go. Understanding those things actually makes it easier (and more fun) to get dressed in the morning, and both are a total win – so vanity be damned!
When I did my summer survey last year there were a lot of requests for more Real Life Style posts. Many of you responded to the idea that everyday style vs aspirational style was helpful to see, and I love that! But I have struggled with a way to do that on this blog that isn’t just a roundup of pictures with captions of where all of it came from. It’s not that I don’t enjoy those types of posts (I do!) but personally, I find them a little bit tedious to write and not all that helpful unless I’ve just purchased something that I can link to. Unfortunately a lot of my outfits include Stuff I Bought At Target A Long Ass Time Ago. It’s my style-statement, I guess…but you gotta work with what ya got!
I thought a monthly roundup could be a happy medium — photos of what I wore (in case you don’t follow me on Instagram) but also bit of talk about HOW I got dressed. I mean, yes yes “One leg at a time” but more about:
*Items I’m Currently Loving (ie: Repeating)
*What Inspired Me While Getting Dressed
*Hits/Misses
So enough explanation…here’s how I got dressed in January:
(Click the links below the photos if you are interested in the specifics of an outfit. I listed each item (with links where applicable) but I warn you, I wear a lot of old stuff! :))
1. Hot Pink Accents, 2. Running Errands, 3. Channeling Hannah From Girls, 4. Favorite Outfit This Month, 5. Oldie But Goodie, 6. Comfy Basics, 7. Black Skinny Jeans I Love (FINALLY!), 8. Pattern Mix (Stripes and Spots), 9. Dress/Tights, 10. Polka dots/Mini Peplum/Puppy, 11. Biker Bitch (but a nice one!), 12. Stripe on Stripe on Stripe!, 13. Jeggins/Chambray Layers, 14. Semi Chic Hobo, 15. Black & White & Red All Over, 16. Unapologetic Stripes, 17. Layer w/ A Bit of Color, 18. Polka Dots!, 19. Plain Jane, 20. Bathing Suit Coverup! What?
What I’m Currently Loving
A visual grid makes it very clear I am loving scarves and stripes. I think I’m going to get over stripes here shortly. Obviously I love them, but I want to branch out with some other prints. Stripes tickle the geometric part of my brain, but there must be something else. I’ve got my eye out!
As for scarves, let me make a confession: this isn’t even the tip of the iceberg. I LOVE SCARVES! (What? They are like purses and shoes! They always fit!) I was really into infinity scarves this month thanks to a clearance purchase at the Gap (the gray knit one) and a gift from Elizabeth (the turquoise one, which I LOVE!)
What Inspired Me While Getting Dressed
Honestly, this month it was all about functionality. I work in an office that is freezing one minute and burning up the next, so layers are kind of a must. Also, I wanted to wear dresses this month but it was also 40 degress on the regular. Best purchase so far this year: $8 leggings from Target.
In addition to functionality, I was really feeling like exercising my minimalist brain this month and I repeated quite a few things. My wardrobe isn’t that big actually. The rack that I stand in front of taking my pictures is basically ALL OF MY CLOTHING. So yeah, not much. But I was hoping to mix them up in a creative way so that it wasn’t glaringly obvious that I was wearing all the same stuff. I feel like that was pretty successful.
Hits
This was my favorite outfit of the month.
Also, I still have so much love for Gap Sexy Boyfriend Jeans. They were the only jeans I wore this month, actually. Every time I link to them I think “$80 is a lot of cash! DAMN!” But ya know what…they are TOTALLY WORTH IT. Really versatile, stylish and durable — For $80 I have completely gotten my money’s worth. I don’t have a large clothing budget (in fact I don’t even HAVE a clothing budget written in as a line item) so it’s nice to remind myself every once in a while that sometimes a higher quality item is worth paying for.
Misses
This was my least favorite. In fact, all day long I kept thinking I was channeling Hannah from Girls…who we all know is kind of a hot frumpy mess. I even read a fun article about how they tailor her clothes to be ill fitting. Not my best day!
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So that’s my closet this month! What do we think about this format? Helpful? Unhelpful? Holly, get your face outta my face? 🙂
Things I’ve Worn Lately & Where To Find Them
Starting tomorrow and for the next six weeks I get to wear jeans to work. Hooray for casual dress! You may remember this inspired last year’s 30 Days of Denim, but this year I don’t have the energy for that (hoooooooooo boy did that take some time!) While I’m not documenting what I wear every day on the blog, I still like popping in on occasion and talking about clothes. I’m still posting my Outfit of the Day almost daily on Instagram (follow_holly) so if you are jonesing for some denim, you will get it over the next 6 weeks.
I’m feeling a little uninspired with respect to style lately mostly because my mind is ready for fall but it is still 100 degrees out. There are actual coats hanging in stores. I mean, it’s gross to look at, but I still want to wear it all! So in the meantime, here’s what I’ve been wearing, and where I got it.
Shirt: Banana Republic Outlet (old) Skirt: New York & Co. Bracelet: Target Shoes: Target (old)
Funny story about this outfit. One: I hate ruffles and this shirt has ruffles. Why do I buy ruffles? I’m thinking on getting rid of this. It annoys me every time I wear it. Two: This skirt. I am in love with it. I walked into the mall and saw it recently in every size but mine. Boo. Then I tried to buy it online and it said sold out. Then I looked at 2 other NY & Company shops with no luck. Then I gave up. But then! Then! I had to go to Reno for work, and just happened to drive by a NY & Co with 30 minutes to spare before a meeting and VOILA! Said skirt became mine. This shit was hard earned. I may just wear it every day. No bigs, since it totally blends in.
Sweater: Nordstrom Rack (old) Necklace: Target (old) Skirt: Costco Tank: Target Mossimo Tanks, which are the bomb, btw, and $5 right now. Shoes: Missoni for Target
You really need to do yourself a favor and buy this skirt at Costco because it feels like yoga pants. And I’m going to keep telling you this until you buy it. YOU GUYS, IT IS SO COMFY. Which is why I wore it on a day when I had to sit through a Negotiating Seminar, which was not comfy at all.
Shirt: Gap Necklace: Banana Republic Outlet (old) Pants: Gap Wedges: Target (old) Bracelet: Target
We need to discuss these pants. They are “Linen” and I love them. Well, they look like linen, feel like linen but they actually aren’t linen so you know what they don’t do? Wrinkle the second you exhale. I’m in love! Also, I have worn this shirt a million times. I wish I would have bought every style! It’s so light and awesome to wear when it is hot, but it still looks professional.
Shirt: Banana Republic Outlet (old) Jeans: Gap Sexy Boyfriend Belt: Target Shoes: Target (suuuuuper old) Bangles: Target (so old)
I don’t understand why Gap calls these sexy. They aren’t sexy at all. Just SUPER comfy. It’s probably the same reason they call those other pants linen when they are really some rayon blend. Whatever. Oh, if you are a belt beginner, I highly recommend this belt from Target. It’s really versatile. And this post, of course.
Shirt: Old Navy (old) Skirt: Gap Outlet (old) Shoes: Target (old) Necklace: Target (can’t find it online but it’s on clearance in the stores.)
This is CLEARLY why I’m not a style blogger. I wear a lot of old stuff.
Oh wait — the watch — that I can actually link to. Woot!
Now I’m just getting desperate. 🙂 Who wants to go shopping for fall clothes?????
Two Days of Turquoise
Last weekend was oddly busy.
Obviously there was lots of beer and wine to drink and cheese to eat pre-Whole 30, but also in the span of 48 hours we watched the Olympic Opening Ceremonies while partaking in British Themed Menu, attempted to attend a wedding where the groom rode in on a horse, worked our asses off in the gym – partly, of course, to work off that British Themed Menu (I did so many overhead squats MY ABS ARE SORE. That’s a lot of squats. 50 to be exact!), drank beer at one of our favorite breweries while watching Beach Volleyball right before enjoying basil gimlets at a swanky restaurant, watched an awesome fashion show, listened to DJ Shadow and lamented our aging, danced like crazy people while watching Chromeo perform, cooked a lot of Whole 30 approved food, and helped friends christen their newly remodeled kitchen. Honestly, I’m tired just writing about it, but it was a damn good time.
Friday started with basically all of the brown and yellow food.
Delicious food, but still. Can I get some chives up in here to dress that up or something? I made a Paleo version of this Shepherd’s Pie recipe and served it along side some of Mel’s delicious Paleo Scotch Eggs. AMAZING, all of it, but I totally should have made a salad. What did you think of the Opening Ceremonies? I liked that it was whacky and centered around music, but I know it got panned by a lot of folks.
Saturday I did the following workout and then wanted to die:
Run 800 m
200 double unders
150 sit ups
50 Overhead Squats @ 65lbs
Run 400 m
No pictures of that. Just imagine a giant pile of sweat and spandex. That’s what I looked like. 🙂
I did take pictures of my Saturday night outfit and my Sunday afternoon outfits though…
On the left: Pants: Gap Always Skinny Skimmer (cropped) in Turquoise, Tank: scored at Ross. Some weird brand. Shoes: Merona. (old) Love you Target! Earrings: Target (old)
On the Right: Tank: Old Navy (old) Skirt: Gap Outlet (old) Shoes: Mossimo Target
I guess I was in a turquoise mood this weekend! Not a surprise, it is basically my favorite color. Saturday night we went to an event called Launch that was a giant festival of fashion/music/art. We went out to support Garrett’s friend Nicole who designs pretty amazing clothing with her main squeeze Justin. I figured if there was any night that I could get away with wearing skin tight turquoise pants, it was at a fashion event, right? Check out some of the FREAKING AWESOME looks:
photos courtesy of Shannon Schureman
Creative people make me happy.
After the fashion show DJ Shadow and Chromeo were performing which was just an absolutely fun combo. The people watching during DJ Shadow was ON. POINT. Lots of girls in way-too-short skirts gyrating with men wearing jeans that were just a little too skinny. It was funny. We felt old. But then Chromeo came out and we were back in our element. I do not have a single running mix on my ipod that does not include Chromeo. They are hilarious and great workout music. Highly recommend!
Sunday I went to Costco to get Whole 30 ready. Check out this overflowing grocery cart!
We’re as ready as we’ll ever be, I think.
Then in the afternoon we went to a Kitchen-warming party. Wait, wait…a what??? Friends of ours just remodeled their kitchen so they threw a BBQ to test out the new digs. Lots of good sangria, good people and good food. Also? BOCCE BALL. Which is seriously super fun and totally not a random senior citizen game as I may have previously thought. 🙂
I can’t believe we crammed all of that in to our weekend. But I guess it’s good since we have managed to orchestrate a pretty calm August. I’m planning to sleep a lot, workout a lot, cook a lot, and watch a loooooooooooooooooooooooot of TV. (Guilty Pleasure Goal! What???)
Holy crap, you guys…AUGUST IS TOMORROW. I don’t know where the time goes!
Things I’ve Worn Lately & Where To Find Them
I mentioned shortly after the Summer Survey that many of you wanted to see more style related posts. One of the repetitive requests was “HEY-O where do you buy your clothes?” Ok, maybe I am paraphrasing, but you get the idea. After last year’s 30 Days of Denim, the on-going joke was that all of my clothes basically come from Target or The Gap, and while those are certainly favorites, I have branched out a tiiiiiiiiiiiiny bit. Baby steps, you guys. I’m trying to keep you on your toes! 🙂
I post an outfit of the day on Instagram (@follow_holly) just about every morning on my way to work, but I don’t necessarily share all the details there because it’s 7am and I am usually running late. This is real talk, friends. So I thought it might be helpful to pop in here every once in a while to break down what I’ve been wearing and where it came from for a couple of reasons:
1 – I am not a supermodel (shocker, I know) but in fact a regular gal rocking a size 14/16. I always find it more interesting to hear about where the average person buys their clothes. (Wait, you mean stores at the mall? SWEET!)
2 – I reeeeeeeeeeally enjoy fashion and style related things, but my current clothing budget is pretty small. Just about everything I wear is either SUPER affordable, On Clearance, or (in my opinion) worth paying full price for. That’s my shopping philosophy summed up — especially since I’m still losing weight.
So, with that said — here are a few recent Outfits of the Day (complete with dorky mirror pics!):
Dress: Daisy Fuentes for Kohl’s (bought with $20 of Kohl’s Cash so it was only $12!)
Belt: Target
Earrings: Target
Bracelet: Target
Wedges: Target
Look I said I was branching out a little bit. Not a lot, okay? While I love this cozy dress like red short tight prom dresses for it’s a little bit too short for sitting at work. And I wore it out last night too and paired with a cross-body bag that kept making it static-y and stick to my slip. I will definitely wear it again, but without the purse and probably not to work.
*****
Skirt: DownEast Basics (On Sale now for $25)
Shirt: Banana Republic Outlet
Necklace: Premiere Designs
Shoes: Payless Shoe Source
Speaking of last night, I went to a Blogger Event at DownEast Basics at the Roseville Galleria, and along with being super impressed with all their cute and well fitting stuff, I picked up this skirt which I’m wearing today.
The silhouette is different for me, and the little ruffle on the side is out of my comfort zone. But that’s what’s fun about style, right? Trying new things? I like the colors and the swooshiness (technical term) of this skirt, but also the fact that it is still pretty body conscious, which for me is necessary in a skirt. I’m always attracted to floofy, but it is NOT AT ALL flattering to my mid-section.
*****
Shirt: Lauren Conrad for Kohl’s (I am totally on the Kohl’s Train lately)
Skirt: Ellen Tracy purchased at Costco for $12 — GET ONE. It is the yoga pants of black pencil skirts)
Necklace: Banana Republic Outlet
Shoes: Missoni for Target
I purchased this shirt after watching a marathon of The Hills recently. I am a marketing person’s dream clearly. Lauren Conrad is kind of annoying, but her affordable collection for Kohl’s? REALLY cute. I’m impressed that it was versatile, reasonably priced, and came in a variety of sizes.
*****
Shirt: Gap
Skirt: Denim Pencil from The Gap Outlet last summer
Belt: Target
Flip Flops: Old Navy
Sunglasses: At Target finding perfect pair is very easy
Bag: H&M
I wasn’t kidding when I said I was obsessed with Kelly Green! This striped shirt is super comfy, but now that I’ve washed it a few times it has stretched out and gotten kind of shapeless and yucky. I’m surprised at how baggy it is considering it’s a Large, from the Gap. It’s good for running errands though, and this was TOTALLY a day when I just threw on that Garnier BB Cream with some lip gloss and hit the road!
*****
Shirt: Apt 9 for Kohl’s (curiously unavailable on website, despite being a recent purchase)
Pants: New York & Company (I have to buy them in Long. Grr)
Shoes: Payless Shoe Source
Earrings: Silver Hoops. Let’s be real, probably from Claire’s.
Lately I’m not that into wearing pants to work, but this felt office appropriate, conservative enough, but also still a little fun. Maybe it was the polka dots? I need to get inspired before fall/winter because pants just aren’t doing it for me.
*****
Dress: Gap — currently on clearance — GET ONE!
Belt: Target
Shoes: Target, last summer
Bracelet: Target
It made me happy to pair red and green and not feel like A Christmas Nightmare. I think it was the addition of gold. But of course when you wear Red, Gold + Green you then get Karma Chameleon stuck in your head all day, so just be warned.
*****
Pants: Gap Sexy (ha!) Boyfriend Jeans
Shirt: INC at Macys
Shoes: Target Clearance
Bag: H&M
I love this shirt — it’s striped, obviously I love it! But also because it is flattering while feeling like softest cotton ever. It goes without saying, I think that I love Casual Friday, right?
*****
And that’s what I’ve been wearing, and well — mostly where to get it.
Any glaring omissions?
Central Coast Eats + Drinks
We headed down to the Central Coast last weekend to celebrate my good friend Sarah’s 30th Birthday. She and her other half, Nick, have recently gotten engaged so we may have clinked a glass or two for that as well! For those of you who don’t live in California, the hotel in Laguna Beach is absolutely the best! It’s not quite Northern California but not quite Southern California, and it’s chock full of wineries, hilly scenery, gorgeous ocean views and most importantly — fantastic weather in February! If you ever have the chance to visit: MAKE IT HAPPEN. We hung out for four days, which definitely wasn’t long enough and of course, we ate our way through the long weekend away because well…this is what we do when we go on vacation.
It’s a 5 hour road trip from Sacramento, so we got started fairly early with a good play list and brunch at In-n-Out. That brunch included some seriously delicious Protein-Style/Animal-Style Double Doubles which is really the only way to roll in my humble opinion. Then it was onto the drive.
We got into town with just a few minutes to spare and met up with Nick to do a workout over at CrossFit Five Cities.
Yes we did plan a WOD on our vacation because we are crazy like that! It was actually a total blast until I bit it doing a box jump and basically tore up my left shin. You’re welcome for not taking a picture of that. 10 days later it is still black and blue and mising a major chunk. Worst CrossFit injury to date and perhaps not the nicest way to start a vacation, but when we got home Sarah had made us the best looking Cobb Salads ever and I’ll tell you what, that *IS* a great way to start a vacation.
I feel like I should also mention that this entire weekend of eating and drinking and general debauchery? Sarah’s fiance Nick was only drinking juice. He is in the middle of a 60 day Juice Fast (SIXTY DAYS!!!!!) and his restraint is now officially something of legend. So throughout this entire post where I detail our ridiculous gorging, just imagine Nick drinking only this:
He is documenting his “Life Reboot” daily on You Tube so check out his channel if you are interested in that journey. Holy Heck he is one dedicated gentleman! You’re over halfway through Nick — you can see the finish line!
Saturday morning we were up bright and early to run a local 5K at the birthday girl’s request. And you know the rules: what the birthday girl wants, the birthday girl gets.
We laced up our shoes and set off on what was (for me) the most challenging 5K I have ever run. We ran about a mile through a residential area and then all of a sudden we were at the bottom of a little hilled trail and the only way to go was up. SUPER CHALLENGING, but it also made me want to start running more trails because it was so fun! I finished the 5K in just over 38 minutes which was a minute longer than my Thanksgiving 5K PR, but since it was about a mile up some steep ass hill, I’ll take it!
The we showered up and headed out for a day of wine tasting that we had most definitely earned! Our first stop was Tobin James Cellars and we left with a case of wine and good buzz, which is always a good sign.
If you ever find yourself in the Paso Robles Wine Country, definitely make this one of your first stops and try their signature cocktail, the Tobin-tini. It’s sparkling wine mixed with their one of their late harvest Zin’s and I wasn’t really sold on it just hearing about it, but once I tasted it? It was LOVE! If you have dessert at my house any time in the next few months it will surely be on the menu.
Next we headed to Penman Springs Vineyard, which is such a gem of a winery a little bit off the beaten path. I mean how can you not love a winery who has piano players, puzzles and homemade Grand Marnier Nutella? You just can’t.
We didn’t want to go crazy buying wine but we could not leave this artisan winery without a few bottles — we were very impressed! Plus they had all sorts of delicious little treats to sample so we may have also made it home with some garlic-basil grapeseed oil that I plan to use all summer long with the tomatoes from my garden. My mouth is watering just thinking about how amazing that’s going to be!
The third stop was Clautiere Vineyards, and while the grounds were delightful, their wines unfortunately were not. Also, they charge a tasting fee which isn’t too common down in the Paso area. We were mostly unimpressed. The only reason I would recommend this as a stop though is that they have crazy wigs in their tasting room and if there is anything more fun than hanging with your buzzed friends trying on different wigs, well I’m not sure what it is. Go for the wigs, not the wine and you won’t be disappointed.
Also, if you are lucky you will run into a gentleman like this one, which I was laughing about for most of the afternoon.
Finally it was time to eat, so we made our way to Sculpterra Winery & Sculpture Garden for a picnic and some tasting. They have all sorts of crazy sculptures on their grounds if you feel like taking some wacky pictures.
Plus a lovely patio for having some munchies with a big or small group. It also may be a great patio for shotgunning beers, or so I’ve heard. We kept it real classy that afternoon.
Their wines are on the pricey side, but the tasting was impressive so I would definitely recommend a stop there if you are looking for some investment wine or just a nice place to eat.
Our last stop of the day was at Veris Cellars who win the day because they not only have awesome sparkling wines but also a driving range on site.
We hung out while the sun was setting and then of course decided on the next place we would stop: To Eat. It was that kind of weekend. We ended up at Downtown Brew in Paso Robles and you will just have to use your imagination since I did not snap a photo of the Largest Plate of Carnitas Nachos Ever. You are full already with all this eating aren’t you? Don’t worry, our next stop involved only drinking when we grabbed a night cap at Dunbar Brewing Company in Santa Margarita — a tiny little hole in the wall craft brew pub that only serves 2 brews per night or a bottle of Miller High Life: Take your pick.
After all of that, it was time to call it a night.
Sunday we adventured all over San Luis Obispo County but food-wise the highlights were definitely the Breakfast Burritos at Rudy & Angie’s in Grover Beach.
I think “Size of Your Head” sums it up nicely. And again, may I remind you — Nick is still patiently drinking vegetable juice, in case you forgot.
We ran some errands (including checking out the Jason Wu for Target launch, which I was sadly unimpressed with) and then made our way to San Luis Obispo to try the SLO Donut Company, where I experienced the life changing event of eating a Nutella Donut. I will never be the same again.
I wish I could tell you this place was over-hyped, but man was it delicious. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned but donuts are my personal kryptonite. The smell alone in that place was INTOXICATING. Kind of the theme of the weekend, methinks!
The following day it was time to get back on the road. While we were sad to leave good friends, it was time to get back to a little more normal and a little less indulging! I think if you are going to deviate from your routine, you might as well go hog wild, and go hog wild we did!
There have been lots of salads in my life lately, that is for sure!
****
Do you eat your way through a vacation, or are you more the sight seeing type?
Saturday Snapshots: Daily Edition
Thanks for all your fun iPhone app suggestions the other day. Gold mine, I tell you! This is why I love the internet — I can say, “Tell me something I don’t know” and BAM! Schooled. Also, for funny You Tube videos. The internet is always good for that!
Anyway, one of the things I have been loving about my new little toy is the ability to photograph the silly parts of my everyday life. The best camera is the one you are carrying, right? So even though I’m still in the “I take crappy cell phone pics” phase of documenting my life, it’s kind of fun to see what unravels. I think this will be helpful this year with Project Life and also, just for fun to look back on.
I thought I might occasionally share some of the dailies on the weekend as an exercise in improving my photography skills.
Here are some snaps from this week:
New Library Books
So many books, yet so little time to read lately. It’s a bummer, but just the possibility in a stack of new books always puts a smile on my face.
My Favorite Shoes Lately
A little sparkle from Payless always improves the day right? Also, for some reason seeing it in a photograph makes me kind of love my kitchen floor. It’s funny how you can see something everyday and not really appreciate it until you see it “on film.”
Scribbles
This is my editorial calendar for the blog, and also one (of the many) idea notebooks I keep around all the time. I know there are so many electronic ways to keep track of these things, and maybe I will get there someday, but for now — I just love the combo of ideas+paper+pens. It makes my heart happy!
Mid-Day Yum
I don’t drink Coconut Water that often (mostly post workout and NEVER just the plain flavor, because: YUK) but it was warm this afternoon, I was super dehydrated and Passion Fruit is DELICIOUS! I have a case of these autoshipped from Amazon every month because it’s a cheap little good-for-me treat to have around on a gorgeous day.
Epiphany
Speaking of gorgeous days, this was on my last run of 2011 and in this moment I just felt so happy to be outside, running, enjoying the weather and feeling healthy. There are times when I hate that losing weight takes work. There are times when I wish I could lay on the couch and still be lean and fit. But then there are times when I am just so grateful for my ability work on my body and my fitness. Everyone doesn’t have that opportunity, so sometimes I need a reminder that it really is a gift.
*****
I took most of these photos using Instagram, which I’m actually enjoying much more then I thought. What do you know, it’s not just an app that lets you give your photos a retro feel, it’s actually a fun way to connect and share the little pieces of your life.
If you’d like to follow me there, my username is hollywouldifshecould.
6 Strategies To Make Fitness Fun
Since finding CrossFit I actually need to be *forced* to stay out of the gym, and there is no one who is more surprised by this than me. I spent 32 years before that struggling to find a fitness routine I loved and I feel excited most days to get up and go to the local fitness center. Don’t worry I’m not a robot, there are still days that I struggle to get out of bed but the overall ratio is much more in my favor these days.
Now does this mean you should all go out and join a CrossFit gym? No. Not at all! (Well, Maybe? Ok just kidding! But I DO really love it) What it means is that there is absolutely some strategy involved in making daily fitness more fun. If *enjoying* daily fitness is one of your goals this year, here are some of the strategies I’ve used to keep me motivated.
1. Find something that YOU love, and don’t stop looking until you do
If you are struggling to fit fitness into your life, trust me — YOU DON’T LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING. That’s okay, but you need to acknowledge it. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad because you don’t love CrossFit/Yoga/Running/P90X as much as they do. There is something out there FOR YOU and you don’t need to apologize for it. Do actively keep trying to find it though. It’s easy to default to feeling bad when you don’t like something that works for someone else. Don’t let this happen with fitness, there are too many options! Workout at home, go to a Zumba class instead of getting on that mind numbing treadmill you hate, learn a new running technique and go to the park and take a jog instead of even going to the gym. Keep trying until you find it! Fitness is not a One Size Fits All endeavor, but since it should be part of your daily life you owe it to yourself to find something that you actually enjoy. It’s worthwhile to put in the research who wants to do something every single day that they don’t even like? That’s a recipe for failure, for sure. Just ask the dishes sitting on my counter top waiting to be washed. Better do some research on how I can get them to wash themselves. 🙂
2. Keep a Fitness Calendar
Keep track of your workouts somewhere you can see it At-A-Glance. I keep my workout calendar right above my laptop. The only thing I use it for is to write whether I worked out or not. This is not where I log exactly what my workout was, it is solely that place to put your gold star! It’s a quick and easy way to notice patterns in your training (apparently Wednesdays are good rest days for me) and to track your number of workouts. It’s like a chore chart for adults! And that little Kindergartner inside of me who yearned for that gold star LOVES THIS CALENDAR. I find it totally motivating to see a visual representation of my efforts, cheesy as it sounds, and it was so fun to look back over all of 2011 and say “Wow! I worked out 204 times! Not too shabby!”
3. Find A Community of Support
I used to always read in fitness magazines that it helps to workout with a friend, but honestly that advice always made me roll my eyes. Sometimes the thing that I enjoy MOST about daily workouts are that time alone with my own thoughts! Sometimes I don’t want to coordinate with someone else’s schedule. Sometimes friends FLAKE! Those things didn’t really motivate me. If working out with friends is motivating to you — AWESOME! If not, what find another way to enjoy what that advice was truly getting at — support. Support is such a necessary part of making your workouts enjoyable, no joke. At CrossFit that support is built in to gym which helps me immensely, but there are so many other ways to find support even if CrossFit is not your workout of choice.
Try tracking and sharing your workouts with friends on a fitness application like Daily Mile (you can find my workouts here), join a message board like Nerd Fitness (HT to Danielle for that link), find a friend on Twitter or Facebook to keep you accountable (Stop by and ‘Like’ HollyWouldIfSheCould on Facebook, we do lots of that over there!) Whatever it takes to make you feel like you are not working out alone!
4. Keep Your Gym Bag Stocked With The Good Stuff
I used to have the most crap-tastic toiletries in my gym bag and I hated using them when I showered after a workout. One day in Ulta I saw travel sizes of some of my favorite products and while they were stupidly overpriced, I thought — What the heck? And you all, it was a GAME CHANGER! I actually looked forward to the next time I had to shower in my office locker room. Fun facewash! Delicious shower gel! GOOD SHAMPOO! Buy yourself a treat as a reward for working out, put it in a cute bag and BOOM — insta-motivation! It sounds silly, but it’s the little things that keep you going over time.
5. Organize Your Workout Clothes
Guess what doesn’t make fitness fun? Working out naked. And if you have to search high and low for an outfit you feel comfortable in, guess who isn’t going to the gym? Keep your gym clothes accessible and organized. Give them their own drawer. Organize by type or style — whatever makes your little heart happy — just make sure it is easy because the last thing you need is to be skipping a workout because of clothing. And it doesn’t have to be expensive! While I love perusing the pages of Lululemon, most of my workout essentials come from affordable places, that way I can HAVE MORE STUFF! It appeases my inner shop-a-holic and the lazy girl inside that hates laundry. Get your clothes in order and remove one more speed bump in your path!
6. When All Else Fails, Buy A New Pair of Shoes
What?
I’m a girl. Some things always deliver! 🙂 While I may not have a closet full of Louboutins, I definitely prioritize having great workout shoes. That doesn’t mean they are the prettiest or the fanciest, but they are tried and true and good shoes make a difference. Experiment! Invest! Don’t be afraid to try new things! A good pair of shoes makes all the difference — for your body and for your mind. And you (and your health) are worth it!
*****
What are some of your strategies to make fitness fun?
