Style Lush

Weight Loss Simulator for Goal Setting

by Leah

Here's one to bookmark for January 1, or maybe earlier if you're taking part in this round of Biggest Blogging Loser and have been letting the holidays get the best of you for the past few weeks (ahem). What we have here is a pretty straightforward weight loss simulator, and there are probably hundreds of them out there, but this is the one I came across (I forget how), and I thought it was cool so I'm sharing it with you in case this sort of thing is your jam. 

You can input basic details (height, shape, bust) to compare your current body with your body at your goal weight, and if you've ever spent way too long making a video game character look exactly like yourself (ahem), you can also pass a few moments customizing features like skin tone, hair color and style, and the shape of your nose. And rest assured, as with all good character simulators, you can totally pick a beach background.

(P.S., There's one for men too.)

{Photo credit: www.modelmydiet.com}

Motivation Monday: Body Attack

by Jenny

How was your Thanksgiving? Did you eat yourself silly? Are you feeling sluggish and pudgy this morning, as you try to restore some semblance of fitness and nutritional balance to your life? Well, allow me to annoy motivate you by telling you about a new class at my gym. It’s taught by my favorite instructor, Katy and it’s called Body Attack. It is fairly intense (as the name Body Attack might suggest) and promises to whip you into shape in no time. 

If you’re familiar with the Body Pump weightlifting classes offered at many gyms, Body Attack is the brainchild of the same person (Les Mills) who conceived Body Pump. As Les Mills’ programs often are, Body Attack is set to music--loud, thumping, dance music. In fact, the music paired with the moves may cause you to think you've been dropped squarely on your head in the middle of an ESPN Cheerleading competition.

A cheerleader, I am not, but, there’s something to be said for the jumping, bouncing and kicking that’s incorporated into Body Attack. You do not quit moving for 55 minutes and you're doing cardio-centric movements the whole time. It’s estimated that the average person will burn 700+ calories in one 55 minute-long class. I’ll let you sit back and ponder that....

700 calories in one 55 minute long class. (Are you calculating how many king-size Snickers bars that is? About 2.5, in case you care...).

The moves are very athletic, sports-inspired and plyometric. In one class, (among other things) you’ll simulate skiing and a ropes course, run, perform tuck jumps and do 5+ minutes of continuous push-ups. Yes, 5 minutes. Continuously. 

 

 

In the class that I take, you’ll see a range of ages, fitness levels and both men and women. The instructors are good about showing you how to modify if you need to take it down a notch and you could certainly never call this class monotonous or boring.

Sounds great, right? I know what you’re thinking: “There’s no way I could do that”. But, you know what? You totally could. And you totally should because do you know what a bad ass you’ll feel like after you’ve done 5 minutes of continuous push-ups? A bad ass with shaky, jello-arms--but a bad ass just the same. Plus then you can get on the internet and tell everyone that you just did 5 minutes of pushups. (I mean, you won’t be able to physically type those words due to aforementioned jello arms, but in the meantime, you can verbalize your accomplishment to everyone that you cross paths with until feeling is restored in your arms and chest.)

So, what do you think? Does Body Attack look like something that might work for you? Do you have another class that you're currently enjoying at your gym?

{Photo & video credits: www.lesmills.com}

Reader Help: Best Yoga Pants

By Megan

When my last pair of yoga pants from Old Navy got horribly stretched out and faded, I didn't replace them. I'm trying to avoid yoga pants as an outfit, unless I'm actually working out. Except, that in my current life, I spend a lot of time at home, and at home I like to be comfortable. As it stands now, once we're in for the day, I usually swap my jeans for pajama pants. This is fine, because my kids don't generally care what I look like, but I would like to be able to go for a walk without completely changing my clothes. Also, when my husband comes home to me in pajamas, I feel like it's hard to justify the claim that I actually do things around the house all day.

All of this to say that I'm on the hunt for new pair of comfy pants.

There's obviously the gold standard, lululemon. (Oh, and here's Jenny's awesome "Worth the Hype?" post.)

I tried on a pair this summer, and they were everything everyone swears them to be, but I'm not quite a $98 believer yet.

I'm hearing good things about the new C9 by Champion premium line at Target.

I haven't tried these on, but their look and feel is similar to the lululemon pants. For $39, I'm certainly willing to try them, but I'm more concerned with their long-term wearability.

Finally, my go-to budget winner is always Old Navy, where I see a new style outside of their traditional foldover yoga pant.

I'm not sure if this is a case of getting what you pay for, or if this pair of Old Navy pants which retails for under $20 is enough to do the trick.

Weigh-in readers. What's a comfortable clothes loving girl to do?

(photos from: lululemon.com, target.com, oldnavy.com)

Inspiration Monday: An Interview With My Fitness Guru

by Jenny

Meet Katy. She's an instructor at the gym that I go to as well as a personal trainer. To say that Katy's expertise has changed my life (and my body) is an understatement. Her knowledge of fitness, coupled with her gentle, fun spirit has been the winning combination in helping me to acheive my fitness goals. As she says in the classes that she teaches, "I'm here to push you harder than you'd ever push yourself" and, man-alive, does she! I feel as though she's a wealth of knowledge and I wanted to share a bit of her with all of you. I also feel compelled to add that Katy is the mother of 2 small children, if (like me) that's been your excuse de jour for putting off getting into shape. 

A few weeks ago, I put out feelers in my community as well as on Style Lush's Facebook page, asking for any fitness or nutrition questions that you'd like for me to ask Katy. Here's my interview with Katy:

What's the biggest mistake you see people making at the gym? 

The biggest mistake I see at the gym would be those 80’s MC Hammer pants with a muscle tank (easy to be a kidder when you look like Katy, eh?)! Honestly, the biggest mistake I see people making at the gym would be executing an exercise with incorrect form.  Form is important for these two reasons  1.) to prevent injuries  2.) to ensure that the right muscle groups are working together correctly to maximize results.

What single act or move at the gym will give you the most “bang for your buck”?

There are so many great exercises to choose from. When you are talking about getting your biggest calorie burn for your time, then you want to do exercises that combine cardio and strength training, using upper body and lower body muscle groups at the same time--wheeew, right? It sounds overwhelming, but it’s very doable at the gym or at home with a set of hand weights. A few of these exercises include:

 

 1.) Walking lunges coupled with bicep curls or overhead presses

2.) Squats with overhead shoulder press.

3.) Side lunge to lateral leg and arm raise.

 

 

Any suggestions for alternative foods to “scratch an itch”--i.e. something sweet; something salty that won’t sabotage your diet?

Well, if you want me to say that eating a piece of chocolate cake for your “something sweet” (often) would be fine, well, you’re wrong. However; I do believe in cheat days and delicious indulgences because let’s face it, life is too short. For something sweet try 85% dark chocolate, (it is an acquired taste that you will learn to love) or fruit such as watermelon or pineapple. For your something salty try popcorn, assorted nuts or even a few green olives. Give yourself some time--I am a firm believer that you can train your taste buds to love healthy indulgences not junk.

If you could purge one (or more) items from our kitchens--that you feel are sabotaging our diet or nutrition--what would it be?

I would come to your house and purge ALL, or most, of the processed boxed crap that is in your pantry. If it comes in a box and has 4 or more ingredients, (some of which you cannot pronounce) then get rid of it. I know, moms--that would include all the snacks our kiddos love. The RITZ crackers, Goldfish and Nilla Wafers, just to name a few. And how many times have you mindlessly tossed a few handfuls of those products into your mouth while giving them to your kids? So once I vowed to stop eating that overly processed boxed crap, I thought to myself, why am I giving this to my kids?

Have you found any of the popular fad diets to be successful or is eating healthy and working out the best way to go? (Speaking more of major weight loss but also for just dropping a few pounds).

Eating healthy and exercising is the BEST way to go. Bottom line, more calories out and fewer calories in equals weight loss--more importantly, it equals long-term weight loss and not yo-yo dieting. Through one’s weight loss journey, hopefully healthy eating and exercising becomes their new “healthy lifestyle” normal.

The push-up works your upper body, as well as your core.

I aspire to have Katy's triceps. 

 

{Photo credits: me and my shaking, post-Katy-workout arms and shotty photography skills}

How to clean your cruddy BOB Stroller

By Manda

One of my most essential pieces of Mom Equipment has bar none been my trusty BOB Duallie Revolution stroller. It's also one of the best gifts we've ever received ... my husband's generous parents gave it to us the Christmas after I gave birth to our second child and WOW. The thing changed my life! It is indeed large, but it folds down small enough to fit in the trunk of most cars we've tried (we have a large SUV and a pick-up truck so transport really hasn't been an issue), and it fits through a standard doorway with no problem! When we first got it we really only used it to cruise the streets of Disneyland, but soon I started running again and that blessed stroller has now been piled high with kids, toys and snacks and pushed all over our community (and through airports! And race expos! And! And!). Needless to say, it's taken a beating.

It spent the better part of the summer on our front porch (I've been training without my kids in tow this summer, and it's been a game-changer). My daughter is in preschool now and so when I run errands I usually just pop my son in our umbrella stroller and go. Because it was left outside and because we live in a humid climate, when I opened it up recently I noticed some mold and mildew on the fabric (also THERE WERE SPIDERS! And crumbs! And it was just generally gross!). I set upon Google looking for tips and tricks on how to clean my beloved BOB and here follows my cleaning adventure.

The first thing I did was put it in the back yard in a sunny spot and spray it down with a spray bottle loaded up with plain old white vinegar. I wanted to kill the mold but didn't want to bleach the fabric out with chlorine bleach ... and nothing happened. I sprayed the entire thing down to saturation, let it dry in the sun, and when it was dry the mold spots were still there (although? The vinegar did kill all the funky smells going on!). 

SO! I now had a dry, less-funky-yet-still-moldy-looking stroller. A random website recommended using a heavy laundry stain remover, and so when I was at the store I spotted the Oxiclean MaxForce Pre-Treater Gel Stick that Emily recommended and grabbed it along with a stiff-bristled scrub brush (this is the one. The contoured shape worked great in all the fabric folds). Then, with the kids digging in the sandbox, I spent the better part of an hour rubbing on stain remover and scrubbing the living daylights out of the stroller fabric. I could not believe how much "stuff" came off the thing (and could not help but remember all the spilled snacks and sippy cups the poor thing has endured). I rinsed with the garden hose, set it out in the sun, and the good news? I managed to get it MOSTLY clean! My husband couldn't believe how good it looks! I have plans to refresh our messy little Chicco umbrella stroller next!

(photo via REI.com)

I'd like to take one more crack at it before I'm satisfied as there is still a bit of mold staining, but overall I'm pleased. If this isn't your cup of tea and you have the capital, I found a service called Stroller Spa that will service and clean your stroller for you (looks pretty awesome!).

But mostly? I'd just recommend parking the sucker in the garage. Which is where my BOB will live from now on when off duty. Lesson learned!

Have you ever done a heavy cleaning on your stroller? What are your tips and tricks? And have you used bleach to get mold off stroller fabric with any success? Did it kill the mold? Did it ruin the fabric? 

Reader help: An iPhone5 case for working out?

By Manda

Finally, FINALLY! The iPhone 5 has come! I don't know about you, but I've been waiting for this day for MONTHS! And it's not just because I'm an Apple nut (I am, don't get me wrong), it's also because the iPhone 4 I've had for 2+ years is on it's last legs. The top/lock button doesn't work, the front button is dicey and only works if I press it 5 times or in the exact perfect spot, when the keypad pops up it won't clear out until I open an application ... ETC. It's a mess! I've been holding my upgrade for months and months waiting for the new iPhones to come out and because I have the best husband ever, he pre-ordered it for me the day they came out. I'm expecting it the first week of October (BOO).

(screenshot via Apple.com)

My current phone is all messed up because I run with it (and ran a half and full marathon with it) and it's been dropped in shallow water once. I have little kids and a hectic life and it's near impossible to keep it out of moisture. And so I'm now looking for the perfect iPhone case to protect my new phone when it arrives, just in time for me to run with it in the Chicago Marathon. I've been considering underwater cases like the ones Natalie wrote about this summer, but I can't help but wonder if there's a more athlete-specific case. Have any of you had one/seen one around? I would love to get a "pretty" case like these, and my current case style (which was awesome for regular use) isn't going to cut the mustard this time around. My husband keeps trying to convince me to run with his Garmin or with my iPod nano and leave my phone at home, but I'm a Nike+ GPS app addict, listen to music while I run on the phone, and I'm not ready to go out without my phone handy in case of emergency.

Do you run with your phone? How do you keep it dry? Any case recommendations you have are much appreciated!

A Workout for T.V. Addicts

By Leah

I'm on the path to losing my baby weight, and it's about as fun as it sounds. Eating less, moving more, yadda yadda. Dieting while breastfeeding is haaaaard (consume all the things!), so my major plan of attack is to burn extra calories and build some muscle and mom-of-two-boys endurance by exercising. But oh. I am not a fan. 

Aside from the muscle fatigue and burning lungs and, ahem, leakage (solidarity fistbump to all the moms out there), my two biggest complaints about exercising are (a) it's boring and (b) the time spent gearing up for and gearing down from a workout can easily turn a 20-minute session into a 2-hour ordeal. Because, see, you can't just exercise for 20 minutes. You have to change your clothes, maybe drive to a park or gym, maybe assemble a jogging stroller, and then get home and shower afterward. I have a three-year-old and a newborn; I don't have time for that. And even if I did, it's still boring.

Enter the Wii Fit Plus.

I like it because I can work out at home. I like it because I can do it on demand, as soon as the baby goes down for a nap. I like it because I can do it in my p.j.s. I like it because I can work out while watching t.v. shows I have saved on the DVR (more on that below; it's the best part).

In addition to the basic Wii system and remotes and the Wii Fit Plus disc, you'll need the Wii Balance Board (you do workouts and play games on it, but it also acts as a scale that will record your weight), but otherwise, just make sure you have a pair of good tennis shoes and a little bit of space in front of your t.v. to move. The games are fun to play with others, but I'm really digging the more straightforward exercise options for when I'm home with the baby during the day. I do the 6-minute hula hoop routine for a warm-up, then a free run for 20 or 30 minutes while I watch some guilty-pleasure t.v. (because I feel less guilty if I watch it while jogging, obvs), and then I end with some yoga and strength moves if the baby's still asleep. I love that I can switch the t.v. set over to my recorded shows while the Wii remote keeps track of how long (time and distance) I'm jogging. The remote itself has a speaker in it, so I get updates on how much farther I have to go, plus a few little motivational quips here and there. If you're a fan of charts and graphs, you'll appreciate that the Wii Fit Plus tracks times, distances, your weight, and also calories burned. It also lets you set a daily calorie-burn goal, or weight and BMI goals over several weeks.  

Check out all the specs here. There's a lot of fun stuff going on in the system, but if you're looking for a hard, fast, do-at-home, non-boring cardio routine, I give two thumbs up for the running-while-you-watch-t.v. program. May I recommend catching an episode of America's Next Top Model for motivation? I want legs like that.

***

Editor's note: Leah received a Wii Fit apart from her role at Style Lush, as part of the Nintendo Amabassador Program. She purchased all games and other Wii Fit equipment on her own and was never under any obligation to post about the console here or elsewhere. All the opinions in this post are exclusively hers!

My Current Favorite Workout Shirt: C9 by Champion® Womens Endurance Tee

By Manda

Well, guys, I've officially entered the phase of craziness where I wear and wash my running clothes so much they're usually unavailable when I need them! I have to hang them dry in the shower at night and run in them damp sometimes! Dude!

Enter my old friend, Target:

C9 by Champion Womens Endurance Tee

I have had a Lululemon shirt (I ended up selling it on eBay because it was long-sleeved and I never wore it. And for $68 bucks I should have been wearing it DAILY!). It was nice! Yes! I concede that Lululemon stuff is nice! But the prices are just not justifiable for me ... I need at least 4 complete sets of workout clothes to get me through a week of marathon training. I have had many inexpensive pieces from Target and Nike last me over a year and they suit me just fine.

I was out with the kids earlier this week and I knew I needed to pick up a few short-sleeved shirts to replace my heavily-rotated tank tops because I'm getting too much sun on my chest and shoulders even with 70 SPF. And the last time I ran in a cotton t-shirt I got all these little weird chafed spots! Dude! Not cool! It looked like these shirts had just been put out (there were plenty in my size!). I grabbed a grey one and my daughter chose a neon pink one for me.

I LOVE these shirts! First of all, you can't beat the price at just $12.99. There's a variety of fun colors, they are super light and breathable and truthfully labeled "loose fit." They have a very comfortable a-line shape that doesn't bunch up around the waist, the arms aren't pinchy ... I could go on. If you're looking for a bargain workout shirt that goes the distance, this one's your girl.

(You can change into Beth's awesome Target t-shirt find after you work out, too!)

(photo via Target.com)

Work out like an Olympian!

By Manda

Have you been watching the Olympics this year? We have! Every night when the kids are finally in bed it seems like my husband and I race to the couch to see what events are on. Our favorites have been swimming (Missy Franklin! How cute is SHE?!), beach volleyball, gymnastics and of course track and field. We are a running family, after all, and we have a friend competing for the US Track and Field team this year. 

(And can I just complain for the record about this whole time-delay nonsense? This whole "replay it in Prime Time so we can make more money on commercial sales" thing? This whole not showing most of the medal ceremonies thing? NBC YOU ARE FIRED!)

Since I've been working out a lot lately I can't help but check out the athletes' gear. Take, for instance, Misty May-Treanor here:

(photo via coolspotters.com)

Now, let's be frank, I wouldn't be caught dead in her teeny bikini. But from the neck up? I LOVE her shades and headband. Nike makes both: She's wearing the Nike x2 Show glasses (they come with interchangeable lenses to adjust to light conditions!). I also love her headband but cannot find it anywhere online. Anyone know where to find one? I love how wide it was and it also appeared to velcro in the back!

Next up? Allyson Felix, winner of the gold medal for the 200 meter sprint. She has been one of my favorites! She quite obviously worked SO HARD to be the best in her event. And she wants to be an elementary school teacher!

Also? I really like her sweatshirt.

(photo via poptower.com)

Available from Nike!

So tell me, what are your thoughts on this years' olympic team gear? Will you be working out in the red, white, and blue this month?

Lululemon: Worth The Hype?

by Jenny

...or the price tag? Personally, I've never subscribed to the idea of spending lots of money on workout clothing, because you're just going to sweat in it, am I right? Then, I discovered the "Active" line of workout clothing at Old Navy. I learned that you can look reasonably cute in workout clothes without having to sell your plasma in order to afford them. Lately though, I've been seeing more and more of the high-end, boutique-type workout wear around the internet and, more recently, it's begun to infiltrate even my humble, little neighborhood YMCA. In my weightlifting and cardio/strength interval classes, I can't help but notice lots of these little emblems showing up on the backs of the ladies' workout tops and bottoms: 

 

The almighty Lululemon logo

When I first started hearing talk about Lululemon clothing, I perused their website and was positively sticker-shocked at the prices. More recently, I even went into one particularly busy Lululemon store, only to find myself overwhelmed by all of the choices in activewear--not to mention overwhelmed (and, okay...maybe intimidated, too) by the teeny-weeny, tanned and toned women, carrying stacks of $68 running shorts and $50 tanks to the checkout, credit cards in hand. I felt entirely out of my league as I turned and walked out. So, this begged the question: What's the deal with this place and is it really worth the (seemingly) outrageous price tag for clothing that you're just going to get stinky in?  For you, my dear Style Lush readers, I decided to find out. I've been saving my money for a little while, worked up some nerve and headed back to Lululemon recently with my savings in hand--all in the name of "field research." Hard-hitting, world-changing journalism, this is. 

I walked into Lululemon, was immediately greeted, given a quick tour of the store and a run-down of how the sizing works (runs small, of course). Then, I was left alone--which is what I prefer when shopping. I went into Lululemon to look specifically for some new workout shorts. I have a few old pairs that are in my rotation: one busted-up pair from Old Navy that are a size too big, another pair from Old Navy that I feel pretty "meh" about and then some Nikes that I splurged on at Academy ($37!). As I was grabbing different styles and sizes of the running shorts and heading for the fitting rooms, I passed the display of the Lululemon workout pants. Now, I know virtually nothing about Lululemon merchandise, but even I have heard the hushed, women's locker room whispers about their workout pants. In case you didn't know, they're famous for making your backside look spectacular.

"Hmmm. I know that I came in for shorts, but what would it hurt to try on a pair of these famous pants...I mean, while I'm here and have a whole fitting room all to myself?" This, readers, was the beginning of the end for me (and my savings). 

Long story short, I (begrudgingly) coughed up some dough and walked out with the following pieces from Lululemon: 

Run: Speed Short ($54)

Wunder Under Crop ($72)

Run: Engage Bra ($48)

Swiftly Tech Racerback ($48)

(Mine is in Pow Pink Light)

I like seeing how clothes fit actual, real-world people when I'm reading a blog about fashion or shopping. With that said, I feel compelled to do the same for you. Without further adieu, friends...here I am, modeling my Lululemon haul. Vanity, be damned!

  

I'm wearing: Speed Shorts, Swiftly Tech Racerback & Engage Bra

 

While I was brave enough to post pictures of myself in workout wear for everyone and their dog to view, I am not however, posting pics of my bra on the internet. But, I did want you to see how wide and comfortable the straps are on this sports bra. My shoulders sighed in relief when I put this one on. 

  

And, here are the famous Wunder Under Crops (tank from Old Navy). Again, in the interest of modesty, no butt-shot in my Wunder Unders. You'll have to see it for yourself if I run into you at the gym. 

So, do I think that Lululemon is worth the price tag? Hard to say. I do feel confident when wearing the clothing, which is indeed worth something. I can't speak to this yet, but I have heard that the Lululemon pieces last for years and years--so there's that. I can't promise that I won't revert back to my Old Navy ways occasionally, but I might reward myself every so often with a new Lululemon tank or shorts. I've been thinking (perhaps rationalizing my indulgence) about it and I spend way more time in gym clothes than I do designer jeans, so maybe it isn't completely ludicrous to splurge on nice workout wear. I think that I would definitely recommend Lululemon for someone who is just getting into an exercise routine and maybe needs a little extra motivation and confidence. 

Have you ever shopped at Lululemon? Are you a fan of the brand? Do you think it's worth the price?

 (Photo credits: www.lululemon.com and my own photos)