FASHION FINDS: ATHLETIC APPAREL

This week's fashion finds are all about athletics!!… I need some serious motivation when it comes to getting my butt to the gym and unfortunately, cellulite isn't enough for me— I usually require being enticed with some super cute workout apparel and lucky for me, I have grabbed some adorable (and affordable) finds online recently. Here's my round-up: 

Fabletics

Why I love it: besides absolutely adoring Kate Hudson, this line of her's is actually really fabulous! She's created pieces that mix comfort, affordability, and sexiness. (a term that I've never thought could be associated with workout gear) My top pick: her sports bras! They range from feminine bralettes to full-support strappy-conventional designs. With the average price being less than $30, I can afford to pick up a LOT of different styles and colors. 

Why you'll love it: she's covered every base; from panties to sweatshirts and everything in between. (As you can see from the pic above, they're all equally sexy) Plus, her monthly VIP membership, should you choose to enroll, gives you a huge savings on each look, and you can cancel at any time without any penalties or hidden fees. (Did I mention that I love Kate Hudson?….she's perfect.)

Print Leggings Co. 

Why I love it: I am always on the lookout for leggings— I seriously live in leggings! So I am a sucker for any brand that gives a boatload of cute prints to pick from, and Print Leggings Co. does exactly that. Since they're a start up company, they haven't added more to the inventory than shorts and leggings just yet, but I'm excited to see what they add to their collection in the future. At $35 a pair they seem almost too good to be true— but they're made from high-end, quality materials and have anti-microbial and moisture resistant fabric. (I guess we just get lucky sometimes ;) 

Why you'll love it: it's inexpensive, flattering in fit, and they're fashionable enough to sport as everyday pants! Is there anything not to try and like about that?! 

Old Navy 

Why I love it: you gotta love Old Navy for really stepping up their athletic game! Their inventory is seriously cheap and I don't mean the materials… My top pick: their selection of compression leggings (don't ask me why but the more a fabric sucks my fat in, the more likely I am to workout harder…go figure) A lot of their prints actually look similar to Lulu's, just at about 1/5 of the price point. And the style shown above I personally own and am already stocking up on 1 or 2 more…they breathe well and yet, are oddly fleece-like and warm. So I've had zero complaints whether it's summer or winter. 

Why you'll love it: at classic Old Navy prices, you can pick up an entire week's worth of assorted workout looks for under $150 (shipping included) The entire stock of sports bras seemed to only go as high as $15 and each pair of pants was priced right around $20-$25. Bonus: if spandex pants aren't really your thing, not to worry, they also have some really cute capri style drawstrings to sub with. Win-win. 

You can peruse my list of recent purchases in the links below and let me know where YOUR go-to store is for athletic apparel! Maybe they'll make the next round-up. 

happy hump day everyone ;)

❤︎,

B.

Leather Print

Black Galaxy Print  

Fair Isle Print 

Black & White Aztec Print 

Moorea Bra 

Malindi Bra 

Snapdragon Reversible Bralette 

Arta Long Sleeve Top 

Nanette Jacket 

Provence Capris 

Clover Legging 

Cropped Fleece Joggers 

Ruched Cami Sports Bra 

Go-Dry Sleeveless Graphic Tee 

1/4 Zip Raglan Pullover 

BEAUTY SPOTLIGHT || TRACY ANDERSON

Today I wanted to do a spotlight post on one of my favorite fitness experts ever: Tracy Anderson. I know that it's freezing outside right now (by California standards at least) but bikini-season or not, we can always benefit from good self-care. And let's face it— we are coming up to 2 months of complete indulgences with the holidays merely weeks away. (I personally plan to eat my weight in pumpkin pie so I depend on a backup plan to keep me fitting into my jeans.)

 Tracy Anderson provides just that— a perfect plan!…

For those of you who aren't familiar with Miss Anderson, she just-so-happens to be the personal trainer to some faaiirly fit individuals like: Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Ritchie….Madonna. 

It's not just her celebrity clientele that makes her worthy of a mention though— no, in fact, it's her ability to relate to normal everyday women that really makes Tracy special to me. A former dancer myself, I LOVE the long, lean lines that her Method creates. I love that she seems to voice exactly what I've always felt... that women don't want to do the same workouts as men, because women are built differently than men! 

We are affected by different things. We have different metabolisms. And we crave a different kind of "fit". 

The key to the T.A. Method lays in what she refers to as our "accessory muscles": the muscles in and around our primary muscles— and it is precisely how she avoids adding bulk to a feminine frame. By building and toning these accessory muscles, she helps to draw everything inward, closer to the bone. The best way to think of it is like tying your shoelaces— as if pulling these little "strings" of muscle back toward the foot. You'll repeatedly hear her using words like "knitting" and "bolting"— & once you've begun the Method (and have seen the results) will you begin to understand why. 

Beyond tightening every inch of your body up through toning— her Cardio Compliment, which is an array of various high-intensity movements— burns fat at an astonishing rate. By tapping into these unused accessory muscles you begin awakening parts of your body that have been longing to be active— doing exactly what your frame needs in order to not plateau… by keeping it GUESSING! As most of us have all experienced— whether it's skin, hair, muscles, etc.— our bodies quickly grow accustomed to whatever it is that we provide it; making it become "lazy". But by utilizing ALL of your muscles (at different variables and intensities) your body is constantly "tuning in"— which in a nutshell means that it's constantly burning energy. 

While T.A. has several different workout plans geared to give every woman the svelte body of her dreams, her 30-day Kick-Start is where it's at if you need a complete lifestyle overhaul. (Which is exactly where I was at fitness-wise when I was introduced to her Method 2 years ago.) Her book includes detailed instructions of movements, a month-long menu to rev up your metabolism, and a Cardio-DVD to follow along. (I also suggest YouTubing her videos or visiting her weekly liveCam to spice up routines) 

The thing that I like the most about her workouts are that they're geared toward everyone. I wish that she'd been around during my pregnancy cuz I could've seriously done without the whole puffy-limb, chipmunk vibe I had going on…

All-in-all, I can't say enough GREAT things about The Tracy Anderson Method and I have a feeling that if you've tried other diets and exercise to no avail— or if you're having some trouble losing those "last few pounds"— that investing the $30 in her book could be the best decision you've ever made. I know it was for me. The 30-day Method may just be a jumpstart…but her outlook on fitness has become a way of life for me. And no joke—  I'm in better shape at 30 than I was at 19! That's reason enough for me to want to spread the word ;)

Visit her website HERE to learn more about how you can ring in 2016 loving your body and achieving what you never thought was possible. 

{And while you're at it…don't pass up her athletic collection! Chick's got some seriously cute workout duds}

{❤︎, b.}