Meet Carie
The jack-of-all-trades, Carie has a background that includes a long list of activities. She prefers to try new things to get her heart racing. You might find her on the golf course, volleyball court, bike path, kayaking or in a zumba class. She’ll train for the Dirty Girl WI event in her hometown Madison gym.
What “not” to wear
If you’re like most women, you not only love the show, What Not To Wear on TLC, but you’ve learned a few things from it as well. Stacey London and Clinton Kelly know how to make anyone look good and feel good – after some crying and secret footage of course. Unfortunately, not many of us get the chance to have our wardrobes completely overhauled by fashion experts, nor do we often take the time to consider what we’re going to wear, especially to the gym.
You might be saying to yourself, “Really Carie, you’re going to discuss workout fashion on your blog post today? What does that have to do with running the Dirty Girl event?” Here’s my response: when you feel good about yourself, you take care of yourself (and vice versa)…whether you’re in the gym or not. And, it could be just that little motivational push you’ve been looking for to get your butt in gear and start (or continue) training. For example, I just got some really cute Nike Free running shoes at the Nike outlet. Now, every time I’m on the treadmill or lifting weights and I look down at my cute, new shoes it makes me smile. I even want to go to the gym more often just to look at them. 
I’m not a proponent of spending loads of cash on cute, little yoga-inspired leggings, wraps and shoes, but it’s fairly simple to fit your body with clothing that flatters you and makes you feel good. Pay attention to your assets, show them off. Pay attention to those trouble spots, and don’t show them off. Simple as that.
We’re all aging, our 18 year old bodies don’t look the same as our 30 or 40 or 50 year old bodies (mine doesn’t anyway) and that’s totally fine. Wearing short shorts to kick-boxing class might be okay for some, and not for others. Although, I’m of the mindset that short shorts should be saved for running, Bikram yoga, college volleyball or Pilates class.
It comes down to respect for yourself. And you should have lots of it because you’re worth every bit of time and energy you put into taking care of yourself. There are a lot of places to find cute gear perfect for sweating in. I find a lot of great deals on brand names at stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls (they have NB and Nike sports bras at a fraction of the cost – they aren’t paying me for this endorsement). And, wearing the proper materials made for sweating is also key – don’t plan on wearing your flannel pajama pants for a 3-mile run on the treadmill…that’s not going to work out so well (physically or mentally). Most brands make a moisture-controlled fabric perfect for sweating in – Nike’s Dri-FIT is a great option . You might also consider a tank-top with built-in support instead of your husband’s big, boxy Nascar t-shirt. You’ll just feel better – and you’ll look good too.
Here’s some other online resources that might inspire your workout attire:
What Should I Wear?
Cute “Gap-inspired” clothing
Adorable stuff by Lucy
What are some of the places you like to shop for your workout gear? Share with us!
March 14th, 2011
Girl On The Run
How has it been 11 days since my last entry? Eek! I feel like I’m on the run all the time. And in none of the places that matter – like the gym. Regardless, I spent two days snowed in (Hello, blizzard.) and then traveled back home to stand up in a friend’s wedding. It was awesome – except it meant I missed yoga last Thursday night and had to sneak in workouts between nail appointments, “I do’s” and this little thing called the Super Bowl.
I took Monday off work to have a day where I could do my own thing and enjoy being back home without running around. Ironically I started off at the gym. Instead of hopping on the elliptical like usual, I made myself get on the treadmill. Have I mentioned how much I hate running? My butt jiggles, I sweat instantly, my iPod’s ear buds continuously fall out (I can’t move without motivational music) and I feel like everyone is watching the fat girl on the treadmill. (Seriously. These are the things that go through my head.) Thankfully there weren’t a lot of people there. I walked .12, ran .25, walked .13, ran .5, walked .25, ran .25, walked .12 and ran .13 for a total of 1.75 miles. My walking pace was 3.5 and my running pace was a mix of 4.8, 5.2 and 5.5. I realize some people might not consider that running but I’ve got to start somewhere! I was a bit annoyed that my distance on the treadmill was half the distance I usually reach while on the elliptical but I wanted to lift weights and not spend my entire day off at the gym! And, let’s be honest, if I would have made myself do intervals for the entire 3.2 miles at a faster pace, I probably would have hated it and never done it again.
So after my re-initiation with the treadmill, I’m officially on the run. My goals are to increase my endurance (thus improving the distance I can run at one time) and, by doing so, shut up the voices in my head that tell me I don’t belong on the treadmill. It’s going to take time. It’s going to hurt. It’s probably going to feel like I’m going to die every now and then. But I want girls to know that anyone (of any size) can be active and anyone (of any size) can get dirty. Bring it on, Mud Run. Bring it on.
February 10th, 2011
