Affordable Bottoms - Gear Review

One day I am going to have a closet full of lululemon outfits, including the accessories like this Scuba Hoodie II, which, in my opinion, is the most unnecessary item you could spend $108 on while at lululemon. It's unclear why I feel such animosity towards the Scuba Hoodie II, but I do and I have since its original incarnation as the Scuba Hoodie. Until that day, I like to peruse more affordable stores to stock my fitness drawers (plural).

Because nothing says, "I am a fitness badass," like a floral jacket with a stylized A* on it.

source

*That's really what the logo is. I can't make this shit up.

I realize this post is a lot of lululemon bashing, but I actually do love most of their clothing, and now I'm ready to actually review two pieces of apparel I have recently purchased.

A Little Above My Skill Level

Last night I went to CrossFit at 7:45 PM and it was beyond humbling.

I think I looked pretty adorable in my lululemon top and Under Armour shorts (those things have been around since 2003 and they are still doing their job!), but apparently no one cares what you wear to CrossFit. After many years of being looked up and down (and giving the same treatment to others) every time I went to the gym, I still find it odd that no one's checking out my color-coordinated outfits.

I couldn't interpret the WOD on the website and therefore wasn't sure what to Google. I harassed nicely asked my co-worker Selby to explain it to me. Ten minutes of gchatting and a visit to my desk later, I was fully prepared to watch YouTube videos for the rest of the evening. 

Someone recently asked me if all I did was blog and watch CrossFit videos at work. The answer is kind of. I am an exempt employee, which means I have a salary for doing my job regardless of the hours it takes me to do it. Because I work for a non-profit, we are all required to fill out a weekly timesheet even if we are not paid by the hour. If I was in the office for eleven hours but I spent 45 minutes blogging, Facebooking, and watching CrossFit videos, I log 10.25 hours of work for that day. It makes absolutely no sense for me to leave the office to go home if I'm going to workout in my office building later that evening. I also queue up a lot of posts the night before and publish them during the workday to drive more traffic to my blog.

I digress.

The strength workout was Wendler's front squat. I was able to front squat 83 lbs correctly. Booyah! Ninety-three lbs threw off my form and I wasn't getting low enough to the ground. I also risked breaking my wrist when I realized my partner was significantly taller than me and we hadn't lowered the rack to fit my vertically challenged needs. You live, you learn.

Conditioning

3 rounds for total reps of:

1:00 ME HSPU

2:00 AMRAP of:

12 TTB

12  Push Press 115/85

*Rest 1:00

Notes: This piece is 3 rounds of 3:00 of work with 1:00 rest after each round. There is no break between the HSPU and the AMRAP.

No amount of video watching could prepare me for this. While attempting the scaled handstand push-up, aka kneeling on a box and pseudo-push-uping, I managed to slip in my own sweat and fall off. Obviously this happened right when Marc, the coach, came over to try to explain what I was doing wrong. I firmly believe that if you cannot laugh at yourself, no one can laugh with you, so I said, "Ohhh! You mean I'm not supposed to be doing these tangled on the floor?" I think he was so concerned that I had hurt myself that he ignored my attempt at humor and just kept asking if I was okay. Oh Marc, it takes a lot more than slip 'n sliding off of a box to bring me down.

There were push presses (with 43 lbs, my chicken wings need help) and there was some swinging around on the bars but certainly not in the same round. I could not in good conscience claim to have done a workout and post a score on the whiteboard. I really wanted to write, "Ech ☺ " but I was afraid that my intent would be misinterpreted. I had a great time but I didn't actually do anything correctly so I didn't write anything at all. I have no idea if that violates some sacred CrossFit rule but I'm not cool with claiming I did something when I did not. (I have no problem saying I didn't do something when I most certainly did, so consider yourself warned.)

I dragged my sweaty ass back upstairs, took a selfie (obvs), and collected my things for the commute home. You would think that I would've been able to sleep like a baby, but it was another melatonin night.

Shake Out Run

Today I woke up feeling really good but definitely pretty sore. I managed to sleep for almost seven hours, which is a huge improvement over any other night this week.

I decided to go for a slow run to shake out the soreness in my muscles. My back and legs feel pretty tight still but it was good to get the blood flowing. I went around the cul-de-sac a few times and then called it a day at 5 miles.

If you want to stalk me...

Speaking of 5 miles, look at Lap 5. That's some bullshit. 

I've gotten into running with music lately. Remember the backgammon partner from January 2012? Well, he now goes by DJ Alex Cecil and he's pretty good. (Full disclosure: I in no way supported his DJ dreams and thought it was a ridiculous idea. Well, this is crow and I'm eating it.) 

I use Soundcloud to pull up his mixes on my phone and run to them. I love not having to make my own playlists or fiddling around with Spotify to find a song I'm in the mood to hear. Check him out here. I recommend the "Pardon me for asking" mix for slow long runs, especially if you like Biggie.

Just enjoying some sweet tunes/using a photo op as an excuse to rest.

I also saw a snake on my run! It's body was probably as thick as a pencil but I edited the photo below to look badass. You mean you don't crop out everything that can be used as a frame of reference?

Guess who fits into the running outfit she got from the Professor and the Professor's Wife for her birthday 2 years ago? I'm looking good if I do say so myself.

Expensive Stuff That's Worth It

Douglas: Related question: what expensive workout apparel (or gadgets) are really worth it and make a huge difference?

The items that are worth it are the items that you are going to use.

If you're into running, buy a Garmin. It is hands down one of my favorite things in the entire world. Many people swear by the Forerunner 410, but I love my discontinued Forerunner 305. I recommend purchasing the Forerunner 310XT because, like the 305, you can also use it for biking. It's the much sicker version that syncs your data wirelessly and can be used when swimming.

Forerunner 410

Forerunner 310XT

If I leave my Garmin at home or go for an impromptu run, I use the Garmin Fit app. It kills your phone battery and I've managed to accidentally pause it multiple times, but if you're used to using Nike+ to track your runs, this is a superior app.

A good running jacket is essential because it's miserable to run in a jacket that is too bulky and not ventilated. I wear the Brooks Silver Bullet.

Never skimp on your running shoes. You should be properly fitted at a running store where they can analyze your gait. At most places this is free.

If you're not into spinning regularly, don't waste your money on spin shoes. However, if you go at least once a week, they're a great investment because they really change the workout.

Tech materials have really changed my life, but you don't need the expensive brands. The Frank Shorter line offered at National Running Center is much more affordable that lululemon or Sugoi, but I've heard its just as good.

I generally try to follow the rule that if I am going to use it all the time, then I want the best that I can afford. If it's something I'll use only a few times a year, then it's not a priority for me and I will try to do without.

That being said, my dream in life is to wear head-to-toe lululemon and go to back-to-back SoulCycle classes like all of the women on the Upper Eastside who leave their children with nannies and congregate on 83rd Street.

Caring For Your Clothing

Alyssa recommended that I write a post on how to care for your high-end workout apparel because apparently she didn't know how to care for hers. We were in the sauna testing our shared ability to withstand high temperatures when she complained to me that her Athleta pants were pilling. I asked if she had put them in the dryer and when she told me that she had, I began to feel a little faint and it had nothing to do with the sauna. You don't put your fancy pants in the dryer. Period.

I separate my workout clothing into two camps - expensive stuff that needs to be babied and intelligently made items that can be tossed in the wash like anything else. If you only have enough laundry for one load, you can treat the normal stuff with tender loving care, but not vice versa.

Speaking of camps, what the hell was going on between Brandi and Adrienne last night on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills?

Make sure that you never wash something new, especially something new and black/navy/red, with the rest of your clothing. Do you want your $64 light grey, exceptionally flattering Back On Track Tank covered tinged with colored splotches? Wash that stuff with your real sweats and make sure the colors don't run.

I wash my laundry in cold water. I prefer to use Woolite on my workout gear and run it through the delicate cycle. I think that's the best way to keep these items safe. However, if Woolite is unavailable or I am washing all my C9 by Champion for Target gear and a bunch of leggings, I will use Tide in the regular cycle. Do not use fabric softener.

DO NOT go near the dryer until you sort your clothes.

Take everything lululemon and put it aside. Take anything that has tech in the name and put it aside. Take anything that has odor-blocking technology and put it aside. You should only have leggings, your middle-end sports bras and shorts, and maybe your Under Armour depending on how old it is and how long you've been abusing it. These items can be put in the dryer with or without a dryer sheet.

The remaining items should be hung up or laid flat to dry. If you would like to expedite this process, you can set the dryer to air dry or fluff but never ever use fabric softener or dryer sheets as these will break down tech materials and the treatment used to make odor-blocking fabric.

New Year's Day 2013

Since I stayed in last night, I was up at 6:44 AM. I can't begin to tell you how great it was to watch a sunrise on New Year's Day when I hadn't been up from the night before. Boycotting New Year's Eve two years in a row have been two of the best decisions I ever made.

I was booked for bike 3 at the Woodbury Equinox to take 8:30 AM spin with Tripp. The first class was solid. There was no place I would rather have been that sweating it out in the front row, listening to Tripp share stories about my fellow spinners and learning more about Cycle for Survival. I am now fully on board for the 50 mile Rock the Ridge Endurance Challenge.

One of the things I love the most about Tripp is how he remembers the songs each person likes and plays them for that person. My song is "Starships" by Nicki Minaj, which is kind of weird because I normally do not like her music. This song just gets me so psyched to spin and I push myself past any wall my legs think they're going to slam against. I love that the breakaways build up, i.e. "Let's do this one last time, can't stop" and then bust out with, "We're higher than a motherfucker," and that throughout the song, the breakaways get closer together. I also love that I can scream motherfucker with little judgement (it's in the song!) because I swear all the time while working out.

With 30 minutes left to class, Tripp advised us to hop off our bikes to sign up for the next class if we were interested in a double. I showed off my running skills on my way to the front desk and was back on my bike in the same song.

What I look like after the 1st class. I forgot to take a post 2nd class photo.

After the first class, I switched to bike 10 and wiped it down with disinfectant wipes. If you're going to double and you have to switch bikes, chances are the cleaning crew isn't coming in so you should clean your own bike. For that matter, if classes are close together, chances are the cleaning crew didn't come in so you should clean your own bike. I also switched into a dry tank top.

The second class didn't have the same "We're all obsessed with Tripp" energy as the first, but I think it was a better class. The music was more to my liking and I warmed up and ready to rock. When Tripp played "Starships" for me during the second class, I felt like I actually brought my A game. I was a little self-conscious the first time because I wasn't attacking the song as strongly as I often do. Part of the reason is that I tend to go into my own world when the song is on - I think I look awesome and can do anything - so having Tripp call attention to me is neat but also a little daunting. I also wear these ridiculously short spandex shorts that ride up my ass and it occurred to me that people's attention had just been drawn to my massive wedgie. So that was kind of a blow to the whole "I look awesome" mindset.

I'm rocking out to "Starships" right now and all I want to do is get back on the bike. A lady in the locker room asked me about Tripp's classes this morning and said she heard he's a talker. After I told her that Tripp's talking inspired me to run 50Ks and now a 50 miler, she was all about taking his Friday class. Tripp is living proof that what you put out to the world impacts others. I don't want to equate his classes to religious experiences, but the things he says reminds me of some of the more poignant sermons I've listened to over the years. I genuinely want to be a better person when I'm in there. This Christmas, I let go off some major resentment and mended relationships with the family members I disowned. The main reason I chose to do this was because of the messages I've heard in Tripp's classes.

Sometimes I look like a crazy bag lady when I leave the gym.

I took a shower and got changed into clean workout clothes. I drove back to my parents' house to eat a quick lunch. I had leftover almond-encrusted tilapia and some dried apricots with a glass of milk. I try not to drink milk anymore but I wanted some quick calories.

I love that bumper sticker.

My sister was back from her NYE party in Westchester, so I invited her to join me at Yves and Coco's #$%@# Loco x2 class. Ninety minutes of Zumba, kickboxing, lifting, and dance. These classes are my absolute favorite.

We left a little early so I could spend some Christmas money at lululemon. I bought two Run: Back on Track tanks and wore one to class. How I lived without this top is beyond me. It is so incredibly flattering.

My sister. She told me I had to write about how cold it was in the studio when we arrived.

The workout was great. Unlike the Thanksgiving class, I hit my hinge kicks and felt like the athlete I used to be. And by some miracle, apparently I can now dance. Kind of. I think it was the top to be honest.

We had to show up early to stake out our spots.

My friend Christine called me right after I took that photo to say that she was on her way. I was so happy to see her! Christine, you better call me to play more often! I just bought 10 classes at MC Dance & Fitness, so let's plan some days when I can use them.

(If you're special, maybe I'll write you direct messages within blog posts too.)

The new top.

Even though the top is soaking wet, I think I still look pretty cute. I also went with my girly ponytail today. You can watch the video on how to create this high-intensity hairstyle here. It's basically a high pony with long bangs pulled to the side. In order to get it to stay, you'll need two bobby pins and two contour clips.

I was starving when we got home and quickly volunteered to go to the grocery store with my dad. I hadn't showered but at least I had changed into a sweatshirt and out of that sweaty top. This is me being freezing cold in the supermarket and looking nuts.

I look like a giant stuffed animal. I am okay with this.

A Lot of Pictures of My Feet

After spending all of Saturday in my pajamas inhaling pasta salad and deli meats, I prayed for divine intervention to fit into my spandex and went to the Woodbury Equinox. I loved the opportunity to go to Jonathan Carroll's Inside/Out class again. Those 3 lbs weights have my arms shaking and the glider makes my legs quiver. Speaking of quivering, I've been reading Fifty Shades of Grey for the third time and I'm back on the third book. I know I have a problem. Back to Jonathan's class - it's the micromovements that really make the difference. We did this thing where we laid on our sides, kept the lower leg bent and lifted the upper leg. The movements were so small but so killer. I could barely cross my legs after to stretch.

I conveniently sneaked out of Jonathan's class at 9:45 AM for a bathroom break and signed up for Carolyn Mellace's 10:15 AM spin class. The class was full for online sign up and I really wanted to go. After finishing Jonathan's class, I grabbed my spin shoes and headed upstairs.

Equinox redid the Woodbury location a few years ago and my only complaint is the studio cycling room is where the bathroom used to be. I chug water and I think my Ritalin makes me always have to pee and it's super annoying not to be able to quickly run out of class. I was thinking about this during class, which is the reason I share this here. I don't think anyone actually reads this blog, but if you do and you go to the Woodbury location, do you want to start a petition to get that Pilates room turned into a bathroom?

Carolyn's classes are awesome. Eclectic array of music. Great energy. She powers right on through the workout with you. We did A LOT of hills and my legs can definitely feel it. I also like that Carolyn motivates everyone to work hard and really sweat. I don't look pretty when I work out and I don't think others should either.

It's awesome when your face matches your shirt after spin class.

I prefer to shower at Equinox than my own home because the towels are warm and fluffy, the shower pressure is awesome, and each shower is stocked with Kiehl's. This is why I can never quit for another gym. Flywheel's showers were gross the other day even if they had Bliss Lemon Sage products in them. Oh, and there were only two showers! I don't even want to imagine what showers look like at Crossfits. No matter where I shower, I prefer to air dry. I spend a lot of time chilling in my towel. Sometimes I wonder if this bothers my colleagues when we room together for conferences.

Just sitting in a towel on Facebook in the locker room.

After the gym I went to get a manicure and pedicure.

Does this gold polish make it look like I have a toe fungus?
Be honest.

After Angel Tips, I fought for a parking spot at the Americana and went to lululemon to buy my sister a present. Mission successful. I also saw Tripp Doherty's lululemon ambassador poster on the wall, which is neat.

Tripp Doherty

This is a picture of me after the Christmas party I went to last weekend. Yes, I am wearing cowboy boots. Yes, I am wearing sunglasses. Yes, it's 2 AM.

Inside/Out

I made it to a workout class Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I am on a roll (and trying to get rid of the one around my midsection)!

On Saturday I went to Tina Conway's Yoga Flow class. I finally was able to get my feet flat on the floor for downward dog. I was giddy with excitement, no joke.

I noticed that Raj Shtrom had a sub for her classes on Sunday and that Jonathan Carroll was teaching something called Inside/Out. Jonathan teaches the only Pilates classes I've ever taken that haven't made me want to go to the bathroom and never come back. I was really happy to have the chance to take a class with him and even more so when he remembered me after 2 years of being a no show!

Inside/Out was like a better Barre Burn, which, for those not in the know, is like a knock off (but superior?) version of Barre Method. We did so many leg lifts and demi plies I'm lucky my legs even move. There were so many women in the class that there was no chance to use the barres even if Jonathan had wanted us to, so instead we used flexi-bars. Flexi-bars are much difficult to use to keep steady than weighted body bars because the bend. I liked that it felt like I was paying special attention to the smaller muscles in my legs, back, and arms that I might ignore when doing other exercises.

We used very light weights for bicep, triceps, and shoulder work. After the lifting I did yesterday, I could really feel the 3 lbs weights. It sounds so incredibly light, but the small, slow movements add up.

I'm not the biggest fan of abdominal work but Jonathan made it almost painless. I think the best sign of a good workout class is when you find that an hour has flown by and you haven't looked at the clock. If Jonathan can get me to work my obliques without staring as the seconds count down, you know he's doing something right.

Inside/Out is offered at many Equinoxes but to have Jonathan, you'll need to visit the Long Island locations.

Here are some lululemon pieces that are good for classes like Barre Burn and Inside/Out. All of the women at Equinox seem to be in lululemon. I calculated that one lady's outfit, plus her lululemon bag was almost as much as my rent (okay more than half my rent but not as high as three-quarters.)

Back Burner Tank

Barre Pulse Pant

 I love these socks because they are so true. That being said, I go barefoot. If I were going to wear anything, I'd break out my old ballet slippers.

The Method Sock

Neon Yellow

Today is the first day of September and I promised myself I'd start it right by going to the gym. METCON3 kicked my ass today. There was whimpering and a lot of swearing.

The coolest thing we did today was row with our weights and our bench. We placed our heavy weights (mine were 8 lbs and I was embarrassed by my wimpy choice) on our bench, squatted over the bench, picked up the bench and performed rows with flat backs. I'm going to try to remember to work this into more workouts.

You don't need a play by play of how I begged for mercy and couldn't keep up, so I am going to focus on something I noticed - almost everyone in the room was wearing at least one piece of neon yellow apparel. I was wearing my neon yellow C9 Champion for Target shorts (actually I am still wearing them because I was too tired to shower at the gym), but others had on tank tops, shorts, and sneakers. There were a lot of neon yellow Nike shoes - Nike calls this color volt, and I blame the Olympics for this sudden neon yellow shoe craze. I prefer white sneakers with neon accents, but maybe that's just me.

I picked out some pieces that I think are cute so that you too can be stylish at the gym.

Nike Free Advantage

The Nike Free Advantage is a trainer. I really believe that trainers are for the gym and running shoes are for running. You might find it annoying to have to keep track of multiple pairs of sneakers, but I think it's worth it. In a pinch, I will workout in my running shoes though.

I'm not that big of a fan of Nike shoes anymore, but they carry a colorful selection. I hate my Nike Free running shoes, and I don't like how flexible the toe box is because it hurts my toes during boot camp classes, but some people love them. Just because I don't like something, doesn't mean I won't let you know it's available.

lululemon turbo run short

I love the turbo run short but I am poor so I only own one pair. And those were a gift. If you want to buy me a gift, please buy me more turbo run shorts. I love how they don't ride up my butt on long runs and they're pretty short, so they show off your legs.

C9 by Champion for Target compression shorts

These are so effing badass, I need a pair immediately. I'd wear them alone, but you could also wear a pair of black shorts over them so that they peak out. Depending on your fitness level, a grey or black sports bra would look sick with these, or you could wear one of those fancy flowy tanks lululemon is always hawking. I think I'd get my arms trapped, but they certainly look good. The other option is my favorite, buy men's extra small undershirts and cut the arms off. Make sure you cut to the outside of the seam. Now I'm thinking about driving over to Target to get this outfit.

Sweaty Crotch

Today I woke up and remembered that my Equinox membership became unfrozen yesterday. Then I leapt out of bed to check the group fitness class schedule. I settled upon Raj Shtrom's 10:15 am yoga class and then went in search of coffee and an outfit to wear.

I found a pair of Champion C9 for Target yoga pants at the back of my drawer and thought, "So that's where these things went! Why don't I ever wear them?" I happily put them on and added a black technical tank (Calvin Klein. Absolutely love it. It's getting a little snug. Oops.)

I wanted to get in a quick run before heading off to yoga so I ran 2.4 miles around the cul-de-sac. I broke a light sweat. That's when I remembered why I normally don't wear my C9 yoga pants: the fabric turns a distinctly different shade of grey when touched with perspiration. My sweaty crotch made it look like I wet myself.

the offending pants

I didn't know what to do. Sure, I could get changed, but these were the only yoga pants I had out on Long Island, and I did look super cute. The pants, when not soaked through the crotch, are very flattering and comfortable. They are cropped and have slices in the back lower portions of the leg. This causes them to flare out and look pretty nifty during down dog split. I hoped they would dry before class started in 18 minutes.

They didn't. They only got sweatier. Raj kicked my ass and this isn't even her Level 2/3 class. I had a great time though for the ENTIRE 90 MINUTES. I only looked at the clock twice. Most of the time I was checking out my own crotch, trying to figure out if it looked like I was sweaty or if I had a bladder leakage problem. Normally I absolutely love C9 items, but this is an issue. I noticed that the woman in grey lululemon yoga pants didn't have this problem.

Despite this setback, I was able to once again prove that I am horrible at yoga. I'm just not that flexible without a hot guy motivating me to bend in certain directions. I do try however, which is how I found myself in a shoulder stand, staring at my hoo-hah, with a pregnant lady doing a headstand next to me.

I am so incredibly excited to be back at Equinox.
I audibly sighed with relief when entering my
home away from home this morning.

Best Birthday Present Ever: My Lululemon Outfit

Two of most favoritest friends, who just happen to be married to each other, bought me the best and most thoughtful birthday present I have ever received. I was incredibly excited, and to be honest, pretty shocked, when they presented me with a bag from lululemon at my birthday dinner last month. The birthday dinner they planned for me. Honestly, how did I convince these people to be friends with me and would they be willing to be my parents?

I received the cutest, color-coordinated outfit. The run: speed short fits like a dream. These shorts are lightweight and made of sweat-wicking fabric that stretches four ways. There is a zippered pocket on the back and two hidden pockets for gels in the front. The best part is that they don't chafe! 

The matching Power Y tank stays in place and doesn't rub. It also has a mesh shelf bra with removable cups. Perfect for making me look busty! This tank provides moderate support, and isn't intended for the well-endowed to run in. Since I need padded cups to create the illusion of a chest, it works perfectly for me.

I cannot explain this face. Please ignore it and focus on
 how good my legs look in these lululemon run: speed shorts.

 I love this outfit and am super psyched to wear it for my long run tonight. I don't normally buy lululemon gear because it's pretty pricey, but it's great quality. If you are looking for a dream gift for the athlete in your life, bring him or her close to tears by buying an outfit from lululemon.

The Stair-Stepper from Hell and Silent Sing-Alongs

I completed two solo workouts this week and I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. Normally I use conflicts with the group fitness schedule as an excuse to skip a workout, but not anymore. Today I focused on cardio. I spent 20 minutes on the treadmill. I ran 2 miles and then alternated between inclines and sprints. Then I moved on to the stair-stepper. Sweet cocoa butter, that thing is a beast! My heart rate monitor was screaming 193 bpm and all I was doing was trying to stay upright. I lasted ten minutes, but the guy next to me had been trucking along for close to thirty. I was impressed, and I'm never impressed. To round out my cardio extravaganza, I got on my absolute favorite machine: the Cross Ramp. You get to run on an incline with no impact. It's like God's gift to the gym floor. I did a solid thirty minutes plus three-minute cool down on this machine and it was joyous. 

I listen to iheartradio Real Oldies while I do my cardio machines and I sing along silently. I don't mean that I quietly sing along, or that I kind of move my mouth along with the words. I actually look like I'm singing but the volume is on mute. I get into it. Sometimes I dance. (You should just think about what it takes to keep yourself upright on a Cross Ramp at a 15 incline without holding on while doing the Carlton from Fresh Prince of Bel Air dance. That is a whole lot of freaking core strength thank you very much.) Do not judge me because I silently sing along to 1960s love songs while on the cardio machines... I burnt 781 calories and you're still not as cute as me.

On a side note, has anyone else tried to do cardio machines in lululemon's Knock Out Shorts? Until tonight I had only worn mine to kickboxing, dance, and yoga. Not to get too graphic, but those things were riding so far up my ass, I feel like I relost my virginity to them. Not fun and not cute.