What I Do (And Wear!) to Workout

Over the years, what I have done for exercise has changed a lot, depending on my phase of life, available time, and budget. My workout wear has also changed! When I practiced law, I took a yoga class and ran once or twice a week with a coworker. We had a shower in our office which was super conducive to lunchtime workouts. After I had my first son and quit my job, I knew I needed to get back in shape, but was uninspired without my yoga class or running buddy. I ran sporadically but wasn’t consistent with any form of exercise. Eventually, I found that using workout DVDs during my kids’ naptime was what worked for me.

After many years of working out at home, I got bored. I started running again, but when my favorite running friend moved away, I struggled with motivation. There is something cathartic about getting out of the house alone to run, and it’s great for stress relief, but in the end I found too many reasons to skip it! To force myself into a routine, I signed up for a half marathon last year just to see if I could do it. It was hard, but I did it! It was a great experience, but I have only run a handful of times since the race last fall. I think I may have gotten a bit burned out by the training.

My new obsession is barre. I heard about these classes a couple of years ago, and people rave about their effectiveness. However, the memberships are usually so expensive that it wasn’t something I was willing to try. When a new barre studio opened in my neighborhood, I gave it a try and I was hooked! The memberships are reasonably priced since the studio is new, and I’ve been going regularly ever since. They have other classes in addition to barre, and I’m now doing yoga again which is so fun. My favorite part is the motivation and accountability of working out in a group environment, and I have met so many amazing people!

Although I own a lot of running clothes, I quickly found that what I had wasn’t quite right for barre. I only run in shorts unless it’s freezing (a rarity around here) but let’s just say shorts are less than ideal for all of the leg lifts in barre class. Ha. I also have a bunch of really supportive sports bras, which means they aren’t super comfy. I don’t need that much support for barre since it is low impact, and my running sports bras are uncomfortable for more than a couple of hours. Plus, they aren’t very cute. Priorities.

The owner of my barre studio introduced me to two brands that I’m now obsessed with: Liquido and good hYouman. If you have ever worn Lululemon leggings, Liquido leggings are quite similar. The fabric feels silky and cool when you pull them on, they stretch but not too much, and they breathe really well during the workout. And, they have tons of cute patterns!

As soon as I saw this sweatshirt, I knew I had to have it. Basically, you could put anything about coffee on a shirt and I’d love it. Plus, this one happens to go perfectly with my new leggings! My studio carries a lot of the good hYouman brand and I love the positive, fun sayings on so many of their pieces.

This tank is from Athleta, and the feature I like most is the keyhole in the back so that you can get a peek at the color or design of whatever you are wearing underneath. I picked up this strappy black sports bra from Athleta as well. I’m wearing my favorite slip on Converse tennies instead of running shoes because that’s what I typically wear back and forth to the studio. They are faster to get on and off than running shoes, so it’s convenient when I’m running late to class. When the weather is warmer, flip flops are even better!