Receta Sara’s Fit Gear Faves
Over the past year or two, as I’ve shared bits and pieces of my personal life here on the blog, I’ve gotten lots and lots of requests for details about my fitness routine, my nutrition habits, my exercise program, my weight-loss, and everything that goes along with it. I’m working on a big post with my “story,” but I’ve realized as I’ve started that it’s going to need to be broken up into several different, smaller, posts in order to share everything I want to share. So for the next few weeks on The Scoop, I’ll be sharing some of those things, so when I do post the big post, I’ll have all of these things ready to link-up.
One of the questions people ask us ALL the time, after seeing us post about yummy treats and peeks into our very food-centric lives, is “How do you not weigh 500 pounds?!” For me, it’s because of two things. 1. Moderation in nutrition (more on that in a separate post) and 2. Exercise and living and active life. I exercise every day. Rain, shine, snow, without fail my alarm goes off between 5:30-6 am six days a week and I don’t just go for a leisurely morning walk, I train hard. I promised details on that, and you’ll get them, but for today I’m tackling something a little more fun. I could of course link up a million things that look fun and cool and trendy, but I’m sharing my personal favorites today. Things I don’t just like, I love, and genuinely use in my own life. (To be clear, this is not a sponsored post and I am in no way working with any of the brands mentioned. All opinions are my own.)
1. The Bodybugg
2. Athleta Guru Gita Tank
One of my pieces of advice to people who want to get started exercising is to buy a cute outfit. Don’t use the excuse that you plan to lose weight so you don’t want to waste money. It’s amazing how much more motivated you can be when you feel like you look cute! True story. I love Altheta clothes, and this particular tank is one of my favorites. The neckline is high enough that I don’t feel like I expose myself every time I bend over and the midsection is just loose enough to not cling and feel breezy. The fabric is stretchy and soft and the colors are delicious. Since that one
seems to be almost out of stock, I’ll mention that one of my other faves is super cheap at Old Navy (pictured at right). These tanks are really light weight and I love that they are loose in the middle (can you tell I have middle issues??) but have a drawstring so everything stays put. When they go on sale they’re only $5-6 bucks so I have them in pretty much every color they make. If you’re ordering on-line, I recommend sizing down because they’re pretty roomy.
3. Nike Squeeze Water Bottle
This seems like a silly thing, but I’m am so crazy picky about water bottles. I can’t stand having to unscrew anything, and I hate having to pull up a little top thing-y either. It definitely can’t leak when it falls over, either. I like to be able to squeeze a bottle, but not have it then suck up all the air on it’s way out, and I like to be able to grab and squeeze it with one hand. You feel me?? This is the perfect water bottle. I have like 14 of them in all different colors and my kids all have one. I’m not even joking that most nights at the dinner table I just put these water bottles at the table for my boys. They drink like horses. You can order these on Amazon, and I also find them at Nike outlet stores, and often at places like TJ Maxx and Ross. Lots of sports departments have them.
4. Nike Training Club App
Speaking of Nike, their training club app is awesome. If you’re looking for some structure or motivation, check it out in the app store. There’s tons of workouts in there structured around your preferences, like getting lean, getting strong, losing weight, etc. If I can’t make it to the gym or get outside, I hop on this app and run through a workout; it’s awesome.
5. Blender Bottle
This also falls into the category of things-I-have-47-of-in-every-color. Partially because I accidentally bought a case load from Amazon instead of like, 1. Shows how much I pay attention to totals in shopping carts. These handy little bottles come with that metal ball that bounces around, making it easy to shake things like protein shakes and have them actually mix up. They’re also great for salad dressings! You may have seen the jumbo blender bottles that people carry around, but take note- these smaller sized ones are the perfect size. Much more manageable, and easily slips into a purse or workout bag.
6. iPod Nano
I know, everyone knows what an ipod is, but it’s amazing what a difference good music can make for a workout. I still see people with those huge, awkward arm bands used to strap their cell phones on. iPod Nanos and Shuffles are awesome because they’re so tiny. I just pop mine on my bra strap and it stays out of the way. Shuffles start at only about $50 and it’s well worth it if it keeps you moving! Upgrade to a Nano (I love my 6th Generation, pictured here) for a little more. I’ll share my personal playlist when I post about exercise in the next few weeks.
7. Gap Breathe Line
Words cannot express how much I love these shirts. The Breathe line has long sleeves, short sleeves, tanks, hoodies, and all sorts of things. My favorites are these basic long-sleeve shirts. The fabric is the softest, silkiest, most dreamy fabric. The sleeves are extra long and have thumb holes. They’re perfect for layering before or after a workout, or even pairing with a pair of casual jeans. These are my go-to cozy shirts for lounging around the house. Love love love them.
8. Adjustable Dumbells
Home workout equipment is a big topic, but at the very least, it’s nice to have a set of weights at home. I do mostly resistance training, and use dumbbells anywhere from 25-50lbs. I think adjustable dumbbells are one of the best inventions this century. It’s like having an enormous wall of free weights in one little tiny package. The way they work is that you can slide adjusters to make the same set of dumbbells weigh 10 pounds, or weigh 50-100 lbs. They take up very little space and give you an amazing bang for your buck. This Bowflex set, Amazon’s #1 Seller is on major discount right now! (If you’re looking for a gift for your guy- this is a great idea!)
9. Victoria’s Secret Sports Bras
I’m ironically picky about sports bras considering my recent weight-loss left with me with a chest the size of a 12 year old girl. But I’ve also birthed 3 children so those weak shelf bras just don’t cut it. Victoria’s Secret Sports line is awesome because they’re all modeled after actual bras so it’s easy to find the right size and fit. They’re well made and come in fun colors and designs. I’ve been through a lot of sports bras and these are my favorite right now. I love the “Incredible” for high impact workouts, and my husband bought me the “Angel” for Christmas and it’s awesome for slightly lower impact. I’ve tried 1 or 2 that were a little too va-va-voom for actually working out (which is hard to gauge since the photos displaying the products are ALL va-va-voom), so I recommend just paying attention to the design and whether it’s recommended for low, medium, or high impact. Unfortunately the VS Sport line is only available online, but you can always order a few, try them on, and then return (free shipping for returns from home, or from any store). Once you find the style and design that’s perfect for you, they come out with updated colors and styles often so you can stock up.