Instagram Fashion: April 2016

Insta Fashion April“Where can I buy that shirt? Who makes those shoes? Those tights are awesome, who makes them?” 

It’s time for this month’s edition of Instagram Fashion workout gear round up! This month I mixed things up a bit by sharing items beyond workout gear. April’s weather was far different than I expected – chilly and rainy, which therefore limited the amount of fun, new workout gear I could wear. The forecast for the next few days is warm and sunny so I’m sure that May will bring the beginning of Summer’s heat and humidity.

  1. An athleisure moto jacket that combines fashion with the technical details you’d expect from an athletic brand sounds too good to be true, right? This New Balance Shadow jacket is a favorite of mine as I dash home after a sweaty workout since it’s breathable and made of sweat-wicking material. Anytime I wear the moto jacket people are in shock when they hear it is New Balance.
  2. Is there a more fun combination than stripes and pom-pom details on a shirt? I love pairing this navy and white striped top with jeans or white shorts for a casual, yet fun weekend look. Since buying it last month I’ve worn it five times AND bought it for two friends. It’s on super sale right now, so snag it before they sell out.
  3. I’ve worn this outfit combination a few times this month as it’s perfect for the transitional weather. The Sweaty Betty Zero Gravity tights are lightweight while still providing compression and fun details, while the Brooks Ghost tank is so light I forget I’m wearing it. While I’ll probably not use the tights for Summer workouts, this tank will be a staple for the next few months as I run through the heat and humidity.
  4. I wore this same outfit on three different flights this month as it is comfortable and keeps me warm during chilly flights. The Patagonia Nano Puff  is compact and lightweight so you can easily stuff it into your suitcase if you don’t need it.  Available in 30 different color combination, the Brooks Chariot Heritage shoe is a great everyday shoe that provides great foot support while still being fun and colorful. Last but not least, the Timex Ironman Sleek 150 is a great update to their classic sports watch, allowing me to keep track of time and my workouts with a pop of neon.
  5. There is no question about it, the Brooks LSD Running Jacket was my single favorite item of clothing in April! It’s available in 7 different colors but I love pairing the neon yellow with solid crops or shorts for wet or windy runs.
  6. I wore this vibrant, flattering Jill Stuart dress to a beach wedding down in Avalon last month and loved it so much that I was tempted to buy it after my great Rent the Runway experience. The fun open back and high neck flattered my shoulders and back, two areas I love to highlight.
  7. As soon as I saw this tank in Target I knew I had to buy it! This fun, flowy and inspirational muscle tank has been the perfect top for barre classes and HIIT classes alike since it has side vents and is lightweight.
  8. I’ve owned this Athleta bikini (top and bottom) for four years and it is constantly my favorite for everything from laying out to riding the waves.  The halter top is adjustable and has removable cups – making it a great option for those of us who want just a little bit of padding.

Your turn: What was your favorite item of clothing last month? 

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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Making It Through the Holidays Healthy

It’s that time of year. In between the fun of holiday parties and the stress of work and hosting loved ones, I inevitably start to feel run down and exhausted. Two years ago I found myself in bed with flu and a fever for more than half of holiday vacation in Savannah. In order to prevent that from happening again, this year I’m taking proactive measures with help from my friends at Pure Encapsulations.

sick in savannah

After the vitamin deficiency issues I experienced while living in Geneva, I’ve been an advocate of supplements such as a multi-vitamin and biotin in order to ensure my body is getting the vitamins and minerals it needs.  Until recently I wasn’t brand loyal to a particular supplement. I’d peruse websites or the aisle of my local drugstore, letting the promotional price determine that month’s selection.  I thought all vitamins and supplements were created equally, only differing by whether they were liquid, gummy or a traditional pill.

When Pure Encapsulations reached out to me, I immediately wanted to understand what set them apart from the hundreds of other vitamins on the market.

I quickly learned that that all vitamins and supplements are far from being created equal.

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Did you know that many vitamins on the market aren’t tested by the FDA? Any supplement or vitamin that Pure Encapsulations sells on their site has been tested to ensure that nothing is included other than what the label says.  They use the purest of ingredients in their production facility, ensuring that we the consumers, ingest the most quality product possible. The industry leader in manufacturing excellence and quality control, they even allow consumers to visit their production facility in Massachusetts via their “open warehouse” policy which allows anyone to stop by to visit and tour the facility.

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Over the past few weeks I’ve had the chance to take their O.N.E. Multivitamin as well as their Best-Rest Formula.

The Best-Rest formula helps improve sleep quality as well as make it easier to fall asleep due to the melatonin, chamomile, valerian and other ingredients.  During stressful periods, I have a hard time turning my brain off which often results in horrible sleep or not being able to fall asleep immediately. Since taking this supplement nightly, my sleep patterns, as tracked by my Misfit Shine, have improved to more than ¾ the night being restful sleep.

The O.N.E. Multivitamin, perfect for adults over the age of 18, only requires one capsule per day and provides me with a great blend of vitamins and minerals as well as MicroActive Q10 and lycopene for heart and cell health. In addition, unlike my prior multivitamin, none of the Pure Encapsulation products contain fillers, preservatives, artificial sweeteners or colors.

If you’re interested in learning more about how vitamins and supplements may help you, check out their website or have a conversation with your doctor. The more you know, the better preventative measures you will be able to take for your health.

Your turn: What vitamins and/or supplements do you take on a regular basis?  

While this is a sponsored post, via Pure Encapsulations, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Misfit Shine Review + Giveaway

misfit shine

Over the years, my interest in fitness trackers has been minimal to say the least. While I have reviewed one on this blog previously, I’ve never become one of those people that links it to an app and uses it each day to track my steps or activity. I partially blame this on the fact that our move abroad coincided with when trackers became popular in the US. But, at the root of it, I know that there is one primary reason I’ve never been interested in them. These days, I always get enough activity. In fact, if you were to ask Bo or my friends, they’d say I need a tracker that reminds me to chill out and relax.

Therefore, when my friends at Spright invited me to try out and host a giveaway for the Misfit Shine activity tracker, I was a bit hesitant. But, after going to the website and reading more about the fitness tracker, I quickly realized that this little, sleek device seemed perfect for my interests.

misfit box

As soon as the Misfit Shine arrived, it was love at first sight. While I know you’re not supposed something based on looks alone, the lightweight, sleek, black activity tracker looks more like a watch or bracelet than band that screams “I’m trying to log my 10,000 steps.” In fact, at least once a day someone asks me what type watch I’m wearing.  Unlike other activity trackers on the market, this piece of arm candy is also water resistant up to 50 meters, meaning that I don’t have to worry about taking it off in the shower or while washing dishes. If I was currently swimming, it would also allow me to easily track my pool activity as well as other common workouts.

Aside from looks, there are five key things that made me fall in love with the Shine versus other fitness trackers on the market.

  • Battery
    • Do you find yourself constantly losing or misplacing chargers? I certainly do! Luckily, the Misfit Shine is battery powered which means I don’t have to think or worry about the charge or the tangled mess of cords. Since the average battery life is six months, I only have to replace that bad boy two times a year which is a far improvement from charging multiple times a week.
  • iPhone Application
    • I really appreciate that I can see all the information I need inside the app versus having something beep and alert me on my wrist. The app, which is very simple to use and straightforward, syncs to your tracker multiple times per day as long as your Bluetooth is on. In addition to the app which shows sleep duration and patterns, movement and goals there are also additional inputs you can use such as food tracking and food photo storage.

misfit screen 2

  • Sleep
    • Remember I said that I need something that reminds me to relax more versus move more? Well, the sleep tracker portion of Misfit has been doing just that these past few weeks. The Shine automatically tracks your sleep, without requiring any extra attachments, and breaks your sleep duration down into awake time, light time and restful time. Since wearing it, I’ve noticed an increase in the length of time I sleep as well as better understanding restful versus light sleep. I’ve seen the number 8 in front of the little h more than the 6 as seeing 6h 30 on the screen made me realize how little sleep that really is. There is something to be said for the power of numbers on a screen to help something become real.  I’ve been carefully monitoring this, trying to understand things that lead to more restless or restful nights such as screen time, reading, alcohol or stress. In addition, there is a great alarm feature which can be set to wake you up at the perfect time during your sleep cycle. I’ve only used this once but really liked it and felt the difference.
    • misfit screen
  • Design
    • The Shine is designed to flex with you. If you’re not bothered by a wrist accessory then you can easily wear it on your wrist similar to the way you’d wear a watch. But, want something a bit less visible? You can easily remove it and use the included clasp to slide it into your jean pocket or hook it on your yoga pants. For spin class, I transferred it from my wrist to my spin shoe so it would more accurately measure my movements.
  • Price
    • As someone who is a self-proclaimed beauty and fitness junky, the last thing I want is to invest in a product that I may only use for a few months before discovering a newer version or model. At just $69 this is a fitness tool that everyone can enjoy and even gift to others during the upcoming holiday season.

What do I wish I could improve? 

  • I wish it was easier to track activities like Bar Method. While I know that you can adjust the activity to reflect specific sports like swimming, cycling or running, there isn’t currently a barre option so this is rarely reflected in my daily score.

Now comes the fun part. Want to try the Misfit Shine for yourself or give it as a gift this holiday? Just enter the giveaway made possible by my friends at Spright!  It is open until next Friday, November 20th! Good luck!

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