Lovelyisms | a lifestyle blog

Silver Linings

Posted on January 30, 2016

This month has been crazy busy and I think it’s just a precursor to the rest of the year. With several weddings, bachelorette parties, and traveling in the works, my calendar is already pretty full! I love having things to look forward to that help me set my goals every month. Like with a possible trip to Germany and Switzerland, a destination wedding and a cottage wedding on the schedule for summer, I’m focusing on toning up not just for all the upcoming photo sessions, but as a precursor to all the drinks and eats that will be had! German pretzels, here I come!..

Working out is also my much needed form of relaxing my mind. Sometimes, whether I’m stressed or not, I just get a strong urge to run and I try not to ignore that call from my body. Who doesn’t just want to runaway from it all once in a while? But the better option is to focus that urge to run away and just go for an actual RUN. Hitting GoodLife Fitness as usual is my ultimate form of stress relief and the other benefit is that it keeps me fit.

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”1403204″]

As part of sticking to my gym goals, I made another awesome fitness fashion find recently. These killer sports bras are seriously SO comfortable and they also make your boobs look amazing which is rare from a sports bra since most of them squash your boobs down. I’ve found these bras lift and support (I think it’s the cool straps that make this magic happen!). Best part is they didn’t break the bank so I splurged on a bunch of them. Check out the links aboves to get your hands on some! I’ve been lounging and sleeping in mine, and I’m telling you, even if you don’t make it the gym, you’ll find plenty of occasions to wear them!

And in other fitness fashion news, I am obsessed with my new Nike shoes. I bought them at the end of the year. It was a tough time for me personally, and when I saw these shoes, they were like little silver linings, urging me to stop looking at the big picture, slow down, and focus on smaller goals, and put the spotlight on my well being and being good to myself. They are silver and have a slight sparkle to them that makes me want to pull them on and get active every time I look at them. What more could you ask of a workout shoe!?

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”1403207″]

Stay tuned for a new post next month where I’ll share some of my fav workout songs! I’m always on the lookout for new songs for my running playlist. What are you listening to currently at the gym?

This post is written in partnership with GoodLife Fitness as part of the GoodLife Fitness Ambassador Program, however all opinions expressed are my own.

Giveaway

Daniel Wellington Watch Giveaway (Closed)

Posted on November 1, 2015

I’ve partnered with Daniel Wellington to do a watch giveaway!

To enter, visit the Daniel Wellington website (www.danielwellington.com), then head back over to my blog and comment on this giveaway post telling me which Daniel Wellington watch is your favourite.

The winner will be randomly selected from the entries on ~~November 15th~~ December 1st and sent the watch they post about!

~~Contest runs from November 1st-November 15th, 2015~~

Contest extended until December 1st, 2015!

Good luck to everyone who enters!

Fitness

Yoga Love

Posted on August 31, 2015

As summer winds down, I am going full-force into yoga again. It’s much harder to stay motivated to work out in the dog days of summer, but as fall approaches, I get excited about getting to practice yoga, as the warmth of the yoga studio at GoodLife Fitness is a nice contrast to the cooler weather of fall months, and makes it easier to be back indoors.

Yoga is one of my favourite ways to workout. If you’ve ever tried P90x a lot of the moves are very similar to yoga moves, but with a faster pace. P90x is considered one of the hardest workouts you can do, so I feel like practicing yoga is pretty badass. Aside from being a total body, dripping sweat workout, the best part of yoga is that it’s not just good for your body. Yoga has a soothing effect on your mind you just don’t get at the end of other workouts.

Breath in, breath out, repeat.

I live for that calm period at the end of the class where I just lay there listening to myself breath, chest rising and falling, and for a moment that is all I am focused on. I always immediately fall asleep, for a minute or two, which is why I think it is the perfect workout. I normally take forever to fall sleep. My mind just doesn’t stop. I think about my day, I think about my past, about the future, and all of the unknowns, the coulda-woulda-shoulda moments, my grocery list, and work to-dos, and I am unable to shut off my mind at all. I sometimes end up dreaming about those things! It feels like my brain never truly ever gets a break. The fact that I can pass out blissfully, and immediately, at the end of my yoga practice to me is an indication of how beneficial it is to do yoga. I am all for it, and highly recommend it to anyone that has trouble clearing their minds.

Give a yoga class at a local GoodLife Fitness a try. Let me know how it goes!

Check back in with Lovelyisms next month for a new fitness post!

This post is written in partnership with GoodLife Fitness as part of the GoodLife Fitness Ambassador Program, however all opinions expressed are my own.

Fashion

Keep It Sorted

Posted on August 21, 2015

Many summers ago, a friend and I started a weekly Monday tradition. After every weekend, when we were hanging out on our lunch break, or after work, we would dump out our purses and clear them out of all the knick knacks and junk that we had stashed in our bags over the weekend. Back then, my friend and I basically lived out of our purses on the weekends, visiting with friends and partying into the night, so there was a lot in there to sort out! It was a way for us to catch up and and relive our weekends, sharing each memory attached to every ticket stub, matchbook, or photo in our purses.

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”990546″]

This tradition has stuck with me after all these years, and every Monday, when I get home from work, I dump out my purse and clear out the clutter of whatever accumulated from my week. While my purse is a bit less cluttered nowadays, this little tradition makes me look back on good memories each time I do it, and also helps me stay organized at the same time.

Do you have any traditions you’ve started with friends that you still carried on over the years? I’d love to hear about them!

Fitness Recipes

Lemon Water Refresher

Posted on July 31, 2015

If you’re like me, especially after a workout in the summer, the heat makes you want to chug water all day. I like to add lemon to mine to give it a little flavour. I’ve heard that drinking lemon water also helps to cleanse your system. I’m all for a light detoxing when it’s so easy.

All you have to do is get a nice lemon or two (I prefer the Meyer lemon variety. They are a really nice golden yellow colour and are rounder and sweeter than regular lemons), and then slice the lemons into thin rings. You can either put them in a jug and add ice water, or add a few slices directly into your water glass. I prefer the single serving approach using a mason jar glass. Doesn’t it look cute?

Keep in mind that the lemon rinds can make the water a little bitter if you leave them in the jug for too long. You can avoid the bitter effect by squeezing the lemon juice into the water, rather than adding full lemon slices, if you prefer.

Not only is lemon water pretty, but it’s a refreshing way to keep hydrated. Lately, I’ve gotten into the habit of making a few glasses of lemon water after my workouts at GoodLife Fitness and then I drink it for the rest of the day. It looks so pretty in my fridge, I just want to keep grabbing another glass. Try it after your next workout!

Check back next month for another fitness post!