Happy first Friday of 2017! How did your resolutions go this week? I didn’t really make any this year, but I have decided to put more emphasis on one thing – “white space”. The thing that I enjoyed most about being on break over the holidays was having unscheduled time to just “be” instead of constantly “do”. It gave me bandwidth to think about what truly matters and reset my priorities. One of the revelations I had is that my blog used to be so much more personal and I’ve really missed that part of it.
This week, I’m starting a new Friday series called Alison’s Friday Favorites. There have been so many times throughout the past few years of blogging that I’ve wanted to share things with you that make my life a little prettier or easier but I never had a formal way of doing it. This is just one of a few changes on the blog that I hope you’ll enjoy!
Here are this week’s favorites:
Favorite #1 – Orangetheory Fitness
One of the reasons why I didn’t make any resolutions around working out and getting healthier is because of Orangetheory Fitness. I’m coming up on my one year anniversary of working out at and can honestly say I’m in the best shape of my life! When I walked into my first class on January 18th, 2016, I was very discouraged because I just couldn’t get into a consistent workout routine on my own. Honestly, I had completely given up on anything keeping me motivated or getting me in shape. Fast forward a year, I’m STILL going on a regular basis and still loving it! It pushes me harder and harder each time. Things I can now do are run 2 miles without stopping for the first time in my life, row over 2,400 meters in a single class and hold a plank for 3 minutes. That may not sound like much to some of you, but it’s HUGE to me.
It works for all fitness levels and you go at your own pace. The best thing about it is you wear a heart rate monitor throughout the class. The entire workout is built around heart zone-based interval training. On a big screen in the front, you can see what heart zone you’re working in – green, orange or red. The goal of the class is to spend at least 12 minutes in the orange zone so that you continue to burn calories up to 48 hours after you work out. I usually burn over 500 calories in each workout!
I’ll stop gushing over it now, just try it for yourself and see. You can find a location near you and sign up for a free workout here.
Favorite #2 – Stylewinder Rotating Styling Iron
I have a confession, I can NOT curl my hair to save my life. Every time I try, it ends up looking like a poodle or a bad 80’s hairdo. Last time my stylist curled my hair, I asked her for her trick and she said it’s the Bio Ionic Stylewinder Rotating Styling Iron that she uses.
This was one of my Christmas gifts this year and lo and behold, she knows what she’s talking about. I mean it’s literally fool proof! Every time I use it, I get perfect curls and waves. You just clip it in near the scalp and twist the rotation barrel. Perfect curls, every time. It’s a little on the pricey side but well worth it if you want to master beachy waves and curls. I promise I’ll do a video demo sometime for you after I’ve had a little more time to practice.
Bio Ionic Stylewinder Rotating Styling Iron
Favorite #3 – Apple Watch Bands
My husband got me this awesome 8 pack of Apple Watch bands for Christmas. They’re a steal on Amazon. I love that I can match every one of my workout outfits with them.
Now I just have to stop being lazy and actually switch them out!
Favorite #4 – Loft Cords
In this week’s SAHMonday outfit (check it out if you missed it, it’s a new series!), I’m wearing my gray cords from Loft. I have them in gray, teal and winter white and keep reaching for them on a daily basis. They’re stretchy (but don’t stretch out), comfy and not too thick or thin. The perfect pants!
Favorite #5 – Fabletics
You probably already know that I LOVE Fabletics and wear their workout gear more than any other brand, but now there are even more reasons to love them – these gorgeous plus sized models in their activewear! I saw a few ads pop up in my feed over Christmas and was so happy to see them being inclusive of all body types. Lululemon is also getting on the bandwagon and featuring various body types in their pieces.
P.S. If you sign up for them and are afraid of the commitment, don’t worry, you can skip months as often as you want. I skip almost every month and only occasionally order something when I really need it!
Activewear Capsule
Speaking of activewear, the GYPO Style Challenge Activewear 2017 Mini-Capsule is now available! If you’re ready to get serious about building an activewear capsule that works for anything, check out the 2017 Activewear Mini-Capsule. It’s now available for just $19!
Start the year off right with a new activewear wardrobe to motivate you toward your health goals. The Activewear Mini-Capsule includes:
- 14 days of activewear outfits ideal for winter and spring workouts
- 19 piece workout wardrobe capsule plus accessories
- Ideal for all gym and outdoor activities, including walking, running, yoga, weightlifting, tennis and more! Also includes comfortable loungewear options
- Includes plus size options
