What to wear? What to wear? "If you still look cute at the end of your workout, you didn't train hard enough." ;)

How's the exercise going for everyone? Have you found something that works for you and that you enjoy? Have you been able to implement it into your routine? Im hoping you have, but if you're struggling with anything, let me know and we'll try to brainstorm a plan to help you out! 

Now that you're working out on a regular basis, you're probably starting to figure out what types and brands of clothing you enjoy working out in. While I do have a passion for fashion, that is not what this blog entry is about! What it IS about is suggesting ways to get started with finding fitness apparel that works for you and sometimes that means investing in some key pieces. While there are a lot of fitness brands and styles out there and I haven't tried even a small fraction of them, I have tried a few things with great success so I want to share that. (I would like to put the disclaimer out there that this is very subjective so I'm really only going to mention things that I've found that really work for me so that I don't sway you into NOT trying things that might work for you).  

As a runner, my most important piece of fitness equipment would be my sneakers (yes, I call them sneakers). Depending on what you're doing for your fitness will depend on what type of shoes will work best for you.  However, if you are starting out with running, I highly recommend you go to a locally owned fitness store and get a shoe fitting done.  I do this every time I'm due for new sneakers and it's so helpful and I've always walked away very pleased. Here in Des Moines, I go to fitness sports and they are so knowledgeable and helpful! They're truly experts in the field! 

If you're a female, you would also probably agree that a bra is another key piece for a successful workout. I'm not huge chested, but I definitely have something there that needs to stay in place. I highly recommend finding a good bra that works for you. I've been through several bras over the years and I've come to the conclusion that Lululemon bras are the best for me.  I particularly like their "energy" bras. I've been slowly buying them to try and build up my collection! Here's a front and back view of them:

My bottom of choice to workout in are capri tights. I have a few Nike pairs and I really like them and they've worn and washed really well. I also just recently bought a funky-looking pair from Lulu and I really like them too. The have a wider waste band, which I really like. Here's what they look like: 

I'm planning to buy another pair the next time I visit the Lulu store. :) 

I just recently tried a new type of headband from Target that I really love. I've worn in several times since buying it and I'm planning to buy a few more the next time I'm at Target. I'm not sure if these quick-dry headbands are new, but they are a new discovery for me! I really like that the one I bought has velcrow on the bottom so I can put it on as tight as I need it!

I've found that I'm not too particular about my running shirts. I've invested in shirts that range from fairly expensive to middle of the price range to less expensive ones from Target and I've found that I like the ones from Target just as much as the others. I paruse the Target fitness stuff every so often and I've found that they mark their stuff down pretty regularly. They're definitely a good place to get started with your fitness wardrobe! 

So my wonderful girlfriend, Reanna, and I went for our first training run together this morning and it was a pretty good run, inspite of the ice and the cold temp. We definitely became "bobbers and weavers" to avoid the ice! All in all, it was a good run though and we're very excited for our diva half marathon in Branson in May! 

Another fun thing I got to do this week was attend the Capital Striders annual meeting. The Capital Striders is a fabulous running group here in Des Moines that does great things for the running community. I only joined recently, but I'm very excited to get involved in this group. At the meeting, there was a wonderful keynote speaker, Jimmy Dean Freeman, who spoke about the highs and lows off running. He definitely made me stop and think about some of the goals I have set and some of the challenges I've faced. He truly had inspirational words to share as a fellow runner and I'm so thankful I got to be a part off this night! (There was also some tasty food and the company of some of my other runner girlfriends involved so you can't really beat that!)