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My first Stitch Fix: Why didn’t I love it as much as everyone else seems to?

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If you’ve been reading blogs for a while, I’m sure you’ve seen Stitch Fix reviews here and there, right? Well, if you haven’t, Stitch Fix is an online type of “stylist” service. You log onto their site and fill out a very detailed questionnaire directed at your style, size, shape, likes and dislikes. Once that is completed, you’re given the opportunity to schedule your “fix”. You’re charged $20 per fix, regardless of whether or not you keep the clothes, but, if you keep anything, you get $20 off of that item. It’s a pretty good deal if you don’t necessarily like shopping and want to have some stylish pieces added to your closet. I don’t have the best sense in fashion, so having a little extra help is always nice!

Here’s where things start to go south for my first Stitch Fix experience. I was all amped up after completing my style questionnaire, so you can only imagine my disappointment when the first fix date wasn’t until June 4th (mind you, it was April 24th when I completed my fix…). But, whatever… I shrugged it off. Stitch Fix was amazing, right?! Everyone that does it loves it so it must be worth the wait, right? I convinced myself those doubts were silly and that it would be worth it.

Well, June 4th came and went, sans my Stitch Fix. To say I was bummed was an understatement; I had made a special request for white skinny jeans as I was heading to Miami on June 6th and thought they’d be perfect. Sadly, nothing came by the 6th and when I emailed them about it, they told me my fix had mistakenly been cancelled- say what?!? Luckily, they were able to schedule me a fix for the next week and the person I emailed with was super nice and understanding and ended up waiving the $20 styling fee.

Finally, on June 17th, I found this on my doorstep:

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I couldn’t wait to open it up!

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My first thought?! Ok, I like these colors… and look! They gave me my white skinny jeans! Sadly, after opening everything up, the jeans were not white (off white) and not skinny (boot cut). I still liked them, but they were a bit too small and too long and, well, not what I was looking for. Otherwise, I liked the colors of the shirts, but wasn’t CRAZY about anything. All of the items were totally my style and matched my profile, but I guess I had been looking for more “flashy” items that I might not otherwise buy myself. Looking back, I should have filled out my profile according to that- my bad!

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Here’s a look at everything on me. I didn’t think most of it would fit right, but I actually really liked the way everything looked on me, which did make my end decision on what to keep a little harder.

Henry & Belle Reese Slim Bootcut Jean- $88

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Even though they were a little too small and not what I was looking for, I really liked these jeans! The fabric was really nice and soft and I loved the gold accents.

Market & Spruce Corinna Striped Heathered Dolman Top- $48

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I ended up keeping this top. It’s not usually something I’d buy (I think I look better in fitted tops), but when I tried it on for RM he thought it looked great and would be a good shirt to wear on summer nights. Since I had a free credit, I decided it would be worth it!

41Hawthorn Montgomery Chevron Cross-Front Top- $48

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I actually liked this shirt much better on than when I first saw it in the box. It’s totally something I would buy and wear, I just felt like I could get it at Banana Republic on sale for half of the price it was from Stitch Fix.

Market and Spruce Breyson Split-Neck Tab-Sleeve Knit Top- $48

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This was my least favorite item in my fix. I thought it was boxy and just not my style, but, when I tried it on I actually didn’t think it was that bad. Not worth me keeping, though, so I sent it back.

The necklace was nice, but I’ve got lots of statement jewelry and can get it for a lot cheaper than they had it priced at.

So, even though my fix wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for, I liked it enough to keep a piece and sign up for my next fix.

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Everyone raves so much about the company that I felt like I needed to give it a second chance. I gave good comments for each piece and updated my profile so I think I’m going to love the next fix.

Oh! I almost forgot to tell you about the BEST PART of Stitch Fix. All you have to do to return your “non-keep” items is put them into the prepaid bag they provide and put them in any blue mailbox. How easy is that?!?! Part of the reason why I don’t do online shopping is because I hate returning stuff by sending it back, but this was a piece of cake!

So, if you’re interested in getting your own fix, click this link and sign up (that is a referral link- everyone gets one when they sign up for a fix!).

Questions for you: Have you heard of Stitch Fix? Have you done it? Do you like online shopping?

 

 

Fed Up! {Movie Review}

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Last week, RM and I went to see Fed Up, which is a movie/documentary that was created to show America how big of an issue obesity is and why “diet and exercise” are not going to cure it.

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Have you ever noticed how everything has a “low fat” version? Have you ever looked at the ingredients in those products or thought about why they could still taste good even though they are low fat? Added sugar. That’s how they do it. I mean, it makes sense, right? How else would you make something taste good if you take out all the fat?

The thing is, the high amounts of unnecessary sugar added to these foods is the culprit behind America’s overwhelming weight gain over the past 20-30 years. Our bodies don’t know how to handle it and have no where to store it and because of this, that sugar is stored as fat. Here are some disturbing facts from the movie site:

A 20-ounce bottle of soda contains the equivalent of approximately 17 teaspoons of sugar.

In the United States, it is estimated that 93 Million Americans are affected by obesity.

One soda a day increases a child’s chance of obesity by 60%.

Individuals who drink one to two sugar-sweetened beverages per day have a 26 percent higher risk for developing type II diabetes.

Kids watch an average of 4000 food-related ads every year (10/day).

98% of food related ads that children view (3920/year) are for products high in fat, sugar, sodium.

There is overwhelming evidence of the link between obesity and the consumption of sweetened beverages, such as soft drinks, energy drinks, sweet teas, and sports drinks.

More than 9 Million adolescents (children and teens 6-19 years old) are considered overweight.

It will take a 110-pound child 75 minutes of bike riding to burn off the calories in one 20-ounce bottle of soda.

Almost 45 percent of overweight or obese children ages 10 to 17 are poor.

Crazy statistics, right?! The thing that killed me in the movie was how much the kids wanted to change and didn’t want to be “fat” anymore. But, when they showed what they were eating, it’s no wonder why they are struggling even though they are exercising: Reduced Fat Cheese-It’s/Chips/Cookies, Special K Crisps, sugar-laden cereals (One mom said she is having her daughter replace meals with cereal since it’s low in calories- so much wrong with that statement!), frozen food meals, etc. . And, it’s not just what they are eating at home- the lunch options in school cafeteria’s was appalling! Pizza Hut? Taco Bell? McDonalds? What the heck are those fast food options doing in school lunches?!

It’s hard to blame the average family, though, because how do they know eating something that’s “low fat” is going to hurt them in the end? Media has been teaching us that those are the better options for 20-30 years, so unless you take an interest in health and nutrition and learn things about the “right” way  to eat on your own, it’s hard to know how bad some of the stuff that we are putting into our bodies is.

So, you may be wondering what to do to make things better. Something I’ve been trying to do more of lately (thanks to all the healthy living blogs that I follow!) is eat REAL FOOD and eliminate eating stuff because it’s only 100 calories or because it’s already packaged for me. This is still a work in progress for me, but I am trying. The movie said that not all calories are the same. For instance, a handful of almonds and a medium soda have about the same calorie count, however, the body knows how to process the almonds and doesn’t know how to process all of the extra sugar in the soda, which means it gets stored as fat.

Here are some REAL foods that I’m loving right now:

  • Kale– Warm kale salads, kale in meals, kale as a side dish, kale “chips”.. I just love it!
  • Spinach– I’ve replaced regular ol’ lettuce with spinach as it’s much more nutritious.
  • Salads with “stuff” in them– think: quinoa, goat cheese, avocado, baked veggies, etc. Basically, anything that makes a salad less “boring”.
  • Baked Veggies– I love baking up a big batch of veggies on Sunday night to eat with my meals and on my salads. I put them in a bowl and add in EVOO and bunch of herbs and seasonings and toss them in a 350* oven for about 40 minutes. Amazing!
  • Avocados– Such a yummy, healthy fat that tastes delicious in salads, in wraps, with eggs or on a sandwich.
  • Fruit– Bananas, apples, pears, berries- these are all naturally sweet and the body knows how to process those sugars.
  • Protein- Chicken is my go-to (sautéed, baked, shredded, etc.), but I’ve also been eating more lean red meat and eggs. Hard boiled eggs are an easy “grab and go” food options.
  • Nut butters– I’m loving almond butter right now, but peanut butter will always have a soft spot in my heart. Next time you buy either, check the ingredients label- I realized that so many brands have random added ingredients (including sugar) that are not necessary.
  • Smoothies– frozen berries, bananas, spinach, almond butter, protein powder… lots of super foods that keep me full for a while.
  • Seltzer water– I drink so much water, but I love spicing things up with seltzer water, too!

The great thing about a lot of these things is that you can “meal prep” on Sunday and have them handy throughout the week. Eating healthy may take a little more time, but if you prep ahead of time, it won’t take you long to make healthy choices during the week. I try to make one meal on Sunday nights that includes a lot of the foods I listed above so that I can have it handy to reheat throughout the week.

In conclusion, I think what I took away from the movie is to avoid “low fat” food options, read ingredient labels and limit unnecessary sugar intake found in processed foods. A lot of what I learned makes sense- what is this made from? Is there an option that is less processed? Does my body know how to process these ingredients? While I still think I have a lot to learn and a lot of changes to make to my diet, I think the movie opened my eyes up a lot. I don’t think I’ll ever give up sugar entirely, but my goal is to significantly cut back now that I know the true effects of it. I’m all about “everything in moderation”, so I won’t turn down a slice of birthday cake or an ice cream cone on a hot summer day, but knowing how my body processes those things is really interesting!

Questions for you: Have you heard of Fed Up? Do you have a sugar addiction? What’s a healthy thing you love to eat right now? Do you meal prep?

Dealing with change

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If you’ve been reading my blog, over the past couple of weeks you’ve probably suspected something has been up. First I was talking about being faced with making a big decision and then I was talking about going away parties and having time off. Well, the good news is I haven’t been fired- phew! And the better news is that I was contacted by a former coworker asking if I’d like to come work with her and some others at the company they are at now.

I was by no means looking for a new job and always thought that my next move would be into the health/fitness/wellness area, but sometimes opportunities come your way that you can’t pass up. This was one of those. I won’t get into the specifics, but I will say that it is a promotional move, allowing me the opportunity to manage others as well as projects and I will be making a lot more money.

But with those things also comes something I’m not always good at dealing with: change.

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Change can be good or change can be bad. But the one thing either direction of change shares in common is that you will be dealing with, faced with or doing something different. While some people seemingly thrive and live for change, I tend to be the opposite. I like my routines and schedules and knowing what to expect and change certainly leaves those things up in the air until the newness wears off, right?

Since yesterday was my last day at my former company and I now have a week and a half until I start my new job, I thought it might help me deal with and face the changes that I’ll be experiencing a little better if I wrote them down. And hopefully you guys can help share your “secrets” that help you deal with change better!

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Try not to dwell on the past and stay away from the comparison trap

Sure, there were some great aspects about my job and perks that came with it, but there must have been something that didn’t make me happy and make me want to change jobs. Dwelling on the things I’m going to miss, the location of the job and incredibly flexible work schedule could likely hold me back from giving everything to my new job. Also, whenever I’m faced with a new change I often get caught up comparing the two: we did this here, we didn’t have that opportunity, it might be better if you did it how we used to do it… etc. etc. Comparison traps like that doesn’t do anything for allowing you to move forward and progress, it often just holds you back, so being cognizant of that will hopefully help me stay away from it.

Talk with others

I’ve had a number of friends and former coworkers go through the exact same change I’m going through right now, and you know what? They are all doing juuuuust fine in their new spots. I’m sure many of you have gone through changes- whether it be jobs, relationships, where you live, etc., too, right? Did you find it helpful to talk to others to see how they dealt with the change? Talking to friends about what to expect helped me get excited about the change rather than fear it.

Go with the flow

So my schedule may be off for the first few weeks or months at my new job, but you know what? That’s ok! That’s part of what makes change so exciting. I’m not always good at going with the flow, but in situations like this, I know it is necessary… and I also know I am capable of doing it.

Write down things that excite me about the new change I’m about to face

Talking to people within my new company or hearing about things the company has to offer gets me really excited about the change and the decision I made. Things will surely be different, but that’s part of what makes this next move so fun: being a manager and learning how to manage others, learning new things, working with new people, facing new challenges- all of these things make me EXCITED to start my new job. Just writing that down made me feel really happy, so it’s clear sometimes I just need a little reminder 🙂

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Embrace the change and soak it all in

It won’t be long until the newness wears off, so during the time everything still feels new, I’m going to try and really soak it in an appreciate it. I know there will be times I feel overwhelmed or frustrated because of the change, but those are also the times when I end up learning and remembering the most.

At the end of the day, I weighed my pros and cons and really thought long and hard about the decision I had to make and tried to envision where I saw myself happiest 6 months down the road. Although my move wasn’t into a full time health/fitness/wellness job, for right now, I think it was the right move for me. But, if all else fails, maybe I’ll take this route:

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Thanks for sharing, Alice! 🙂

Questions for you: How do you deal with change? Do you thrive off of change or does it stress you out? Do you have advice to keep me calm? When’s the last time you were faced with a change?

 

 

Wednesday Workout: Tips for working out during lunch & a lunch-break workout

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On Monday, I headed to the gym in my office building (that I also teach at) for a lunch-break workout. For so long, I avoided lunch-break workouts because I hated the idea of having to get ready for work, workout, then get re-ready for the rest of the work day. However, I’ve recently been doing lunch-break workouts once a week or so, as I’ve realized how nice it is to have an evening off on my non-teaching days (rather than going to the gym after work and getting home late). Because of this, I’ve had to strategically plan my workouts to maximize my workout time and minimize my locker room time… biggest bang for ya buck, right?

Since the weather is getting warmer and afternoons are likely filled with more after-work drinks (what is it about warm weather that makes you want to get drinks outside after work?!), maybe some of you could take some of these tips and incorporate lunch-break workouts into your day.

1. Skip or limit the cardio

I’m a sweaty beast when I workout, but especially when I do cardio inside. Getting that sweaty requires me to take a full shower (washing my hair), which really just makes the locker room process too long. However, if I do just weight training, I’ll get sweaty, but not TOO sweaty. I can usually get away with just a quick rinse or use sanitizing wipes to clean all the important areas (don’t judge). But, if you must do some cardio, pull your hair back into a tight, low pony tail and wear a headband to help soak up sweat from your forehead/hairline area. This really just doesn’t work with me because my hair/head gets too sweaty, but I guess if I just let my hair air dry after, it wouldn’t be so bad… no one else would know 😉 If you have straight hair anyway, just blow dry it again!

2. Plan out your workout before you get to the gym

I usually put what I want to do on a sticky note and put it on the back of my phone so I have it handy. By doing this, when I get to the gym I can start immediately on my workout instead of standing around wasting time figuring out what type of format I want to use, what exercises I want to do and what weights and equipment I’m going to need.

3. Wear something easy to change in and out of

In other words, don’t wear tights or a lot of jewelry or other things that might take more time changing out of and back in to. Similarly, pack light in your gym bag so you’re not rummaging around sifting through things you don’t need. I just pack 1 top and 1 bottom and since I usually walk to work in my sneakers, I already have those.

4. Put it in your calendar at work

If I don’t block off time on my calendar, I’ll just keep putting off my workout until I realize I’ve lost all opportunities to do so during the day. In addition, if my calendar isn’t blocked off, people can schedule calls and wouldn’t know that I had plans for a workout. Also, I plan my workouts between my morning snack and lunch that way I’m fueled for the workout and know I’ll be eating lunch soon after I get back… what can I say? I usually plan my day around workouts and eating.

5. Find a coworker who wants to go with you

Having a workout buddy helps hold you accountable for actually getting the workout done. It can be hard to separate yourself from your work, but if you have someone else doing it with you, it’s better motivation! Even if your office doesn’t have a gym, you can bring sneakers and just go for a power walk, which probably doesn’t even require a locker room to clean up in 😉

Now, here’s for the workout I did during my lunch break on Monday. The whole thing took me 35 minutes, start to finish. I wore my heart rate monitor and my heart rate was up for most of the workout, especially because I moved quickly between exercises and sets.

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I really enjoyed this workout! Lately, I’ve been just doing upper body lifting when I’m not doing cardio, but I was craving some leg stuff on Monday so it was fun adding it in.

Questions for you: do you like to workout during your lunch break? Do you have any tips that I forgot to mention? Do you ever skip out on a shower and using sanitizing wipes instead (please tell me I’m not the only one!!)?

How do you handle emergency situations?

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TGIF! How are you all doing today? Anything fun planned for the weekend? Heading out to watch the Derby anywhere? Whatever you do, I hope it’s wonderful 🙂

Switching gears a bit, I wanted to talk about a situation from class earlier this week. Wednesday night, I was faced with a fear I think all fitness instructors have: an emergency situation in class. I’ll preface this by saying that the girl ended up being fine, but it was one of the scariest situations I’ve experienced (or, at least in a situation where I’m “in charge”). Let me set the scene for you:

I wasn’t doing the workout with the class because I had plans after work and did my workout (4 mile run-thanks for the motivation Jen!), so I was walking around the whole time and really focused on all of the members in class. It was a small class for some reason- only 11 people- so this was especially easy to do.

I also took a different approach to my teaching style. If you’ve been to my class, you know that I can be a little, well, intense at times… I like to push you and make you want to push yourself. I want you to feel amazing after you do one more squat when you think you can’t do anymore. I want you to feel like your endurance is improving when I push you to finish out a cardio blast when all you want to do is stop. But, earlier in the day, I had read this blog post and was reminded that not everyone takes to that kind of teaching style/approach.

So… I changed it up. Throughout class, I tried to give motivating comments to people and was often reminding them that it’s their workout and that they know their bodies better than I do, so if they needed to take it down a notch or scale back a bit, it was ok to do so. They are the only ones that know their bodies, what they’ve been busy with, how they’ve been sleeping, what they may have had for fuel that day, so who am I to tell them to give me 1 more rep or 10 more seconds if they know that they don’t have it in them?

And, what did that get me? A girl who dropped to the ground 3 minutes before cool down because she couldn’t breathe. Of all days and of all classes! I have to admit- my first reaction was panic. Everything I had learned from my recent CPR class or from the various certification sessions was no where to be found. Luckily, that only lasted for a second before I told someone to get help and I assessed the situation:

  • She was breathing, although she said she couldn’t breathe.
  • She was shaking, but likely not because of a seizure (like I originally thought) and moreso because she went into panic mode thinking she couldn’t breathe.
  • She was still conscious, we just needed to get her to calm down, realize she could breathe and try to get her heart rate down.
  • Her heart rate was going down as we tried to calm her down.

The above steps happened rather quickly, thankfully, and she was back to normal breathing within a few minutes. But let me tell you… those few minutes were the longest few minutes ever.

The whole situation made me think… what if this happens again? Was it my fault? Did I push them too hard? What could I have done to handle the situation better? What if something more serious happens- will I know what to do? I’m sure I’ll be faced with another “emergency” situation again, and I’m sure I’ll figure out to do, but the whole thing was just so SCARY!!

How do you guys handle emergency situations? Do you freak out or stay calm? Has this ever happened to any of my fellow instructor friends? What about those of you who go to classes? Have you experienced this outside of the gym? Did you have to help? Are you trained to help? How do you stay calm in scary situations?