Styled Yoga Gear? Yes Please!

All right. I’ll admit. I don’t have style…

I mean… I know what I like, but when I go shopping, the stuff I pick out looks exactly like everything I already own. It's like I'm stuck in a fashion loop. I just don’t really know how to shop. However, I can look at another girl's outfit and think, "YES", I want that look! But putting it together, that’s not my thing. I have lots of stylish friends, and trust me when I hang out with my girls in Beverly Hills, Clair and Jules, I love how they dress me up in their clothes. It makes me feel more confident, and like I actually belong in LA.

With that being said, I decided to take a leap of faith and let a stranger pick clothes out for me, and I must say it rocked. I’m a girl who lives in workout clothes, "stop drop and yoga" is my daily motto. Sometimes you just need a stretch, so why wear anything but yoga pants? But really, I’m super active and I love having the freedom to stretch and bend anyway I want in order to get comfy or flexy in any moment. Anyway, I found this Yoga Box… I received three items. A long-sleeved shirt, which is perfect for winter time. A sports bra, which I am so in love with, and have actually been searching for one like it! And also, a pair of yoga pants that have a look I’ve always admired. The outfit fits together perfectly, and matches everything else I own! The fact that the outfit was hand selected by a stylist gives me so much more confidence that when I leave my house, I look gooooood!  

Why I Love Each Piece

The long-sleeved shirt

I would have never bought this at a store or online. "It’s not my thing," in my eyes at least, and my eyes aren’t very stylish so… they don’t know much. Especially because I love this shirt! In first week of opening the box, this shirt was worn six out of the seven days. I loved it. I wore it wine tasting, as a quick cover up for work, on hikes, and for workouts. I love how versatile it is! This shirt is casual and laid back while also being a great active piece.

The Sports Bra

Ok so I’ve been searching for a bra that has a cool back like this forever! They never fit. I’ve got a pretty small bust size, but also kind of a large cup size. So, when I find a sport bra that fits the bust, it usually leaves me hanging out in unflattering ways. Not gym friendly… Needless to say I was psyched on this bra!

The Leggings

I love mesh cut leggings! Whenever I come across them they are always either super expensive or they seem like they will rip open if I have to pull on them at all when getting them on, aka they’re cheap. With this pair though, you can tell that these are high quality leggings, and living in Santa Barbara the mesh is perfect for hot days that turn cold in a moment’s notice.

They Match Everything

Those are the three items they sent, but like I said, it matches so well with the rest of my closet making cute outfits with the selected pieces is easy!  The pieces are all really versatile. The sports bra goes great with open backed shirts! The legging are a great color that match everything super well. The cool thing about the Yoga Club Box is that they don't just send you a random box without getting a sense of your style first. You take a short little quiz so that they get a feel for your vibe. This is how they were able to send me three items that totally match everything else in my closet! 

 

Time to be a stylish Yogi!!! 

If you want to become a Yoga Box Member like me click here!

For 25% OFF Use Code:

"NIKKI20"

Is Yoga Enough? the age old question...

I got a text from an old friend a few days ago:

“I have a question for you-- I always admired how you're so fit and I know you do a lot of yoga.
Until recently I was trying to do a lot of running but I feel like it's just not effective and it's hard on the body so I wanna get back into yoga.

Can you tell me if just doing yoga is enough for exercise or do you do other types of workouts as well?”

Here is my response:

Simply put:

Yoga = Longevity of the Body  

Exercise = A Fit, Tone, Body

Of course, it’s more complicated than that, and everyone is different. It all depends on one’s personal fitness goals, starting point, age, gender, diet, and genetics.

Yoga will give you longevity, not necessarily a body that belongs in a fitness magazine. People who are on the thicker side are still able to be great yogis! If you are aiming for weight loss you should know that you can be super flexible but if you are doing traditional yoga you most likely won’t be burning enough calories to shed all of the unwanted weight. Getting rid of extra fatty areas is about diet and doing workouts that tone the specific areas. And wile there is nothing wrong with being thick and flexy, some people have different goals.

Benefits of yoga include becoming flexible, building endurance, controlling your breath, checking in with your body and mind, and finding stillness. You gain longevity from yoga because it keeps you flexible, creates good posture and in turn helps you to perform daily tasks as you age. It also keeps the muscles lean.

Running however is extremely hard on the body, if you can run in sand or grass that is best, AVOID pavement. Running on an elliptical is a great way to get your daily cardio (which will help shed pounds) without harsh impact. However, H.I.T classes are also a great way to get in a really great workout, they are usually short 30 minutes classes, they get you sweating fast! To burn the same amount calories running, it would take a long distance which will eat up more of your day. Personally, running is hard on my knees, and it is a last resort type of workout. While you don't want to make H.I.T. classes your only source of working out over a long period of time, they are a great way to jump start your fitness program and incorporate them a few times a week. 

If you want to get fit and tone, bottom line is you have to workout. You don’t need to spend hours at the gym, just 30-60 minutes a day, 4-7 days a week, and you need good eating habits.  Some pretty standard tips you’ll get from almost anyone include: Making sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day to flush out built up toxins in your body, lay off sugary & processed foods, and lower your alcohol intake.

Most of us women don’t want to look totally ripped, just toned, using low impact resistance bands will help you tone the body without getting bulky. Throughout the week, the right mix of H.I.T. classes, the elliptical, yoga, and booty workouts is my personal favorite way to stay in my desired shape.

Eating habits are key! It’s important that you don't eat food that reacts poorly with your body. Eating REAL food is always best, nothing processed, and in my opinion organic is always best. When you go to the grocery store, avoid the middle aisles of the store! I’ve tried lots of different eating habits. Paleo gave me the best results. Currently I am mostly a vegan, but sometimes my body does crave red meat, but I am always careful where I find it. My suggestion for you, find what works and allow it to evolve as you grow.
Like for me, I know processed bread will make me feel and look bloated, so I stay clear of it, I am basically gluten free. That's what my genetics demand for me to stay fit, not everyone is the same.

It's tricky, but once you find your right diet that will take you farther than any workout!

You don’t have to do “Yoga” to have longevity in your body. Yoga is traditionally a practice that involves the mind and body. It is not meant to only activate the body, it is a meditative practice. You don’t have to exercise and do yoga daily. However, you should always stretch after a workout! If you let your body get tight, moving will become difficult because your fascia will not be loose.   In the long run, this will affect your overall health, and could make you more prone to injury. Foam and ball rolling is also a great compliment to your workouts and keep your fascia from getting tight. When your fascia gets to tense it can limit your mobility, which is no good! 

For more info and tips follow my personal Instagram for daily Fit and Wellness inspiration!