So I’m taking creative liberty here to deviate from my usual health and fitness itinerary to write about something else that I love probably just as much…
Fun and unique fashion, cool, trendy clothes, and amazing high heels.
Oh those high heels.
My mother schooled me early in life that if I was going to wear them I’d learn to walk in them properly and not “like I just fell off a tractor” ( my mother had rather interesting, colorful ways of illustrating things for me 😛
Spending some time in modeling school pretty well sealed the deal on nailing “the walk”
I’m always amused when I come into a room and the first thing I can spot is someone looking at my feet…assessing how tall I am and if I have any assistance with it.
If I happen to be around a really tall man, there is a straightening of their posture as if trying to assess my height ( which is amusing 😉
I especially love little kids. They can be so delightfully obvious…for instance… this one little girl… she started at my feet and slowly looked all the way up to my eyes when she declared… “You’re so tall!”
And probably to a 6 year old… I most definitely was…
Why yes, I’m a tall girl. And yes, I can rock the heck outta high heels because well, I can and why not ?
I guess I’ve always been comfy in them and as far back as I can remember they’ve been a part of my wardrobe.
Oh, I did try a brief stint of wearing flats. I did.
I just can’t think if I’m wearing a pair of them… like my brain isn’t fully engaged or something… 😉
But… slipping into high heels… well that boys and girls… is a game changer.
There is something rather empowering about them, a “I can take charge of the world feeling”, and well hey, topping in at 6’4 , I have no problem seeing over people, getting what I want off a shelf, or helping random petite people who ask me to drag things off an upper shelf for them 😉
Oh yes, I’ve gotten the “don’t you think you’re tall enough?” comment said with a laugh
Tall enough for who? and really, who determined somewhere in that random book of societal rules ( that I threw out a long time ago) that if you’re tall you can’t wear heels ?
Nonsense 😉
I don’t save them for special occasions either.. if I want to wear them.. I do.
It’s actually my perspective on pretty much anything fashion oriented. I don’t save stuff for special occasions.
Today… this day we’re given… IS a special occasion.
Of course, I had to share with you in this post some of my most favorite high heels. Here’s a sample of some …. 🙂
I love these Steve Madden shoes… is it any surprise they’re called… “Naughty” ?
Every girl needs some sparkly shoes
These are some of my favorites… why don’t I wear them all the time?
Last but not least…. crazy high black heels. I will confess to having many black ones in my shoe wardrobe 😉
ok tell me… do you love heels? or do you prefer flats or other shoes? Sorry guys, I know this might limit convo for you 😉
It happens every year as stealth as a SWAT team going down on a crack house.
Swimsuit season arrives. You wake up one morning and it’s just….here.
Oh, you know it’s coming and you ponder it and you think of the mission of heading out to buy one. You wait for a note to be secretly delivered to you as in Mission Impossible kinda note…. this is your mission if you choose to accept it….
You set a date. You go armed feeling your best. You troll through endless arrays of swim wear. You immediately mentally discard the mass amount of pre-pubescent garments. You keep walking by the screaming “I’m a floral arrangement” ones. You eyeball the barely there string cut ones and ponder if even a Victoria Secret model could pull it off. I personally, keep moving right past the skirted ones and ones that offer more bra than I even wear on a daily basis.
Guys….sometimes I’m jealous that you just wander in and buy some board shorts and scamper on your way 😉
My selection levels drop greatly and from that point I begin my process of searching out a style I like, and locating the proper sizes.
Ok… the reality is this. I love bikinis. I do. No apologies whatsoever for that.
First, I’m rather long and those one piece things never quite fit just right. And really, having a wet clammy swimsuit on my belly just isn’t where it’s at for me.
I like having my tummy tanned… maybe it’s shallow but I don’t really care. I love how free it feels to be in one.
This is my personal view point. What I’m comfy with. What I like.
That being done… it’s time… time to head to the dressing room. You know the dressing rooms I’m talking about, right? The ones with carnival house mirrors that distort you ( at least…you think…it’s the mirror;) and ghastly lighting that makes you look all white and pasty ?
This is where you find yourself pondering… “do I look this horrible in real life?” and you have to resist the urge to bolt and run out the door…..
You… when you go on your hunting expedition should have in mind… what defines you…what you like….Obviously, you will pick something you feel comfy in ( as you should) and I hope you pick something that you can go out and rock in confidence.
That is key to anything you venture out in.
Own it. Nothing works better than confidence.
I know you’ve seen an overused slogan by fitness pages and diet machines asking “are you bikini ready?” “do you have a bikini body?”
Here’s my take on this…. I don’t think a bikini or some fun suit should be relegated to a select group and that is all. However, please, no matter what style, bikini or otherwise, make sure you get a suit that fits well… that covers the right areas in a flattering way.
Meaning not to small. I always size up when I buy swimwear… and really…who knows…or cares…. if you did? What is more noticeable is if it doesn’t fit properly.
But let’s be honest… it’s hard to slip into something barely there and then wander out for public display. We are more than conscious of our body than anyone else and that’s a really vulnerable place to be.
Remember my post on body image? I, like all of you, have worked to embrace who I am in my own skin. The reality is, I’ve given birth to three beautiful sons. The reality is, I wasn’t blessed with skin that looked like I was never pregnant ( mad props to the few of you who got genetically blessed with that) I have some stretch marks and some loose skin no matter how much I’ve worked out or how good my eating, still remain. Honestly, being transparent with you, there are times it can bug me.
What I try and focus on is the positive… how my body has changed in such positive ways, how strong it is, the muscle I’ve built, the fact I have better abs now than when I was in my 20’s, and let’s not forget that my body can run for miles…. lots of positives to focus on.
And with those things in mind and a crazy dose of confidence, I bought a new one today.
Mine is styled much like this, just with colored polka dots 😉
I saw it last year but it had sold out before I could get my hands on it. It’s mine now. It’s cute. And fun. And I don’t really care what anyone else will think.
I’m gonna rock that sucker for all it’s worth.
Let me remind you, summer fun and pools and beaches aren’t just for the cute, seemingly “perfect” group.
Life is meant to be embraced and enjoyed no matter what size or shape you are…. you don’t need some random person or idea to tell you that you can’t go enjoy your life. Get out there and do it.
Obviously, girl on left is what society/media pushes today. Girl on right is definitely more mainstream….. yet she’s rocking a 2 piece 😉
Now tell me. Do you have a swimsuit horror story ? Do you struggle with buying swimwear? Is it something you enjoy or dread ?
Happy Monday! Did you have a good weekend? Speaking of such, I read a humorous article, ( while I was off relaxing) that is driving todays post.
It got me to thinking I’d share my experience with the whole Paleo movement. Yes, that’s what the article was on and her thoughts about it… so funny… but best read while you’re not eating or drinking 😉
But first, the weekend. I did a quick little field trip up to The Woodlands and while there decided to go check out their not so little mall. Lots to see and do… lot’s to buy if you’re in the mood. I was such a good girl and only came back with this fun little denim jacket that I can hardly wait for fall to break it out.
The bonus? it was only 12.00 on the clearance rack. Score.
Add some jeans, a tank, and Converse, and it will be perfect for my lazy rocker chick look kinda days 😉 Fashion… my other hobby 😉
This jacket…. yeah I’m fully aware it’s loaded with holes…. I love fun clothes =)
Now on with the show….
I do get asked if I know things about certain trending “diets” or food plans. I like it when I do and I can share my insights and hopefully that guides the person making that choice.
A few years ago I was invited to be a part of a local fitness challenge. I was excited ’cause for 90 days in the challenge we would do Crossfit so I’d have a new experience to add to my list. On that topic, in brief, I did enjoy it, I learned how to take things home and put my own “WOD” (work out of the day) together. I learned how to handle weights more, and a lot of them. I learned that my glutes really let me know they were there the day I back squatted over 200 lbs…several times 😉
I met some cool people, made a friend that I still have a close friendship with, oh, and I was doing this while I was also a couple months out from my third half marathon… extra calorie burn 😉
Did I continue ? No. I found it to be very pricey especially since I’m a pretty self motivated person who could go back to her routine and add what she had learned into it. I couldn’t justify the $$$.
Part of the fitness challenge that they had given us a heads up on, was in our last 30 days everyone would participate in this “whole 30/paleo” eating plan. We would weigh in and have body fat assessed and then do it at the end to check our losses.
Ok… I wasn’t crazy about what was coming… all the “Not haves” associated with it. But hey, I’m a team player, I had signed on for this, and figured I could do anything for 30 days. And as usual, I looked at it as a learning experience.
The day came, we did our weigh-ins, got our numbers and were given a list of “no” foods.
It was huge. It was daunting. I thought… “omg I’m gonna starve”
If you don’t know, major food groups are left out. No dairy products, no grains/pasta/rice/breads/bagels, no legumes, beans, peas, no sugars etc.
You do get unlimited veggies, meat, (bacon is heavily promoted?) some fruit, nuts and oils.
In my opinion, after a few days, this isn’t a lot.
I traveled with my own “natural” trail mix of raw almonds/cashews and some craisins thrown in (to ward off starvation)
I missed my Greek yogurts.
Yeah and I did mention I was also half marathon training….one day out on a 7 mile run I felt so fuzzy and light headed I wondered if I’d be able to make it home. It was later suggested to me to eat a sweet potato before I ran. I’m not sure what my daily caloric intake was, but between Crossfit, running, and greatly reduced dietary options, let’s say, it was easy to drop a few pounds.
I remember at one point walking in my pantry and thinking… ” I cannot have the majority of what’s in here” 😦
Ok so I’ll cut to the chase and give you my “pros/cons” on this food movement.
At the end of 30 days I had lost 9 lbs and dropped 2% body fat. On an already lean physique, I was definitely a well cut athlete.
I already enjoyed veggies but when they are what you can eat wheelbarrow loads of, you learn to eat them at ALL meals, and snacks (to prevent total death and starvation) This definitely carried over with me and it’s something I still do…. I eat tons of veggies and that’s not a bad thing. It taught me how to implement that into my daily nutritional plan.
I did learn, some foods, I didn’t miss. Some carb foods left me feeling bloated and I realized I felt better and it definitely kept my tummy flatter.
Abs truly are made by what and how you eat. A diet high in veggies, fruits and lean protein will help drop body fat revealing them more. When I want to really have them look more defined… I stay away from most breads/pastas etc.
I did do a new PR with my half marathon, but was that from my increased running training? Crossfit? Less body to haul down the road? A combination of all? Not sure….
The not so positive …
I don’t ever think entire food groups should be eliminated from your daily food plan unless you have health reasons to do so. It’s never cool to follow “a trend” ’cause someone tells you to do something. Women need calcium and in my opinion to toss dairy, is foolishness. Yes, you can get calcium from certain foods, but most probably won’t eat like that.
It’s all a bit cultic and has a high following…something which I couldn’t get completely comfy with.
Pricey: they encourage buying grass fed beef, butter, bacon etc. I still have a house payment so I had to make do with other fed beef and butter.
What defines Paleo is as broad and changing as the sunset at night. Some think one thing, others another. What’s the reality ?
Baking… I attempted Paleo “baking”. Sorry, nothing compares to a real cookie made with flour, sugar and other tasty ingredients. I grew up on total made from scratch baked goods so this was a super hard sell for me. My take? If I make real cookies and have a couple, I will really be ok. Even with Paleo “cookies” anything eaten in excess has calories and will contribute to weigh gain.
It puts you into this rigid diet category which, as you know, I’m not down for.
I didn’t understand the “eat in the Paleo way” then go have a day of “back to old eating” for fun…like why ? if the new way is awesome, why go back to pizza and beer ?
I do have concerns with the “eat lots of butter and bacon” thing that’s promoted.
Overall, what I took away was, I can handle a lot of weight(lifting) and I know what to do with it. I can do without some foods and its ok, especially if I feel better. An over load of veggies has tons of good benefits so that’s a big win. Maintaining a diet that is high in fruits, veggies, lean protein and healthy carbs is a good way for me to cut body fat, stay lean and feel good and energetic. Some sugar in moderation won’t send me off the edge. Coffee should never have butter in it.
So to each their own. I know there are huge supporters of the movement. I tried it, made my own educated decision on it, and have found a happy medium.
That’s what it’s about friends, right? A happy place we can sustain, be healthy, not starve, and live our lives to the fullest.
So tell me… have you ever tried out or participated in the Paleo movement ? What are your thoughts ?
sassyfitnesschick 