Guest Fit: Married to Fitness (and fashion)

By the D-man

As 2012 comes to a close and we reflect back on what a great year it has been and give thanks to those who made it so special, it only seems rightly fitting (get it?) to thank my wife for a few things:

• Thank you for allowing me to drop everything I’m doing on a regular basis to rush to your aid in capturing on film what is sure to be the greatest outfit for whatever thing we’re about to do.

• Thank you for creating the best excuse for signing up for packages of classes at every possible fitness fad/studio that pops up within a 20 mile radius:  “It’s for the blog”

• Thank you for supporting local clothing merchants and keeping the US economy rolling through these tumultuous times with the same excuse: “It’s for the blog”

• Thank you for teaching me that you can twist things like working out and shopping for clothes into chores with which you can counter my mowing the lawn, shoveling the snow, walking the dog, scooping dog poop, cleaning the toilets and remodeling rooms of the house.  I never appreciated just how balanced things really were....

Sarcasm you say?  There may be just a bit in that list but there legitimately are some things I am thankful for.

• Thank you for giving me an excuse to buy a decent camera.  I do love that camera.
• Thank you for introducing me to kettle bells, I never would have ended up there on my own and we runners need a bit of balance in our life.
• Thank you for helping maintain our healthy lifestyle while not being afraid to partake in the occasional indulgence.

{occasional indulgences....}

• Thank you for keeping me on track, even when I complain.  I may just want to relax and enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the cabin but it does taste all that sweeter after I have gone for a run or a morning paddle.
• Last but most certainly not least:

Thank you for being a wonderful wife and my best friend.

PS- if you haven't liked the Right Fits on Facebook yet, go do it! 
Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/TheRightFits?ref=stream

Fit Fanatic: Christmas Morning Run!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Christmas was almost a week ago, so this is definitely a little belated. However, I just had to post about our fit fanatic run on Christmas Day!

Running on Christmas morning is a bit non-traditional in itself, but the 0F degree raw temperature and frigid winds made it even more of a fit fanatic event.

Five hardy souls joined together on this frigid Christmas morn. 

{Apologies for the blurry picture; my iphone screen froze during the run! It was that cold...}

We only covered about 7 miles, but it felt much longer. Our frozen cheeks and red noses were ready for a post-run warm-up, and Abby's husband provided the right fits in food for Christmas morning brunching!

{plenty of Christmas cookies}

{scrumptious lattes topped with cinnamon}

{The D-man doing the honors with some champagne for mimosas}

There were also cinnamon rolls, eggs, bacon, and toast. Such a lovely treat!

Running on such a cold day almost seemed dangerous. I think I'm pretty tough, but those temperatures were close to my lower limits, and the wind made frostbite an actual possibility. It seemed kind of hard on the body...but we weren't the only ones out there that morning. There were plenty of other runners, and they all smiled and wished us Merry Christmas!

And despite the cold, it still felt great afterwards! I was glad we did it, and it was special to spend Christmas morning with such good friends, doing what we love to do...RUN!

Merry belated Christmas everyone!

Fits Do Product Reviews: Travel Foam Roller, Nike Flyknit shoes, and Knuckle Lights!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Today was definitely a running focused day. It started with a strong 12 mile run with the Calhoun Beach Running Club. The trails were a little slippery, but the temperature was a little more tolerable, and the company was great.

After a quick shower and a coffee run, we zipped over to a suburban dog park, the Bryant Lake Dog Park to give Matilda an opportunity to do her "running" off-leash! The Bryant Lake Dog Park is part of the Three Rivers Park District of dog parks, and Matilda had a great time there with some new friends.

The reason we went all the way to the suburbs is because we wanted to stop by the TC Running Company after the dog park stop.

 TC Running Company  is a great running store located in Eden Prairie. Even though there are other running stores closer to home, TC Running Company is still (in my opinion) one of the best in the Twin Cities area.  They carry a wide variety of shoes and a great selection of apparel. The employees are very knowledgeable and extremely helpful. They are all great runners, and they know their stuff!

While there, I picked up a few "necessities," such as a travel sized foam roller:

Only $15! I wanted to have one to bring to the cabin and other weekend getaways, as my normal sized foam roller is a bit cumbersome to bring along. I figure this tiny one could fit into my suitcase on flights as well.

And another reason I went to TC Running Company today? Because I got to pick up my FREE Nike Flyknit shoes!  Free, you say? Yes, free! I won them as part of a Facebook promotion for the Moustache Run.  *Remember the Moustache Run? If you missed it, read about it HERE

So, yes, I got a pair of Flynit shoes, courtesy of the Moustache Run. Bright, aren't they? They're definitely not a winter shoe, but I plan to test them out on the treadmill soon. They're supposed to form to your feet as you wear them.

According to Nike's website, "the innovative Nike Flyknit Racer Unisex Running Shoe gets its structure and support from Nike Flyknit technology. As a result, it's incredibly lightweight, with a precision that feels like a second skin.The one-piece knit upper seamlessly integrates areas of high support, breathability and stretch where you need them most—without overlays, which add weight. For an adaptive fit, lightweight dynamic Flywire wraps the foot and is adjustable through the laces."

So yes, it's a unisex shoe, which means I got a size 7. The retail price is $150 (though free to me, thank you Moustache Run!). The entire shoe front is made from one continuous thread.

 I'll give a full review after I try them out!

I couldn't walk away without throwing in a new Brooks running top and headband. 

Subtle, right? A girl can never have enough winter running tops.

And the FINAL running purchase of the day? 

Knuckle Lights!

TC Running Company actually didn't carry Knuckle Lights, but a helpful friend told me I could find them at Gear Running Store. Gear Running Store is much closer to home, and I also am a fan of this store, though it's definitely a bit smaller with less selection, But indeed, they did carry the knuckle lights! I'm excited to try them out on a morning run next week to see how they compare to my headlamp. Hopefully they won't lead to as much negative backlash as the headlamp did (in this post)! 

Fundamental Fit: Making a Morning Workout Fit

By: LL
When do you exercise? Are you a crack-of-dawn sweater or do you prefer burning the late night oil? Would you ever think about switching? For me, my exercise time really depends on the season. In the summertime when it is light enough outside to go for a run at 5:30 a.m., then I am up at dawn throwing on my sneakers. However, I do find it to be a challenge to get myself out of bed when it is cold and dark - even if I am working out inside. I am sure that there are a few of you who are nodding your heads (and some who are thinking, "Why would you ever forfeit an extra hour of sleep just to work out?"). For those of you us who struggle to get up in the morning, here are a few tips to help you get out of bed. 

1. Lay out your gear the night before. By setting out what you will need, it will not only reduce the time that it takes for you to get ready, but then you also won't have the excuse that you don't want to wake your partner/roommate when you are going searching for everything in the dark. 
2. Put your workout on your calendar. By putting it down on your calendar, you are making a concrete plan to work out in the morning. You are also making yourself accountable. Think of bad you will feel if you had a missed workout glaring back at you all day.
3. Find a buddy. Making a date with a friend to go to the gym or go for a run early in the morning makes you accountable as well. You may think that it will be hard to find a friend willing to get up early. Trust me, everyone has a friend that is bright-eyed by 4 a.m. I know that Jess even has a friend who is willing to get up and run with her at 6 a.m. in 6 degree temps on the friend’s day off! (Now that is true dedication…can we all borrow this friend?)
4. Pay for it. If you pay to take a morning class or pay for an early morning personal training session, you will be more likely to go. Laying in bed for an extra half an hour instead of working out will seem like a waste when compared to the amount of money you will be losing by not attending the class/session.
5. Make it a habit. The rule of thumb goes: It takes 32 days to make a habit and 64 to break it. Stay on it for 32 days and bet you won’t even notice how early you are getting up each day.
6. Make it about you. Use this early morning workout as “me” time. Make the workout something that you enjoy and add to it other things you enjoy. Listen to your favorite music. Watch your favorite TV programs. Gather your thoughts and prepare for the day. Think about the good you are doing for yourself by getting up and working out.
7. Use your imagination. Get into your own head to make the workout happen. Whether you need to find motivation by imaging what your body will look like after sticking to a workout, regimen  or you need to envision the end of the day and coming home to relaxing on the couch or grabbing drinks with friends instead of working out at night, do it.
8. Reward yourself. As is the case with any good workout, give yourself something to look forward to at the end. Find something small to reward yourself with during the hard mornings.

Whatever you need to do to get out of bed in the morning, do it. Go beyond a simple alarm that can easily be turned off. Try out some of these tips so that you have no choice but to work out. Your body and your mind will thank you for it. And think of all the fun things you can now plan for the evenings, which were normally taken up by a workout and subsequent shower and primp time if you planned to go out.

Failed Fit: Why Treadmills Are No Fun....

By Cool J in Minneapolis

With the temperature in Minneapolis around 1 degree, and with wind chills below 0, I decided the treadmill was the right fit for me today.

While on the treadmill at the gym, I overheard a trainer talking to one of his clients while she warmed up on the treadmill. She was training for her first 5k, and wanted to know what she could expect to run on race day based on how she was running on the treadmill. The trainer told her that she should add at least 30 seconds per mile to her treadmill pace to determine her outdoor pace (particularly because she wasn’t using an incline on the treadmill). As though the treadmill isn’t hard enough…now we have to run even faster to maintain a respectable fitness level that translates outdoors! 

Gees...treadmill running is no fun!

After that little bit of discouraging information, I started thinking about all my little grievances with regards to running on the treadmill…here it goes. 

What SUCKS about TREADMILLS by Jess:

1. You are way too close to other runners: 

Other runners smell. Other runners have sweat that flies into your personal space. 

2. 30 minute limits: 

Most gyms set a 30 minute limit on their cardio equipment. This means you may have eager New Year resolution-makers rubber-necking over your shoulder to see if you’re close to the limit. These eager beavers are quick to ask you to move along after 30 minutes. *My tip: use a towel to cover your screen so no one knows how long you’ve been on the treadmill!

3. Reset at 60 minutes: 

Let’s say that somehow you avoid the 30 minute limit on #2. You’re feeling good, thinking about running 8-10 miles on the ol’treadmill. And then you hit 60 minutes and the darn thing stops. Now you’re super sweaty, but are back to mile 0. How un-rewarding! (Also see #6)

4. Acute Awareness of Your Pace. 

Running on a treadmill means that you have to be very conscious of what pace you’re running, whereas when running outside you can run how you feel. Even if you’re wearing a Garmin, you can vary your pace throughout the run, but you have to consciously change the pace on a treadmill.

5. The Mental “Countdown”: 

When running on a treadmill, I often find myself watching the seconds tick by, minute after minute. If I were running outside, I wouldn’t even been aware of how long I’d be running, but on a treadmill? Oh, you know.  See #2 for my towel-tip, which can also help here.

6. Other People Judging Your Pace: 

I don’t need that Under-Amour-clad gym rat judging me based on my current treadmill pace, or how hard I appear to be working! Mind your own business there buddy! Yes, I am going slow, and yes, I am extremely sweaty. Hey now- for all you know, my treadmill may have reset multiple times! Yep, that’s right- I’m on mile 105!

7. No pause on the treadmill! 

God forbid you need to take a quick bathroom break or even stop to fill up your water bottle. Either your treadmill will reset or that New Year's resolution-keeper from #2 will have taken over your treadmill faster than one of my sisters takes over the cheese tray at a holiday party (I kid… )

8. TV selections… or lack thereof. 

I can only handle so much Fox News. Or Days of our Lives.

I could probably go on about what sucks about running on a treadmill, but this is supposed to be a motivational fitness blog so let me tell you some things that are awesome about a treadmill.

1. You can run in shorts in the winter in Minnesota (or anywhere else in the Midwest)

{Yay for running in shorts in December..though this was in Memphis}

2. You can break a real sweat in the winter in Minnesota

{I Heart Sweat shirt, purchased from Ali On the Run- check out her blog- one of my favorites!}

3. You can safely do speed workouts in the winter in Minnesota, without worrying about breaking an ankle on the ice.

{No need for these babies on the treadmill!}

4. You can avoid all of the cold weather necessities discussed HERE and just wear your warm weather clothes on the treadmill.

5. You can do it anywhere. Seriously. Maybe you’re traveling in a dangerous city; I bet your hotel has a treadmill. Maybe it’s sleeting outside- I bet you can find a gym that offers a day pass, and I promise you, they’ll have a treadmill.

6. And the top reason to love a treadmill? Well, the runner’s high from a great treadmill run is just as sweet as that from an outdoor run. The calories burned count just as much as running outside. Running is running, so get it in where you can, outdoors or on a treadmill!

So tie up your running shoes, leave your yak-traks at home, fire up your ipod, and hop on that treadmill!

{Merry Christmas from the Right Fits and from this guy...who loves Christmas!}

Featured Fit: Great Minds Think Alike!

By Cool J in Minneapolis

I met up with some friends last week at the RePUBlic in uptown to celebrate a good friend's birthday, and lo and behold, pink pants were the look of the night.

What can I say, great minds think alike! 

Fit Fanatic: Winter Running at the Cabin

By Cool J in Minneapolis

Happy holidays readers! We're back home after a weekend "up north" celebrating Christmas with my husband's side of the family.

I've written about the cabin many times, but it's usually been in the summer (read about it HERE, HERE HERE, and HERE) but there's lots of activities to do in the winter as well, such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding, and of course...running!

I did my "long" run up at the cabin, which was only 10 miles but a challenging 10 miles.

The temperature? About 10 degrees. My eyelashes were frozen by the end. The hills, cold temperatures, and icy roads made it a tough run. I was prepared though, with the right gear!

GEAR:

• Facemask
• Craft running tights- buy them HERE
• Nike Women's Pro Combat Hyperwarm Half-Zip Training Jacket- buy it HERE
• Brooks Adrenaline running shoes
• Yak-traks!
• Two Nike dri-fit layers under the jacket
• Craft split finger running gloves- buy them HERE. I love the split finger gloves; they are more like a mitten, and your hands stay a lot warmer.

{Off I go, over the river and through the woods!}

It was a little too cold for Matilda to join me on my run..(well she joined me for about 2 miles, but she kept picking up her paws as though the salty icy roads were stinging her too much, so I felt bad for bringing her along). 

She preferred to stay close to the yummy treats her grandma gave her...they look like cookies for people to eat, right? But no, they were for the dogs!

The treats were from Sophie's Dog Bakery in Hayward, Wisconsin. They are all-natural and all-homemade! Matilda definitley loved them.

{More treats please!} 

Matilda preferred to run as fast as she could across the frozen lake. 

She always prefers to be off-leash running versus on-leash running with us...And I don't blame her. Off-leash, she can go as fast as she wants. She doesn't have to wait up for the slow-pokes!

There wasn't enough snow to really need the snowshoes, and we didn't have enough time to go cross country skiing. However, we burned plenty of calories doing some runs, and then chasing Matilda around the lake. Cross country skiing will have to wait for the next visit!

 {Beautiful frozen lake}

Fresh New Fit: Making Lefse

By: LL
Dedicated to my husband and my two Norwegian BILS - Scoot and Dusters!

A few weekends ago, my husband and I were back in his hometown to celebrate the holidays early. My husband, and this area of Wisconsin, is very Norwegian. So what better way to get a little upper body exercise than by making lefse from over 100 lbs of potatoes.

What is lefse, you may ask. Lefse is like a potato pancake, but the Norwegian version. The cooking process is long and includes making potato dough, rolling the dough super (SUPER) thin, then frying them and letting them cool. They are usually consumed with butter and sugar or lingonberries.

{Traditional Norwegian lefse cooking}

{What lefse should look like}

The recipe for making lefse starts with boiling potatoes, peeling them, then ricing them. Then, flour, milk and a little sugar is added to make dough, which is rolled into little balls.

But seriously, the whole rolling out process was the hardest and is a great way to get an upper body workout. As I learned from the "experts" who had been making lefse for this fundraising activity for over 15 years, it is all about rolling and rolling and rolling. You have to push down fairly hard to get it to that paper thin consistency that sells!

{The experts at work - more gossiping than rolling with this group}

After they are rolled out (making sure not to get the dough stuck on the board or get any holes in it as it is lifted up), it is time to fry them. This was the part I enjoyed most. 

The lefse needs to be cooled in dish towels and under a large fan. Then, we packaged them up to be sold at the fundraiser. 

{Our version of lefse}

Quite the experience...something fun for the holidays and a little way to get a little exercise (hey, every little bit helps at the holidays). I recommend trying some lefse (which is easier to come across in the Midwest than other areas). Take it from this German girl...it is pretty good!

Failed Fit: Ugly Christmas Sweaters and Too Much Food!

By Cool J

It's that time of year- the time when high-calorie holiday temptations await you around every corner!

Today was my team's holiday potluck lunch. Everyone brought way too much food, but it was all so good! I'm the kind of person who wants to try everything.

Potlucks, parties, family get togethers- it's a challenging time of year for our waistlines. Though I'm a huge proponent of everything in moderation, I still am a little scared to look at the scale after we get through the New Year. I've definitely indulged this season. I'm sure you have holiday parties on your calendars as well, so here's a few useful tips to help beat the holiday bulge!

1. Eat in Anticipation. On the day of your event, eat a filling, healthy meal before the holiday party. Drink plenty of water so you are hydrated, and ensure you have satisfied your hunger before you arrive.
2. Think Small: small plates that is. Grabbing a smaller plate actually works. The plates at our potluck were small, so unless I wanted to be the one returning for multiple trips to the buffet line, I was discouraged from loading up on another serving. 
3. 1 for 1: 1 drink, 1 water. It’s inevitable that we will indulge a bit with the beverages this holiday season.  For every alcoholic beverage, follow up with a full glass of water. There were no alcoholic beverages today at my work party, but I do find this helpful at other events!
4. The Tighter the Better: If you wear something a little more form-fitting to your event, you'll be much more self-aware of a potentially expanding belly! I'm all for comfort, but elastic waist yoga pants probably don't discourage over-eating. 
5. Be Picky! Don’t waste calories on boring foods that you can have any time of the year. Instead, go for a new-to-you gourmet cheese or perhaps a home-made dessert that you don’t get to have any other time of the year. Make it count!
6. Hit the gym! This tip is the easiest for me. I'm not good at resisting the food, but I do value working out. This is the best tip. Work out. Burn the cals. We're all going to indulge a bit, but if you workout before the party, you'll be a bit more justified in doing so! And you might feel a bit sexier in that form-fitting dress from tip #4!

And as for the fashion tips? 

I suggest avoiding loose-fitting sweater vests with overly busy patterns....

Failed Fit Cool J!



Fresh New Fit (for me): Bangs....

By Cool J

Happy Sunday blog community!
After a busy weekend with my sister visiting last weekend, the D-man and I were happy to take it easy this weekend, so we didn't make a ton of social plans. Of course, we ran with the Calhoun Beach Running Club Saturday morning (in the fun, sloshy rain). Then I headed to NE Mpls for a haircut at Salon Stella. I had been debating something drastic..maybe a pixie cut like Anne Hathaway's?

...but I was talked out of it by multiple parties. Instead, I went with bangs and a trim.

Bangs are a very easy way to switch up your hairstyle without making a long term commitment, (such as the one that would have come with a pixie cut!) Unless you have frequent bang trims, bangs will grow out quickly, so if you don't like them, you won't have to wait too long before they're gone.

However, they do give you a fresh new look when you're in need of a change. 

{Matilda has been all about the photo-bombing these days!}

{Tilda isn't sure what to think of the bangs...she looks skeptical} 

Are you considering a drastic hairstyle change? My hairdresser's advice to me was to ensure that I consider a few things...

1) Short hair means a lot more maintenance in terms of frequent haircuts. I'd have to come in every 1-2 months to maintain. Did I want to make that type of commitment?

2) Did I really want a pixie cut, or was I just in a rut in my style routine? Did I just need something different? 

3) The "growing out" stage could be long, and not always pretty. Did I think I'd want the pixie cut just for a short time, and have to move right into that awkward stage, or would I keep it for awhile?

3) Lastly, she suggested that we work into the shorter hairstyle, rather than jump into potential "I hate my hair" territory right away.

So, bangs and a trim instead this time around! 

I'm off to see Anna Karenina with some book club friends. We didn't read the book, but hey, it's based on a book...why not have a book club outing to see it? 

*Anyone see this movie yet? What did you think? 

Featured Fit: Another Holiday Cocktail Party

By Cool J

Did I mention my sister visited Minneapolis last weekend? Oh, of course I did. Multiple times. Like in this post and this post...oh, and this post too I guess. So YES! I have mentioned it, but I love having visitors, especially my sisters! (Hint, hint, LL!)

It turned out that a friend of ours was hosting a holiday cocktail party on Saturday evening. I was told the attire was "cocktail" and that the hosts love any excuse to dress up. Well, isn't that convenient? I also love any excuse to dress up!

I was practical this time around. I didn't go out and buy a new outift; instead, I wore a dress I bought last year (discussed in this POST). I purchased it from "Haute Look," which is one of the online discount retailers (similar to Gilt Group). LL wrote about these online retailers in this post.

This Jessica Simpson dress definitely Fit the Bill- even more so because I'm getting many wears out of it!

Just paired last year's dress with this year's necklace from Anthropologie.

(The Moonstone Treasure Collar- buy it here)

The party was lovely, and it was so much fun for my sister to meet all my friends, 

and for my friends to meet my sister!

The men looked pretty fabulous, didn't they? So many Right Fits!

(or, according to one partygoer, "Whatever Fits!")

Our smiles get bigger and bigger after a few glasses of wine....and the wine was bottomless! The appetizers were wonderful, and we had such a fun time.

How about these two awesomely right fits below?

Megg and her man looked perfectly suited together. 

Love the outfits!

Megg's dress also fit the bill, for quite a good price. 

Find it at PRIMP!
(Primp is located at the Shops at the West End and in St. Paul)

We didn't stay out too late after the cocktail party, as the snowstorm had arrived....but thanks to the hosts for inviting us. It was such a lovely and festive evening!

{Picture from brunch the next morning at Tilia,
which we walked to, in several inches of snow!}