I’ve been keeping up pretty well with my weekly workouts lately, exercising about 4 days a week. That includes gym workouts, home workouts and my once-a-week Bar Method class.
Right now my goal is to heighten the intensity of my workouts because I realized that I wasn’t in the shape I want to be in when I got a free workout with a trainer as part of my new gym membership. He worked me out for about 20 minutes on Sunday and it’s Tuesday night and I can hardly walk. I’ve tried foam rolling, walking, pain meds, muscle creams, etc. My inner thighs and quads are especially sore. So yeah, I need to step it up and work out at a higher intensity than I have been to build up my strength again. I may even work with a trainer again to rebuild some of that strength more effectively.
Another thing I am trying to motivate myself to do is to detox from sugar. I don’t mean never eat sugar again, but I need to gain control of how much I consume (cookies, candy, sweets, etc.) I have read numerous studies about how horrible excessive sugar is for your body and how sugar gives your brain the same “high” that drug addicts get. It’s just scary to feel how much power it has over me and how intense the cravings are. It almost feels like I need a “sugar fix” or I “don’t feel right.” Does anyone have any tips for how to wean off of eating excess sugars? I have done some research online and am curious to see if my readers can relate or if you all have any tips?
I thought it would be fun to show some of my workout outfits since it’s been requested numerous times that I share them. Here are some from the last couple of weeks (all clothing is Lululemon, except for the green off the shoulder top in the last photo which is from Target).
At the gym and at home, I wear my hair up in a ballerina bun or ponytail when I work out, but I don’t put it up usually until I get there, that’s why my hair is down in these photos, because I know someone will ask 😉
great work out gear! I actually need to get more cute gym clothes and stop looking like a bum! haha
https://allthingsprettyandlittle.blogspot.com/
When you find an answer to the sugar question please let me know! I also am a caffeine freak and if I miss 1 day I get terrible headaches from caffeine withdrawal. BTW you even look adorable in workout gear!
Looking cute when working out is half the motivation! You look awesome as always! I like your hair pulled up too.
I love your work out outfits, is it weird that I almost love looking at workout posts than the regular outfits everyone posts?! haha what can I say I just love working out!
You've made me a lululemon addict, this is not good! I have to wait a couple of years before I can start shopping from them regularly though!
xx
Cutting down on sweets is so hard!! It works best for me when I eat high protein and veggies every other day and on the "off days" I eat fruit instead of candy. That way my body gets the sugar fix without all of the fat. It has worked really well for me and I've gotten rid of the "carb puff" around my face especially. Hope this helps!!
I'm obsessed with Lululemon! Love your gym shoes 🙂
Your workout outfits are adorable!!!
love the outfits! looks so stylish for gym gear 🙂 Regarding the sugar "addiction" i have to say that the only way to control it, is to just cut it cold turkey…ive been there…try at first replacing it with fruits, even at night time (fruits r better when consumed before 2pm). Allow one cheat day to have that sugary fix and it's best to have that treat in the morning as the metabolism is at its highest. when trying to lose weight, it's easier to find the motivation to put down that cupcake or candy, but in ur case, it's a bit trickier as u look like u r already at ur ideal weight, so just try to go more for fruits.
You just stop cold turkey. When I found myself having cravings, I'd first drink a cold glass of water. If I found the craving was stronger than that, I'd indulge in a piece of fruit or a sweeter vegetable like carrot sticks. I replaced sugary treats with things like fruit and yogurt for desserts. Even smoothies are great! My favorite is almond milk, spinach, pineapple and banana. No sweeteners. There's no slow wean, you just have to cut it out.
Love these outfits! I especially love the bright pink top that is banded at the bottom. I'll admit that I get more excited to go work out if I have a cute outfit to wear….shameful, but true. And Veronika, I know that people comment on this all the time, but your hair really does look beautiful in a pony tail. 🙂
Links please! I am a Lululemon fan too but the prices are crazy high IMO. Do you find them on sale ever? I would break my bank! DO you wera your hair down and flowy for worksouts or is that just for pics? 🙂 I'd be sweltering with that gorgeous hair.
Only you could look this freakin' awesome in work out gear! I am a jazzercise instructor and I am always trying to look put together on stage when I teach, but these outfits take it to a whole new level! Off to Lululemon I go…
I don't think you should fear sugar or reject it because then it is always going to be "that thing you can't have". Our brains are adapted to like sugar… I think with how you talk about sugar that, more than anything, you just need to feel in control of those "givemesugarnow" cravings. I eat fruits whenever I need a sugar fix – something super sweet like oranges or strawberries But, my trick is to eat something with whole grain or fiber with it at the same time so I feel full, too. That way I am less likely to go looking for another sugary snack 10 minutes later.
Thanks for sharing the link to the lulu blog! We have a store here but it's the only one for hours and hours and it's always a gong show with huuuuge lineups for the fitting room. Ordering online is so much easier!
im addicted to anything lululemon pink BUT i missed those wunder unders you got on! so jealous!
Have you bought any of their product lately? I've never purchased from them because of the price and was waiting to invest in some key pieces, but have seen on their facebook page that a lot of people feel the quality has gone way down since they moved production to China. Thoughts?
Love all your gym outfits – Although it's hard to afford that much Lulu stuff!!! Maybe you could do a post on lower priced options for those of us on a budget?
I want to go lululemon shopping with you – you pick way more interesting, fun pieces than I do! I workout in all black most of time. xx N
I've never seen the bright pink leggings/work out pants from lulu's before! Must be an older purchase!? Good stuff, I hate how much they charge but overall They have awesome tanks that do NOT rise up on you when you are working out and such! To me that is something I look for in work out apparel!
I feel your pain girl! Last week I did smith machine squats for the first time and for the next 3 days I could hardly walk lol!
I've also been trying to cut down on my sugar and processed food intake and I find that keeping a food journal really helps. I've been making better choices knowing that I'll be writing it down instead of just mindlessly grabbing those extra 2 cookies that I never really need!
Macey
laidbackdays.blogspot.ca
I'm also a total sugar addict!! I even try to eat super healthy all day so I can eat chocolate/cookies/candy in the evening – – not good. I did try a sugar detox last year in which I weaned off sugar for a few days and then didn't have any processed sugar for 1 week (I still ate natural sugars ie.fruit) and I did feel good for a few weeks but I slipped into old habits again pretty quickly. Keep us posted on research/studies/suggestions you find about it, I could really use it!! Hahah
http://www.andrea-clare.blogspot.com
All your workout clothes are lovely! Having beautiful work out clothes, definitely helps to keep you motivated! My favorite are yoga pants or like leggings and a t-shirt!
HippieChicPao
Love all of your workout clothes! I am definitely not that cute when I work out.
Creamy
Are those pink tights the wonder unders? Love them. I'm a lulu addict as well. Just got new Venus crops. They are amazing.
Hi V! Loove your workout ensembles! Can you post a link to your Saucony sneaks? I love them and I am desperately in need of a new pair! TY xoxo
Hi V! Can you post a link to your Saucony sneaks? I love them and am in. Desperate need of a new pair! Your workout ensembles have inspired me to amp up my workout style too! TY xoxo
Stylish workout looks! You look great with your hair up!
If I crave something sweet I'll have a piece of dark chocolate or fruit (peach, watermelon or something else that will do the job 🙂
You look great in these outfits! I've yet to take the plunge and splurge on lulu workout clothes. I get a lot of my gym clothes from gap and old navy.
Try having some fruit after dinner for dessert to help with the sugar cravings. I love fresh pineapple or watermelon after dinner.
I haven't finished reading your post yet, but I'm commenting on 'weaning off sugar' (it's sooo hard, I know!! I love chocolate and TREATS! :P) My best advice is don't eat treats for three days. The first two days are difficult (not even a PIECE of chocolate or anything 'bad') but it will get better. Once you finish the three days, your body is getting used to the idea and I find you stop craving it daily. At that point, you can either reward yourself, or keep going to see how much longer you can go. When I feel I've been indulging too much, this is what I do, it's just a small simple thing, it's only three days if you want it to only be three days, but I feel like it 'resets' my body 🙂
To avoid eating things I know I shouldn't, I just don't bring them into the house. So if I really want something sweet, I have to go out and get it. Most the time I'm too lazy to run to the store for a sweet treat and will just go with some fruit or a small handful of chocolate chips. I also do my grocery shopping on a full stomach so I don't succumb to cravings while at the store. Drink lots of water. Eat your veggies and protein. I also think working out helps me make better food choices.
You really should wear hair up more often. It looks so pretty in a pony tail!
The pink capris are awesome! You look great girly!
I finally just got some yoga pants during the Victoria's Secret sale, and I am so happy I did because I looked like a slob before 😉
I'm addicted to sugar. Seriously! I can't spend 3-5 hours without having something sweet. My biggest challenge these days is to have control on it, so I'd love to hear any tips for that.
I have a sugar addiction as well. For my upcoming 40th birthday, I hired an online personal trainer who is helping me overcome this. This is what I've done:
* Ditch the soda (including diet) completely, but from what I can remember, you don't drink soda at all.
* Bring snacks to work so you aren't tempted by the vending machines and candy at your desk (those need to be dumped asap) – snacks should be nuts, greek yogurt, fruit. The fruit will actually replace those bad sugars from processed foods. Takes some getting used to, but eventually you will like the taste of fruit.
* Start the day with a protein smoothie. Can have something like banana/pb or pb and something called CACAO NIBS. Whole Foods sells them for $6 a bag. These things are the bomb! They will blend in the smoothie to give it a chocolate flavor.
You can't overcome this overnight. I've had to learn to take baby steps. Don't make yourself not eat dessert, but we are talking regular daily eating here and the key is to make it through one week without the cookies, candy, etc…You can do it!! If I did it V, I know you can do it!
Love these outfits! I may as well sign my paycheck over to Lululemon now lol i NEED those pink wunderunders!
To cut down on sugar you could try eating things like fruit, yogurt, and dark chocolate when you grave something sweet.
Great post! I should start posting my workout outfits too, but since I work out at home they are nowhere near as stylish!
https://quittingthegym.blogspot.com
You look amazing! Love all your clothes and how feminine you always are! Whoever said you can't/shouldn't look good to enjoy a solid workout is dead wrong – you're obviously achieving both.
Hi! Long time reader of your blog, but this is my first comment.
I love the pink Lulu leggings. I need to get a pair ASAP!
In terms of quitting/cutting down on sugar, I've been thinking about doing the same recently and a friend recommended the I Quit Sugar e-book by Sarah Wilson (an Australian journalist). I haven't bought it yet, but I gather she suggests gradually weaning yourself off. So cutting out soft drink/sodas in the first week etc. But I just have such a sweet tooth!
love your blog 🙂 x
You look so cute and thin!
I'm also addicted to Lululemon!!! I find that the store in Highland Village has better color selection, the one at the Galleria is almost always sold out of size 6 :))
super cute outfits!
Hey! I can't stop thinking about this sugar topic. As a neuroscientist and an aerobics instructor on the side, I find this topic really important. Obviously the following is just my opinion but I do consider myself educated on this topic: You can't quit sugar. Your body uses sugar (and also lipids) as a fuel, unless you are starving yourself to near death. Period. There's no way around it. What really matters is the way you get "sugar" into your body. Complex carbs are raved about for a reason, because it is going to break down into sugar slowly over time. However, my blood sugar drops low sometimes in between meals and I eat fruits to quickly bring it back up, but I pair it with fiber and complex carbs so that I don't fizzle out in another 15 minutes. And, fruits are great because they have other things besides sugar in them! There's a lot of talk about whether the type of sugar matters (sucrose, fructose, etc.) as well. There's also a lot of scientific research on whether certain types of sugar (i.e. fructose) lead to increased health issues. The science field seems fairly split in the middle about this topic. As someone who likes to be on the side of caution, I tend to not consume processed types of sugar, but sugar found naturally in food and in more complex forms. However, I am confident that a little bit of pure sugar from time to time is not going to harm you. It is truly about moderation, right? If you think you are over-consuming sugar, then I suggest tracking your sugar intake and noting down in which form (carb, processed, simple sugar from fruit) you consumed the sugar from. If you find yourself consuming what too much high fructose corn syrup, for example, then I would think about cutting back. Sorry for my long post, I just worry about people simplifying the issue by saying things like "quitting sugar". I want people to be healthy and think about food in a healthy way. There are way too many people who have a negative relationship with food.
Wow you manage to look so cute while working out!! I always look like a slob xD
About the sugar thing, I'm trying the same…but instead of quitting sugar entirely (that's just impossible), I'm trying to quit processed sugars…Like cookies, chocolate, etc…The most part is easy for me…the hard part are the gummy bears..I'm just addicted!!! =X
Oh well…let us know how it goes for you =)
xoRosie
https://teacupsanddresses.blogspot.com/
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