Bra Maintenance

I have a confession to make, please don’t judge me (too much), as of this morning I own approximately ten sports bras and several of them are more than three years old. Yeah, they are seriously old… I know that you are supposed to get rid of them after a significant amount of wear, but I’m the type of person who seems to hold onto clothing as long as possible. Well, in this case I’m finally realizing that I need to make a change.

Last night I was lucky enough to join some other Janes at a Moving Comfort Bra Extravaganza. I was excited as I’ve only been wearing Moving Comfort bras, namely the Fiona, for the past six years. I was ecstatic when I found a bra that fit well for my high intensity workouts. Of course, in speaking with June (the MC rep), I found out that I really should be rockin’ the Jubralee for all my workouts. Check out the website to find the perfect bra for your size and activity of choice.

At the event, one woman admitted that she always washes her sports bras after one wear which means she owns a serious number. June let us know that it is perfectly acceptable to wear a sports bra more than once before washing. To which I admitted to wearing my bra into the shower after a workout to help rinse off the sweat. I was amazed how shocked the other ladies were to this thought. June immediately agreed that it was a great idea and the other gals decided to give it a shot. This allows me to wear it more than once and avoid any sweat/smell from previous wears.

And when you do wash it, remember to fasten the hooks (something I neglected to do for too long). A lingerie bag is also a great idea (for any bra you own). Then it is best to let it hang dry. To help keep the fabric breathing properly avoid fabric softener which will clog the material.

But most importantly June let us know to look for signs of wear in our bras, this will let you know when to move on to new ones.  If you see any signs of a stretched bottom band and straps, faded tags, possible chafing spots, or a less-than-fresh scent, then you should probably invest in a new bra. After it has been worn too long the support is reduced drastically which will lead to bounce-age and, even worse, chaffage.

Thanks to June and See Jane Run I’m tossing out five of my oldest bras. No need to keep them around if they aren’t supporting me fully. And now I’m going to invest in a Jubralee or two. Sorry budget…

How many sports bras do you keep around? How do you keep them fresh?

Note: This post was not sponsored in any way by Moving Comfort. However, I won’t complain if they want to subsidize the cost for the new bras I’m about to purchase…

 

Wantable Jewelry Box Review

I recently received the opportunity to check out Wantable‘s new jewelry subscription service and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. To be completely honest, I don’t switch my jewelry frequently, but I’m trying to dress more like an adult (and failing most days…) and thought it would be beneficial to have a wider variety of options.

To customize your box, you go through a thorough questionnaire.  They ask you about your taste in style, the type of jewelry you are interested in, color choices, and several more key characteristics. Then, a week later, they send you a box with several different items to rock. According to the site you will get three to five items.  Wantable also offers a makeup box which would probably be ideal for me as I rarely purchase new makeup. If you get only one box it costs $40, but if you have a monthly subscription the price goes down to $36.

For my first box, I received five pieces:

Peony Earrings – great for a summer look with a maxi dress
Drew Earrings – drop earrings with turquoise stones
Harlow ring – a combination of silver and gold for a rockstar look
Gracen Necklace and matching earrings – chunky and big to make a proper statement

While they are all pretty quality pieces, I wasn’t in love with any of them.  I have a very simple style and didn’t see how I could integrate these pieces into my wardrobe.  I’d seen some of the items other customers received and realized that I preferred a different style. So I sent customer service a message about my thoughts and they were fantastic. They listened to my musings and promised to send me a box full of items that I would prefer.  Looking forward to the next box!

Have you tried a jewelry or beauty box subscription? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

California made me crunchy…

It is official, I moved to California a year and a half ago and I’ve become a hippie. This isn’t totally surprising, I’d already been playing ultimate frisbee for years and, well,  it was about time… These days I thoroughly enjoy my flip flop weather and the ability to commute via bike. Haven’t gotten into hooping quite yet, but there is still time.

With becoming more one with the earth, I’ve changed up my breakfast routine. Instead of random cereal or oatmeal,  I’ve been enjoying my greek yogurt and Cascadian Farms granola every morning. In fact, I have to talk myself out of having it for dinner some days (like right this moment!). This breakfast combination leaves me completely satisfied from 8am until lunch unlike other things I’ve tried. It also improves the taste of cottage cheese if you want a high protein kick.

I’ve tried most of the Cascadian Farms granolas, and although I thought the dark chocolate almond would be a quick favorite, I gravitate toward the maple brown sugar. Seriously delicious. I find myself looking for excuses to munch on it. Isn’t everything better with some maple?  (Maple bacon scones are one of the greatest gifts to mankind.  Trust me on this and if you are in SF, then I’ll direct you to some!)

If you haven’t yet, also check out their new crunchy granola bars. The taste is similar to Nature Valley’s bars, but the ingredient list is significantly shorter. They also come in some other great flavors. Looking forward to getting my hands on the oat and cocoa!

What granola do you enjoy devouring? Have you tried Cascadian Farms?

Note: Cascadian Farms has sent me several products to sample over the past few months. But let me be serious, I loved their granola long before they offered to send me any.

 

Ellie Review and Discount

I first learned about PV.body when I attended Fitbloggin this past year. It sounded like a great opportunity to get high quality workout gear at a great price. I was intrigued, so I subscribed and got excited about my first outfit. A few days after ordering my outfit, I was contacted by PV.body to be an ambassador for their brand and I couldn’t turn them down. There were some issues with the style they sent me, but I was able to exchange some of the items for more suitable options.

After seeing all the great items on the market (and due to some style/sizing issues), PV.body recently decided to start their own line – Ellie. You can bet I was excited when I saw their new line of clothing. Each month Ellie has a new collection, so you have to get items while they last! There are new tops and bottoms to select from. Best of all? You can get two items for only $49.95. Seriously, when was the last time you got a full outfit for that price? You can also buy the pieces separately, they range from $39.95 – $59.95.

This month I was sent the After Dark top and My New Obsession leggings. I’ll admit that these were not my initial picks (I can’t typically wear tanks like this), but they are great quality items. The fabric is thick and durable, with great elasticity. At first I was nervous about the leggings, they looked so small, but they stretched and held me snug. (Can you tell I had a slight dance party during the photoshoot?)

Thoughts: I love how snug the pants are.  They make me feel secure and svelt. I wore them during speed training and they never slipped! They have a great wide waist band that is very flattering.  Unfortunately they don’t have a pocket for a key, instead I tied mine to my shoe. I’ll admit I was slightly over heated, but I blame this on the fact that California is getting too nice these days.

The top gives me a great shape. Yes, the straps were an initial concern, but they work well with my new racerback bra. There is a bit of cleavage in the front, but how else am I going to lure in the men folk? I don’t think I’d wear these two items together since I try to avoid wearing two tight items at once. But these would be great with a pair of shorts for a workout in the gym.

I definitely suggest checking out their new line. They have plenty of options to choose from and they are quite flattering. April pieces will be out in less than a week and the all black March line promises to be slimming. The material and manufacturing are high quality (things I notice as an engineer). Click on the image below or in my sidebar to get 20% off your first order.

 

Note: Ellie reached out to me and sent my outfit free of charge. All opinions expressed in the post are my own.

Sock it to me {Review & Giveaway}

Your feet are two of the most important parts of your body while running, if you don’t protect them properly they may blister (which can be a serious long term issue). Cotton just isn’t going to cut it! We have to remember that our feet will sweat and they need to breath.

Socks come in many flavors these days. My collection includes a wide variety of fabrics and ankle lengths (although I like them short). So when I was offered the chance to test out some New Balance socks with Coolmax Moisture Management, I jumped at the opportunity.

The Verdict: First thing I noticed? These bad boys are soft! I didn’t expect them to feel so fluffy against my foot. I’ve worn them for a few runs recently and haven’t had any trouble with foot sweat (or smell, not that I smell…). They have some cushioning, but won’t feel heavy on your foot. Perfect for summer or fall weather.

Also, these socks are a fantastic deal. You can get a three pack for $9.99 which is much cheaper than other performance socks. You can purchase them from Academy Sports and Outdoors (based in Texas).

And now for the giveaway:
One lucky reader will win a week’s worth of socks (okay only six pair, but on the seventh day remember to let your toesies go free!).

Now here is how the giveaway works:
Tell me a little bit about your footwear. What type of socks do you wear and what works best for your feet? Also, make sure to check out information about COOLMAX® fabric to find other shapes and sizes that would please you.

Want an extra entry into the giveaway? Well here are a few options:
1. Visit Academy Sports and Outdoors and let me know which COOLMAX/New Balance socks are your favorite
2. Follow me on Twitter
3. Post a tweet about this giveaway, please include @RunningJewess and a link to this post.

Leave an additional comment for each extra entry.

The giveaway will be closing at noon EST on Friday, September 2nd, 2011.

Note: Open to US entries only. The giveaway I received and the items I am distributing have been provided by COOLMAX®. The opinion expressed in this post is solely my own.