Five Things Friday: Cozy Fall Edition

Happy Friday party people! We've got another round of five favourite things on the blog today. If you missed last week's round up, I was chatting about my favourite wellness books lately. Be sure to check it out if you need some new reads!

Let's get into the weekly roundup of favourite things this week.

Nala and I managed to sneak out for some time on the trail when the rain held off long enough. I enjoy this time with her where I can just tune out with a podcast and take in the fall scenery along our route. Plus, it gives us both some exercise and it's always nice to have a napping puppy after : ) So snuggly!

Every time I see a rainbow it signifies, for me, that my cat Oreo and family dog Malibu are looking over me. Malibu passed away nearly five years ago now, and Oreo (my most favourite cat in the whole entire world) passed away in fall of last year. So, it always puts a smile to my face when I see a rainbow : )

Last weekend was stormy on the island which made for lots of time spent curled up on the couch reading, blogging, and drinking peppermint tea. On Monday I spent a good amount of time on the blog planning and brainstorming new post ideas. This time is always so relaxing for me as I can just get into my zone and start jotting all the ideas down that pop into my head. Since October is #Blogtober here on the blog, I am in the midst of planning out November. Hinty hint: it's about money. Kind of. Stay tuned for more about that!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince which is a new read, considering when I last read the series this book wasn't out yet. My goal is to finish the series by Christmas which I think is doable! I am also loving this notebook, as it's where I write everything down in. All of my to-do lists, blog ideas, brainstorming, notes, and everything else. Even grocery lists!

Candles, candles, candles. I am all about candles, especially in the fall time as it creates such a cozy and inviting environment. The candle on the left is from last year at Home Sense, and the candle on the right is a Himalayan pink salt candle holder where I just use a plain soy wax tealight. I used to be obsessed with Bath & Body Works candles, but do your research people! I'm all about having the wax as natural and organic as it can be, and B&BW just does not fit the bill. Plus, there are too many icky chemicals in there that float up into the air and cause me to sneeze and feel wheezy. Not cute, so soy and beeswax is where it's at.

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What are you loving this week?

Any exciting plans this weekend?

Healthy Morning Habits to Start Now

Does anyone else LOVE mornings? I especially love them on a Sunday or Monday when I have the whole day to myself. Easing into the morning can set the tone for a happier day. Whether you are a late riser or an early riser, I hope you can find a few takeaways from today's post to help create some more healthy habits. Of course, you don't have to do these just in the morning. They are all great no matter what time of day they occur! However, some of them are especially effective the morning to get the day started when your body is freshly awake. Let me know in the comments if there are any morning habits you like to do!

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1. Hold the phone. One thing that is important in the morning is allowing yourself to wake up on your own terms, without being inundated with social media first thing. I know how tempting it can be to check your phone right away. Trust me, been there all too often! However, I wait until I've been up for an hour (give or take) before I finally check social media. It can be so overwhelming for me in the morning to be bombarded with what everyone else is doing, so keeping my phone aside while I am going about my morning business helps me feel more engaged in what I am feeling and doing to get my day started

2. Lemon water, lemon water, lemon water. I LOVE lemon water so much. Lemon water in the morning (especially with warm water) is a gentle way to "detox" your body and flush out any toxins in your system. It kickstarts the digestive system, rehydrates the body, and can help energize you for the day ahead. BUT - that doesn't mean ditch the coffee. Drink your lemon water first, girl! Hydrate before you caffeinate is my rule of thumb.

3. Get moving - or not. Some people love to exercise in the morning. I am one of those people who enjoy working out in the morning to get my sweat-sesh out of the way, though at the same time I also enjoy working out in the evening to sweat out the day's stress. That being said, exercising in the morning can help wake you up and aid in better dietary choices throughout the day. On the other hand, some people love starting their morning on a more quiet note: meditation. Meditation doesn't have to be sitting on your yoga mat for an hour saying "Omm" one hundred times. I ain't got time (or the patience) for that. However, even meditating for five minutes can be beneficial at calming your nervous system, clearing your mind, and setting positive intentions for your day. Find what works for you and go with it!

4. Journal or read. I am a book lover at heart (maybe that's why I enjoy blogging so much!) and whether you are reading a biography, a fantasty novel (Harry Potter say heyyyy whaaat), or writing in your journal, the act of reading and writing can not only be therapeutic, but it can also help reinvigorate your mind. Waking up with an interesting article is a nice way to pass time as you're having your morning lemon water, too!

5. Eat breakfast. If you aren't a big fan of breakfast foods, eat something. If you think about it, you wouldn't drive your car without putting gas in it, right? So why would you start your day without fueling your body? My go-to breakfast is oatmeal, though I have been switching it up lately with eggs and berries a few times per week when I want some more protein in the morning. Not interested in cooking in the morning? There are tons of yummy recipes out there for healthy breakfast cookies and muffins, that way you can grab, go, and be on your way. Alternatively, a smoothie is another great way to get some nutrients into the system! Having breakfast ensures that your brain and body have the nutrients required to perform at it's best.

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Now, off to get my coffee! Have a fantastic day everyone : )

5 Things Friday: Wellness Books Edition

Good morning!

I wanted to do something a little bit different than the usual favourites post on Friday. Today, I wanted to share five books that I love in the health and wellness category. If you know me at all, you know that I love anything and (mostly) everything wellness, including everything from spirituality and positive thinking to healthy food and exercise.

Reading is a great way to learn new things and explore various topics. For me, I go between fiction and non-fiction, and although I am currently in a Harry Potter phase right now, these five are my die hard favourites when I want to get back to looking inward.

The Soul Searcher's Handbook was one of the first books I read that's moreso in the wellness slash spirituality category. It dives into everything from types of yoga, healing with crystals, angels and other life guides, chakras, essential oils, and so much more. There are fun quizzes inside the book to help guide you along the way, and tips for keeping a healthy mind and celebrating your spirituality.

Kate Hudson is one of those gals that you just want to be friends with. In this book, she talks about her journey through health, fitness, and the importance of self-love. Additionally, Kate talks about the four pillars of health that include having an intuitive relationship with your body and health, eating well, awakening your body, and the miracle of mindfulness. It is an easy, informative read for anyone who is interested in diving in a little deeper into their mental and physical health.

So, #GirlBoss isn't exactly a wellness book, but it is a bad ass book for women of all ages. Sophia Amoruso is the founder and executive chairman of Nasty Gal (I'm sure we have all heard of that!), and is a story of how she came to be the #GirlBoss that she is. Sophia has tons of insight to the business world, and I especially like reading these types of things from a women's perspective. As well, Sophia talks about how your mind can be a magical thing when it comes to jobs, business, and life itself, and she has a no bullshit attitude which is kind of refreshing - no frills, but definitely one to read.

Miracles Now is an excellent read if you are curious about finding your purpose and achieving more peace in your life. Gabrielle Bernstein has several books that delve into techniques for combating life's problems such as stress, frustration, jealousy, and more. You know, REAL LIFE stuff. In this book, Gabrielle shares 108 tools and tricks you can easily incorporate into your life to help you be more mindful, reduce tension in your life (wherever that may come from), and help you eliminate any blocks that are preventing you from living with more ease. It is a great book to flip through when you need an extra dose of self love, and is a great reminder that you have all the tools you need to change your own life.

Finally, Adventures for your Soul by Shannon Kaiser is another book that includes tools to help transform your habits. It includes motivational mantras such as, "I joyfully put my desires in motion. All of my dreams are coming true." to help you stay on track with your goals. This book talks about goal setting, going on a fear detox, and general ideas for being your best self and living your best life. I highly recommend this book if you also like an interacting read, as it includes various quizzes and journal exercises throughout.

There we have it! Have you read any of these books? What are your favourite wellness and lifestyle books?

5 Things Friday - Skincare & Moving Forward

Good morning, and welcome to another edition of 5 Things Friday!

I will keep this short and sweet and get right to the point. As always, let me know in the comments what you are loving this week.

Since fall is OFFICIALLY here, I can put pumpkin spice on everything and watch Halloween movies early. This also means that come November I can start watching Christmas movies, which is really what I am excited for. Any other fall lovers out there!?

So, I have been struggling with work outs this week. The last time I went to the gym was Monday - and what a productive day that was! - but since then I have found it so incredibly hard to roll out of bed early in the morning to hit the gym. On the same note, Nala's puppy classes started on Wednesday, so our evenings were full after the work day was done. This quote is a favourite of mine this week because it gives me a reminder that it is up to ME to change this. I am the only one who can drag myself out of bed and get to the gym. I am the only one who can make myself go to the gym after the work day and get it done. I am the only one who will force me out of bed on a Sunday to do my long run. Life is all about choices, and from today on I choose to look ahead move forward positively.

Yep, still on that Harry Potter train.

I have been experimenting with adding a few extras into my skincare routine. Coconut oil and manuka honey are oldies but goodies, meaning they are old favourites that I love but have just started incorporating in my regime again. I will do a post on these separately in the future since there is so much to cover off when it comes to their benefits. Basically - there's a ton and you should use them!

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What are you loving this week? Any home remedy skincare tricks I should test out?

Happy Friday!

Weekend Recap + On My Reading List

Good afternoon!

I am checking in late on the blog this afternoon, but better late than never, right?

We have had a productive day over on this end! I hope Monday is being kind to you and you had lots of coffee to power through the day : )

This weekend we had some quality time with family, plus some relaxation and activity thrown in the mix too. Ryan's dad was over visiting for the weekend, so we went out for dinner Saturday night and then I fell asleep on the couch.

In typical Holly fashion, of course.

Sunday late-morning our house guest went home, and I spent a solid THREE HOURS - yup, you read that right, THREE HOURS - working on this blog for you guys. I have something fun coming up in October, so I needed to put the work in now in order to make it WERK. I am not giving any more hints, but look forward to a little somethin' somethin' more than three times per week. That's it. Lips are sealed.

After I was finished being a hermit on the computer (bless Ryan for keeping himself occupied), I went for my long run. Initially my thought was to do this earlier in the morning, but then life happens and suddenly it's 1:30pm and you're like. WHOA wait a minute. I wanted to go for a run! So, I put my gear on and headed down to the treadmill and got my run in. Sunday's run was 10km, followed by not enough stretching. I seriously need to stretch more. Must. Stretch. More.

Then we took the dog for a walk, made some dinner (zucchini noodles for life), and watched the season finale of Ballers. Yeah, I gotta say I was underwhelmed, but I will still watch next season because The Rock, ya feel me? ; )

And of course a cute little picture of Miss Nala who had her last set of puppy shots today! Naturally she celebrated with a nap on the floor, because why lay in your actual bed when the floor is just as good.

Before the vet I had a RMT appointment, which I will be posting about on Wednesday! I wanted to recap this separately in case anyone was interested in trying out registered massage therapy. This was much needed, especially since I had gone to the gym early this morning and ran 6km when I woke up. Yep, that massage was golden.

Anywayyyyy...

A creepy screenshot of a SnapChat I sent earlier today. I was talking to our vet about how Nala is getting more and more energy the more she grows, and she said that it was perfectly fine for Nala to be running with me for shorter runs. Nothing crazy like 10k since her body is still developing, but she gives the thumbs up for shorter runs!

At this point in the afternoon it was about 2:30pm and I was ready for something to eat. My breakfast was a piece of avocado toast with two over easy eggs and sauteed spinach, so for lunch I wanted something a bit more comforting. SO! I got a little crafty and make some pumpkin spice oats. Yes, the pumpkin spice is REAL over here and I am not ashamed!

What's next for the evening? Some dinner and Harry Potter. I am determined to read the Harry Potter series by Christmas. Yep, so I got a little bit of work to do considering I finished the last book about a month ago. Oops. Then the Harry Potter movie marathon can begin!

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Well, I think we are all caught up now. This may have been a little all over the place, but I just wanted to blurt everything out and let it flow, ya know? : ) Catch you in the next post!

Monthly Favourites: July

One more week and I will be in Vancouver to run the Lululemon SeaWheeze Half Marathon!

Holy crapola did the time ever go by fast! I am looking at my training plan now thinking, hmmm. I only have three runs left until it's go time!

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I wanted to kick off this morning by sharing my July favourites. July was a busy, busy month. It's always when I think, "Oh, we have no plans this month!" that by the time I blink, the month is full of things to do. August is going to be busy too, so I will have lots to share next month, too!

Let's get into it!

Still loving this Beauty Blender to apply my foundation. It is great to use with tinted moisturizer as well, and I find it makes my foundation appear better blended and less streaky. I highly recommend getting one of these bad boys if you are falling out of love with your current foundation brush.

I LOVED our day at Neck Point. It was a new adventure for both Ryan and I, and we will definitely be back with Nala to have her adventure at the seaside. 

Yep, you bet I am still loving this combination in my diffuser at night. There is something so relaxing about the scent of eucalyptus, and the "breathe easy" blend has peppermint in it as well. The blend leaves a nice scent lingering in the area, without the chemical residues that you find in candles or commercial fabric sprays. Can't go wrong with essential oils!

I had to. I'm sorry. I know you've seen a dozen pictures already, but I just love this little pumpkin!

OOOOH You thought my Harry Potter spree was over! Fear not. I am still puttering my way through this book, and read a good chunk of it over the long weekend. Saturday was the release day for J.K. Rowling's new screen play book, and I was THISCLOSE to buying it at Costco on Sunday, but something in me told me to hold back. Besides, I still have another three books after this one to get through before I can even venture into the newest one.

One thing I have enjoyed this month is getting back to basics and using my planner. Sure, I'm not using fancy stickers as often as I used to. Honestly, I find that I am spending my time doing other things such as playing with the dog or catching up on housework rather than cutting out stickers. Nevertheless, my plain ol' planner with my blue ink is working out just fine. It is helping me stick accountable to what kind of blog posts I want to work on, as well as organizing my life with time off from work approaching (and various things in between).

Hiking at Holland Creek Trail earlier this month. If you are in the area, be sure to go to the waterfall and check out all of the scenery along the way. It is a good work out!

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What have you guys been loving this month? Let me know in the comments!

5 Favourite Things Friday

Happy Friday, friends!

I am taking this post in a different direction and sharing five things that I have been loving this last week slash two weeks. If you are into the whole favourites posts, let me know in a comment below and I will try to keep them rolling! For those who missed my May Favourites, you can read all about 'em here.

Without further wait, here are five favourites for this fine Friday! Holy F ; )

I tried this aloe vera drink Monday morning after hot yoga. and it was delicious. The watermelon intrigued me (who doesn't love watermelon?), and since it had been a few years since I last tried aloe water, I thought I would give it another go. If you have this in a grocery store near you, I highly recommend trying it! It is sweet, and I couldn't help but think it would make delicious popsicles or ice cubes, too!

Fresh flowers in the house always makes me happy. There is something about waking up to a clean home and a little bouquet of flowers on the table that instantly boosts my mood. I have been getting in the habit of tidying up our space before bed, too, which is also something I am loving! However, when it comes to flowers, I am not picky at all. I picked these carnations up at the local grocery store for about $3 I believe - can't go wrong there!

I have always wanted a big mirror in the dining room, and my trusty handy man delivered! It makes the space feel so much more cozy, and the mirror helps open up the space and add more light. The next project is a headboard, and after that a longer table to put underneath some pictures we have hanging up on the living room wall. Exciting! That being said, I do have to give Ryan the credit since I really only help him stain, paint, or hammer things in. I don't trust myself doing all the cutting and operating power tools (within reason).

Ahhh yes, book favourites! I am LOVING Harry Potter. I just finished the third book, and I have yet to start number four. Yes, I am finding myself making Harry Potter references. I even went as far as calling my mom Moaning Myrtle the other day and thought it was the funniest thing ever. Crazy, right?

These babies! I purchased them after the Goddess Run 2016 and have been loving them since. They feel like running on clouds. Well, supportive clouds, anyway. I used to be a Mizuno gal through and through when I first started running, but now I am definitely enjoying the Asics brand.

What are YOU loving this Friday? Anything I should try out? Talk to you soon! : )

Book Review: Me Before You & Finding Motivation

The other day I mentioned that I had finished a new book in three days.

Well, this is the book, and here is the review of Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.

Me Before You is a story of a quirky girl, Louisa, who finds herself laid off from her long term cafe job. The cafe was her comfort zone, but Louisa found herself at the local employment office in search for something new. What she came across probably wasn't her first choice, but since the jobs were slim, this was the next best thing. Louisa was employed by a quadriplegic man, Will Traynor, and his family to become Will's care attendant for a six month term.

Me Before You is a story full of humour and the love of putting yourself before others - hence the title. Louisa developed a passion for making Will comfortable and soon, this passion turned into a mission to make him happy and motivated for a more fulfilled life after Louisa discovered a secret that the family had been keeping from her. I had my nose so far into this book that I would come racing home after yoga to read chapter after chapter. Ryan would ask if I was ready for dinner. "Sure, after this chapter!" And then two more chapters would go by, I'd be hungry, but I also wanted to know what happened next. Reading about the very REAL struggles that Will encounters puts things into perspective for a perfectly able bodied person, and it truly made me feel thankful for my life and all it encompasses. 

If you are looking for a book that will make you smile and pull on your heart strings simultaneously, I highly recommend this. Me Before You was an easy read because it kept me engaged throughout the whole book. You know when you read a book and are tempted to skim through the pages because it is so slow moving in some parts? Me Before You is not like that whatsoever.

Bonus: they are making a movie based on this book, and immediately after I finished this book I watched the trailer. I cannot wait for it to come out!

Any other book recommendations for me?!

So, let's talk about motivation for a second here.

First things, first. Yes, I am training for the Lululemon Seawheeze Half Marathon. Secondly, no, I have not done any serious running in the last month. At the end of April I had the goal of running 75 miles this month, and I can say right now that that is not going to happen. We have, what, six days left of the month? And I am not even half way there yet.

And I am okay with that! No, for real, I am okay with that.

So, what is my plan now? I am going to be doing yoga two to three times per week depending on my schedule (realistically three would be the maximum, four would be stretching it), and I have been toying with the idea of getting my runs in early in the morning before work. The long run of course is an exception, as this will have to take place either on Saturday or Sundays, again depending on what I have going on that weekend. This weekend, for instance, my long run will probably have to be on Saturday since I will be in Vancouver for a Brownie event on Sunday. It's great to have a plan, but it is great to be flexible with that plan, too!

With that all being said, finding motivation can be hard. Have you ever found yourself motivated for a second and then it's like a switch turns off and suddenly you just feel down and ready to call it quits and watch Netflix instead? I have been there. I get it. While finding motivation can be a challenge, it definitely helps to have an end goal. Having a finish line, whether that be a real finish line during a race or simply something you want to accomplish, can be a great motivator in itself. Talk to people who are involved in the same activity as you to draw inspiration from them. For example, when I first started my running journey I joined a run club. This weekly running meeting not only held me accountable, but also was a good way for me to meet other people with like-minded attitudes and goals. It's hard not to want to push farther and faster around people who are literally cheering you on and wanting to see you go out and beat your previous record time. Right now, my motivation is the Seawheeze coming up and the thought of going on vacation in August (I will chat more about that as we get all the details). Fortunately, I am pretty good at motivating myself if I truly want something, and right now I am looking forward to the Seawheeze because a) I loved the course last year, b) I am exciting to go to the sunset festival with Ryan, and c) I want to kill the run and confidently rock a pair of cut offs at the festival. I mean why not, right?

For those of you who may be interested in the training plan, this is the one that I have printed out and scribbled all over ; )

That is all for today! See ya in the next one.

Kitchen Chaos & Home Decor Finds

Good morning & Happy Monday!

I hope you are all enjoying the day as much as I am. Today is my last day off before heading back to work tomorrow. It has felt like forever since I've been there! I enjoyed my last day off and have had quite the productive day if I do say so myself, which included picking up the books pictured above from the post office. I ordered them online a couple weeks ago from Amazon and was thrilled to find the little postal delivery note in my mailbox this morning. I heard about these books from a YouTuber that I watch and thought I would check them out myself. One of my "resolutions" is to read two books every month, so I added these to my collection to help me along with that goal. The Instant Happy Journal is just that - a journal where every day you follow the prompt and write your answer in there. Some samples of questions in this journal are, "Recall a loving act - either one you did for someone or one you did for yourself" and "List todays mini miracles." It looks like a great way to reflect and really release some of that mental clutter that can often overtake your brain.

Rewinding to yesterday. I left the house for the first time since Thursday(!!!) yesterday afternoon, so Ryan and I headed out to Home Depot and to Winners. Of course, one cannot leave Winners without buying at least something! Ever since the Christmas decorations came down, I have been itching to redecorate certain spaces in our home to fill up some empty spaces.

Our front entry way has a dresser that holds most of our shoes. Pardon me. Most of my shoes. On top of the dresser we have a metal tray with all kinds of goodies inside. The newest thing to the collection: the silver striped vase in the back, purchased at Winners.

I also found this mirrored picture frame. For whatever reason, I am in love with that design carved out of the wood front of the frame. I don't even know how to describe it, but I noticed that our curtains in the bedroom (AND the guest room) has this design. They are different, of course, but maybe not that different. Further, I found a couple more candles to add to the collection, but they are unpictured. All about that candle life (said every female ever).

Finally, we are at today! If you guessed, "You guys must be painting the cupboards!" then you guessed correctly. They have spent far too long in a pile on the kitchen floor, so last night at about 6 o'clock pm I said to Ryan, "We should paint the cupboards right now. Come on!" So, that's what we did. We painted until about 9 o'clock before calling it quits, and made a huge dent in the work! I finished painting the sides and backs of the cupboards today, so hopefully they will be up in the next couple days after the hinges and knobs are added on. Does anyone else like shopping for knobs and paint and home stuff? It is pretty exciting to see all of your hard work come together!

Speaking of hard work, on a non-home related note, I had a check in with my trainer today. Today was my first morning back at the gym since last Monday. I did a home workout on Thursday, Wednesday I half-assed it in that I did a few squats and bicep curls and called it a day, and that was it for last week. It felt good to be back there, and despite taking it easy for back & biceps today, breaking a sweat was way better than being on the couch! 

Today's work out looked like:
3 x 12 lat pull downs
3 x 12 straight bar pull downs (arms straight, targeting the upperback/trapezius area)
3 x 12 bicep curls (using rope attachment on the cable machine)
3 x 12 bent-over rows (targeting rear deltoids)
3 x 12 face pulls (using rope attachment on cable machine)
3 x 12 alternating bicep curls with dumbbells
20 minutes of cardio, 15 minutes on the stair climber & 5 minutes walking cool down.

During my check in we talked about my food for the last couple days. I flat out said I was not consistent because of my wisdom teeth surgery and that it is still kind of uncomfortable chewing more solid items due to the stitches in my lower jaw. I am going to do what I can do make this week GREAT and to get myself back in the game. With that said, despite a funky week last week, I am still down 1.4% body fat and inches all around, so progress is progress. I'll take it!

I hope you are having a great afternoon & I will talk to you on Wednesday. In Wednesday's post we will be chattin' about goal setting. Stay tuned for more!

REVIEW: Lululemon Fast Track Short + Being Frustrated

Tuesday was cheap night at the movie theatre, and since I haven't been to see a movie in FOREVER (when did This is 40 come out? That was the last time - months ago), the fam jam and I headed to Nanaimo and watched Grown Ups 2. We arrived at the theatre nearly an hour early, so we wandered to Chapters and browsed around. I can't go to Chapters without buying SOMETHING, so I picked up the cute owl notebook and the latest edition of LouLou magazine. I admit, I don't purchase magazines as much as I used to, but I will always have a soft spot for LouLou. Besides, it is a Canadian magazine and features lots of stores just across the pond in Vancouver. It's cool to see familiar stores in there AND clothing that's not a bajillion dollars out of my (small) budget, a la Vogue.

Anyway! I read LouLou while Tweetin' away and drinking coffee. Multitasking at its finest.

Over the weekend when I was in Vancouver I picked up a pair of Lululemon's Fast Track Shorts. I wanted to do a little review on them.

I tried these on before and did not like them whatsoever. However, I sized up in them and they fit a lot better and were more comfortable.

Pros:
- They are compression shorts, so they fit tighter so they don't ride up (I will touch on that in a minute)
- They are a decent length
- Nice pocket on the side to fit a gel, key, etc.
- Waistband doesn't dig in

Cons:
- Even after sizing up, they still RIDE UP. This is my biggest pet peeve ever. The compression-ness of the shorts doesn't exactly work when you are moving and running and suddenly tugging at your crotch because your shorts don't want to stay put. This is so lady like in the gym and on the road, don'tcha think!? Right.
- They ride up
- They ride up
- They ride up
- Oh, did I mention that they ride up?

I can see these not riding up if you have zero fat on your thighs, but since I run some hills here and there and do my squats, my thighs aren't exactly stick thin (and that's perfectly cool with me).

NOW, I don't mean to be a negative Nancy about these shorts, because you can use them for other functions. Although I won't be running in them, unfortunate because that's what they are "meant" for, I can see myself doing yoga and other activities in them instead.

Overall, these shorts score a 6/10, at best.

This is me after changing into my usual shorts. Happy camper in those bad boys.

Now I want to touch on something quickly here.

I have ran twice this month. This is not good for me. This is not my usual ways of doing things. This is not a little break that I am enjoying. It makes me incredibly frustrated and I'm going to share something that happened yesterday (not life changing or earth shattering, FYI) that makes me even more frustrated.

While at the gym testing out those Lululemon shorts, I ran a single mile that was full of intense lower back pain. It felt like there was a giant claw inside of me that kept pinching and pinching to the point where I was limping when I slowed down to a walk. What gives, body? It's the first time this has happened (mind you, only my second run of the month. Shame on me), but it makes me MAD because I wanted double digit miles yesterday considering I had the day off and TIME for once to do that. Needless to say, I stopped running, walked a bit and then went on the elliptical. The elliptical does not replace running in my eyes. It is a hell of a lot easier, but it's one way for me to maintain my fitness while I am dealing with this. I am crossing my fingers and toes so hard to the point of losing circulation (am I being dramatic yet?) that this is only temporary and possibly caused from lack of sleep + working a physical job + stress, so hopefully that's it and nothing more. Strange for things to pop up like that without any notice. The least my back could do is write me a letter in advance that way I have time to prepare, right?

Anyway, I am mulling over the idea of going for a run tomorrow since I gave myself (more) rest today. One day I will find a good routine again. One day!