You guys. This rain has me going down some serious internet rabbit holes. I don’t even know HOW I got here. But somehow I came across an article called “I exercised to retro workout videos for a week; here’s what happened.” And it was like a walk down my workout journey/memory lane. I have NEVER liked working out in the gym. And traditional exercises like burpies, pushups and squats/lunges are my worst nightmare. Plus I don’t want to have small talk with anyone out on the gym floor. Anti-social, much? HA HA!

And now for the walk down memory lane. Here are my favorite workouts over the years:

Jazzercise: I started Jazzercise when I was in high school! And I even had a thong leotard with bike shorts that I wore underneath it! As a teenager!!! But even then I hated my booty so would tie a sweatshirt around my waist! LOL! I can not believe it is still around to this day! I bet I’d like it!

Callanetics: This was the first at home workout I ever did! It was my moms VCR tape and I remember it being VERY hard! But man that title is calling my name…10 Years Younger in 10 Hours?!?! SIGN ME UP.

Cindy Crawford’s Shape Your Body: I think this was also my moms VCR tape although I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who did it! I remember pulling out my chair and doing those leg swings to a song by Seal. I hated the song. But it is actually a good workout!

Carmen Electra’s Fit to Strip: I have done this workout for probably close to 15 years. I actually had the whole DVD set but disc two is the only one I ever used! It is an all-time fave and I still do it to this day (on occasion) but now I watch it on YouTube on my TV! Isn’t technology amazing?! BTW…disc two is not actually stripper moves but it says it will give you a dancer’s body!

Stroller Strides: ACTUAL photo of me in Stroller Strides (sorry for horrible photo quality). With a neon sweatshirt covering my butt…STILL. =) There were at least 20 moms in each class and all of us pushing our babies in strollers! I was devastated when my son was too big/old to push in a stroller anymore! I was in the best shape of my life when I was doing this! Pushing a kid in a stroller up hills and stopping for workouts inbetween. The starting point was 5 min from my house and I went like 3 days a week. Plus you basically get a built in playdate at the end of the workout. I swore I would NEVER be one of those moms and I ended up LOVING it.

Zumba: After Stroller Strides, I signed back up at LA Fitness. I’d had a membership before I had my son and begrudgingly signed back up. My beloved step classes were no longer being offered so I fell in love with Zumba! I was probably one of the youngest in the class (with the exception of the super cute instructor). At one point I even bought the coin belly dancing sash to shake my hips with! My husband was mortified for me. And I kinda hoped nobody I knew saw me when they walked by the giant window on their way to the locker rooms! HA! But that’s the good thing about having horrible eyesight like me. I never saw them!

The Bar Method: Then I gave Barre classes a whirl. I ended up doing it for a full year and it REALLY helped with my flexibility. I really did enjoy it but it is pricey & there’s no childcare so I was limited on time slots. At around that time, a brand new Equinox was opening up close by and for just ten dollars more a month I could take barre, pilates, yoga classes and more so I made the switch.

Equinox: I still never make it out on the gym floor unless I’m dragged by a friend but I love the variety of classes offered. And the big thing for me in the beginning was childcare. Now that my son is older and in school full-time, he doesn’t come with me anymore but he does have fond memories of going to the kids club. Oh, and I forgot to mention…when they first opened..Tamilee (of the ORIGINAL Buns of Steel) was an instructor! I LOVED her sculpting classes! I was so sad when she left! #bringbacktamilee

Pvolve: I can’t for the life of me remember how I heard about Pvolve. I think I got wind of it being the workout that Victoria Secret models do before the big runway angel show. So if it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me! Even though I still belong to Equinox, there is just something about being able to workout in the comfort of your own home. Plus it is literally my favorite kind of workout of all. Everything is no weights (or very light weights), their signature p-ball and precise low-impact movements. It really does lean you out & elongate you instead of building bulky muscles.

This is a subscription based service that you pay a monthly fee (currently $29/m) for streaming videos that you can do right on your laptop. I love that I can even do it while traveling without any equipment. There are new videos weekly and a library of 150 workouts to use. BTW, you can get a free 15 day trial using my link here.

It’s kind of funny how many workouts I’ve done over the years! I don’t consider myself to be a “fitness” person but taking this walk down my workout memory lane sure has been fun. If only I could change my eating habits…

SO a funny thing happened today. I was randomly clicking around on my blog seeing if links still worked, changing up banner ads, etc. The things I never actually do on my blog (or at least haven’t for years). And I clicked on the Bloglovin’ follow button. At first I thought maybe the site was defunct as most old platforms I used are. But it ended up being more like a walk down memory lane. I was reminded of some of the first blogs I followed. And I was surprised by how many of you read my recent blog post via their service. Sadly, I don’t follow my blog analytics much anymore so didn’t even know that some of you are still following along that way. By the way, you can follow me on Bloglovin’ here.

In recent years, I have put 99.9% of my energy into social media. Particularly Instagram…which apparently was a fruitless endeavor (is that even a saying?!?). But as the saying goes…doing the same thing over and over expecting change is the definition of insanity. Or am I getting that wrong too? Well, you know what I mean. But no matter what I do, I am losing followers like nobody’s business. It’s hard to not take it personally but the people who are unfollowing are pretty much ghost followers anyway. And by that I mean, that they do not engage with my posts at all.

There isn’t really a point to this story except for the fact that maybe I should be focusing more on creating content here. Just thinking out loud really. Which was the whole reason I started this blog in the first place…

OUTFIT DETAILS:

My faux fur jacket and wide leg pants are both from Swirl Boutique. My nail polish is “Wicked” by Essie.My top and heels are sold out but you can find similar options here and here.

Would you believe I’ve had this teddy bear jacket since 2015? With as popular as they are right now, you would’ve thought they were a new trend! You can see how I’ve worn it previously here and here. I guess I called it a “sherpa” coat before they got the cute teddy bear coat name.

Truth be told, I’m not a huge fan of this jacket. It feels a little too bulky for my body. And the color is just a little too close to my skin color! But I found it at Old Navy of all places YEARS ago so you know the price couldn’t be beat.

I’ve had this leather skirt since 2012. I remember it was probably once of the first leather pieces of clothing I had ever purchased (other than a leather jacket). I felt VERY Kris Jenner at the time. You can see how I wore it on the blog here. LOL.

My scarf was a gift from my brother & his wife this past Christmas. It’s been SO cold lately. I know…us Californians are big babies when it drops below 65 degrees! I’ve been wearing it non-stop.

So what do you guys think of the teddy bear jacket trend? Would you wear one? I’m sharing some of my favorites below (click on image to shop):

Do you guys remember when I used to do Birchbox reviews with you each month? I was a subscriber for close to five years (you can click here to read all of them)! And then I decided to take a break when I realized I was beginning to hoard beauty products and could barely open my beauty junk drawer! But it was SO hard to do. Because let’s be honest…for only $10/mo, what beauty product junkie doesn’t want a surprise in their mailbox each month?!?

At the time, I was also pretty much blogging full-time and could barely keep up with all of the free product being sent my way. So I can’t even tell you how happy it made my heart when I was asked to collaborate with Birchbox again SO many years later. BTW…this blog post is not sponsored but having recently worked with them, I felt compelled to share. Just in case YOU have never heard of Birchbox. Also, if you have a beauty product junkie on your holiday shopping list…GET THEM A SUBSCRIPTION! The perfect easy last minute gift idea is at your fingertips! I was gifted a 6 month subscription and I am BEYOND excited to start getting my Birchbox each month!

My December Birchbox included several “new to me” products as well as a few tried & true brands I know and love. Get the low down on each product below:

KLORANE Eye Patches: Whenever we’re the least bit sleep-deprived, stressed out, dehydrated, or run down, our eyes show it. These soothing under-eye patches are just the little white lie our exhausted eyes need: Each is packed with fast-acting botanicals that make fine lines, dark circles, annoying puffiness, and signs of whatever last night (or last week) was like, fade away.

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Brightening Serum: This serum takes its name from the ingredients it’s formulated with—vitamin C, vitamin E, and a blend of antioxidants—but also truly lives up to its C.E.O. title, working like a boss to brighten, tighten, and plump your complexion. With a potent 15% dose of an oil-soluble version of the brightening savior called tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (a derivative of vitamin C), it addresses signs of aging and gives you a more even-toned complexion. In this format, it can penetrate deep and fast into your skin, so you get instant radiance. And it doesn’t just make your skin look more refined and clearer thanks to saccharide isomerate extract and glycolic acid, it also reduces any redness or irritation with the help of phytosterols, so even sensitive types can use it.

MAC Cosmetics Strobe Cream: Constantly being followed around by a lighting crew to mimic the perfect strobe effect isn’t ideal—a girl can dream, though, right? This skincare-meets-makeup cream helps tired and dull skin look more luminous and achieve that coveted glow—no heavy equipment required. In fact, the vitamin-, green tea-, and botanical-enriched formula is so lightweight that it blends like a dream to give skin a subtle lit-from-within radiance. When worn under makeup, it creates a base for all the products layered on afterward. On days when you’re feeling a little bit more low-maintenance, it can double as your moisturizer or you can layer over your favorite one for a soft luminescence.

Beachwaver Co. Great Barrier Heat Protectant Spray: This hairspray provides a light, flexible hold that’s suitable for all hair types. It’s also formulated with proprietary technology to strengthen strands and create a protective barrier against heat and environmental factors.

Stila Cosmetics HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara: This mascara lengthens, curls, volumizes, and adds rich color without weighing down your lashes. The curved brush mimics your eye shape so it’s easy to grab every lash with a single swipe.

To learn more about Birchbox and/or to sign up, click here.

If you are a LONG LONG LONGTIME reader (like 2013), you might remember when I found the affordable dupe (sold out, sorry) of the ever popular Rag & Bone Harrow booties.  I wore the HECK out of those booties and still have them to this day. But they are starting to show their age (and lack of quality) so I finally took the plunge and snagged the real deal during Shopbop‘s last sale.

Speaking of sales…Shopbop just announced their biggest sale of the year! You can save up to 25% off your entire purchase with code MORE18. Some brand restrictions do apply so check out the full list here. Now is the perfect time to stock up on those big ticket items like boots/booties, jackets & holiday gifts!

Outfit Details: Topshop Dress (similar), Madewell Oversized Denim Jacket (I am wearing an XS), Rag & Bone Booties, Madewell Bag (similar), Madewell Necklace & Bracelet, Madewell Baby Tee & Brixton Hat (similar)

SHOP SOME OF MY SHOPBOP FAVES BELOW (click on image to shop):