Gift Guide - the fitness enthusiast

one
Yoga Mat from Eagle Rock Werkshop. This is just one of the many designs from this company but it is my absolute favorite. Another stunner is the butterfly print. The mats have a microfiber surface so get a stronger grip, the wetter it gets... meaning you do not need to buy a microfiber towel.  

two
The Studio Tone it Up App is free to download and costs $12.99/month. The app offers free daily moves, on demand workouts (new workouts released weekly), and an opportunity to chat with the other TIU girls (and sometimes the trainers themselves) taking a class with you. 

three
These Rose Gold Earbuds are so dainty and pretty - these are from Panasonic and come in a variety of colors. They are less than $10 (plus shipping) on Amazon.

four
This Fanny Pack by Osprey is currently on sale at REI for less than $30. There space for one water bottle plus a pocket to store the keys and phone.

five
Tone it Up has many workout accessories including dumbbells, a jump rope, a yoga mat and this kettle bell in their signature blue and pink colors. This one has a nice, comfortable grip and you can find kettle bell workouts for free on YouTube and for a small monthly fee on their App. This is available at Target. 

six
This fitness journal is from Sarah Michelle Martin's Etsy page. The cover reads 'Nevertheless She Persisted' and is adorned with pretty flowers. It is a twelve-week journal that includes places for you to input measurements and weight, food/calorie logs and grocery lists. This is one of many offered via Etsy and can be such a great tool to keep your fitness friend accountable on on track!

seven
These bands are from another fitness group called Sweat Love Fitness, led by trainer Katie. You can find their website here. As with Tone it Up, they have free workouts, recipes and fitness challenges. 

eight
This mug would be enjoyed by your fitness buddy every morning as she gets ready to start her day. #butfirstcoffee

nine
These S'well bottles are great in design and style. There are so many colors and prints. Right now, on their website, you can get a 15 ounce bottle free with $50 purchase.

ten
Did you know that APL stands for Athletic Propulsion Lab? I just discovered this. I love the look of these shoes and, while I have not tried them myself, the Tone it Up trainers have said great things about this brand. You can read all about the technology behind these shoes -and how they are designed to improve the vertical leap - on their website's FAQ page. 

eleven
I love this Fitbit's lavender band and rose gold face...stunning. It is currently for sale on Amazon for $179 with free delivery if you have Amazon Prime. It is perfect for your fitness friend as it monitors heart rate and sleep stages, as well as has enough storage for over 300 songs!

twelve
I discovered the Vooray brand through my local 24-Hour Fitness gym. I now follow this brand on Instagram and own the bag pictured in this gift guide. I love this floral print and the quality of the brand. They have many different styles and prints including a backpack, crossbody bag and fanny pack as well as accessories like hats and yoga mat straps. They are currently having an AMAZING holiday sale so it is the perfect time to pick up a gift for your fitness buddy and/or yourself!!

Happy Shopping!! What are some of your favorite fitness items that you are planning to gift your loved one this holiday season?

~meg

Gift Guide - the Adventurer

The holiday season is upon us!  I am usually running around at the last minute buying gifts and spending Christmas Eve (until the wee hours of the morning) wrapping the gifts. This year, I hope to start early so I do not end up sleepy and with the sniffles on Christmas morning. These past couple of years, I have been under the weather on Christmas morning and I am determined to stop that trend. The Tone it Up trainers started another challenge yesterday (Monday, December 3rd) call the Holiday Hustle. I know that this will get me feeling my best this holiday season and am so thankful to have the support and guidance I need within the Tone it Up community. You can find out more about the challenge here. The TIU trainers and their team provide a printable calendar which lists a fun challenge for you to do daily in addition to exercising, meal prepping and eating nutritious food.

I love exploring the internet for gift options and wanted to do the first guide for the adventurer. We all have a friend or two (or three or four) who loves adventure - whether it is by plane, train, automobile or by foot, they are always up to explore. I believe there is an adventurer in all of us. Here are some gift ideas -both substantial ones and stocking stuffers- that are bound to be appreciated and enjoyed.

ONE: My sister moved to Portland a couple years ago with her family, at which point I learned about the Columbia brand. She gifted me my first Columbia pullover sweater and I wore it four days straight when it was raining. It kept me warm and dry. This pullover comes in four different color combinations and is $60 on the Columbia website. This jacket is nice for the traveler as it is lightweight and takes a small amount of space in your luggage and/or carry-on.

TWO: This elegant cream rolling carry-on suitcase with brown leather trim is stunning. It also comes in silver, gold and olive (all with the same brown leather trim) but my favorite is the cream. It's $595 on the Nordstrom website so it is the largest ticket item on the gift guide. I discovered this suitcase via the Bows and Sequins blog...thank you Jessica!

THREE & FOUR: These two luggage tags are both from the Oh Joy + Calpak collaboration. They are $32 each on the Calpak website and come with a removable battery pack for your phone. It also comes in a floral print.

FIVE: The Swell brand has so many cute insulated bottles like the Geode Rose Traveler (L) and the Calacatta Gold Traveler (R). Per the website, you can also personalize them which will make it extra special for your adventurous friend. These are listed as $35 on the Swell website. I have also seen certain styles for sale at Starbucks.

SIX: Electronics is a part of our everyday world now - this is no exception for the adventurer. As such, this Tech Kit by Pinch Provisions is an essential for the traveler. The traveler will have the stand, headphones, the charger -everything he or she needs- to make sure they can post on IG, listen to music or movies while up in the sky, and always have the charge to take photos, use necessary apps and have access to flight information. I particularly love the password cheat sheet that comes with the set. I am one of those people that is constantly forgetting my passwords  and having to reset literally all.of.the.time. This one is currently $26 and comes in marble and brown leather. They have a lot of kits including beauty kits, coffee kits and brunch kits. Seriously, the kits are so fun and clever and can serve as a standard gift or get a mini kit for a stocking stuffer!

SEVEN: This journal of sorts can be found on Amazon. It provides a space for the travel to list where he/she went to eat, shop and explore. It helps the traveler get organized as there are places in the journal to input packing checklists, must do lists and what to avoid lists. There are also places to draw maps of the journey.

EIGHT: This five-piece set is another goodie from the Oh Joy + Calpak collaboration. It also comes in a floral print and what is referred to as sunset (a color blocking effect that blend into one another to look like the California sky at sunset). There is a zipper picket on the four packing cubes and breathable mess front window for easy viewing. The fifth piece in the set is an envelope pouch with water-resistant lining. It is selling for $48 on the Calpak website.

NINE: This is a piece from the travel line from Designlovefest x Target. Bri Emery (creator of this line and the blog, Designlovefest) can do no wrong in my book! It is being sold at Target for $29.99 and comes with a neck pillow, an eye mask and a convenient printed bag to hold both items when not in use.

TEN: This Joy Mangano steamer is seriously the best. I own a couple myself (both the mini and regular size) and have gifted them to many of my friends throughout the years. The steamer can take out even the toughest of wrinkles...it is a miracle worker. It is lightweight and so much easier than the traditional iron. This is great for the traveler. These are $19.99 at Bed, Bath and Beyond - make sure to use a 20% off coupon.

ELEVEN: These passport holders can be found on Etsy. Etsy has SO many great gift ideas and this one is no exception. I love the travel quotes printed on these holders. The holder also acts as a wallet as there is not only a slot for the passport but also for credit cards and cash. These are currently listed for $19.75 and the seller is offering free shipping to anywhere in the United States!

~meg

I started watching The Bodyguard on Netflix -the British series- and could not stop. Which Netflix show are you currently binge-watching? Other ones I recommend: The Sinner, The Haunting of Hill House and The Great British Baking Show.

It's the Holiday Season

It is already December...how did that happen? The fall season seemed to go by in a blink of an eye but perhaps it just feels that way because I live in Southern California. Alas, it is December 1st and time to plan for all of the office parties, family gatherings, white elephant & cookie exchanges, ugly sweater parties and New Year's Eve celebrations. Here are some outfit ideas -- scroll through to the end of the post for all of the links. 

Outfit Links: Image 1 // Image 2 // Image 3 // Image 4 // Image 5

More links to other festive, holiday options:

• Pink is just as festive as red for the holidays. Here is a bright option from Banana Republic. 
• Animal Print is another option for a holiday outfit. This feminine Rebecca Taylor dress can be found at Bloomingdales. A less expensive option is from The Limited. 
• A flirty sequin dress from Express can be worn to ring in the new year!
• For ugly sweaters check out Hot Topic, Forever 21 and your local Goodwill Store. 

I would love to know what your holiday plans are and what you plan to wear?

~meg

Tone It Up

I discovered Tone It Up in May of 2017 through a friend. She had been a member of Tone It Up for over two years (a Christmas gift from her husband) but had not yet participated in a challenge. She introduced it to me and asked me to join in the challenge that was scheduled to start the following week - the 2017 Bikini Challenge. We spent the weekend together preparing for the challenge: to meal prep, talk about our goals, drink rose and answer the questions presented to the Tone It Up community by the creators/trainers Katrina and Karena. The questions were great - our goals started out as superficial ('lose weight' and 'fit back into those jeans') but by the end of that weekend, we had goals that were more centered on overall health and wellness, building confidence, and becoming a part of a community that supports women. 

We were going strong until the Seven-Day Slim Down (the Seven-Day Slim Down was scheduled at the end of the challenge - a final week of exercises and specific slimming foods/recipes). It was not the Slim Down that caused us to derail but rather, unforeseen life circumstances. Alas I have been participating in challenges ever since - there have been three: the 21 Day Slim Down, the Love Your Body Challenge and the 2018 Bikini Challenge. I was not as successful in those challenges as the first one but I have lost 25 pounds to date.

In high school and college, I participated in athletics - water polo, swim and crew (rowing). It was after college, when I no longer had a daily rigorous workout schedule with a team, that I gained weight and got out of the habit of exercising. While I was somewhat knowledgable about nutrition, and was a vegetarian, I had never implemented proper eating habits. Yep, I was one of those vegetarians (lacto-ovo-vegetarians) that still ate cheese/ice cream and a lot of pasta. Tone It Up has taught me so much about nutrition and has so many delicious recipes that actually make sticking to the plan, easy. It really does become a lifestyle. It is the first nutrition plan (it is not a diet because you do not deprive your body but rather, consume foods that are healthful and satisfying) that has actually worked for me!

Find Tone It Up on Instagram at @toneitup

Find Tone It Up Nutrition on Instagram at @toneitupnutrition (they post a lot of recipes on their instagram and on their website so if you are unable to purchase the nutrition plan --yet-- you can still have access to a lot of recipes)

Follow my progress on my Instagram at @tiu_megs_tiu

I used to work out in old t-shirts and whatever yoga pants I had lying around. I found that I was more motivated if I had workout clothes that were comfortable and pretty (as well as ones that I could wear pre and post-workout to run errands and meet up with friends). Tone It Up also suggests choosing  your workout outfit out the night before so it is ready for you when you wake up for your morning workout. I have to admit, I do not always do that and often work out in my pajamas...whatever works, right? Here are some of my favorites workout clothes:

1 (on sale!) // 2 // 3 (only $20!) // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 (she has tons of amazing designs!) 

Tone It Up is currently hosting another challenge which started on October 1st and goes through October 31st. It is not too late to join! Find all the details here.

~meg