Sports & fitness » Hip to be Mom

Sunday Shopping: Sweat it out in fashionable workout wear that lets your skin breathe

Jan 082012

It’s time to jump in and work off all those holiday cookies. Even if you’re not chasing that elusive New Year’s resolution or trying to lose weight, this is a great time to start getting into shape, just in time for bikini and tank top season.

The way we’re joined at the fingertips to our computer keyboard, anyone could use a good sweat these days. Here are my picks of workout wear that’s not only stylish and comfortable but also keeps you cool when you perspire. I could really use one of these in my gym where the folks prefer to work out without the air-conditioning or the fan, go figure . Anyhoo, here goes.

Harlow Tank (with removable cups)

Marilyn Tank (with removable cups)

Straight Leg Capri

Short-Sleeve Alexis Hoodie

Grace V Tank (with removable cups)

This is a Zobha original. 10% of each Grace Tank sale goes to benefit Headstand, an organization that brings yoga to youth-at-risk.

Oh, by the way, did I mention you get to enjoy free shipping at the Zobha shop as often as you shop, no code required?

6 reasons to be excited and 1 not to be

Posted by Clairity 3 Responses »

Jan 052012

First, the good news. This morning, I looked out the window and all the stars were aligned in the dawn sky. Tis the perfect day to head to the gym with Raine. We worked our butts off (literally), came home, rolled up our sleeves and started baking.

Within an hour and a half, we had the first 4 reasons to be excited. We were done baking 2 loaves of wholemeal bread and 1 carrot cake, and making the batter for pumpkin pancakes. Easy-peasy, right?

Oh, a friend brought us practically half a fresh produce sectionful of seasonal fruits and veggies from his farm. What were we going to do with all those carrots?

But apparently the carrot power was just a little too much for my fingernail and IT BROKE!! *sobs* That’s the bad news.

I hate, hate, hate breaking my nails, grrr! I had to rush upstairs, remove my nail polish right away and cut all my other nails short to match. Bummer! On the brighter side, surely that must mean I’m now qualified for the handicap parking spot (Reason #5 maybe)?

They say that everything happens for a reason. So I’m thinking maybe, just maybe, breaking my nail might have something to do with my spanking new iPhone 4S. Since I got it last weekend, I’ve wasted a few hours of my life rekeying all my phone contacts from scratch.

In the process, I’ve noticed how my long nail was getting in the way because now I have to use my fingertip instead of my fingernail to type. Yup, I’m sure that’s how I weakened my nail causing it to break today. Oh well!! Sometimes you ask for an orange and life gives you an Apple *shrug*.

Incidentally, these incredibly clear food pix were taken with my new phone (Reason #6) which looks like the billion other iPhones out there that a billion of you already have. So I’m late to the party again, huh?

Rebooting that morning routine

Posted by Clairity 4 Responses »

Dec 132011

Since I took on my teaching gig, my gym time has suffered. a. lot. Initially I thought I’d still be able to squeeze in one or two mornings a week. Turns out that between my class schedule and Raine’s, and all my class prep work and her assignments, midterms and finals, there hasn’t even been time for me to cook a proper lunch some days.

That’s not to say we haven’t been eating though. Me and the girls have been baking up a storm. Baking is therapy for stress but bad news for the waistline, and ours have expanded as a result of gobbling cheesecake (so good, so good!), blueberry cream cheese muffins (not so much) and biscotti (so addictive it’s hard to stop at one).

I do need to get my butt out of this chair and to the gym because I’m starting to feel like a deflated helium balloon. It’s not so much the guilt of eating those goodies. Let’s be honest here, it’s the holidays, right? and how often do I even eat cookies and cake – hardly ever, right ? Yeah, but the truth is I hate feeling lazy and lethargic more.

The good news is I have just 2 more classes this week and I’m done, well, except for grading the finals! Which means I’ll have all the time to go back to my beloved routine of working out and not having to rush around with my wet washed hair afterwards. Even Tyson, our beagle, has been looking at me lately with a tilted head like, gosh Mom, what the heck is up with that crazy hair-do?!!

Fighting the flu

Posted by Clairity 9 Responses »

Sep 052011

So the story of our sniffles continues. It’s been a week of the 3 of us taking turns at trying to beat that pesky flu bug with Vitamin C’s, the occasional over-the-counter medication (when needed), lots of water, comfort food and just sleeping it off.

Gone are the days when we used to hurry the kids over to the family doc the moment we detected the slightest sniffs. Maybe they were seldom sick when they were little which made us even more paranoid whenever they did catch something.

You know, when you’ve been a mom for as long as I have, you end up becoming something of a Dr Quack. And at some point, Dr Quack decided she was liking those antibiotics less and less. So she took things upon herself and now…

… when I detect the slightest sniff, the kids know the next thing they’ll hear is ~~that broken record~~ my voice doing the Vitamin C rap! I betcha it’s not only my kids who hate this tune but the flu bugs hate it too. And then we wait for the ‘bugger’ to blow over on its own.

It’d be interesting to find out how you moms out there handle the flu bug when it comes around your household? Any comfort food you’d like to recommend, something other than chicken soup, that is?

Punishment by pebbles

Posted by Clairity 11 Responses »

Aug 182011

In the days of old, pirates made their prisoners walk the plank. Wonder if they ever thought to make them walk the pebbles instead.

This pebble path running through a small scenic garden is specially constructed to feature protruding pebbles. Looks harmless enough, right? But have you tried walking on the pebbles – barefoot?

Don’t be fooled by these innocent-looking pebbles. They are thin and sharp and they send bolts of pain shooting up through what doesn’t even feel like your feet after a while. Yup, they make you dance around in pain and make you wish you’d never stepped on them with your bare feet. Yikes!

My girls are always game to attempt this Walk of Pain. They think it’s fun waving their arms and going ouch, ouch, ouch all the way down the pebble path like it’s some kind of ancient war dance.

Me? Not so much. I rarely even make it a quarter way down and that’s all the punishment I can take. Give me Lady Gaga or Justin Beiber any time! (I never thought I’d actually say that but yeah.)

Apparently having the nerves of your bare feet stimulated in this way is good for blood circulation and health in general. I tend to look at this as some sort of medieval punishment even worse than walking the plank .

But that’s just me. Have you heard of, or tried this pebble walk or something similar?

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall

Posted by Clairity 3 Responses »

Jul 272011

Obviously I’m not known as a klutz for nothing. Guess what? Humpty Dumpty had a great fall at the gym. Well, it felt like a great big fall because my knees, elbows and palms were stinging out loud! I lost my focus for one split second and… splat!! Hahaha, who knows how I even do stuff like that!

Thank goodness there was only one other person (no cute hunks) in the gym at the time and she was happily chatting on her cell phone. Maybe she heard the da-poww as I went sprawling across the floor like a failed ballerina. Well, whatever !

I picked myself up, looked around and pretended like nothing happened. It was just hilarious, I tell ya! Raine and I sat there laughing. I was expecting some brilliant bruises today but surprisingly, there’s only just this one bruise on my right elbow. I took a picture of it but it’s a little embarrassing to post up .