fitness tips


How to stick to your fitness routine

how to stay motivated with your fitness routine

Jogging outfit details: earrings / sports bra (sold out, also love this one) / tank top / lipstick / pants: Nike (sold out, also love this pair) /nail polish / socks / shoes: c/o Nike

Do you ever trouble staying motivated when it comes to your fitness routine? Do you need ideas about how to stick to your fitness routine? You are not alone! Sticking to a workout regime, and staying motivated, can be hard! I have had days when I would rather stay home, or do something else besides workout; but I have to overcome those thoughts and keep my workout schedule. It is not just your weight that you are trying to maintain with fitness, it is staying heart healthy; and healthy overall!

There are so many things which can get in the way of staying motivated to workout. Sometimes you feel tired, sometimes you are sore; these are not good excuses! When you are tired, a workout can invigorate you, and give you energy. How cool is that?! When you are sore, just workout a different set of muscles, or do a low impact workout such as a treadmill walk or yoga.

Set goals: The best way to stay on track with your workout is to find the triggers which motivate you! Are you trying to lose weight? Get a bikini body for summer? Stay at your current weight? Train for an event such as marathon, or swimming across the bay to Alcatraz? Whatever your motivation for staying fit, use it to motivate you!

Leave Reminders: It may sound cliché, but posting photos or notes with your fitness goals on the refrigerator door, front door, bathroom mirror, or closet door, will remind you of what you are working towards. I keep a pair of skinny jeans in plain sight in my closet to remind me of my weight goals. This keeps me motivated to wake up early on Saturdays and get to the gym. It also keeps me motivated to get out there during the week and run, swim, play tennis, or workout at the gym. My Mom leaves notes around her house to remind her of her fitness goals, and keep on track. Use what works to motivate you!

Reward System: The reward system is a great way to stay motivated to keep fit. For every pound you lose, why not reward yourself with something? Perhaps give yourself points towards a big purchase such as a handbag or piece of jewelry. If you want to lose ten pounds, give yourself a point per pound, when you reach ten pounds buy the prize! Or take a trip somewhere you have always wanted to go when you reach your goal weight. If you are trying to lose over thirty pounds, you can have millstone prizes for every ten pounds, and then a grand prize for the entire amount! Try not to reward yourself with sweet treats, this could throw off your calorie count, and set you back a few days.

Friendship Fitness:  Do you have a friend or relative with similar fitness goals? Why not go it together! You can easily stay motivated to workout when you have to meet your friend at a certain time. You don’t want to be a flake who no-shows for a workout! For shame! I have a friend I meet every Monday on the treadmill. We get in some cardio, ab work, and we enjoy talking to each other. The ninety minutes we workout flies by!

Take a class: If money is not an issue, sign up for a short-term personal training, or group workout class such as The Bay Club’s “Slim in Seven.” You will be in a class you paid dearly for, with a trainer who will push you to the limit, and you will meet other like-minded people who have similar fitness goals. Not only will you stay motivated, you will lose some weight, increase your fitness level, and make new friends! Fabulous!

Get Sporty: Do you like team sports? Do you like swimming, or tennis? If you already have the skills, join a team, and train your way to your fitness goals. If you have always wanted to learn a sport, then join a group lesson. You will have fun while exercising, meet new friends, and learn a fabulous new sport which you can eventually compete in, and stay fit for many years to come! I did this after having my second child. I took some tennis lessons, joined my club’s tennis team, made a ton of new friends, and had fun! It keeps you motivated because you don’t want to miss a class or lesson you already paid for, and when you join a team, you cannot let them down by not showing up; you will find yourself motivated, fit, and having a blast!

These are ways I stay motivated in order to help me stick to my fitness routine, and get my workouts in. What are some ways you stay motivated to stick to your routine?


Winter on Instagram

Winter on Instagram has been filled with the holidays, fitting in workouts, and trying to keep warm! If you already follow me on Instagram, you may have already seen these photos, if not, I wanted to give you a little peek into what I have been doing this winter season. If you are on Instagram, please feel free to join me. My handle is @BayAreaFashionista please send me an email or DM, or comment on this post for a follow back. Thank you for your support!

bodypump class set up

Weekend warrior! Since I am so busy with the kids during the week, it is difficult for me to get my workouts in! Every Saturday morning I wake up early and head to the gym. I start my day with a BodyPump class at 8am, and then I stick around for the Advanced Step class at 9am. Both classes are incredible and allow me to burn over 900 calories! If you have never tried BodyPump before, this is the time to check it out! Start off with light weights, and talk to the instructor about form. The class on its’ own burns over 300 calories, and it strengthens the entire body. I highly recommend fitting it in one day per week. Picturedhandbag / shoes

color of 2016 inspiration

Pantone’s color of 2016, Rose Quartz and Serenity, have inspired me this season! Blue is one of my favorite colors, so knowing there are several shades of blue in the top ten colors for spring 2016, and it is one of the colors of 2016, makes me feel like 2016 is my fashion year! My wallet may get a workout! Yikes!

I also happen to love shades of pink; I just don’t wear them nearly as much as blue. So, this photo captures a few pieces I have purchased lately which were inspired by the color palette of 2016. You can see my review of the handbag here, and the Lilac nail polish review here.

The furry backdrop is actually a fabulous jacket I picked up on sale. I plan to wear it next month during New York Fashion Week. It is faux furry fab! I can’t wait to share it with you! Pictured: handbag / nail polish / jacket

shopping at westgate san jose

This photo was taken before Christmas after finishing a little bit of Christmas shopping. My nine-year-old daughter took this picture with my iPhone. She is such a great little photographer!

I have been wearing this faux fur jacket all the time this winter! It is really soft and cozy. I feel like I am wrapped in luxury when I wear it. If you are looking for the perfect faux fur jacket this season, I highly recommend this one. It also comes in Ivory too; tempting! Pictured: jacket / handbag / jeans / blanket scarf / booties / earrings / sunglasses

snake and butterfly hot chocolate

One of my favorite places to warm up is Snake & Butterfly in Campbell. They make their own chocolate! I love their hot chocolate with whipped cream on top, and pairing it with gelato is delicious! It is a fun indulgence 🙂 Pictured: handbag / book

winter outfit view

On Instagram, it is always fun to share your #ootd. I love seeing what people are wearing on a day to day basis. These unstaged photos are a great peek into someone’s personal style. I try to post at least one a week! I wore this outfit to go to the DMV to renew my driver’s license. Pictured: booties (color sold out, also love this pair) / jeans / poncho / handbag / necklace

This is a small snapshot into what I have been posting on Instagram. I post a mixture of #ootd shots, peeks into blog posts, delicious food, inspiration, and more! You can find me at @BayAreaFashionsta

I hope to see you on Instagram!


Fitness gear for the new year

fitness gear for the new year

From left: white hoodie / purple leggings / purple tank / sports bra / duffle bag / running shoes / lavender tee / jacket / loose yoga pants

 I have always been a fitness buff, but for 2016, I am completely revamping my workout routine in order to lose fifteen pounds! In my quest for fitness success, I want to spice up my almost-all-black fitness wardrobe, and get some new fitness gear for the new year!

If you are heading to the gym for your new years resolution, you might be looking for new fitness gear in the new year too! I have a few basics I like to stick to, but for 2016, I would like to add some brighter colors, and less conservative styles to my fitness wardrobe.

The basics are simple. I cannot live with out a Nike sport bra. No other sports bra offers the support, and the comfort, Nike’s classic staple offers. If you have not found the perfect sports bra yet, I highly recommend this one!

I love capri leggings for spin classes, step classes, and cardio kick-boxing (BodyCombat) classes. They offer smooth range of motion, and are not too warm since they hit below the knee, and do not extend to the ankle. I attend a step class every Saturday morning. This year, I want to commit to getting myself down to the gym every Friday for BodyCombat and every Tuesday for Spin. They are all such great workouts for both the legs, and the core.

When it comes to yoga, I just don’t go. Not this year! As I age, I have found I need more recovery after working hard at the gym, and I also need to stretch more in order to stay injury free! So, as part of my new years resolution, I plan to add yoga into my schedule. I already do fifteen minutes of Pilates three times per week after working out, so I feel like I get enough Pilates on my own. My favorite type of Pilates is simple mat Pilates. It is a great way to strengthen the core, and stretch muscles you didn’t know you had!

I don’t like wearing tight clothing for yoga or Pilates, so the loose pants pictured above are perfect since they are not constricting, and they can easily be worn to run errands before or after a yoga class. Love that!

When it comes to shoes, I am a Nike girl! I have been wearing Nike since High School and swear by the brand. These shoes are my favorite running shoe style. I wear running shoes for running, or walking on the treadmill. For fitness classes, I prefer a cross trainer such as this pair, and for tennis I wear good old fashioned tennis shoes such as this pair.

I like a no-nonsense duffle bag for the gym. I don’t like using a designer tote, or an overly fussy bag. I feel like a gym bag should look athletic; not like it is pretending to be something else. This duffle bag is perfect; and very sporty looking! Love that!

What are your current fitness goals? Do you prefer classes, or do you workout on your own?

Fitness gear for the new year wish list: