Today's Obsession: lululemon

I’ve written before about how a good workout outfit has the power to motivate like none other. When I’m wearing something stylish and supportive and comfortable, I’m so much better prepared to go for a jog or make my way to Back Bay Yoga for a hip hop yoga session.

Laura introduced me to lululemon, and their products are genuinely amazing. The fabric is sturdy, yet breathable and the colors are bright and inspiring. Everything within the company is about motivation; it’s about making exercise accessible and fun, and about setting goals for a healthy and inspired lifestyle. Unfortunately, their “inspired lifestyle” comes at a steep price. Last time I checked, 80 dollar yoga pants weren’t really penciled into my monthly costs.

But on an impromptu visit to the store with Laura, I saw these pants, which are both supportive and stylish, what with the ever-so-subtle peacock print. I can’t help but think about them on an extremely regular basis. They’re just so freaking pretty, a total ten.

It’s funny… the things that matter and that I want enough, I don’t worry about. I have this deep-seated comfort in knowing that I will eventually buy them. I want it for myself and they are quality purchases (I mean, lululemon clothes last 5 years). So it seems only natural that I do. And these pants will be mine, maybe not now, but in the near future. I've actually calculated that I can probably afford to buy one lulu article per month and slowly build up my lululemon attire. I just can’t help it, I’m obsessed.

lululemon Wonder Under Crop, $68

Column: Yoga an expensive but killer workout

News Staff Illustration/Will Macowski

By Marian Daniells, News Staff
Huntington News

I bought my first yoga mat when I was in high school, after my dad’s doctor suggested he attend yoga classes to help him relieve stress and relax. We probably went to three classes at the local YMCA before we lost our motivation completely, and I forgot about the mat.

Five years later, that same pink mat magically rose from the dead. It traveled 3,000 miles in my dad’s luggage at my request before it finally arrived in my hands in New York, where I was on co-op this past spring. I decided to give yoga another chance.

One of my best friends, Laura, had been blogging about Boston’s yoga scene for the entire semester I was in New York. I blog-stalked her as a way to keep up on her life and feel some sense of connection to the people I’d left behind in Boston. She made the Boston yoga community sound like the most wonderful, prestigious club. She described her physical and emotional transformation, the benefits of yoga and her obsessive love for lululemon, a store for yoga gear and clothing in the Prudential Center. I couldn’t help but find her enthusiasm contagious.

My first yoga adventure was trying Bikram yoga – which is commonly referred to as “hot yoga”–and is a whole different breed of crazy. It’s completely different than traditional types of yoga. In Bikram, yogis go through two breathing exercises and 26 postures during each 90 minute session. And it’s in a room that’s over 100 degrees. People who do Bikram seldom do traditional yoga and vice versa. Although Laura wasn’t a big fan of Bikram, I had to give it a try.

There’s really only one rule to Bikram yoga: you can’t leave the room. I, however, managed to break that sacred rule during my very first session. Sometime during the first half hour, I started seeing spots. Then I heard the telltale ringing in my ears, and knew I was in for a difficult next hour. Before the class was out, I vomited into a towel and came dangerously close to passing out. The instructor begrudgingly let me run out of the room to vomit properly in a toilet, but I did manage to return to the room and finish my session. I found some sort of sick pride in proving to myself that I could overcome my body’s limitations.

See the whole article here.

###

Today's Obsession: Living Luxe

I’ve been trying to be good lately about, well, everything. I’ve cleaned out my closet (mostly), eliminated clutter (mostly), and been on a health kick (as long as you don’t count the daily chocolate binge and ice cream for breakfast). But really…

The lovely Laura Max Nelson has also got me obsessing about yoga, which I’m not even that big on. But she has a blog that she keeps updated about the Boston yoga scene and I feel like I’m majorly missing out. After our Bahamas adventure (Eek!), when Tash has left the city (anti-eek!) and I have nothing to do, I am detoxing. I’m taking this ten thing and applying it to everything, including myself. I will be a ten. I will look good, feel good, and actually be good. And here’s how:

• For starters, I will already have a super awesome tan from the Bahamas; that’s enough to make any girl happier.
• I will become familiar with my running shoes. The weather has been gorgeous and I could really do with a Hudson river run every morning.
• I have these coupons for personal training sessions (my job pays me in coupons) and a week-long gym membership that I will use to strengthen my core.
• And I have another coupon for a week-long membership at a yoga studio, which I will use to calm myself down. My dad is bringing my yoga mat with him when he comes next week.
• I might even (gasp!) de-activate my Facebook for a week or two or a month.
• There’s also this detox flush cleanse diet that I’m intrigued by. I don’t really care about losing weight, but during the diet, you literally flush all your toxins (down the toilet). It’s part inspiring and part disgusting, which is why I’ll be doing it when Tash isn’t here anymore.

One of my favorite things about health kicks are the clothes. Having cute workout clothes is part of the equation, because when you look good (like a ten, maybe?), you actually want to work out. I love my crazy colored Nike goodies. “Just do it” is the worlds greatest mantra. But I also find these Bling Yoga Shorties from Victoria’s Secret just as inspiring. VS actually has a TON of yoga goodies, from pants to shirts that say “Live Luxe” to yoga underwear that goes undetected under all that butt-hugging spandex.

But really… These shorties are adorable. Good for hot, summer yoga or for running, and just teeny enough to be inspiring, as well. Because no one wants to wear short shorts when they don’t look good. Plus, they have rhinestones, and who can argue with that. Obsessed.

Victoria's Secret – Bling Yoga Shorties, $29

Today's Obsession: Yoga

Speaking of love... So there's this girl. And she is the epitome of klass (with a K). She's confident and beautiful and an incredible writer. She's also a journalist and has a recent obsession with photography. She loves traveling and is a romantic like yours truly. She's also my sister; it's a match made in Kappatastic heaven.

Laura is one of those people that I could lose touch with for years, run into her on the street and spend three hours talking. She inspires me and I look up to her so much. She just has this resiliency about her, this inner strength and you can tell she totally kicks ass. Anyway, a recent obsession of hers is yoga and she's been blogging about it. Apparently some people have the discipline to keep their blogs on a single focus (I fail).

Her blog is great though. It makes me want to do yoga again, I always loved how yoga offers an opportunity to stop and smell the roses. Or incense or whatever. It's a breather. And I love me some cardio, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy spending some Oms on this mat in one of the Hudson river parks. That's my zen place in the city, and if you close your eyes and place your hands over your ears, you can almost block out all the traffic noise. Obsessed.

Jade Harmony Environmentally Friendly Yoga Mat – Professional (I like it in Olive Green), $59

Today's Obsession: Canon

I've been obsessssedddd with trying to get into this class for summer 2 called Photo Basics for Non-majors and I've done everything that my conniving little mind can think of to make it happen... I've emailed professors and the art administrative assistants (and probably pissed a few people off along the way. But I have a habit of getting what I want. And not because I'm spoiled (I'm not.), but because my mom taught me exactly how to kick and fight and scream--metaphorically, of course. For more info on how to get what you want, check out this post.

When I was in Boston, I was hanging some of the most incredible people I know, misses Jordan Charlton and Laura Nelson. We were just relaxing and eating Jordan's wonderful creations and laughing at Sweethearts' new sayings (umm "Tweet me?" No thanks). Laura was playing with this awesome new camera that she bought for herself after taking a photojournalism class. And I got so envious. I'm not technosavvy by any means and I think a diaphragm is a muscle used for singing, but nonetheless I love photography.

I want to build a skill set before I head to Paris next fall so I can take some super awesome and memorable photos. Hence my obsession with the class and today's obsession with this camera. I know the $1000 price tag is (eek!) a little--how do you say?--unappealing? But a girl can dream. And I always do. It's so pretty!!! Obsessed.

Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS UD Standard Zoom Lens (whatever that means), $PRICELESS

For some super awesome photos courtesy of Laura Nelson, check out the rest of the post after the jump.