Holiday Gift Guide - For the Fitness Enthusiast

Have a friend or family member that is always heading to the gym, going for a run or trying the latest workout? Get them some new gear! Personally, I'm giving this list to my family for christmas!

1. Dona Jo Leggings  2. Fitbit Flex Bands  3. Sweaty Betty Snowflake Top  4. S'Well Water Bottle  5. Nike Flyknit Zoom  6. Vegeta weighted jump rope  7. FITT Gear Running Belt  8. Lululemon Free to be *Wild Sports Bra  9. Lorna Jane Night Runner Active Jacket  10. Nathan Handheld Water Bottle

Need a few more suggestions? Here are some of my favorite brands for workout gear!

Gift Guide 2014 - The Fitness Guru

It's that time of year again! Whether you are shopping for a long list of people, or just picking up something for yourself, it's always nice to have some help. Pop by WITC this week and next for gift guides for everyone on your list. Today, we shop for the fitness guru in our lives. 

1. BLUETTEK - Bluetooth Sport Earbuds - I was always getting tangled up in my headphones, until I switched to these bluetooth, wireless headphone. Such a brilliant invention! Perfect for the runner on your gift list.

2. SPRI - Kettlebells - I have been all about kettlebell workouts this year. Getting a few sizes for a gift will allow you to get fit at home! Not sure how to use kettlebells? Check out this fun, 20 minute kettlebell boot camp on youtube.

3. Sweaty Betty - Chandrasana Yoga Leggings - The floral print of these leggings is so beautiful! I want to wear them all the time. These leggings are completely opaque (as long as you buy the right size) and are perfect for yoga, lifting, lounging, everything!

4. SEPHORA - Ribbon Hair Ties - I have been growing my hair out for almost two years now (who didn't have a Jennifer Lawrence shag in 2012? BTW, I had mine first!). It's finally long enough to hit my shoulders, which means it's getting in the way of my workouts! I love these ribbon hair ties because they are gentle on my locks and come in such pretty colors!

5 - SEPHORA - Alterna Dry Shampoo - I'm a huge fan of dry shampoo after a quick workout session. These Alterna shampoos come in a bunch of amazing scents. Grab the sample size for a stocking stuffer!

6. Fitbit - Flex - I have had my fitbit for just about a year now and I'm completely obsessed. I use the app on my iPhone to track my steps, water, exercise and calories. It's definitely been a lifesaver since I started a desk job.

7. Brooks - Ravenna 5 - Every runner likes to find new sneakers until the tree. I'm sure I'm not the only one that likes to get the most obnoxiously colored sneaks. I'm loving these purple ones, but these ombre ones are also amazing!

8. Lululemon - Mantra Tote - I certainly don't need another gym tote. But...  I totally want this one. Look how shiny it is! The inside is so cute too. I could definitely use this for travel.

9. Women's Health - Magazine Subscription - Of all the fitness magazines out there, I like WH the best. There is a great combination of fitness tips and new workouts, fitness and real life fashion, and tasty meals and snacks. Plus, a subscription is the gift that just keeps giving all year!

10. Camelbak - Eddy Glass .7-Liter Water Bottle - If your friends and family haven't yet switched from plastic water bottles to glass or metal, now is this time! Plastic bottles not only are made of questionable materials, they are bad for the planet! Switching to an inert bottle, like glass or metal, will keep your water tasting fresh and make the planet a little happier.

Wilde Review - My Fitbit Flex!

As most of you know, I started a new job about six months ago. It's completely different from my last job, where I worked in a chemistry lab all day. I was on my feet for about six or seven hours each day, going from my lab to the instrumentation lab to the microwave lab. There was a lot of moving around.  This new job has been mostly desk based so far. There has been lots of presentations to create, new molecules to design and papers to read. Overall, I'm a lot less active than I was at my old job.

This is why I bought myself a Fitbit Flex. You may have noticed it in many of my recent outfit of the day posts. Do you notice how fashionable it is and how it goes with everything? No. It's not really that cute, but it keeps me honest. How does it work? So simple.

First, you can wear the fitbit all the time. Seriously, it's water resistant and you can wear it in the shower. I usually take the morning shower to charge my Fitbit, since I'm not taking laps around the tub and racking up the steps.

Well, actually first thing in the morning, Fitbit wakes me up. Using the app on my phone, I can set an alarm for each individual day of the week, weekdays only or weekends. It quietly buzzes and wakes only me up. No need to rouse the other person in the bed. (I just wrote "the other people in the bed" and thought that might sound very strange. There aren't a whole ton of people sleeping in my bedroom)

The alarm buzzes me awake and I head to the shower. I pop the Fitbit into its charging station and get ready for the day. Before I head out to the train, I snap on the bracelet and Fitbit tracks my movements all day. I have goals set in my Fitbit app on my iPhone, including steps, active minutes and miles per day. The Fitbit will also track my sleeping habits! It lets me know how often I toss and turn through the night and how much productive sleep I get.

I'll check my Fitbit through the day to see my progress. If I'm short on steps through the day, I'll be sure to take an afternoon walk or maybe hit the ladies room on the other side of the building. Not only does the app track my activities, it also includes a food log! It's very easy to track calories and my eating habits. I love this little accessory and how it's been keeping me healthy in my new job!

The only thing that I wish the Fitbit had a Get Moving reminder. The Flex can easily tell if I haven't moved from my desk. If it could remind me to stand up and walk around occasionally, I would love it even more.

Disclaimer - This is not a sponsored post, I just wanted to share the Fitbit Flex with you! It's so much fun and totally helps keep you honest.

What I did on my Unemployed Vacation

Today is the last day of my unemployment. Tomorrow I rejoin the ranks of gainfully employed! It's been almost seven months to the day since my former company closed and let us all go. In those seven months I've been very busy, I...

rode a camel through the Moroccan desert...

climbed the Atlas mountains...



hiked the Grand Canyon...

became familiar with the streets of Soho...

ran my second Spartan race...

started a new blog...

visited Mickey Mouse...

relaxed among palm trees...

I had a wonderful unemployed summer and my new job has come with perfect timing. The weather is getting colder and the days shorter, it's time to get back to work.


Linking up with...

Walking in Memphis in High Heels