Although I am a big fan of cardio and HIIT workouts, I do know the importance of weight lifting. I was not a regular weight lifter until maybe a couple years ago. I now try to fit in a strength workout twice a week on top of my HIIT workout and cardio workouts. A lot of women are scared of weight lifting because they are afraid it will make them huge. THAT IS A MYTH!! Unless you are lifting huge amounts of weight with small reps or doing some sort of body building, that’s not going to happen. Weightlifting builds muscle and muscle helps you burn more calories and fat. Since I am a runner and want to work on my cardiovascular endurance, I do more reps with a lighter weight. I am not afraid to go up in weight!! If it is easy than I am not pushing myself hard enough which means I am not burning calories and toning muscle. You should feel a burn in each round. I have taken you through my cardio workout, my core workout, and my 30 minute HIIT workout; now let me introduce to you my strength workout provided with tutorial videos too!
Right now the Loft is having a MAJOR sale. All of their sale styles are an ADDITIONAL 60% off and a lot of their non-sale items are on sale as well. There are several sweaters that I found that are under $25 and some pants that are under $40. I love how they have regular, petite, and tall sizes in most of their clothes! I am wearing a size small in the sweater and a size 26 regular in the pants. I normally would get a tall size but they already sold out of this color. I would hurry up with this sale because I am not sure how much longer it will last! Don’t forget to enter a $750 Amazon gift card giveaway that I have partnered with a few bloggers below as well!!
Use the widget below to enter the giveaway. The more “tasks” you complete, the more entries you will receive. The giveaway is open internationally. The winner will be announced (on the widget only) up to 2 weeks after the giveaway has ended. It can take time to select, verify, and get in contact with the winner. If you have any questions about the giveaway process, feel free to e-mail moneycanbuylipstick@gmail.com.
What is word of the year? Don’t you ever tired of going through the same new years cycle each year? We all do it. We tell ourselves that we are going to resolve a specific thing, and about 2 weeks to maybe even a month in life gets too busy and that resolution gets pushed aside. According to Healthy Living, only about 8% of us actually keep our resolutions. (Source: Healthy Living) ) To the 92% of people who don’t keep up with their resolutions, I’m bringing a new perspective to the table.
Instead of setting up resolutions, I choose a word each year to focus on. In case my picture above didn’t give it away, my word this year is joy.I started this tradition three years ago in a bible study that I still meet with. I really like the reasoning behind choosing a word. We often don’t follow through with resolutions because it is the cause of a deeper root issue and that root issue usually boils down to a heart issue…a word. My words for the last three years were present, heart, hope, and this year my word is joy. I also back each word up with scripture and memorize that verse. I recite this verse during the ups, the downs, and the norms.
My Word This year I chose the word joy for various reasons. I can be a very happy person on the outside, but on the inside I am full of fear, worry, anxiety, and even bitterness. My pastor at my church recently did a 14ish week series on Gospel Joy and he nailed the definition of joy on the head. He said that joy is an enduring, non-circumstantial delight. Notice he did not say a current state or emotion or a feeling. We often, including myself, mix up the words happiness and joy. Success at work, a new pair of shoes, a stocked fridge, even a good workout can make us happy (temporarily) , but they will never be the source of everlasting joy. Eventually you will have a bad day at work, your shoes will wear down, your fridge will be empty (or stink with rotten leftovers), and you will feel like you have gained 25 pounds because you didn’t workout for a few days. These sources of “joy” are empty and they are nothing but garbage. I can’t think how many days I was in a bad mood because of one petty little thing didn’t go my way. This lifestyle is unstable and unsatisfying. The only source for pure satisfying joy is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I am excited to start this journey of focusing on where I am seeking my joy. I want to live each day NOT based on the events that have happened and are going to happen in my life, but instead I want my joy to be grounded in what Christ has done for ALL of us on the Cross. I want not only to have this satisfying joy for myself, but I want to see others experience this same joy too. Most importantly, I want to glorify God.
How liberating and freeing it is to know that you can choose joy each and every day? That’s a pretty sweet deal if you’d ask me. So I am going to end with this, what do you want your word to be this year? What do you have the most struggle with? Get rid of those hopeless resolutions and instead take on a whole new meaning to this next year.
What is HIIT? HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, is a training technique in which you give all-out, one hundred percent effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short, sometimes active, recovery periods. This type of training gets and keeps your heart rate up and burns more fat in less time. (Source: DailyBurn)
This workout suitable for ALL fitness levels and ages.To decrease the intensity either go down in weight or take the LOW options.To increase intensity increase the weight. It is very important to stay on time with the rests. The goal of this workout is to give it 100% effort during your moves followed by rest. Make sure you stay on time with your rests. If you rest too long or too short you will not get the proper workout. You are supposed to feel out of breath in this workout. What I do to keep track of time is to set my stopwatch on my phone and sit it next to me or to wear a stopwatch.
We all know it’s that time of year where it seems like every weekend (and sometimes weekday) we are eating Christmas cookies, some sort of casserole, or those darn Starbucks holiday drinks. On top of that we are trying to figure out a new routine with the cold temperatures and the sun going down at 5:00PM. On top of this, the last thing you want to do is to gain a few pounds. Anyone else have the struggle of finding the time to fit in a workout in this cold weather and busy schedule? I know I do.
I love partnering with local Indy businesses and I recently discovered The Girls in Greyboutique. What I love about The Girls in Grey is that the majority of their clothes come in neutral/simple colors with bold details. They are an online only boutique and are fairly new. They currently run everything through their Instagram: @thegirlsingrey. Although they do not have a site, you can purchase through their Instagram.
If you see something you love in a both, comment SOLD (and the size) to buy.
It’s that simple.
I recently bought this ruffle dress from their shop and I LOVE the length. I figured come January and February, I am going to be a little over the holiday colors and wanting to add more blush colors to my wardrobe. I loved pairing this dress with OTK boots. I am wearing a small. I would say to order down a size in the dress. To purchase the dress click HERE and type “SOLD + your size”. You can get 10% off your entire purchase with code: ASHLEY10!! AND everything ships FREE.
I could sit here and write a paragraph or two about how much I love Cyber Monday, but I am going to get straight to the point. I braved the crowds, tried on 50+ items, and walked miles on Black Friday in Chicago to show you my favorite items write now that are ON SALE. Even though I did not buy all of them (I am broke okay!), ALL of these items I have tried on and seen in person and all I would have bought if I had all the money in the world.ALL THE SALES BELOW!!
SALES with Discounts and Codes: Most end TONIGHT
Express : 50 % off entire purchase. No code required
Old Navy : 50% off Everything. No Exclusions . No code required
Nordstrom: Extra 20% off sale items. No code required
Sam Edelman: 30% off markdowns with code: CYBERSALE
Sale 1: Express Discount: Entire purchase 50% off. No code required Why: Their sweater game is STRONG right now. Not only are the fits PERFECT, every sweater and tee is super cozy and comes in a soft material. I loved all of the fun colors too.
Sale 2: Old Navy Discount: 50% off Everything. No Exclusions . No code required Why: They have ALL sizes (Regular, Tall, Plus,and Petite) It is pretty hard not to be happy with your purchase and the fit. They also have the BEST velvet looks right now.
Sale 3: Gap Discount: 50% off Everything with Code: CYBER
Why: Their products always have the best quality. These high-rise sneakers are my favorite right now and are only $35.
Sale 4: Madewell Discount: 25% off Entire Purchase. Use code: GOODMOOD Why: They never have sales and this is worth your while. Their jeans fit like a glove. They have regular, tall, and taller sizes. I have a pair of their skinny high-waisted jeans and they are worth the money. You can’t wear certain clothing items over and over again, but you can with jeans.
Sale 5: Boohoo Discount: 60% off Entire Purchase (excluding clearance). No code required Why: They again have ALL sizes (regular, plus, tall, and petite). They also have the types of clothes that you want to “test out” or take a fashion risk with, but without the heavy price tag. You can find dresses for under $20 and coats for under $40. Sizes run SMALL – I would order a size up.(except for large or “oversized” pieces like cardis, wide pants, or heavy coats) Use your best judgement or email me if you need advice! alaurenbell@gmail.com)
Sale 6: Pottery Barn Sale: Today Only Save up to 70% off. No code required Why: Pottery Barn is known for their higher prices, but they have some of the cutest Christmas decor and blankets that are on sale right now. I got a faux fur throw from them a year ago and I get more compliments on it than most decor in my house! I like the fur because it isn’t just a “holiday” decor item.
The top I am wearing is from 
