goldenpig

I am embarrassed to admit that I am a total couch potato. I haven't exercised at all in at least two or three years--didn't exercise at all during pregnancy or this past year because I have been too exhausted with the three kids including the baby. In fact I still have two pregnancy workout DVDs that are still in the cellophane packaging! I am finally slowly starting to emerge from the post-newborn haze 14 months later (though DS2 STILL wakes up at least twice a night!) and really want to start focusing on my own health and getting fit. DH has been motivated to exercise because he has been going on a diving trip alone each of the past three summers (I let him because I want him to be motivated to stay fit)--this year he is learning dry suit diving and going diving in Alaska. I don't have anything like that to motivate me, so I'm thinking of doing the Couch to 5K program and finding a 5K race to enter in this summer. Has anyone done this before? And has anyone tried running/jogging with kids? (Mine are 6, 4 and 1).

This morning I ran one mile on a trail near our house and it took me 18 minutes at a slow pace. It felt good to have some time all to myself and to do something good for myself. But I do realize I need some new gear. I was wearing sneakers that are over 15 years old, so I'm not sure they are the best for my feet. I do have some Zella pants and a jacket but not much for warm weather. Does anyone have any recommendations for running shoes (I'd mostly be running on the dirt trail and sometimes roads), jogging bra/underwear, and tops and shorts/pants? Any brands and/or specific items that hold up well? Also, what do you do to hold your keys/phone/water? It was a little awkward running with my hands full. Also, any recs for workout DVDs? Preferably short ones, 20-30 min max (I've used 30 Min Shred in the past).

I'm doing this to get fit, not to lose weight. I'm embarrassed to admit that I've gone back to my pre-baby weight without any exercise at all, just by nursing and being so busy at work that sometimes I don't even have time to eat breakfast or lunch (I know, I know, not healthy!). Also I have to avoid dairy, eggs, soy and shellfish because DS2 is allergic and I'm still nursing, so that cuts out a lot of sweets and food options automatically. I'm trying to cut down on sugar (which is not easy because I love candy!) and white carbs, but I have to avoid dairy, soy, eggs and shellfish because of DS2's allergies, so I can't go
on super restrictive diets like paleo or gluten free because there would be nothing left to eat! ;)

I'm a total newbie to regular exercise so I figured I'd post here to keep myself accountable to stick with it. Any advice and/or encouragement appreciated! Thanks! :)

PS I wasn't sure whether I should post this in Off Topic, but since I mainly want help with buying gear I picked Shopping!

PPS I couldn't resist adding some kid pics! More pics of the trail near our house. This is from a recent hike we took with the kids. Piggy and Llama D. Llama (DS1 came up with that name!) came along for the ride.

Here is the outfit I ended up with (pic 1-2) and am keeping the Tory Burch beetle blouse, pleated skirt, and dragonfly pumps.
http://goldenpig.lookfab.com/p.....onfly-girl
Here are the other Tory Burch items I had ordered, but I think I'm going to return these. Do you agree, or are there any I should keep? I thought you might be curious to see these items on me anyways, even if I end up returning them, to see what works and what doesn't.

I'm a little conflicted about the tee, which is cute, but I think it might be OD'ing on beetle since I'm already keeping the beetle blouse. The teal perforated leather skirt is gorgeous, but I feel like it's Just Too Much for work. I already have two other leather skirts for work, a black pencil skirt and a brown A line. Plus it's over $600 even on sale (the pleated one I kept is more like $130). The sweater is not really my style--maybe too sporty/preppy. The dress isn't so flattering on me and puckers at the top and is a little too bare for winter. And the necklace I found a more delicate dragonfly necklace from Alexis Bittar that is really pretty (pic 2) (DD loves it and already asked me if I could give her that necklace when she grows up!), so this Tory Burch pendant may be too statement-y and redundant. I did find another Tory Burch dragonfly pendant that is a little bit more subdued. Which of these two Tory Burch pendants would you keep, or should I just stick to the Alexis Bittar? (ETA: the AB comes in a pin version too!) I really like dragonflies, so I am OK with keeping multiples! It could be my leitmotif!
3-4. sweater
5. dragonfly pendant
6-9. teal perforated leather skirt
10-13. teal dress
14-17. beetle T shirt

18. Dragonfly pendant #2

19. Alexis Bittar dragonfly pin (I am tempted to keep this one as well, because it doesn't have a wiggly tail like the necklace, which I think is a little distracting), but I would get less use out of a pin than a necklace. The AB necklace and pin were on sale so I got a good price on them. The TB were not on sale but they end up all being around the same price.

You all know how much I love
1) statement accessories
2) whimsical animal prints
3) hypermatchy
Well here is the perfect storm! I really love Tory Burch and have been drooling over her Fall 2013 collection (I even did a homage outfit here). So I finally found this Tory Burch outfit on sale and copied the ENTIRE outfit from their catalog model (16-17). These items are all Tory Burch (except my Kate Spade clutch). Beetle print blouse and sweater and dragonfly necklace and pumps. Is this too over the top (or too schoolgirl twee) to wear to work? I could NOT resist these gorgeous blue calf hair and satin pumps with a gold dragonfly on the heel! They are like a work of art! I wish they were an inch or two shorter, but for their heel height they don't seem too bad comfort-wise (sturdy heel and Mary Jane strap). I've been searching for the perfect pair of blue pumps--could these be it? But since these 4 inch heels are only for office days, I also got a pair of teal snakeskin ballet flats for MOTG and on-call. Much more practical and comfortable but still matchy matchy! What do you think? Rip off the tags, or am I insane?

The blue snake shoes saga continues...
I tried some pointy kitten heels to replace my WHBM blue snake stilettos. But they were too pointy so I returned them. So then I ordered some Chie Miharas with a sturdier heel. But they are 3 inch heels and not the most comfortable to last all day on my feet. I'm still wearing them for office days like today, but wanted to get a pair of flats in a similar style for MOTG and busy hospital call days where I have to walk a lot. So I ordered a pair of Rachel Zoe blue snake flats on Rae's recommendation. The only strange thing is that there's this weird wrinkling on the instep and I'm not sure what's causing it. I also got it with the Jimmy Choos too but not as bad. Does this look too funny--should I return it and keep looking? It's not as noticeable from far away but it's definitely there. The shoe (7.5) is my normal shoe size, I don't think I can size down. Thanks in advance for your advice!

I went to return stuff at Nordstrom, and ended up spending almost as much at Gap, LOL! Everything was on sale in store for 30% off (I included prices I paid, in case that sways the decision). I am trying to round out my casual wardrobe. Please let me know what you think of these pieces--thanks in advance!
1-5. Gap camo Always Skinny jeans, $49. These are size 28 (size 6), which is up one size from my blue denim Always Skinny from pre-pregnancy. It's fairly snug, but I think it will loosen up as I wear it. It has three zippers on the front instead of pockets. They are cropped ankle length on me, but I'd mostly wear this with my high top wedge sneakers or booties anyways. If you don't like this one, Banana Republic makes another camo jean that I could try, but it's almost twice as much on the website ($90).
1-5. Ribbed circle-hem T in grey, $24. Hmm, guess this is looking a bit sloppy on me? The overhead lights are casting all kinds of shadows which makes it look worse. I wanted a grey sweatshirt-like top, but maybe this is too thin and loungey.
6-10. Textural raw-edge T, $19. This is a little thicker so it feels like it would work as a stand-alone top, but also thin enough to layer under jackets.
11-15. Blue camo shirtdress, $22. It's pretty baggy and shapeless on its own (15), but a belt creates more waist definition. This is a S, the XS was too tight around the arms. It's a bit short so I'd probably wear it with black capri leggings underneath for MOTG.
16-22. Denim moto jacket, $63. I am really loving this silhouette--now I own the Spiegel leather jacket, black Halogen knit moto, white Dorothy Perkins, and this one all in the draped moto style. Plus, I love the polka dot lining! I do have a cropped AE denim jacket, but that one is shorter and lighter in color.

Thanks a lot for helping me decide!

Here are two of Angie's picks--the Dolce Vita Giya red pointy loafers and the Dorothy Perkins white floral jacquard moto jacket. Let me know what you think of them and whether I should keep or return! Thanks so much! Bonus--DS2 and kitty Max decided to help me with the K/R shots.

1-3. Giya red loafers. Looking for a pair of bright red flats or low heels to match my purse. Not sure if these are too pointy and masculine too work for my style? Wondering if they're making my feet look long too (#3). They would mostly be worn with skirts and dresses...I think these shoes might go better with pants. I'm a little unsure on these and leaning toward return.

4. DS2 loves to teethe on Ms. Scarlet!
5. My current Stuart Weitzman red ballet flats--a little too burgundy to match well with the purse.
6-13. DP white moto. Size 6 which matches the bust/hip size on their chart. It's slightly snug around the waist when zipped up, but that's because I'm an apple (if I went by their waist size on the chart, I'd have to get a size 12!!!). I normally wear a size 4 in jackets and 6 in dresses if that helps. I'd mostly be wearing this unzipped. Kind of Spiegel-ish, but in white cloth! The sleeves are a little wrinkled from the package, didn't have a chance to steam them yet. #13 shows the closeup of the pattern. Leaning toward keeping if you think it looks good on me.

Thanks for your input!

I've been looking for a pair of bright red pumps to go with Ms. Scarlet. I really want these Kate Spades! Right up my style alley! But they're 3 1/2 inches! These are probably too high of a heel, right?
I also found these Cole Haans. #2 is 2 3/4 inch with a 1/2 inch platform. #3 is probably a more practical height  (2 inches) but I'm worried it will be too dark of a color. And they don't excite me like #1 (ooh, gold heel and studded buckle!), but they would probably be much more comfortable. And they're cheaper.
Should I go for any of these, or keep looking? Any other suggestions? I prefer closed toed, a strap is nice too.

Hello! Sorry I've been super busy the last week, but finally have a day off. I'd love to know what you think of these blue snakeskin pointy kitten heels. I've been looking for a replacement for my White House Black Market ink blue snakeskin Mary Jane pumps. They are just too high and too stiletto heeled to be comfortable to wear for a full day at work. I really love them, but I never wear them because I feel slightly unstable--I'm afraid I'll trip and twist my ankle as I'm rushing around at work and between office and hospital. But it's really hard to find blue snakeskin pumps with a lower heel! I found these after much online searching--what do you think? I won't go into where I got them or price just yet, but these have to be stellar for me to keep. They seem like they will be all-day work shoes based on how they feel at home. Just wondering if you think they're too pointy and will become dated? (I actually had two very similar suede extreme pointy kitten heels in black and brown from Banana Republic that I purged a few months ago because they were >15 yr old and worn, but now pointy is back in!) And is the color too light for the outfits I'm considering? I also see the slight wrinkling on the instep, but I don't think that's noticeable from far away. Thanks in advance for your advice!

Whoops. This is what happens when to me when I go return stuff...I end up getting more stuff! I told myself I was done shopping after NAS, but true casual tops (as opposed to work tops repurposed for MOTG) are a relative wardrobe hole for me. Here are four tops that came home with me...what do you think? K/R? I'm showing a couple different sizes for most of them--the first ones are the size I bought, but let me know if I picked wrong.

1-3. Pleione mixed media blouse size S in pink rose. It looks like a button down but is a pullover. The color is more raspberry sorbet, not fluorescent pink as the pictures make it seem. I forgot to take pics of the M, but it seemed like the small was baggy enough as it is.
4. Amber Sun blue striped T in size S. They didn't have a M in that color, but had a M in a different stripe color (5). I was worried the S looked too tight around the tummy and would have probably gone with the M, but the SA said the M was too baggy on me and bunching in the back of the arms, so I went with her advice.
6-7. Pleione scoop neck bird print blouse size XS. I honestly can't see much difference between the XS and the S (7-8), and I'm not even 100% sure that 7-8 is the S, LOL. The XS was slightly more fitted and the S a little more baggy, but not too different.
10-11. Bobeau jaguar print T size M. I went with the M because that seemed like a better length than the S (12).

Thanks for the advice!

Oh, I also exchanged two Vince Camuto tube skirts for a size up (the S was too clingy on my belly so I wanted to get the M), but the skirts are no longer on sale (I got them 2 for $79 but now they are $69 each). The SA let me exchange them for the sale price and even let me order three more at the sale price (I'm still dithering on patterns). They also never complain when I bring a bunch of my online purchases to return (if they're rolling their eyes, they're doing a good job of hiding it!). Yay for Nordie's customer service, they're the best!

I tried on the Spiegel leather jacket in size 4 in this unstyled K/R. I was pretty sure I was going to return, but several of you said you actually liked it on me, and after seeing it on others, the silhouette is kind of growing on me. So I thought I'd give it a second chance and try it styled to see what you think. Also I tried the Amber Sun ponte moto jacket but it was a bit tomboy for me. Rae suggested I try the Halogen knit moto jacket (1-6, 9-10) instead. What do you think? It's a lot more cropped and fitted through the waist and sleeves, which I prefer. I can wear it as a soft blazer at work, but also use it as a MOTG casual jacket. It's like a more stylish version of the REI black fleece jacket I used to wear a lot pre-YLF. I'm pretty sure I'm keeping the Halogen. but the question is whether I should also keep the Spiegel jacket (7-8, 11-12) too? Is that too redundant to have a knit and a leather jacket in the same style?
Thanks!
Natalie

ETA: I just realized that the knit jacket is Halogen, not Caslon! Whoops--I'll correct the post. Caslon makes a similar moto hoodie.