prAna Cozy Gear is Everything

You guys know how much I love prAna. They make clothing of excellent quality, they practice corporate responsibility, and they have a lot of great clothes made from sustainably sourced and recycled materials.

I have been living in their Cardiff collection. I was gifted the Cozy Up Zip Up Jacket, Cozy Up Pant, Cozy Up Sweatshirt, and Cozy Up T-Shirt. Let me tell ya: They live up to their names!

Barre at CYCLED!

You may already know this, but I love CYCLED! It's been a while since I've been back to the studio, but I was so glad to be back!

I finally got to take a barre class at the Takoma Park studio, and it kicked my butt! Shayla, the owner of Cycled, taught the class and took us through a tough workout - all while smiling and keeping everyone motivated.

Everything Burns: 10-Minute Workout

This is a new section on Flecks of Lex where I share workouts that target major muscle groups, and that can be done quickly with little to no equipment. I don't know about you, but sometimes I don't have enough time in between activities (be they work events, family functions, or volleyball games) to get a 30-minute workout in, but I have enough time to pump out a few exercises that will leave me feeling satisfied and slightly sore.

Tabata Treadmill Workout

Last month, I completed my first Tabata workout on the treadmill, courtesy of Carrots 'n Cake.  It was challenging, but fun. I made some modifications based on my fitness level, but overall, it was a wonderful workout.

PULSE House of Fitness Review

I had an awesome time at Pulse House of Fitness last weekend! Everyone who works at the studio was so nice and welcoming, plus I got in a great workout. The studio was clean, I liked the vibe in the place, and I am definitely planning a return trip to Pulse!

When I walked in, they showed me to my locker in the hallway. Everyone gets assigned a locker with the letter A or B, which they use when they have back-to-back classes. It allows people to get in and out more easily, and I think it's a brilliant idea! After dropping my belongings in a locker (and yes, they have built-in phone chargers), I got to go into the room where the magic happens: the studio! They set me up on the versa climber and explained how to use it, which was great for me since I had never used one before! (They don't currently have one at my gym, so I don't think I've ever even stood next to one before last Saturday!) I've taken some classes where they don't ever show you how to use their equipment properly, and I think that's just a recipe for injury! Fortunately, that was not the case at Pulse.

Help End Period Poverty with U By Kotex and Walmart

This post is sponsored by U by Kotex but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

I was talking to a friend the other day about having an emergency stash of tampons. I try to keep one in every place where I might be at any given time, including my gym bag, my volleyball bag, my car, my desk drawer at work, my purse, and God knows where else. I find that you never really know when you’re going to need one in a pinch, or when you might have to help another woman out. Secret stashes FTW (and for the sisterhood!).

But then I got to thinking about something I’ve talked about on here recently: Period poverty. What if you can’t afford to have a secret stash? What if you can’t afford to have a regular stash? I think about what women have to endure in extreme poverty, homelessness, and even incarceration, and I can’t fathom how they get through a menstrual cycle with limited resources. And what if they have especially heavy or irregular periods? It’s heartbreaking.

My Friend Wrote a Book

So, this is cool: My friend wrote a book! My BlogFest friend and fellow Sweat Pink Ambassador Lyn Lindbergh wrote a book, Couch to Active. This is such a neat book! It provides a roadmap to becoming active if you've been living a sedentary lifestyle, but it also provides insight into how to achieve your fitness goals in a practical, attainable way. It has an 8-week plan woven throughout the book and some really great advice that works for people all over the fitness spectrum. The tagline for the book is, "The missing link that takes you from sedentary to active," and I think that's pretty accurate. Couch to Active is a great book for those looking to take their "one day" into "day one."