By Sarah Lena

When @bodies put out the question if anyone had Vibrams Five Fingers, I couldn’t do my virtual arm-waving big enough.  MEEEE!  I DOOOO! AND I LUUUURVE THEM!!

After all of the tap-dancing, they agreed that maybe I was enthusiastic to do a review post.  And oh lawdy be, I fooled ‘em!  Enthusiasm?  Pshaw.  What I feel for my Vibram FiveFingers is downright LUST.

So, a little bit of background about my physical tendencies and needs.  I started running in 2009, but stopped in the winter of 2009 due to unbearable hip and knee pain.  Hip pain is a lovely remnant of pregnancy (kids! the gift that keep on giving!), and knee pain is just crappy knees.  I went to the local running store, had new orthotics, those didn’t help, blah blah blah.  Didn’t matter.  After every run, I was left incapacitated for a day or two, or at the very least, hobbling around like a hobbit.  Who hobbles.

I started getting curious about primal eating and that sort of lifestyle the middle of this year.  I had all but given up on running, and had decided that some of the “air cushioning” technology of the Reebok EasyTone was the best medicine my poor hip and knee would get.  Even if I did aerobics or stair-climbing, I would wear those bad boys.  And you know, in all honesty, the pain did subside quite a bit.

But the more I read about Primal, I read about CrossFit.  And the idea of going barefoot.

Well, before I had read much more, I was sold.  I am a hippie at heart, and barefoot by nature.  I HATE SHOES.  I am the person who takes her shoes off at work.  But the science behind it all — the idea that we’ve ruined our natural gaits with inserts and cushioning — really kind of made sense to me.

I found a local specialty store who carried them and I tried on a pair.  I’m not gonna lie; even for the barefoot enthusiast, it takes a little getting used to.  Your feet have to create “muscle memory” when it comes to sliding your toes in individual .. toes?.. and the feeling of having very little between you and the ground may be overwhelming to some.  I decided on a pair of the Women’s Sprint shoes in hot pink.  Because if you’re going to wear “different” shoes, might as well go whole-hog, amirite?

Yes, it was weird.  That’s what you came here to see, right?  It felt very weird for a day.

But after that?  It was totally second nature.

I wear my Vibrams ALL. THE. TIME.  Running in them is an out-of-body experience the first time; you’ll start to realize that cushioned running shoes ARE what’s throwing your body out of alignment.  You’ll have to relearn your natural gait and you’ll probably be sore in new places for a couple of days.  THAT’S the difference these shoes make.  I wear mine to work at least two or three days a week, and I can tell when I haven’t worn them in awhile.. that miserable pain in my hip will start to creep back in.  A day in my FiveFingers will fix it immediately.

Now: cold?  Rain?  Yes, I’ve worn my FiveFingers in both.  There are specially made wool socks (although any toe-sock will do and Target has tons of ‘em) that work with these shoes if you’re in a sub-zero climate.  However, I’ve worn mine out in 30-40 degree temps for workouts and haven’t had any problem with just my feet.  I’ve also worn them in the rain, and they’re great at wicking dry quickly.  (Your feet?  Will get wet.  Sorry.)

I’ve started CrossFit in the past month and love my Vibrams for that as well.  They give me crazy stability and grip that normal sneakers just don’t offer, as well as leave me “on the ground” so that my alignment stays natural.  They wash incredibly well and I just can’t gush enough about them.

They are kind of pricey – though about what you’d pay for decent running shoes, minus the constant inserts.  So in mind, it was a worthy expense.  Truth be told, if Santa brings me any spending money, I plan to go back and get a pair of the Classics in black. (For, you know, FORMAL events.)

Alright, that ends the show-and-tell portion of this presentation.  Any questions?

By Stacy

In my recent quest to Lose The Baby-Weight Yet Again, I found myself constantly searching for affordable and decent looking workout clothes to accommodate my still-a-work-in-progress body.

I didn’t want to splurge on anything as nice as Lululemon or Under Armour until I would be able to buy something in a size that would fit me for years to come, not the four months that I happen to be in a still-unhappy-about-it-double-digit-sized pants.  I stumbled onto Walmart’s line of Danskin Now ladies activewear. They come in all sizes from small to plus.

I ended up loving it so much that I wore the five dollar t-shirts everywhere.  The clothes were full coverage and shaped nice enough to wear to the carpool drop-off, go to the gym, run my errands and be back for pick up at the school. With boot-cut yoga pants and capri length leggings I can outfit myself for almost any weather condition

My local Wal-Mart is … how do I say it, … heavily patronized and shows a lot of wear.  It’s a busy store and it isn’t the cleanest.   So I buy online.

My grandmother always told me “don’t say cheap, say, INEXPENSIVE” … so that’s what I’m telling you.  Inexpensive, decent looking and well-wearing workout clothes that also cover enough that you can go pick up your kids after the gym …  from Wal-Mart.  Who knew?

Article by Jenn

5 months ago Jenn dragged herself kicking and screaming to the starting line of a 10k, which almost killed her to finish. Now she runs half marathons and has FUN doing it (and she’s training for a marathon too). Running and training has changed almost every aspect of her life.

When my runs started to get long enough to necessitate carrying my own water/food, I sort of panicked. A LOT. I mean, what do you eat when you’re running? HOW do you eat when you’re running? Won’t I choke? And won’t having a sloshy bottle of water on me drive me freaking crazy?

I tried carefully planning my routes around water fountains on our city’s bike path, and once my husband rode along with water too–but eventually I became hooked on running at 5 am and the unlit bike path, while strewn with water fountains, was no longer safe option.

When I finally broke down and bought a fuel belt (I find this term awfully silly, by the way) I went for the Triangle, by Nathan Sports. (Their products are carried all over the place–I found this one for $25.) This belt seemed pretty low-maintenance (I mean, have you SEEN those 4-bottle contraptions? SCARY.) and adjustable enough that I figured I could wear it on my hips and get it to fit snugly.

What I found is that this belt has to be worn high up on your waist like you’re a dorky fanny-packing tourist at DisneyWorld if you want it to stay put. My waist is definitely smaller than my hips, and the belt continually rode up to the small part of my waist, no matter how tight I cinched it. Once I gave in and tightened it to my waist, it was a little constricting. After wearing it once on a 16-miler where I ran out of water, I decided I might need to reconsider my irrational fear of the 4-bottle business before I worked up to my 20-milers.

Before my scheduled 18-miler I bought the Nathan Speed 4 which retails for $48, but I’m pretty sure you can find a deal on this if you look–I got mine for around $35. I chose this belt because the friend I ran my 16 with was wearing it and I happened to notice that not only did he have a whole lot more fluids than I did, but he had Powerade AND water–genius! This one comes in sizes because the closure is velcro–it’s adjustable to a certain degree, but not nearly as much as the triangle. If you can try it on before you buy, do. I bought it with the idea that I could wear it on my hips, but again, this one jumped up to my waist the first time I wore it too. (This could just be me, mind you.) I can wear it a little lower than the other though, and it’s definitely more comfortable. It also has a pocket at the back that’s big enough to hold my Blackberry, and a tiny pocket in the front that you could fit food in as well, though I don’t use this one.

I find it’s easiest to keep my food in my sports bra. I know this won’t work for everyone, but I’m really small on top, so I might as well make my sports bra good for something, right? It makes it easy to access, and then I’m not messing with pockets or compartments while I’m trying to keep moving. (Yes, I run the risk of being caught by a race photographer with my hand in my shirt, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take!) I’m not a gel kind of person–I find them gag-inducing and messy, but I have tried Luna Moon Chews, Sport Beans, and Clif Shot Bloks and liked them all.

Luna Moon Chews. Put simply, glorified fruit snacks. They come in a fruit snack-like package and flavors, and are about what you’d expect. They’re not my favorite, but something that I keep around.

Clif Shot Bloks. These are a gummy block-shaped product, as the name would suggest, but the packaging is what makes these better than the Luna Chews. They’re in a tube, so you can cut the end off and just bite down on the package to pull them out–no sticky fingers! I ultimately strayed from these because the blocks are a little larger and take a while to chew.

Sport Beans. I’m using these for my marathon. They’re just jelly beans, but come in little resealable packages (perfect for keeping them from spilling into your sports bra!) I like them best because they’re small and easy to chew.

Now that it’s cooler out, I don’t mess with my belt unless I’m doing a long run–I can get through up to 10 miles or so without water. I don’t wear it for races though–deep down I totally hate the stupid thing–but it’s still a necessity. Plenty of people DO wear them for races though, so figure out what you’re more comfotable with–do you want to have access to water whenever, or are you comfortable depending on aid stations? Nathan also makes an assortment of hand-held bottles and while I’ve never tried one of these, they can be a great option as well.

(Make sure to check out Jen’s article from last month on cold weather running gear!)

By Jennifer

Hello, lovely strangers! I bet you thought I’d fallen off the earth, or at the very worst into a tub of Rocky Road. I’ve just been insanely busy, of the sick-baby, busy-day-job variety. (You know, the IRRITATING variety.) But, hello! I’ve missed you.

I’m heading to NYC tomorrow for a quick work trip, and as I was packing my bag, I tossed in my running shoes as I hear NYC is slightly different from Dallas in that you can do this crazy little thing there — maybe you’ve heard of it? — walk! As I tossed them in, I thought I should share with you a little about these shoes. They’re easily the best shoes I’ve bought for any physical activity — running, walking, work-out DVDS/classes, weight-lifting, etc. — and if I love them as much as I do, perhaps you will, too!

When I researched running shoes earlier this year, I was pretty adamant about wanting a versatile pair that would allow me to lace them up for various types of exercise. The customer reviews and a few try-ons convinced me Asics Gel-Cumulus 11 seemed to be my best bet. I also needed just a little extra cushioning and a slightly higher arch than the average runner and this pair fits ridiculously well.

{Photo courtesy of Zappos.com}

I wear them when I exercise — not nearly as often as I should with that price tag! — but I also wear them when I walk around the neighborhood or when I’m out-and-about for a considerable amount of time — trip to the zoo, sightseeing in another city, hiking even.

I also love the color and look of the shoes, which is a nice bonus.

I can see Asics being my go-to running shoes for years to come, although I think this particular pair needs to be put to better use before I’ve worn them out enough for a re-buy!

Article by Jenn

5 months ago Jenn dragged herself kicking and screaming to the starting line of a 10k, which almost killed her to finish. Now she runs half marathons and has FUN doing it (and she’s training for a marathon too). Running and training has changed almost every aspect of her life.

I live in South Dakota, where November can mean highs in the upper 60s and lows in the I-can’t-see-out-my-window-because-it’s-blizzarding-BRRR! So when putting together my running wardrobe for the fall months, I looked for pieces that would transition well into the bitter cold we get here (we’re talking 30 below in January/February). I’m certainly no expert–I only started running in May (so this is my first winter of pounding the pavement) but I’m training for a marathon so I’ve spent LOTS of time out there figuring out what works and what doesn’t.

My first purchase this fall was a pair of all-season tights from Asics. The particular pair I found have been discountinued, but a comparable product would be the Under Armour AllSeasonGear Quickstep tight which retails for $59.99–a little on the spendy side. A cheaper alternative is the Under Armour HeatGear Tight–don’t let the name fool you–these are great for warmth, and unlike their ColdGear counterpart, will be ideal for days when it’s not freezing, but not warm either. They retail for $39.99.

My all-season tights have taken me comfortably from days that are sunny and 50 degrees to a race once that was 27 degrees and windy. If the idea of being clad in spandex from the waist down isn’t your deal, just put a pair of shorts on over them–I’ve seen plenty of people wear them both ways.

On top, I swear by this half-zip from Nike for $55. It IS admittedly a little pricey, but SO worth it. The inside of it has an alomst fleecy finish, but still manages to be that awesome moisture-wicking material so you don’t feel like you’re drowing in your own sweat on a long run. The sleeves are cut a little longer so they come down around your hands (or your gloves, if it’s cold) and they’re tight so they stay put. I’ve always found Nike to run on the smaller side of things, and this shirt is no exception–if you waver between two sizes, order the larger in this. The only con to this one is that because the sleeves are designed to stay put for warmth, they’re really too tight to hike up to your elbows if you get warm (like they pinch to a point of being kind of uncomfortable, I think, if you pull them up.) So reserve this one for days when you know you want your arms covered.

The Nike half-zip is great alone or with another layer under it too (I usually troll clearance racks for anything dri-fit or moisture-wicking) so start there–you can usually find long-sleeved shirts for around $20 if you catch a good sale. Beware UnderArmour compression HeatGear shirts though–they WILL ride up to the tiniest part of your waist and leave you exposed if you’re curvy at all. I bought one off a clearance rack once and have found I have to tuck it in to keep from looking like I’m only half-dressed out there. Also, in the long-sleeved variety, these suckers are TIGHT. Try it on before you buy, and get your arms moving to see how it feels.

The earband I wear is Mizuno, from their Breath Thermo line. This fabric claims to get warmer as it gets wet (with your sweat) and then wick it away. I’m not sure I’ve ever noticed the warmth factor, but the wicking is amazing. When I wear this, I’m never wiping sweat out of my eyes. It also stays in place very well too. I picked mine up for about $15 at a local running specialty store.

The gloves I wear are just a standard pair of Nike ones–I don’t think you can go wrong with any glove, really. I chose the ones I did for the terry-cloth snot wiping patch on the thumb (isn’t running SEXY?) which sounds gross, but comes in super handy when it’s cold, and is absorbent. Here’s a similar pair for $15.

I visited a specialty running store on the weekend: I’ve become serious about my chosen sport in recent weeks and have hit that hard-to-capture plane of total addiction. So far in March, I’ve logged 13 days of running and man, I feel good. So does my ass: after three years of Motherhood-induced pancake ass, my butt has experienced some serious lift.

Primarily, I’ve been running in the muddy, steep trails of the mountains near my home and I know I needed some new running shoes: the ones I have are designed for the pavement and I wanted to find some shoes that prevented slip on rocks and wet dirt. After modeling my gait for the earnest young running shoe salesman, I bought some new Asics trail runners (love them, by the way) and questioned the  him on the possibility of a distance calculator. When I run in the forest, I can only guage by time, and now that I’ve registered for a 10K road race in April, I want to know how far I’m going each day.

He said: pedometers aren’t very accurate, distance watches (with calories burned and distance guages) can be expensive. Had I heard of the Nike + Ipod product?

No, I hadn’t. I can’t believe I hadn’t.

Maybe you haven’t either, so I’ll explain. If you run with an iPod (and I can’t run without mine), you will be pleased to know that for thirty bucks, you can buy a device that synchs your iPod with your gait and tells you not only how far you’ve run, but what your average pace is and how many calories you’ve burned. All you have to do is slip an attachment to your iPod while you run, and stick a little oval device into your shoe.

I tested the contraption out yesterday – and holy hell, I am hooked. I turned my run mix on, started for the hills, and let the Natalie Imbruglia-sounding lady in my iPod tell me how far I’d gone, how much distance I had left to cover, and at the end, how many calories I burned. And she does it in a totally unobtrusive way, fading in and out to the music. Today, she informed me that I had 100 meters left and so I sprinted, hard, gasping for air and feeling abnormally wicked when I looked down at my iPod to see all those calories burned, that 5 km milestone reached with ease.

Optionally, I could synch my iPod after my run with the Nike Plus website, and compare my times to other local runners. Since I’m obsessively competitive, this works perfectly for me.

Additonally, I can track my progress: am I getting faster, burning more calories? What is my power song, the one that gets me up that last hill? What are the power songs of other runners, who are striding faster than me?

I can’t wait to run tomorrow, go harder and longer and improve my 5-minute kilometer time from today. This thing rocks my world.

By Katie

About a year and a half ago, my mom very kindly gifted me with a series of private lessons with a Pilates instructor. After five lessons, I’d landed myself in physical therapy.

This is not a dis on Pilates- I know people who LOVE it- but it threw my neck and back absolutely out of whack, and I spent close to six months in PT trying to cure the incessant, horrible, tingle-down-my-arm pain in my neck.

Things are (mercifully) better now, but that time in PT introduced me to what may be my favorite piece of workout equipment: my foam roller.

The foam roller serves many purposes. I started using it when my physical therapist recommended it to open up my chest muscles, which were super tight and were contributing to my neck pain. To do this exercise, lie with your back along the roller, then open your arms up to either side, and hang out like that for 5 minutes. My husband calls this the “crucifix pose,” and it’s absolutely amazing-feeling. I find it particularly useful after I’ve done an upper body workout, and after a long week spent hunched over my desk at work.

You can also position the roller perpendicular to your spine and roll yourself up and down across it, which gives you an excellent massage.

Since I bought one, I’ve learned that you can use the foam roller for more than just stretching and massaging- you can use it for exercise, too. For example, if you lie with the roller along your spine, both knees bent and feet flat on the floor, then lift one knee at a time to tabletop position (hip at 90 degree angle to abdomen, knee at 90 degree angle, so that shins are parallel to floor), trying not to wobble at all on the roller, you get a sweet ab workout. For an advanced version, keep both legs in tabletop position and dip one toe at a time down to touch the floor, then lift back up.

You can also position the roller under your hip, lie sideways on it, and use it to improve your range of motion as you do oblique crunches. (Note: ow. But good ow.)

In my day, I’ve dropped several hundred bucks on various pieces of home workout equipment, and the one that’s had the most staying power (besides maybe my yoga mat) has been the foam roller. Seriously, for 25 bucks, you’d be hard pressed to find a more versatile piece of equipment.

You know how they say that you should set weight loss goals and reward yourself with non-food items when you reach them? After I was reading about Linda’s Lululemon yoga pant love affair, I remembered my own long ago love affair with Prana.

Long, long ago, I used to work at REI, and because I worked in customer service, I saw (and bought) EVERYTHING that came through the store. I jumped on the Chaco sandal bandwagon early on (and I still adore those sandals and wear them all summer) and I also fell in love with Prana.

Not only does Prana make the softest, most comfortable pants, but their clothes have all kinds of pretty, swirly, zen-like designs on them. Look at any design on the Prana website and get a glimpse as to what my style is – I love pretty, swirly designs just like that.

The other thing you can feel good about is that Prana is a socially conscious company that uses and increasing amount of organic cotton, natural fibers and recycled materials in their products. There’s a section of their website detailing their causes – which include their own amazing Natural Power initiative, as well as a whole list of causes they support.

So. I’ll make some fitness goals and buy some Prana stuff – then I’ll feel healthy AND pretty AND environmentally virtuous. It’s a decent trifecta, don’t you think?

– article by Amber

I grew up running. I ran after school in elementary school, joined a track and field club by the age of 9, and spent most of my middle and high school years competing in the 400 and 800 meter sprints. I ended up quitting competitive racing, in grade 11, because of the pain and persistent injury and all-consuming all-outness of the sport, but it’s still what I fall back on. Nothing soothes me like a long, meandering run through sun-slanted forest leaves, past neat rows of houses and up leaf-covered trails. It’s just motivating myself to do it: while I’m immersed in it there’s no better feeling.

Running, for me, is the ultimate workout: if done everyday, you’re guaranteed to have lean legs, ripped arms, and a muscled stomach. And, the non-physical benefits are many: it’s free, and when you’re running hard there’s no room for worry, angst, or defeat. It’s just you, your beating heart, and the elements. And, of course, your running shoes.

When I ran competitive track, there was seemingly only one choice in running shoes: Nike Airs. Everyone on my team had them: they were thick, and loud, and painstakingly white and I donned them with glee.

But duuuude, they’re ugly. I don’t know what’s up with the white mesh and all the embellishments, but I now hate the way these shoes look. They’re semi-comfortable, but in adulthood I never felt my groove with them, and I started looking for alternatives.

RYKA makes athletic shoes geared for women: they claim to be narrower in the heel and wider in the forefoot to aid in your performance. I was given a pair to test-drive a year and a half ago and I have to say: they were way better than my Nike Airs. They disintegrated after a multitude of muddy trail runs, but I remember them with affection – and a little dismay for the mesh. Why all the white mesh, athletic shoe companies?

I went on the hunt for some semi-stylish shoes that could still perform – black ones maybe? I am 6 feet tall with size ten feet and the white just soaks up mud and makes my feet look like planks. How about these?

I bought these for just over a hundred bucks at the local Nike store – they’re men’s shoes, but the Very Smart Salesperson assured me my feet were big enough to be worn by them with pride. How excellent!  A purpose for my gigantor feet!  And I liked the green!  It wouldn’t clash with my grey Lululemons and they felt kind of…sprockety.

But by my third run, they chafed on my ankles and gave me blood blisters. Not cool.

And so I went shoe shopping and found these:

New Balance running shoes have kind of a cult following among serious runners and for good reason: I soar on these things, and they look as good as they feel. Wearing these, a long tank top, a comfy hoodie, and extra tall lululemons — I am set to jet. I am pretty sure I’ll buy this brand of running shoes for as long as my limbs can flail.

What are your favorite running shoes?

There are two problems with Lululemon, the first being they aren’t carried by many retailers, or via handy online stores like Amazon. (You can find some eBay stores that have their stuff, but ehh, I’m not a big eBay fan.) The second problem is that they are really expensive, like so expensive it makes you wonder if the pants actually come with someone else’s fantastic-looking ass, so your own ass can just chill out while the Stunt Ass does squats and stuff.

Lucky for me (?), there’s a Lululemon store right in my neighborhood mall, and I’ve paid them a visit on a few occasions now. Each time I come away with a sadly depleted wallet, but a brand new piece of workout gear that I love beyond all reason. The pants I own — particularly the Groovy Crop and Boogie Crop styles — really and truly transform my ass into Ass 2.0, a perkier, more firmly arranged version of itself. It may not be Jessica Biel’s ass, but it’s an improved view.

They are also very comfortable, and they’re good quality pants that aren’t going to sag or pill up or get stretched out of shape. They perform equally well during yoga, kickboxing, and sitting on the couch watching Mad Men.

The price is steep, but never underestimate the power of a great workout outfit. I find that the clothes I wear during exercise do influence my level of energy — if I’m wearing irritating, unflattering clothing, I’m going to have a sucky workout because I’m distracted by the ongoing effort of yoinking my pants out of my butt crack, or whatever. While if I’m wearing my Lululemons, I’m happier and more comfortable and I know my rear end doesn’t look half-bad while I’m in Downward Dog. Hey, the little things make a difference.

My cropped Lululemons are definitely my go-to workout clothes. I mean, not that they’re all I wear, ha ha haa ACK, but I feel nearly despondent when they’re in the wash and I have to dig out something else.

How about you? What are your very favorite workout clothes of all time?