After years of having awful sleep from sleep apnea I hit a major low this summer – depression, no motivation, non stop snacking, moodiness, the whole nine yards.  I figured I had no other options than to get my body as healthy as I could just so I might not be so damned exhausted every minute of every day.

The thing that has REALLY made a difference for me lately is the bodybugg.

I got an incredible personal trainer and as part of the program got a bodybugg.  I have always had a very difficult time finding motivation to work out – don’t care how much money I spent, don’t care if I disappointed anyone, don’t respond to other people’s anger or whatnot.  Well, I have found my motivation and it comes on a computer screen.

The bodybugg records the calories I burn throughout the day, steps I take, minutes of physical activity (any time you are burning more than 3 calories a minute). I upload the info to a website, enter my own data about what I eat, and it shows me exactly how I am doing calorie and exercise-wise.  So, for me, motivation is a bar chart on a computer.  I never would have guessed it.  In the 6 weeks that I have been using it and working out with my trainer, I have lost almost 12 pounds of fat and gained 2 pounds of muscle. I’m stronger, leaner, feel better, have more energy and am constantly amazed at how my body is changing.  (The bodybugg program also helps you figure out a good diet for you, based on a questionaire, your body paramaters, etc. For example, I eat 1650 calories a day and burn 2150 calories a day, giving me a 500 calorie a day deficit.)

BEFORE:

AFTER:

– article by Heather D.

As most people know, in addition to your personal blog Whoorl, you run a popular website called Hair Thursday, where you help people find the hairstyle that’s best for them. Do you have any recommendations for dealing with hair during workouts, preferably without looking like ass?

Linda, if you don’t look like ass, then you can’t possibly be experiencing the full benefits of a workout.

Kidding. (Kind of.)

Personally, I have long hair with bangs that look absolutely heinous if I don’t keep them off my sweaty face. My personal plan of attack involves two accessories. A non-slip headband and ponytail holder.

Now, there are a lot of non-slip headbands out there – most being really skinny, but I’ve found those just don’t do the trick for thick hair. I use Goody StayPut headbands, which are thicker and don’t allow my bangs or any flyaways to get loose and hang in my face. I wear those around my head and then put the rest of my hair in a high ponytail with a ponytail holder, pulling the ends halfway through to keep all hair off my neck. (Hi there, I am an OCD FREAK about hair touching my neck while I work out.)

Then, when I’m finished with my workout, I pull my (sweaty, tangled) hair out and into a ponytail or a messy bun at the nape of my neck. For some reason, I find this looks a little more polished when leaving the gym.

This method works for most shoulder-length or longer hairstyles, but if you have shorter style (such as a chin-length bob), I would recommend headbands and/or bobby pins to keep hair out of the face, making small braids from the front layers of hair and pinning back, and don’t forget the trusty ball-cap. Not the most feminine option, but it sure gets the job done. (In fact, I still prefer wearing a baseball cap with my ponytail pulled through the back when I run. It keeps my hair completely out of my face, plus shades my eyes.)

Whenever I work out, my hair gets super sweaty and gross, so I definitely feel like I need to shampoo my hair every day. Is it true that’s bad for my hair? Should I try something different — like just rinsing it, or something?

Unfortunately, for some chemically-processed folks, washing your hair every day can be damaging.

Look, I’m not going to lie. If my hair is dripping in sweat after a workout, I’m going to wash it. Period. However, many of the lower-impact workouts that don’t cause as much sweat as, let’s say, a 5-mile run in 85% humidity, can allow you to just “freshen up” the hair, opposed to washing it.

Several dry shampoos and freshen-uppers (I’m now making up words. Awesome.) on the market would be perfect for those of you who don’t want to wash hair after every single workout. Jonathan Product Redo Freshen-Up Mist is a great option. It’s a cucumber/rose water mist that cleanses, refreshes and moisturizes without getting your hair wet. I can’t remember where I read this, but it’s basically Febreze for your head.

Some other great options for dry shampoos are Samy Dry Spray Shampoo and Kevin Murphy Fresh Hair Dry Cleaning Spray (both Lucky Magazine’s editors’ picks), as well as Ojon Rub Out Dry Cleanser and Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo.

Now, if you absolutely MUST wash your hair after every workout, I would suggest using a gentle cleanser such as Kiehl’s All Sport Everyday shampoo or my favorite drugstore brand, Infusium.

I’ve seen your Working Closet pictures, and you’re always so pulled together! What are some of your favorite workout clothes?

Well, thank you! (Also, might want to get those peepers checked.)

Man oh MAN, I conducted quite the search for running shorts last year on my blog. I was NOT blessed with skinny-mini legs, and wanted something that was short enough to keep me cool, but not like marathon-man-up-my-ass shorts. (You can read about my running gear obsession here.)

Long story short, my very favorite running shorts are Adidas Response Baggy Shorts, my favorite capris that I wear while Jillian Michaels KICKS MY ASS (yet, I still kind of want to makeout with her, but that’s a completely different blog post…) are Nike Perfect-Fit capris, and I also love all of Nike’s DriFit tees, tanks, and long-sleeved tees.

However, the verdict’s still out on the best sports bra and I would love to hear about your favorites!

These rubber resistance bands are awesome. You can hook the middle of the band under your feet (you’re basically standing on it, pulling or pushing against the tension) for all kinds of exercises, like shoulder raises, bicep curls, tricep extensions . . . pretty much anything you can do with a barbell. The band can also be used to hook one foot to the other for leg lifts, and best of all, there’s a canvas thingy that allows you to attach the band to a door for even more targeted exercises (lat pulldowns, tricep pulldowns, etc).

You can really get a hell of a strength workout, and it doesn’t take up any room in your house. Plus, it costs ten bucks. And you’ll save gas on gym trips. WIN.

Notes:
• A little booklet of exercises comes with the bands, to help you get started.
• I bought the medium resistance, which seems versatile and plenty challenging.

Link: Xertube Resistance Band on Amazon
Ballpark price: $15, on sale for $10