Health Freak Christmas Guide

I'm not one to start my Christmas shopping early because I have a really hard time holding on to the gifts before Christmas. Just ask my mom, I'm pretty sure every year she gets her gifts a week early just because I cannot contain my excitement. I almost did the same thing with my 2 year old nephew this weekend. I took him to the Disney store and had to really hold myself back from buying him every little thing he asked for. Luckily I showed a little self control.

He tried to fit every stuffed animal in his arms. 

With Christmas right around the corner I'm sure some of you are wondering what you should get that friend of yours that is a health freak, gym rat, and yoga pants collector (hmm...that sounds like me). Well, you could walk around your local running store or Sports Authority all day trying to find the perfect gift, or you could just make life simple and pick from my list below.

I have a couple of the items below, but there also a lot of the items that I want to buy (hint: Kyle).Please note that I not paid by any of these brands to promote their items. This wish list was generated by me as a girl who loves workout products!

A Fitness Guru's Wish List
1. Athleta Odyssey Chatarunga Yoga Knickers
Kyle bought me these a couple months ago, and I am obsessed! I wear them for yoga, pilates, running, cleaning, grocery shopping, and pretty much every other activity that permits yoga pants. They are true to size, and relatively affordable for yoga pants. I own them in charcoal but I'm always open to other colors! A girl can never have too many pairs of yoga pants!

2. Women's Nightlife Essential Run Jacket II
For those of you who live in the Midwest, I'm sure you find yourself running in more darkness than day light. That is why this jacket is a perfect holiday purchase! If you buy the yellow one, you are bound to stick out in any crowd while running, so it's perfect for running safety! I personally, want the pink one, but that's just because it matches my running shoes! I have not tried this jacket yet, but from the reviews it seems to be breathable and "doesn't stick to sweaty arms." That's a big seller for me because I have one jacket that I love to wear running, but post runs I have to peel that sucker off.

3. Road ID
Another runner safety product. I bought one of these after hearing that my heart was enlarged and because you can never be too cautious as a runner. I have the Wrist ID Elite, and I love it. It fits similar to a watch, and you size it yourself.

4. Lululemon No Limits Tank
Now, this is one of the top things on my wish list. I love Lululemon's workout tops and I've seen a lot of women at the gym with this one. A lot of workout tops claim to have built in bras, but they don't offer a lot of support. This one appears to offer the same support as an actual sports bra, and I must admit it looks super cute! There's nothing better than looking good at the gym because it really boosts your confidence and improves your workout.

5. Yoga Towel
Somehow I have managed to do yoga for the past 5 years without one of these amazing towels. I always say that I need to pick one up, but somehow I manage to never do it. These towels are great for enhancing your yoga practice and ensuring you don't slip when doing arm balances and headstands. Check it out, and while you're buying it send one my way too!

I will share 5 more ideas with you in another post this week. Stay tuned!

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Month of Gratitude:
Today I am thankful to live in such a beautiful place. I am daily amazed at how much God has blessed me by letting me in live in the city of Chicago. I am so thankful that He has allowed me wake up every morning and look out my window at the lake and city. God is so good to me.

Listening To Your Body

As most people know, I hate taking days off from working out. For example, I often remember my coaches getting "upset" with me because after a 3 hour practice I would head to the gym for a lift or for a run. I was also the person who played through any injury including a stress fractured foot that I played on for 4 years! I know, terrible, but I refused to take a break.

Well, over the past 5 months, I’ve learned that I can’t “neglect” my body any more by simply not listening to it. For those of you who do not know, 5 months ago I learned that I had an enlarged heart (later diagnosed as Athlete's Heart). After countless tests and one procedure, I finally understood the most important lesson in fitness…listening to your body.  Aches and pains are your body’s ways of telling you to take a step back and treat them. Sometimes we need medical treatment, but other times we just need to give our body a little rest and relaxation (a word that has never existed in my vocabulary).

Don’t get me wrong, there are some aches and pains that you can work through. For example, soreness from working out is a good pain because transformations are happening, but constant fatigue is not healthy. I encourage you to get in touch with your body and listen to it. My favorite way to do this is through yoga.

Most amazing view for our yoga on the lake sessions

There are different types of yoga, so give each one a whirl and find your favorite. This summer I’ve found a love for Power Yoga. I won’t lie, Power Yoga can be tough, but it provides an amazing burn and helps tone up every part of your body. I also love to go to “Yoga on the Lake,” a Vinyasa yoga class right on Lake Michigan. The class allows me to really get in tune with my body and mind while enjoying God’s beautiful creation.

Here is my challenge to you this week, get out of your comfort zone and try a yoga class. Even, if you know you aren't flexible, use this challenge to get limber! If you don’t have the resources to go to a gym, you can easily find a class on YouTube. I also love myyogaonline.com. For $10 a month you get access to unlimited yoga videos that you can stream in the comfort of your own home. Get out there, and listen to your body and continue to “fuel strong.”