Strut This

Moms love those little bundles of joy who bring so much happiness (and sleepless nights) to their lives, but their bodies just don’t feel the same after their arrival, even after they lose all their baby weight.

Feeling good about your body is important, so we've got a list of workouts moms love that will have them feeling great in no time! So if you’re a mom, have an active mom or know someone who is a mom...we’ve got them covered! And some of them even include their child so while they’re working out, they’re teaching healthy habits, too. Win-win!
Here is our list of 5 fun workouts that moms are guaranteed to love:

1. Yoga: There's no doubt about it. Being a mom can be stressful. That's why there's yoga. A Vinyasa yoga class can burn up to 600 calories in just one
hour. Yoga helps us find our center while strengthening and lengthening our muscles and increasing our flexibility. Get together with a group of friends and hit up the local yoga studio for a regular class. You'll get in a stress reliever and exercise in one outing.

2. Pilates: If you've tried yoga and enjoyed it, give pilates a chance. Pilates focuses on developing a strong core and increasing stability. Pilates, due to the focus required to correctly execute the poses, has been known to increase concentration in people's daily lives. At the intermediate level, an hour of pilates burns 480 calories.

3. Walking: The temperatures are finally warming up and if you are just getting back into exercise, try walking. Just have a baby or know someone who did? Use that amazing stroller that the office chipped in for just sitting in your closet. Why not put it to use and take your baby for a stroll around the block? The change of scenery will do you and baby good! A brisk walk, while pushing a stroller, will burn between 200 and 400 calories and you'll get some fresh air.

4. Jogging: Jogging, with or without a stroller, is a great way to get in some exercise while also getting outside. Crank up some music on your iPod and hit the pavement. You'll burn approximately 550 calories in the process!
Bonus: Combine 3 and 4 and do intervals! Run for 60 seconds, then walk for 60 seconds, then run, then walk. Set a goal time for running and walking that you want to reach! The intervals will keep your routine interesting.

5. Take a Hike! Hit the trails and take a hike. Go with friends, family or even bring your baby. Wearing your baby in a soft-structured or structured carrier, like the Onya Baby or Kelty backpack, lets you take baby on an adventure. The added weight of wearing your baby will increase your resistance and enhance your hike. Depending on the weight of your baby and the terrain, you could burn between 290 and 650 calories while hiking.
Working out doesn't have to mean hitting the elliptical to get your cardio. And becoming a mom doesn't mean never working out again. Taking your tot along for the ride means she'll learn some lifelong habits and you'll both be healthier for it! The nice thing about Strut-This is that it really is one size fits all. So moms, feel free to browse our entire line, and dress up your NEW workout!

Do you dread going to the gym? Does your aerobic instructor do the same routine with the same music? The problem you may be facing is more than just boredom. Repeating the same workout routines over and over is a definite way to STOP getting results. It’s in our nature to stick to things we're familiar with and good at. But when it comes to our workouts, mixing it up is the ONLY way to keep making progress and notice positive changes in your body!

A general rule to follow is to switch up your routine every 8 weeks. The good news is that it is SPRING! Which means that you can take your workout outside and enjoy the glorious weather. If you are consistently doing classes inside of a gym, take one day a week and go for a walk or jog in a neighborhood park. Make it fun and bring your pooch or your girlfriend to motivate you. Definitely download a new playlist for your workouts right now we are loving “I Don’t Care, I Love It” by Icona Pop, oh the start of an amazing spring playlist! Another simple change is to just switch up the timing of it all. Reorganize the days and times you take your fitness classes, maybe choose a different instructor, or push yourself to pick up the heavier dumbbell this week.

Another great way to pick up a boring workout routine is by changing your fitness gear and gadgets. There are countless running apps for your Iphone and android device, like Runkeeper that keep you motivated and working hard at the gym. Keeping track of your calories burned and creating team members is a fun way to stay hands on during your workout. Another addicting gadget to use is a heart rate monitor.  These are easy to get your hands on. Your local sporting goods store will definitely be able to accommodate you. And now you won’t be able to cheat through any workuts because you’ll see exactly how hard your heart is really working, and to see how many calories you burn during a workout. Talk about motivation, huh. The best thing to do is just go, get started, and GET SWEATY! Your body is not going to get bikini ready on its own!

Finally, something we can help you out with is with a cute, bright new fitness wear outfit to show off at the gym. DRESS UP YOUR WORKOUT with www.strut-this.com! Everyone knows that a new outfit is sometimes just the change you need to get yourself motivated and on the right track! And that is where we come in with our new summer collection you won’t be able to get enough of! XOXO

Are you the kind of person who works out to look good or looks good to work out? It's okay if you're a little bit of both.

Sure, we work out to look and feel our best, but sometimes looking good while we're working out matters, too. When you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good, your workouts are more effective and productive.

Take Saturday morning yoga for instance.

There's that cute guy who's always in the same class you're in. Word around the gym is he's single. It can't hurt to have your assets look great when you're bending and breathing and getting all blissed-out in the studio. Looking your best might just give you the confidence to finally say hi. Bonus if you ask him out for coffee. Double bonus if he says yes.

Then there's the group fitness class. Maybe it's core or cycle. Maybe it's just aerobics. But it's full of women you think might judge you. Our minds are our worst enemies sometimes, so give your mind one less thing to worry about and slide into your http://www.strut-this.com/shop/pants">Strut-This pants to give yourself a boost. Just so you know? They're totally not judging you! They might be totally jealous of your awesome attire, though.

But what if it's your after-work workout? You've had a long day and you're tired. There you are on the elliptical. The incline just increased again. You've got 20 minutes to go. You feel like giving up. And then, in one of the mirrors that are everywhere, you catch a glimpse of your derriere. It looks...awesome. You look awesome.

Suddenly, you feel a surge of motivation. 20 minutes? You've got this! You finish those last 20 minutes with a smile on your face and a rush of endorphins in your system.

Today, the elliptical! Tomorrow, the world!

Whatever the situation, http://www.strut-this.com/">Strut-This is there to make sure you look and feel your best!

GREEN JUICE: Just Say Yes.

It’s the newest craze…GREEN JUICE! More people do it than you know.  They juice at home.  They juice on the go.  They let their kids juice.  Juicing is clever, and sneaky, and a smart way to give your body the nutrients it needs.  Looking good while working out is our motto, however, it’s important to feel good too. That’s why people are juicing. So, why is it great,  and why aren't you doing it?

Most people who haven’t tried a “green juice” usually will turn their noses up or make a face when they see you drinking it…but just what is in that drink that is making it so popular? The answer is simple: whatever you want to put in there.

I started juicing recently, and it hit me like a mac truck!  I was putting all this great stuff into my juice, and you couldn't taste the things that maybe weren't always so great tasting. 

Some people will actually use a “Juicer”…this is a machine that actually extracts only the juice from the fruit or vegetable. We prefer the more blender types like Nutribullet or Vitamix. These are more a high-powered blenders that actually blend the pulp and skin into juice. (Much healthier, lower calories and carbs!)

So what do you need to know about juicing? 

The biggest thing to know is that you really can't mess it up. The worst thing that could happen is being out the cost of the fruit & veggies you used, and that you don't like the juice.  Things like apples will give your juice a brownish look as it sits, so if looks matter...you may want to skip the apples if you aren't going to be drinking right away, or add some green veggies to conceal the brownish color.

A common juice to sneak in your veggies is one with a great fruit base.  Pineapples, strawberries, kiwis and bananas are all a great way to cover the addition of kale, spinach and carrots!  Adding things like a pinch of fresh ginger, protein powder and flax seeds are also great ways to incorporate more antioxidants.

And for you, a morning juice is a great time to start with your daily vegetables, because it will help keep you going until lunch!  If you are juicing to diet or cleanse, many juicing diets are simply a base of things like lemon, watermelon, oranges, and pineapple (think light fruits!).  But if you're juicing just to add nutrients, heavier fruits and veggies will give you a filling feeling that will help keep your sugar levels even through the day!

We can help you look good by wearing strut-this, however, you have eat right and take care of the inside as well. Try Juicing.
 

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!  Boyfriend or not, we think it’s important to celebrate whatever you love in your life- even if it isn’t tall, dark and handsome!

Our biggest focus at Strut-This is loving yourself and there’s no better way to show yourself some love than with flirty, fashionable workout clothes!  Loving yourself means being fit and exercising so you can still love yourself after an enormous meal with your special someone or a pint of ice cream with your friends to celebrate (or at least get through!) the holiday.

Even if you’ve been slacking in the fitness department, that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge a little on V-Day!  In fact, some ‘guilty pleasures’ are actually good for you!  Here’s a list of some of our favorite guiltless pleasures to get you through the day:

1.     Chocolate- If you think of Valentine’s Day as National Chocolate Day, you’re not alone- or being unhealthy!  Dark chocolate is known to lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of stroke, and provide you with antioxidants.  A square or two of dark chocolate a day is recommended to maximize the benefits, so National Chocolate Day isn’t restricted to February 14th.  We recommend dark chocolate covered strawberries to get a serving of fruit, too!

2.     Trashy TV- Reality TV shows may not be the most educational, but they sure can provide us with some good laughs! After a long day at work, cuddling up on the couch and watching The Bachelor (our fave!) can be the perfect day to wind down your day and take your mind off of work.  And watching a bunch of crazies fighting over the same man can certainly make you feel better about whatever is happening, or not happening, in your love life. 

3.     Wine- Wine-o’s rejoice!  The buzz on red wine is that it can provide the body with antioxidants and healthy cholesterol.  Based on our own testing (which really just involves us pouring a glass), we found that wine can also relieve stress, something that seems to surround every holiday, big or small.  Cheers to that!

4.     Playing hooky (you didn’t hear it from us!) – Dreading the idea of having the only desk in the office without fresh flowers on it?   Studies show that taking a mental health day can relieve stress, lower blood pressure, and even boost creativity.  Staying home also means avoiding the cupcakes and cookies lying around the office- even better!

5.     Girl’s night out - Being single on Valentine’s Day no longer a bummer with events like Valentine’s Day pub crawls and happy hours for singles.  In fact, you should feel sorry for your ‘taken’ friends who have to sit over a mediocre prix-fixed dinner where a couple seated awkwardly close to your table gets engaged.  So go out with all your single ladies and make the most of this holiday, gossiping and flirting with men you, for once, know are really single!  Of course, if you’re in a relationship, don’t fret- we’re sure your dinner will be magical and said couple getting engaged will be you.    

So what do we at Strut-This love this Valentine’s Day?  YOU!  Our customers motivate us every single day to not only better our company, but better ourselves as well.  You are all beautiful, inspiring women and we love every single one of you! 

Happy New Year, everybody!  We love the idea of getting a fresh start with New Year resolutions after a month of cocktail parties and holiday cookies.  Before we “Strut” into 2013, however, we think it’s important to look back at everything accomplished over the last year!

2012 was quite the year for Strut-This!  We got our website up and running, branched into new clothing categories (our first jacket, The Lively, is already a huge hit!), snagged some big-name celebrity Strut-This fans, and moved our manufacturing from Brazil to our beloved Los Angeles!   Having done so much in one year, we can’t wait to see what 2013 holds for us- and for all of you!

Resolutions are a great way to jump-start your New Year and work at being your best you, but the lull in motivation around February when something (oh, say, LIFE!) gets in the way of your goal can lead to self-doubt and disappointment.  With weight loss being one of the most common resolutions year after year, we’ve come up with some healthy guidelines so you can stick with your resolution all year long- and be able to try out a new resolution next year!

• Don’t simply resolve to lose weight, or you’ll lose your mind! - Losing weight is an easy, go-to resolution for so many people each year (we have been guilty, five years in a row!), but weight loss alone can lead to unhealthy habits and unattainable expectations. Instead, resolve to doing an extra workout a week, taking the stairs at work, or bypassing the desert table for a bowl of berries.  Weight loss will be an added “plus” to your healthier lifestyle and will leave you not only looking great on the outside, but feeling great on the inside as well.

• Hold yourself accountable- First, jot down exactly how you plan to follow through with your resolution (we recommend sticky notes on the bathroom mirror so you can read over them while brushing your teeth). Then, tell your friends and family about your resolution- they may have some great ideas to help you along.  Knowing people are counting on you- and praising you- will make you more likely to stick to your resolution and will only make it that much more rewarding when you follow through! 

• Buddy up!- Make the same resolution with a group of friends and reach your goal together.  Jogging or taking a fitness class with friends will push you further and give you time to chat so your resolution enhances, rather than encroaches, on your social life!  And knowing that someone is counting on you to show up will make you less likely to hit the snooze button (at least more than once!).

• Take baby steps- Running an extra lap around the track may not seem like much at the time, but when done throughout an entire year, you’re chalking up tons of extra miles run!  It’s easy to be drastic with resolutions in an attempt to see their effects by bikini season, but for a long-term change, slow and steady wins the race!

• Give yourself incentives along the way- Buy yourself one or two new Strut-This workout outfits to initially get you motivated, but continue treating yourself as you progress.  Set mini-goals, like being able to do 10 push-ups, and reward yourself once you reach those goals with something fitness-related (not ice-cream or you’ll undo all your hard work!) to push you further.  Set aside the money, or give it to someone to hold onto if you don’t trust yourself, for the rewards at the beginning and don’t touch it until you complete your goals!

• Make new resolutions throughout the year- Sticking to a diet or workout change for more than a week can seem nearly impossible, so sticking to something for an entire year?  Forget about it!  Instead of making a few resolutions at the beginning of the year, make them periodically throughout the year and adjust them based on your schedule or the weather- especially if you don’t have California’s 70-degree climate year-round!

No matter what your resolutions are or how long you stick with them, some effort is better than no effort!  At Strut-This, we love empowering women to be their best selves by keeping them stylish and self-confident and cannot wait to see what 2013 holds for us!  Keep Struttin’!