Top: Athleta (similar here) | Leggings: Lululemon via Bay Club | Shoes: Nike
I'm not shy about sharing life moments over here. From breakups to lay offs, I've been pretty candid about things. One thing I've been getting more and more used to sharing is about my fitness journey. And to be honest, I kind of hate calling it a "journey." The phrase is a little tired, but I couldn't really find a better word. I'm looking at Thesaurus right now and I'm seeing "adventure" so I'll opt for that.
I've always been fairly active as I felt a sort of obligation to workout, exercise, and stay "healthy." Over the past year or so, I've changed my outlook on health quite a bit. I started to fall in love with being active. And when I say active, this means quite a few things (to me). From walking to work to opting out of a Lyft and actually carrying groceries home, I have shifted my perception on what being "active" truly is.
By nature, I'm pretty curious. It's evident through my Weekend Snapshots that I love exploring. And along with life in San Francisco, I've so loved exploring different types of fitness in the city. I've written about it before, but my love of yoga came at the perfect time. Over the past year, I began to notice how I craved balance. I also realized that I had a really, really hard time turing my mind off and how much of a toll that took on my well-being.
I took a few yoga classes before, but never really felt a true connection to the practice. However, within the past few months, I feel like I can't get enough. And like I mentioned above, yoga has helped me in all aspects of my life – motivation (6:30 a.m. classes), determination (I'm going to conquer crow pose!!), mindfulness (how to breathe properly), and everything in between.
Even more so, yoga has helped me with body confidence, If you asked me a year ago if I'd ever do a photoshoot in a sports bra or swimsuit, I'd laugh. Before, I felt uncomfortable in my own skin and while I still have the occasional day where I get down on myself, I'm so freakin' proud to rock a sports bra, midriff showing in a yoga class or rockin' a bathing suit and doing a photoshoot (more to come on that!!). I also found that what you wear in class can have a total impact on your mood and performance. I'm obsessed with these leggings I picked up at Bay Club that provide just enough coverage and support. I paired it with a movement bralette from Athleta that has awesome ventilation and looks stylish so I can kick ass ass in the studio on the regular.
Cheers!
Photography via Julia O Test