Tuesday, September 25, 2018

{workout q&a}

I've clearly been sharing a LOT about my "workout journey" (ha why does that sound so silly?!) because I get a lot of the same questions via email and DM constantly! It makes me so excited that y'all are interested in these things because it's been a very new love for me. I was always very athletic in high school and college but then "adulthood" hit and... so did the weight gain! Oh well, life happens and NOW I'm doing something about it :) If you have any questions about my nutrition program shoot me an email. I'll be doing a post on that later!



Q: Where do you buy workout clothes?
My answer is probably going to surprise a lot of y’all! I would rather put my dollars towards classes versus workout gear so I love to buy it on a budget (not a surprise). My favorite leggings are Old Navy – they have the cutest styles and are amazing quality. They don’t get see through when you bend over, they’re high waisted and they don’t pill after going through the wash once. I have about three pairs with cool mesh details, some with little laces at ankles and cropped pairs for yoga too.
I also love Old navy’s workout tops; the mesh is so lightweight and the fit is a perfect combination of loose but cut to my body shape. They go on sale a lot so some I’ve been able to snag for $7 ;) Tons of cute colors and I’ve noticed some tie-back tops that are similar to LuluLemon!
My workout bras are almost always from Forever 21. I know – you’re thinking “huh, how long have those lasted you?” Y’all these bras work soooo well for me! They have a HUGE selection and you can even choose a style based on the amount of support you need. I like that they have bras that go farther down your rib cage. I love wearing those with high waisted leggings to get a “cool workout girl” look (that’s totally a thing, don't deny it). My biggest tip is to take out the pads when you wash them and toss them in the regular load – they tend to fold in half if you leave them inside and they’re easy to pop back in post dryer.


Q: What is your routine?
It’s hard to say I have a “routine” because my class schedule changes based on work. I used to be religious with my 305 classes and do Monday’s at 6:30pm and Wednesdays’ at 6:00am but life happens… I’ve learned to be flexible with my schedule and not get too addicted to one class or instructor (but I def have my favorites haha). My current routine is to workout at least 3-4 times a week (if I’m in DC for the weekend I always schedule a Saturday class too). As long as I schedule those classes a week in advance there’s no backing down. I like to mix it up so I try to do: weights at home, a 305 cardio class, a Blast DC HIIT class, and add in a Barre3 class for a week of workouts.
I will say that I never miss a Monday workout. Starting the week off on a healthy note really sets me on track for the week. Days that I don’t have classes scheduled I will try to squeeze in 30 minutes of toning. These are just quick 30 minute YouTube videos that I’ve saved over the years or that friends have sent to me. I’ve found that if I do cardio all the time I get burned out faster by the end of the week. So the YouTube workouts are yoga related or sets of arm/abs movements (gotta give my legs and knees a break).
I also try to walk home when the weather is nice – it’s about 1.5 miles for me so I pop on some music and just move my body. So crucial since I sit at a desk most days! I’m dreading the sun setting earlier because I don’t walk home when it’s dark out #safety.


Q: What’s your motivation?
If you’re new around here (hi!) you may not know this but I lost my father to cancer in January. It was a long 4 years of watching him deal with his diagnosis (stage 4 prostate cancer that spread to his bones and white blood cells) but the worst part was when his mobility dwindled. He went from a cane to a walker to not being able to move at all and I realized that I needed to be grateful for the ability to dance and run. I had the freedom to get out there and be active but I wasn’t taking care of my body. When I graduated college I was in great shape, could eat whatever I wanted, drink anything and have no hangover, and still stayed skinny. After working full time and going through a couple of personal things my body changed. I slowed down and lost a lot of muscle and began hating the way I looked – that’s a lot coming from someone who puts photos of herself on the internet! Yikes! I saw a photo of myself with my brother and sister at my dad’s service and didn’t recognize myself. That was my wake up moment. That photo is my motivation. Because I was in the lowest spot (mentally, emotionally, and physically) that I have ever been in and I made a promise to myself that night that things were going to change. For good.
Since then I’ve lost 16 lbs – but that number is shrinking :) because I’m gaining muscle!! Seeing the progress I’ve made and knowing that I’m taking care of myself... That is what motivates me nowadays. I feel better in my skin and my clothes fit like they’re supposed to. I still have parts of my body that I’m learning to love but I’m always going to be working on myself! It’s kind of fun knowing that I can change the way I feel by committing to myself.


Q: Favorite type of workout?
Y’all know I live for my ((305)) Fitness workouts! But I also love yoga, SoulCycle, barre [Barre3 specifically], and the Blast Life. Yoga and Barre are great for toning and stretching your muscles out more. I broke my tailbone in college so I tend to sit crooked and put more weight on one side of my booty – this puts a lot of pressure and pain on my lower back. Strengthening my lower back muscles is crucial for my body so that I don’t hurt myself even more. The Blast Life is similar to Orange Theory that everyone loves. It’s a combination of running intervals on a treadmill (which I loathe) and doing HIIT workouts – going back and forth between the treadmill and floor exercises helps me not die on a treadmill and it makes the class go by a lot faster!
Q: Do you like to run?
I have a love/hate relationship with running… I think if I was running in a more scenic area that it would be a great stress reliever. However, living in the city I get frustrated easily with slow walkers on the sidewalk – if I’m running this is only exasperated haha. If I’m on the beach I love to go for a run and take in my surroundings and explore! So basically, I don’t run ;)


Q: What is 305?
((305)) Fitness is the best thing that’s ever happened to me! It’s a dance class that combines choreography, HIIT [high intensity interval training], cardio, and strength training with a bit of hip hop at the end! There is an instructor, a live DJ, and lights (think colors and black lights changing with the music). It all kind of makes me feel like I’m in a music video. I danced my entire life growing up and stopped when I went to college (I wish there had been classes available!) There’s nothing more liberating than dancing while getting a great sweat in and twerking with your friends (yep – twerking). The DC studio has become my safe haven and happy place. I feel like a million bucks when I walk into that studio and begin moving across that dance floor. Nobody feels dumb, everyone is a dancing machine, and the instructors are so uplifting (hard to not feel awesome when you’re shaking your booty and the instructor yells “get it, Jenn! You go girl!”


Q:  How do you stay on track?
I always set my classes a week in advance – this way I know my social schedule and my work calendar so nothing interferes with each other. I haaate getting charged for missing a class so I like to be 100% positive I’m not setting myself up for failure. I feel better when I workout and stay active so that’s been a huge driver in staying consistent.
The best part about your own individual health journey is if you “fall off the wagon” it’s so easy to get back on!! Do I have weeks where I don’t workout at all? YES. Do I eat 3 donuts in one day? YES (they were apple cider donuts hot out of the oven so #duh). All you have to do is commit to something and you can do it (also - I never forget my motivation).

Q: Do you normally lift weights?
If you put me in a weight room alone I would have absolutely NO idea what to do.. I could do a couple of reps that I’ve learned from YouTube videos but that would last me about 10 minutes. I’m working on getting better but I really value an instructor and having someone tell me what to do! I constantly screenshot things I’ve found on the internet or Pinterest. My favorite toning exercise is to do planks and chair sits!





Those were all the questions I've been getting recently. If I missed something, or you have another question, please leave a comment or reach out! I'm still learning this #FitLife (lol) every day so having accountability from y'all is amazing - I'd love to be that for you too!

Love Always,

Friday, September 7, 2018

{home tour | apartment updates}

It's been awhile since I shared my Apartment Home Tour last year. This little white box has become a safe haven for me and I'm always finding ways to change it up or add new things to personalize it. My favorite addition is my new blanket ladder... you should've seen how I carried that home ha! I've gotten a lot of requests to share a new home tour on Instagram so I figured why not share some new photos! I'm always rearranging my bar cart and dresser in particular - they're the easiest things to rearrange besides my bookshelf haha. I've attempted to link everything for you but if I missed something leave a comment or send me a message (just click through all of the photos).



















Shop my outfit: Dress // Necklace // Hat



I love sharing these little updates with y'all so if you like them too please let me know!

Love Always,

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

{amazon fashion roundup}

I've been shopping on Amazon fashion a lot recently and I've been lucky to find some great pieces! I've shared them on IG and done a couple of posts on the blog but I thought I would round up everything in one place for y'all to shop. Don't forget that I have an Amazon Shop page where I share other great finds and deals: www.amazon.com/shop/jennrog! I've listed sizing and my review of each item that I've purchased but let me know if y'all have any more questions in the comments below. For starters I'm 5'-6" and typically wear a 2, 4, or 6 depending on the store. Happy shopping!



Yellow Dress $17, Medium // I wore this dress out for dinner and dancing in the Hamptons and it was absolutely perfect! Dressy enough for dinner and flirty enough for dancing ;) I'm wearing a medium but probably would've been a bit more comfortable with a large just because of the tie around my waist. It's a true wrap dress and dips deeply in the front - I'm not wearing a bra because of how low it goes! The length was perfect and even when the wind blew (as you can see in the photo) there was enough wrapped around fabric where I wasn't worried about flashing anyone! The material is textured so it doesn't wrinkle and if it gets wet you can't tell. It comes in other colors and this is one of my favorite purchases!

Coverup $15, Small/Medium // Oh my gosh if I could buy this in every color I would! It's so simple yet the pom-pom trim gives it a fun unique spin! The sides are loose with a stitch right at the waist so that the coverup is open and you get a breeze. I like how thick the fabric is that you can't see your bikini through it (but that could just be the color I chose). The fabric held up well when it got wet and only showed water marks if it dried after being at the beach. When I wore it to the pool and it got wet there I saw no discoloration and it dried like brand new!

Striped Dress $27, size 8 // A linen dress that's perfect for a summer night out with the girls. This dress is just as cute in person as it is in the photos! It has a linen feel to the material and zips up the back. The tie waist is just a mock so be sure to read the exact sizing online for your waist and height! I only wore pasties with this because it was more comfortable in the summer heat!

Maxi Dress $22, Small // Another dress I've worn multiple places! To the airport (perfect for flights because it covers your legs), out to dinner, and to a beach bar. The length hits just above the ground so I've never worn it with heels. The material is lightweight but because of the pattern it's not very see through. However, because the fabric is so thin it did rip along the seams after a couple of washes. I'll admit - I sewed it right back up and it was good to go!

Romper $19, X-Small // Finding an easy breezy romper that isn't see through at all (even with a bathing suit on) is a small miracle. I love the geometric pattern on this and how it almost looks like a dress at first. I normally wear a S/M and this fit perfectly with a little room - the material has a bit of stretch to it as well. It was perfect to wear as a coverup and I also wore it with wedges and a long necklace out with friends.

Romper $21, Medium // The back of this romper is even cuter than the pattern! It has an elastic waist and a bow that ties in the middle of your back. It wasn't sheer but I wore nude underwear and pasties just in case. It held up really well in the Florida humidity - didn't show any sweat! Because the material was thin I did notice the seams pulled a bit when I ate more (lol) but it still held up and didn't rip!

Straw Purse $30 // This is the BEST knock off I've seen of this designer purse. It's held up through all of my travels and really holds a lot! One of the best parts is that it zips closed across the top - the designer bag doesn't do that ;)

Romper $13, Medium // This adorable striped romper has been such an easy grab and go every weekend. The cotton doesn't wrinkle too badly and the length is pretty conservative. I feel like I could've gone with a small and it would've fit even better. I wore it two ways - on one shoulder and off both shoulders! The bow at the waist is removable so you can tie it at the front or back.

Maxi Dress $18, Small // I loved the bright colors in this dress and had to have it! The back dips low towards your waist and ties halter style around the neck. I was worried of it blowing open on the sides (just because of my chest size) so I belted it to change the style up. It hits right above my ankles so I think it would be fine with heels or wedges because it would show off the whole shoe. The material has a soft texture and came really wrinkled but steamed out easily with some care. Once I sat down I noticed that it didn't wrinkle as badly as when it arrived. If you're larger chested and my size/height I would still recommend you get a small - there was plenty of room in the top and the halter is adjustable!

Cotton Dress $15, Medium // Y'all went just as nuts over this dress as I did - and for good reason! It is so dang comfortable. I have never been one to like tight fitted dresses and this is probably the first of it's kind that I can't get enough of (I'm already thinking about getting another color AND a long sleeved version)! The gathered side is very forgiving and I love the split hem. Such a simple dress with so much wow factor to it! I wore it on the airplane and was so comfortable that I stayed in it all the way until dinner time :) It wasn't tight around my ribs or belly at all either!

Striped Tie Dress $20, Medium // I love cute preppy dresses and this striped number had me at hello! The bow is removable so if you order it be sure to find the tie in the bag! It has a nice longer length to it so it was perfect to wear all day and explore in. The fabric has a nice hand to it and it didn't wrinkle at all, didn't show sweat (I wore it in Key West too), and isn't see through. I absolutely adored the green color and having the little tie at the top gave it a fun, flirty feel! The back is all gathered with elastic along the top so it can stretch to fit any chest size.


Olive Dress $18, Small // Olive green is already one of my favorite colors to wear but pair it with tortoise buttons and I'm sold. I styled this dress for work (hence the heels and nice purse) and then wore it out to dinner with girlfriends. The little sleeve is the sweetest touch and I adore the ruffle along the bottom. It's definitely more of a boxy fit so the buttons help elongate the dress visually. It held up well throughout the entire day and I was comfortable sitting and walking in it to dinner!





Love Always,
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