Fit Fashion Friday: If it doesn't fit, don't wear it.

Your too much booty shorts and your extra tight "muscle shirt" need to be gone.

Buying, having and wearing clothes that don't FIT is a no-no. When something is too small, too big, or too anything with the clothes you put on your body, it is virtually impossible for you to feel Too fit. This applies to dressing for anything, period. 

Even more so though, when dressing for anything active. You know my philosophy on looking and feeling great when you work out; it inspires an addicting confidence for doing something amazing yourself, and theres nothing better than that. However, figuring out how to maximize this can be a bit tricky.

Most of us just don't know any better regarding the benefit of proper fitting workout clothes! It's difficult to find the balance between the look factor and the comfort and utility function. 

For Gals - there is that super cute sports bra, but as good as it looks is as effective it isn't for sports bra duties (support.) AND theres those super cute spandex shorty shorts that look PERFECT, just don't move (at all) or your giving some unworthy gym go-ers a show.

Guys Too - can have issues with this, I think they just pay attention to it less. The battle between a muscle shirt and merely a second layer of skin seems to be pretty prevalent. I don't care how stretchy what looks to be your girl friends t-shirt is, theres no way that is comfortable. Additionally, the shorts that sag around your butt literally leave me dumbfounded as to how you manage to walk without them falling, let alone work out.

Take it from a girl who has fallen victim to the cute, but non-supportive sports bra and the spandex shorts with a little too much movement. Your workout is MUCH more enjoyable when you're wearing proper fitting clothes. Finding the most proper fit for your body, and activity is tricky. Activewear requires more than our day to day wardrobe so be picky, shop around and find your perfect fit.

Do not, buy those shorts that are high waisted and squeeze your tummy where it does not like to be squeezed. Do not, buy anything even just "a little big" because it gives you "room". As a chronic over-sizer, I know first hand that this is bad news and makes for the most uncomfortable work-outs. Some of us also buy things a little smaller, for motivation - this is cool for per-say, a pair of jeans, not for the actual process of trimming up. Reward yourself by being comfortable and enjoy the process. With killer gear and a killer mindset, you'll get there!

Have you found your favorites that do the trick for both look and feel with activewear? Share with me and explain why it helps make you feel Too Fit!

When The Moon Hits Your Eyes Like a Big Pizza Pie That's Amore: Recipe

As a proud Italian, I speak with my hands, talk loudly and give everyone I meet or see hugs because well, "you're family!".

You'll be hard pressed to find an Italian who doesn't do at least one of the above, and you'll be even harder pressed to find an Italian who doesn't like Pizza. 
So here I am - a loud mouth, pizza loving Italian with a fitness/lifestyle blog.

No, this isn't a "One of these things is not like the other" game, although I feel like a few aspects of my life could be classified as such. This is instead, my excitement for finding a clean, low carb and delicious twist on a classic Italian favorite: PIZZA!

You can top your pizza with anything you'd like. I did this one as Hawaiian, but have already fantasized as making a Greek version, or spinach and broccoli, or peppers and onions or...The list goes on and on, but lets not get ahead of ourselves here. We must start with the dough.
Protein & Meat vs. Carbs & Starch is the method here. 
For my veggie friends - I am coming up with an alternative for you, and taking suggestions!

You must use the Chicken Sausage on the left vs. the right.
It is in a black container vs. a package and is more "squishy.
Any sausage (like this) you use needs to be this way to be
molded into a yummy dough.

• 1 package of Trader Joe's Tomato Basil Sausage: Thaw for about 24 hours, in the refrigerator. Squeeze the sausage through/out of the casing (this part is gross, but quick, easy & necessary) and put in a mixing bowl.
• 3 eggs: yolks and all, mixed into the sausage.
• 5-6 tablespoons of almond meal or cashew meal. (Use your judgement for consistency here - the dough should be "doughy")
• Mix/knead these all together. You can use a fork but getting down & with your hands does work best.
• Coat a cookie/baking sheet with Canola Oil (or something non-stick) and spread the dough out. You will want it to be about 1cm thick with no breaks or holes.

Now we can move onto the fun stuff, the toppings!

• The sauce - any tomato basil, plain tomato, pesto etc. will work here. Watch the ingredients for anything funky (you can't pronounce) and as long as it's clean it's do-able here. GO HEAVY! Because your "dough" is basically meat, it soaks up a bit of the sauce so your coating needs to be thicker. Add garlic powder, minced garlic and pepper to desired taste!
• Then sprinkle with a THIN layer of cheese to start.
• Add desired toppings: here I did low sodium ham, chopped pineapple, chopped yellow onion and sliced red pepper.
• Top with another thin layer of cheese!

Bake at 400 degrees for a half hour. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes before serving and then enjoy! This serving is enough for 2 hungry people with some leftovers (it is just a delicious reheated or cold) and I'd suggest a veggie for a side!

Enjoy this entree guilt free & share your variations with me! I see a lot of pizza in my future, and that makes me one happy, Too Fit, Italian!

Fit Fashion Friday: Events!

I have been having a lot of fashion-y events come up, and I'm loving it. Knowing you look good = feeling good = living Too Fit!

Last weekend was Taste of the South, which was a total blast. Nick and I ate some yummy southern grub, caught up with some pals we ran into there and danced the night away to an awesome band! Our favorite states were Georgia and Tennessee (of course!)

Dress: Jovani Prom Dress I Wore In 2005. Shoes: Mom Bought From Payless & I plan to buy in every color. Bling: Simply Silver SparklyFrom A Kiosk At The Mall (no joke.) Hair: One of Those Bun Tool Thingy's Actually Worked!

This weekend, another one of my fabulous gal pals is hosting a private event at Madewell where we all get to shop the store after hours, with special deals, wine and treats. If you're thinking this is "too good to be true", those were my thoughts exactly, but it's real! The timing is perfect on this because I need some new jeans, and well, another excuse to shop (I probably don't need that actually). The event is Sunday evening and I'm excited to go with Kait and Nicole for some fashion/girl time!

If anyone wants to tag along to the Madewell event let me know and I will send you the deets! 

Happy Friday Kids! Make It Too Fit!

Pissed Off Hangover

I don't know if it's the month of March and desperately wanting it to be Spring already, or if it's just the usual "when it rains, it pours" bit. 

Recently, things have been extra busy and extra difficult, and I've had a few days where I'd like to curl up in a ball in my bed and hide from the world. I know a couple of my homies have felt this too. Nothing has been drastically "wrong", but some things have been just scattered enough to be annoying, and make me crabby. Fortunately, I have a pretty busy life that doesn't allow me to wallow in my irritation so I've found a different way to deal.

Usually, when I get irritated about something, I allow myself to be irritated for way to long, sometimes even after a resolve. I don't stomp my feet for hours on end or anything silly like that, but I do have a little "pissed off hangover" (if you will). This hangover doesn't go away with Alka Seltzer, it only goes away with exertion.

Some of the best workouts I've had recently, have been during my "pissed off hangover". I have found it a bit ironic that during the times where I've wanted to hide from the world, the better therapy, has been getting my crabby butt to the gym and blowing off steam. Yes, in times like this, it's difficult to choose sneakers over slippers. And no, a good workout doesn't resolve all of the complexities of my 24 year old life (although it does resolve a few) but this exertion of my "pissed off hangover" works. It even works better than that pint of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream...yes, I said it

There are studies upon studies that prove working out improves your mood, brain function and productivity overall. When you're in a "pissed off hangover" the overall; matters less because we become impatient and well, a big irrational baby (maybe, thats just me.) Even still, the overall doesn't matter in the moment that you get your heart rate up and endorphins rushing. Allowing myself to zone out and remove focus from an extra difficult day with an extra kick butt workout has been therapeutic. 

The therapy begins instantly and is enhanced when you let your "pissed off hangover" fuel you in your workout. The therapy continues immediately after when you've exerted your "pissed off hangover", you're too tired or pleased with yourself to be pissy anymore. Your final rewards come in the forms of muscle soreness, pushing yourself to new fitness levels and best of all, results!

We should take every and any excuse to step up our game, not the other way around. You'll make a bad day a worse one by not exerting your "pissed off hangover" so don't let that happen. Get pissed, get hungover, use it as fuel and exert! 

Disclaimer: If next time you see me you think I look great, please don't think I'm pissed off all the time, ha! 

Fit Friday Fashion: "Favorite" Spotlight #2

So, I'm not as much of a girly girl as I'd like to be, although I do try. I put together some outfits that result in serious side eye action from my friends, and I like cigars a lot.

Needless to say, I haven't been into following fashion blogs. That is, until I had the privilege of meeting this lovely lady, Nicole Allio, and learned of her fashion blog A Dash of Gold. One of our initial encounters was at an all girls Christmas party, with a grab gift activity where all of the gifts had to be under 5$. This gals gift stole the show, a tube of red lipstick. Similar to that lipstick, A Dash of Gold has become one of the most practical, yet brilliant staples in my life. 

http://www.adashofgold.com/

The posts here, brighten your day with a fun story about a day in the life of this  "DC Transplant" from  SF, and give simple tips on spffiy-ing up yourself, and your life.

For the ladies - this blog, will hit home with you one way or another. It's creative, genuine and you are sure to fall in love with Nicole.
For the gentlemen - this blog may not be that relatable, but is has great tips around the holidays ::cough:: gift ideas ::cough::. You will definitely gain more appreciation for the well dressed ladies in the world and additionally, you are also sure to fall in love with Nicole. (Sorry, she's taken.)

What I appreciate most about A Dash of Gold is that the ideas, tips and outfits are all DO-ABLE. Even for the average, not so girly girl and for anyone on a budget. Nicole has a life, a great one, a busy one, beyond her blog, and she shares how she lives it in style. The fact that living, is not living if you're not doing so fashionably radiates throughout this blog. 

For this weeks Fit Fashion Friday, I am elated to spotlight my girl friend's fantastic work with A Dash of Gold! 

If you've been following along with La Too Fit and enjoying it, join me in thanking Nicole for inspiring me to get it going! She put the "blog bug" in my ear & I couldn't be happier to have such a fantastic blogger role model, and soon to be running buddy!

#TOTS2014

If you think this is going to be a post about how I'm going to eat clean/healthy at my first Taste of the South (TOTS), you're wrong. I'm sorry I'm not sorry, not even a little.

Saturday night I will be going to my first Taste of the South gala here in D.C. I have a handsome date and a pretty dress, and I'm very excited. For those of you who don't know about TOTS (I did not until I moved here), I will share my impression.
I frequently hear how Southerners always find reasons to get dolled up and throw extravagant parties where guests indulge in delicious food and toast to their good fortune. 
That is precisely what I envision for TOTS. Started by a few Southerners who wanted to share a taste of their culture, this event has been a long-standing tradition in D.C... Since its debut in 1982, TOTS has become a "must go"  event. All proceeds go to a different spotlight Southern charity, and then to a selected charity from each of the featured states.
All of the 13 Southern states select a few of theirfamous signature dishes that signify their own unique "taste." I am too excited to try things like parmesan grits from Georgia and jambalaya from Louisiana, and to have my new favorite sweet, Goo Goo Clusters from Tennessee. I haven't been eyeing the menu or anything.Additionally, in Southern style, it is a black-tie occasion with open bar. This will certainly be an experience, and one for a great cause!If you haven't gathered this so far, I will come right out and say it now: Saturday night I will be "cheating!" I've accepted and embraced that fact from the moment we got tickets. Let me get a few things straight:

• No, I'm not going to be shoveling food in my mouth as if I've never eaten before.
• Yes, I am going to try out and enjoy a lot of (unclean) food I wouldn't on a regular basis.
• And yes, if it comes up in conversation while I'm eating fried catfish, folks may find it ironic that I have a fitness/lifestyle blog.

My point is, if an interesting event or opportunity comes along that you're feeling inclined to do and the only thing  holding you back is your diet...then you have nothing holding you back. There are "cheats" we canschedule and should. What is life without a little indulgence? Indulgence is made even better when you've maintained a steady level of discipline with yourself. It's okay to loosen the reigns every now and then, knowing that you'll crack the whip back before it gets out of control. 
A huge part of maintaining a “Too Fit” life style is creating a balance between the days you walk by those cupcakes in the office kitchen, and the nights you eat pizza & mozzarella sticks for dinner. The balance isn't an even one. We know we need the first instance to happen more than the second, but the fact is we can't appreciate one (fully) without the other.
"Cheats" should be both spontaneous and scheduled. Don't say, "On Saturdays every week, I will cheat." A) You're going to likely binge, and B) You could not have an occasion to "cheat" on that specific day, and then it’s not worth it. The combination of both A) and B) bring me to the most important point: C) It's not sustainable.

Work in, and work around the cheats in your diet to best fit your lifestyle. T-minus 3 days until my #TOTS2014 cheat! Ya'll stay tuned for pics & food reviews!

Fit Fashion Friday: Dress for the Occasion

There is no doubt about it, we feel ten times better about ourselves when we are dressed well, for any and every endeavor.

Females usually rate 50% of their Saturday night on how pleased they are with their outfit. And there are males who get so excited about buying a new business suit; you'd think it actually did business for them. 

Being well dressed affects us both mentally and physically. Mentally, because you think you look good, and physically because well, you DO look good.

We know this, and we adhere to it. 

• We wouldn't go to a formal event in jeans.
• We know that the "That's What She Said" graphic t-shirt is not appropriate for church. 
• When it's cold outside, we bundle up.
• Bathing suits belong at the beach or poolside. 

These are some absolutes. However, there are 2 of my favorite clothing categories that overlap, and it drives me crazy. 

Pajamas and gym clothes are DIFFERENT.

Yes, I get that we've accumulated a hundred free t-shirt's from college, work and relatives. I also understand that spending money on clothes you're just going to get sweaty in, is difficult to wrap your head around. BUT, how do you expect to feel motivated working out in something you snooze in? At the gym, we're supposed to be active and there are some days we are more inspired to do so. Inspiration or energy boosts of any kind make a difference in your workout, or even with just getting you to the gym!

Don't ditch all of the free tees, but donate a chunk of them - you're not as attached as you think, and those freebies can do a lot more good for someone else than you may even realize. Reserve some of the ones you keep as strictly PJ's, everyone should have strictly PJ's. I know, I do!

Reserving these  for chill/bedtime will add to their value and the "Ahhh" feeling you get when you toss it on after a long day will be that much better. The ONLY thing you should do when wearing PJ's is rest, or drink wine and/or beer. 

Then, go out and buy some workout clothes that you're excited to rock. There's a wide array of styles and gear

to choose from; I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. I am confident the price points won't disappoint either; even our beloved Target has some awesome activewear.  When you put something on, and your first thought is how great you'll look doing your favorite exercise, PURCHASE IMMEDIATELY, and go exceed your already high expectations!

The point here is this: the gym and working out should be treated as an occasion. One which we gear up for, mentally, physically and fashionably!

You'll see the improvement in your outlook on working out as well as an improvement in how you look doing so!

Happy Fit Fashion Friday!