Work it out Weekend– Preparing for War(rior Dash)

I was browsing Facebook a few weeks ago and saw pictures of some of friends covered in mud with big cheesy grins on their faces. They had just participated in an obstacle course race and for some reason, I was inspired to do the same. I found the next race in my area, the Warrior Dash, and registered.  It’s not anywhere near as difficult as the Tough Mudder, but I figure it’s a nice starting point for future races. I knew pole dancing and spinning classes alone weren’t going to get me ready for this. So I printed off the training schedule. Wowzers! For you fellow Budgetistas who want to start getting in shape before the holidays, but don’t want to add the monthly expense of a gym membership to their budget, here’s an inexpensive, at home workout courtesy of Tommy Hoke and the Warrior Dash.

What you’ll need:

Running or cross training shoes
Jump rope
Chair
Stop watch (or a cell phone with a stop watch feature)
Yoga mat
Access to a staircase
Calendar

On your calendar, list out the workouts and rest days for the full 12 weeks. Notice your workouts will intensify as the weeks go along. Runs get longer. Rest between circuits becomes shorter and you will do more rotations over time. Note these on your calendar! Make sure you allot enough time each day for your workout, no excuses. Once you’ve mastered these workouts, do one of two things to avoid a plateau: A) add weights to the exercises in the circuit, or B) move up to the next Warrior level.

Whether you decide to compete in a race in the future or if you’re just looking to do something different with your workout, find the Warrior in you!

♥ - The Bougie Budgetista

A Budget-Friendly Birthdaycation Extravaganza

This past weekend, my best friend Shawntel of SOA Event Concepts came to visit me here in Orlando for her birthday weekend. I was forewarned that the budget was going to be tight for the weekend, so I had to prepare my budgetista skills to squeeze a dollar out of a dime and have a FANTASTIC time. Here is the breakdown of our fabulous BFFcation, and some of the killer deals we scored.

Friday night, we went to a swanky restaurant in Winter Park. I liken that area to Buckhead in Atlanta, back in the day. Some of the entrees on Luma’s menu were a little on the exotic (and pricey) side, but the ambiance was well worth it. So what do you do when you want to experience poshness, but don’t necessarily have a posh budget? Order off the appetizer menu, of course! When I was in high school working at Plato’s Closet, my co-workers and I would get together for appetizers and desserts, to a) not spend a lot of cash, and b) have a quality girls night out. Think about it - Appetizers are normally large enough to share and reasonably priced. Typically, you’re not going to find an appetizer over $20 on any menu. We opted for the fancy pizza. It was delicious! We saved our splurge for their incredible wine selection. A glass ranged anywhere from $6 to $12, but the selection was astounding. The first night was a great success.

Saturday, we attended a class at Vixen Fitness, which I will elaborate on tomorrow’s edition of Work It Out Wednesday and enjoyed lunch at Crave, an American fusion bistro. When I tell you this place is awesome, it’s an understatement. The décor is chic, but welcoming. The staff is by far some of the best I’ve ever come in contact with. And the food is to die for! Try the lamb burger. I promise you, you won’t regret it. The best part of it all was that we had an ODeals Daily certificate for $30. I only paid $15 for it a few weeks ago. The key to a great trip is preparing in advance with the deal sites. Let THEM decide where you’ll be dining on your vacation and save up to 50% on your tab. Just be nice to your server and tip on the full amount for the service you receive. Our server Blake was worth 40%. Just saying…

No BFF rendezvous is complete without a shopping trip. But not just any shopping trip. We hunt for super sales, deals and steals, and a gem of a find. By the looks of it, it was a great success. Check out her Max and Cleo dress, purchased from Dechoes for $14.99 and my Charlotte Russe romper for just $9.99. 

Max and Cleo Dress

Charlotte Russe Romper

Sunday should have been a beach day, but it was cold and rainy, so we did some window shopping instead (but still managed to come away with some loot). What? Come away with look when you window shop? Who does that?!?!? We do. No, it’s not illegal by any means. I’ve been reading about a store called Lush for what seems like ages. It’s cosmetics store with products made of all natural ingredients. After walking in and basking in the natural fragrances floating around the room, I totally understood the reasoning behind the company name. These simple products make you feel good – literally. The associate demoed Buffy, a soap with granules in it that exfoliate on our hands along with Flying Fox, a body wash with an interesting back story, and our hands felt like silk afterwards. We played in Mermaid Water, a mix of the Big Blue Ball bath bomb and Sunny Side bubble bar and became mesmerized be the waters beautiful colors and skin softening effects. And, our favorite part, they gave us tons of samples! Not just a tiny, one time use packet, but enough for a handful of applications. I didn’t have to purchase anything to get them, even though I did (I’m treating myself to a bath in Mermaid Water for Valentine’s day, but that’s neither here nor there). And the associates were so kind and so helpful that there is no way anyone would leave that store and not come back to purchase something. Great sales tactic, if you ask me.

We ended the weekend at our favorite bakery in town, Sweet by Good Golly Miss Holly for Mini-Mania. Every Monday, they sell their delicious mini cupcakes for $1 each. As a birthday gift to the best friend a girl could ever ask for, I bought her a dozen, and ended up saving $6 on the pack.

Yeah, I saved us a lot of dough this past weekend, and we scored big, but spending time with my Bestie in celebration of her special day was priceless.

♥ - The Bougie Budgetista

Pretty Boy (or Girl) Swag, FancyLo Style

They say "Don't judge a book by it's cover," but let's be real. When you're walking through Barnes & Noble, what makes you stop and browse through a novel you've never heard of before? The cover! The same same applies to people and their appearances. A well dressed person is more likely to spark the interest of those around them than someone who takes no pride in the way they look. "But it's the weekend... Why should I dress up on my day off?" Because you never know you're going to run in to.

Many of us have our normal nine to five, to which we give 110% Monday through Friday. But once it hits 5:01pm, our focus turns to our own pursuit of success. Since the world's down time is our grind time, we are constantly at work, but during those off hours, we get to be the boss. To those of you who morph into Super-CEO the minute you clock out, ask yourself "What does my weekend wardrobe say about me?"

I have a colleague who I love dearly. She has a vibrant spirit and a killer work ethic. But, up until recently, I would see her at the office looking like she had given up on herself. She's so exhausted by the daytime job, her MBA, and her own grind that she opts to hide from the world behind frumpy garb rather than take the time to unleash her inner diva. "I set out something fabulous the night before, but when I wake up in the morning, I just don't feel like making that effort anymore," she told me. With a closet full of Cole Haans, Stuart Weitzmans, and Michael Kors, she defaults to cheap flip flops and oversized sweaters that do nothing for her. She would swear up and down that she was what she likes to call FancyLo - low maintenance, but still put together. But unfortunately, her look was taking "Lo" to a whole new level. Borderline "Sloppy", actually. The more we got into our conversation, the more I realized that I wasn't seeing the half of it. If this is how she presented herself during the work week, then how on earth was she carrying herself on the weekends?

This got me thinking. How do you pull off "low maintenance" without looking like a hot mess? First, we have to start by putting your sweats where they belong - next to your gym bag and/or your cleaning supplies. Next work on your closet and make it easy to navigate. Section it off in three parts - Daytime (work), Evening (play) and Weekend (relax). Each section should make one cohesive statement about who you are, where you're going, and what you're going to do when you get there. Since weekends are normally a time to kick back and relax at your local coffee shop and work on your boss status (assuming you're like the rest of us), stock your closet with über comfortable basic pieces that say "I care about myself and my work and so should you." Skip the tailored shirts and slacks you wear all week and opt for well fitting tees in a natural material (both long and short sleeved), laid back oxford shirts, comfy sweaters, relaxed cargos, breathable leggings (for the ladies, of course), and a great pair of jeans. Stick to neutral colors to you can grab and go without having to put much thought into how things go together. The great thing is that a lot of these essential pieces are not expensive at all and you can stock up without breaking the bank. Ladies, finish off the look with a pair of adorable ballet flats, gladiator sandals or riding boots. Gentlemen, depending on your personal style, go for boat shoes, casual sneakers that show off your personal style (like Pumas or Nike SBs), or just stick with a classic and throw on a pair of Chuck Taylors. Bottom line, your weekend wear should be chic, simple, but always put together. Sometimes, less really is more.

In the great debate about the definition of FancyLo, my colleague argued that I was far to Fancy and I didn't have a Lo bone in my body. I couldn't disagree with her more. Just because I like the finer things in life doesn't mean I won't go grab brunch in a sweater and leggings (à la modern Flashdance) with little, if any, makeup. I just want my exterior to always reflect my interior. And until this conversation, she wasn't letting her amazing personality and talent shine through her wardrobe. The next day, when I saw her at the office, she looked adorably laid back - hair done in a chic pony tail, a simple but well fitting black sweater, and a printed A-line skirt. And now I know her weekend wear was equally as sophisticated. I couldn't have been more proud. She finally understood what I had been fussing with her about for weeks. If you look good on the outside, you'll feel good on the inside.

Everyone has a little FancyLo in them. I do it city style. She's all California girl. Midwesterners add their own flavor to it, etc. The point is that FancyLo should never be just Lo. There should always be some effort put into your effortless look.

So as we kick off the weekend think about what you're about to throw on to run your errands. If you were to meet who could become your best client, would you feel good about the impression you made when you handed him or her your business card? Marinate on it and have an awesome weekend!

♥  - The Bougie Budgetista