I love a good rooftop! I’ve always wanted an apartment with killer views from the roof and somehow always ended up in buildings with no rooftop access. That was especially disappointing when I lived in Russian Hill, Nob Hill, and Telegraph Hill, when the views would have been great. Luckily, the latest place as enough sunshine and views to appease years of wishing and hoping on my part. Water AND city views! 🙂
This Tibi shift is a favorite of mine. It’s just what I look for in cocktail dresses – It’s a classic silhouette and style, but with a twist. In this case, an eye-catching, modern print.
And the best thing to enjoy with a gorgeous view? Day Owl Rosé – Mais bien sur.
This would need to be your first time visiting Moi Contre La Vie to be unaware that I’m a bit of a fitness nut. To put it nicely. I love Barry’s Bootcamp, Soulcycle, OrangeTheory, WheelHouse, and have really enjoyed trying out a host of local pilates and barre studios in San Francisco. I also like to do bodyweight and weight training sessions, and look forward to my weekends in part because that’s when I get a chance to run. All that being said, everyone plateaus. When The Bay Club reached out to ask if I was interested in a short-term partnership, I jumped at the chance!
Why?
First, the Bay Club is a well-known and respected institution in San Francisco. They have a handful of facilities, including ones with tennis courts and pools, and I’d had the chance to visit a few of their locations over the years.
Second, I was in the midst of a lull in my fitness routine. I was bored. I had hit a plateau and wasn’t making any progress, which was leaving me increasingly frustrated. When you use working out as your stress reliever, among other things, it’s not a good feeling when you don’t look forward to your gym sessions!
While there are two gyms near my office in the Financial District, I found myself venturing to the main San Francisco location on Greenwich, and the tennis club in SOMA, the most often. Both facilities are large, with lots of space and equipment, and amazing locker rooms. The Greenwich location, simply called the Bay Club San Francisco, is the largest. It has an indoor pool, massive gym and cardio centers, a gift shop, basketball courts, a gorgeous spa, a café, and tons of classes throughout the week. Oh, and happy hour.
It’s basically a small town.
And while all of those facilities are great, the primary reason that I kept coming back for more was my personal trainer Kristina. I worked with a personal trainer the first time that I ventured into the gym after my back injury, but otherwise I’ve worked out alone. My new Bay Club membership included a free training session so I promptly set one up. When asked what I’d like to work on, I suggested using some of the machines, as I hadn’t had much exposure to them over the years. I left the first session sweating profusely, but smiling. And was still sore three days later. I like to be sore. I like to know that my workouts are, you know, working. When I got back from my trip, I emailed her about training packages, and now I’m on my second pack of 10 sessions.
A trainer teaches you, pushes you, and engages you. It’s really the last one that I’ve found most appealing. As I mentioned above, I was feeling frustrated and stagnant. I need to remember what I loved about training and change my perspective, which is what Kristina has done.
Here are a few little things that you can do every day to help you reach your goals.
Start the day with water – I keep a full water bottle on my bedside table and right after making the bed, I start drinking my water. I have a full water bottle before I leave for work each and every morning. Especially if you’re someone who has trouble drinking enough water every day, this is a good way to kick off the day. Still having trouble getting enough water each day? Try a spa or infused water. My favorite combination is lemon, ginger, and mint!
Affirmations & Gratitude – If your morning routine includes a positive affirmation or a few moments of gratitude, you’re setting yourself up to have a positive outlook for the day. No more waking up on the wrong side of the bed, and this can help you greet each and every day with a good mindset. If you’re not sure where to start, check out this blog post – Affirmations & Gratitude| A Beginner’s Guide.
Get Enough Sleep – Everyone has a different optimal amount of sleep, some people need more, and others need a bit less. But if you’re waking up tired every day and crashing at 2pm, odds are that you need to schedule in bit more. I’m on the higher end of the scale and really do need to get 7 to 8 hours a night to feel my best. If you’re having trouble getting to bed early or getting quality sleep, check out these blog posts – Tips to Decrease Stress & Help You Sleep, Calming Night Routine, and After Work Routine | How to Destress.
Make Working Out Non-Negotiable – My biggest trick to get myself to the gym when I’m not in the mood is to simply not give myself a chance to question the habit. The gym is on the schedule every day, no matter what. No negotiations. Stop thinking of working out as something that you do if there’s time or if you’re in the mood – And start making attendance mandatory. That doesn’t mean you need to spend an hour at your gym, just make sure that you’re moving. Take a class, go for a walk, take a bike ride after dinner.
Meal Prep – This may seem daunting or unappealing, but truthfully, meal prepping can be the thing that makes or breaks your healthy lifestyle on a day-to-day basis. Why? Because when you’re hungry, tired, or stressed after work or school, you want food and you want it now. And if there’s nothing healthy to reach for, you’ll reach for what’s convenient, which is often not the healthiest of options. Meal prepping doesn’t have to be hours of work, try some of these quick and easy tips – Weekend Meal Prep, Sunday Preparation, and Meal Prep for Two People.
What are YOUR favorite healthy habits to incorporate daily?
Labor Day Weekend may mark the unofficial end of Summer, but it doesn’t have to be a sad moment. There’s a long weekend to look forward to and – drum roll please – Labor Day sales! Below are some fun sales that you may enjoy checking out – Everything from designer goodies and beauty essentials to workwearand everyone’s favorite place to over-shop. 🙂
Enjoy!
Ann Taylor– Take 40% off full priced styles and 50% off sale styles with the code READYSETSALE
A classic blouse is a great piece to include in a well-rounded wardrobe. It’s versatile and can be easily dressed up or dressed down. In my mind, it’s the perfect day-to-night piece as well. A great blouse can effortlessly take you from the boardroom to cocktails with colleagues to an amazing dinner – All with an elegance and ladylike dash.
When this gorgeous blousearrived from GANT, I was debating how best to showcase the piece. I was leaning towards pairing it with a classic black pencil skirt and sharing a work-ready business casual look, when I realized that I actually wanted to wear it out that day. So I tossed the pencil skirt on the bed and pulled out my favorite black jeansand trench coat.
This is a great example of the type of style that I tend towards during my downtime. It’s put together, but it’s not overly trendy, colorful, or busy. I like classic pieces that I can wear in different ways, season after season. Both this blouse and trench coatare great examples of high-quality investment pieces that you can get years of wear out of instead of tossing them out after one year. {Check out my Why I Shop Vintage and Consignment blog post for more about my thoughts on disposable, fast-fashion.}
How would YOU style this blouse?
Note: This post was sponsored by GANT, however all opinions are my own.
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Hello & welcome to MCLV! I'm Caity, a San Francisco based freelance writer and fashion, food & fitness blogger. Find out more by visiting About MOI.
