Week 2 Minimalist Work Wardrobe Challenge Roundup

I'm a little behind in getting this up, but two weeks are down with two more to go in this month long challenge!

This week I started to feel the limitations of only have a handful of items at my disposal.  This challenge is showing me I really like having more options and the minimalist lifestyle probably wouldn't be a great fit for me long term.  However, I also had the thought that if you made it into a 15 piece collection you'd get more options, but could also easily include weekend/casual looks with it.

One item I have really been enjoying is my duster.  I never had one in my closet, so having this pieces adds some drama to an otherwise 'boring' outfit.

Here are a few duster options (including the one I have) - Amazon, Nordstrom, ASOS, H&M

Scroll down to see all my looks from last week!

Week 1 Minimalist Work Wardrobe Challenge Roundup

 Here's a photo round up of my first week using only 10 pre-selected pieces from my wardrobe to wear to work.  I've already found some pitfalls and will continue to make these pieces work, but overall I like the fact that I'm not overwhelmed in the morning with too many options to pick from.

Tuesday - Lightweight sweater, black crop pants, heels
Wednesday - White t-shirt, midi skirt, heels
Thursday - White blouse, black crop pants, heels
Friday - Lightweight sweater, skinny jeans, white blazer, heels

I would recommend finding a pair of shoes that really works for you.  There are days I wish I was in flats, but overall these heels are comfy because they have a more blocky style heel (instead of a traditional pointy stiletto heel).  My current favorite option is the Friday look, it WILL be going into a regular rotation.

First thing I've learned is if you're not a fan of wearing the same item twice in a week, but multiples of it.  As you can see I wore the sweater twice this week, and more than likely one top will need to be worn twice each week.  If you're a particular germaphobe or can't get on board with wearing something twice before washing, then pick up two basic t-shirt (probably your least expensive option).

Second tip is to work with layering.  You'll see eventually that mostly this capsule is 7 looks, but then you can expand them  easily with layering the blazer or duster on almost any look.  Make sure you under layer pops out from the sleeves to add dimension and that casual 'styled but not trying' look.

I'll keep you in the loop next week, but always follow my IG page for daily looks, plus my makeup looks!

2 Month Fitness/Lifestyle Update

It's been two months since I last talked about my efforts to get myself back into a healthy lifestyle and integrate a fitness regime into my daily life.  Just wanted to touch base for those of you that needed some motivation and a real life look at the struggles of a mom.

Here's where I started:

Weight - 206.6 lbs
Body Fat % - 33.9%

Arms - 12.5 in
Bust - 42.2 in
Waist - 34 in
Hips - 46 in
Thigh - 24 in


Here's where I am now:

Weight - 204 lbs
Body Fat % - 32.6%

Arms - 13 in (0.5 in increase)
Bust - 40 in (2.2 in decrease)
Waist - 33.25 in (0.75 in decrease)
Hips - 45.25 in (0.75 in decrease)
Thigh - 24 in (no change)

I took my normal progress photo, but as you can see - not a lot has changed.  I've been struggling to get up and hit the gym at 5 am because Elizabeth has a crazy sleep schedule still and sometimes Jonathan gets up at 5 am also!  I know I should then be hitting them gym after work, but since my husband stays at home full time, I feel selfish and that I should be going home to relieve him from that giant duty.

2 month progress

However, I think I see the light in the horizon.  I have started a Strong Lifts program that only is 3 days a week, something that is completely manageable for my current schedule.  It will also help me reach my squat, bench and pull up goals I lined out in my past post.  I also plan on fitting in one cardio session a week to gauge my 5k time.

Nutrition has been a big downfall for me as well.  I'm a very emotional eater, and when I've had a long day at work and it's been particularly difficult with the kids, I turn to chocolate, sugar and snacks.  I've never been about restriction with my food, working out has allowed me to eat in moderation whatever I wanted.  However, without consistent exercising these occasional breaks in proper nutrition add up (on the scale).

I'm hoping to turn a corner this month, better meal prepping, better workout management.  I've turned to a small community on social media for motivation and my BF and I will Snapchat each other workout selfies to keep us accountable since we can't physically work out together.