We've had a few days of warmer weather here in Utah and I am loving the sunshine.  I really enjoyed our first full winter back in Utah (after an 8 year break in Las Vegas), but I think I'm ready for it to warm up again. And just for the record, I didn't complain about the cold one. single. time. 
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​I hand-picked a few of my favorites.  Enjoy!

With the Utah winter well in swing I thought I should update on two of my recent favorite purchases from Athleta, the Powerlift Tight 2.0 and the Reflective Pom Beanie both with warmth and reflective detailing helping you stay safe and warm in the dark winter mornings and nights.

Here's my Fit, Feel, Function review on the tights:

Fit: The Powerlift tight seems to me to run a tad small.  The top seam at the waist isn't very stretchy and makes it a bit hard to pull over my bubble bum.  Otherwise, they stay put and hug nicely.

Feel:  These are super soft and fuzzy inside, kinda poly-estery on the outside, but didn't start pilling after my first wear like the Wind Warrior Tight did. 

Function:  They kept me noticebly warmer on this morning's cold run as compared to just regular leggings. They fulfil the measure of their creation- warmth and comfort with some stretchy for mobility, which again, is superior to the Wind Warrior Tight which didn't have a lot of give in the "wind panels".  Bonus: they have a deep and wide side pocket to stash your phone!
I would reccomend these if you're a wimp in the cold but hate being at the mercy of cold wheather for training.

The Athleta Reflective Pom Beanie is a super cute way to stay visible and warm in the dark BUT it's 100% wool and says "spot clean only, do not machine wash" on the tag.  UM.......that is annoying, seeing as I'll be sweating in this.  My fault, I should have read the discription better.
Fit, Feel, Function are as follows:

Fit: feels great.  Not too tight.  Doesn't fall over your eyes when you run.  The pom feels a tad heavy for the lightness of the rest of the beanie.

Feel: Not itchy at all.  Not too thick= sweat can breathe.  

​Function:  Keeps the heat in, lets the sweat cool and the reflective detail is super cute and needed in the dark of winter. 
I would reccomend, although it's a bit pricey.

This is my first full winter in Utah since I was 18 and I'm determined not to let the cold stop me from getting outside and a few pieces of good gear can make a huge difference.
How do you stay active in the cold?  What gear do you love for cold running?

I love compression stockings.  I have always had poor veinous return in my legs and love how compression socks help support the tiny blood vessels that return blood back to my heart.  This isn't my first pair of compression socks.  I purchased my first pair when I was pregnant with my 3rd baby and was having problems with spider and varicose veins.  My legs would ache all the time but with compression stockings on I noticed a big improvement in my leg fatigue and my ability to stand for longer periods of time.

 Even when I'm not pregnant my legs will get tired easily if I'm standing for too long, so I knew that this compression thing was a good idea for my legs.  I was using the compression stockings I had from my pregnancy off and on for a couple of years and recently decided it was time for a new pair.  

I searched on Amazon and found Mojo brand to be affordable with good reviews.  
Here is my Fit, Feel, Function rating:

Fit:  8.9 I ordered a size SMALL.  The foot and ankle width could be a little tighter and supportive (ie, more compressive) for me but I have pretty small ankles and average to narrow foot width. This is the only reason for the lower rating. The compression around the rest of my leg is superb without being too tight.

Feel:  10 These feel nice.  Not scratchy and they stay put.

Function: 10 They fulfill the measure of their creation.  My legs feel supported and even energized with them on.  I  think compression stockings and running shorts are my new favorite uniform for running. 

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale in on now until August 8 and there are some great deals in the Workout, Yoga and Outdoor clothing category.  I looked it over and these are some of my favorites, images will take you to the page.  Fall is right around the corner and I'm excited to layer up again.  Have a wonderful weekend!

I've already expressed how much I like Nordstrom's activewear line, Zella and these pants are again no exception AND double bonus, they are a super steal right now with the Nordstrom's half yearly sale!  
I rate my activewear on a Fit, Feel, Function basis.  Here's how these pants rate:

FIT:  10 out of 10
No gaping at the waist, and they stay put.  

FEEL:  10 out of 10 
These are soft and move with me.  Sometimes I like a little more compression, but for low impact activities these are perfect

FUNCTION:  9 out of 10  
The tag on these say that they are for all types of activities, and I would mostly agree on that but I think they are more for low impact exercise since they don't have the compression I would want for high-impact.  If the tag said something like "for yoga and studio workouts" I would have rated a 10.

Shop Nordstrom's half yearly here!

I recently moved from Las Vegas, Nevada to Highland, Utah for the husband's work.  Las Vegas rarely had weather cold enough for me to need to wear more than a single layer long sleeve top and long pants during a run, but Utah is COLD in the Winter and the Spring!  I have a good amount of layers for the top half of my body, but wanted my legs to be a little warmer.  When I checked Athleta, their Wind Warrior Tight was on sale, and although kinda crummy reviews I decided to give them a try anyway.  Here's what I think:

Fit:  4  These aren't tight enough around the top part of my hips and have a slight saggy crotch area.  Not quite as compressive as I like for running tights.

Feel:  5 The backside of these pants feels cheap and pills VERY easily.  The front has "wind panels" that feel smooth and good.   Those same wind panels are a little stiff and don't move with you like they should- even for simple stretching for after a run.

Function:  Since these are running pants meant to keep the cold out I give them a 8 because they did keep me noticeably warmer on my cold morning run and although they are not as tight as I would like them they stayed up without me tugging and pulling.  

Despite their flaws, I think I'll keep them for the warmth. There are still some available on sale at Athleta, check 'em out.

I sincerely love the jumpboard on my Pilates Reformer.  It's incredibly fun, and today I needed some warming exercises on a cool morning.  Adding in my Zella leg warmers kicked up the heat even more and helped me get a sweat going faster. 
If you think leg warmers are some kind of fashion mishap, you could be right!  But I happen to like the look and the warmth they provide.  
Again, Nordstrom's activewear line Zella makes some fancy things.  The leg warmers I have aren't available anymore, but here are some similar also from Zella: