Joy! The weekend is here. We’ll be taking Monday off for the MLK holiday; we hope you are as well. In the meantime: Something on your mind? Chat about it here.
Pictured: Our choice for weekend wear shows we are dreaming of warmer weather, but we loooove this silk dress. We’d wear it to a party, or to brunch with a friend, or, well, anywhere. It’s $328 at Free People in sizes XS-L. Beyond Vintage Dress
MamaJD
I am determined to stay motivated to work out past January this year. But years past have taught me that, in spite of my lofty New Year’s resolutions, I do a pretty good job of exercising in January; start slipping a bit in February; and am back to my old lazy, sedentary self by March.
A more senior attorney who works in my office has told me that I need to find that one motivating trigger that gets me to the gym. I can’t figure out what the trigger is for me and was wondering if some of you have one.
To those of you who are able to stick to your workout goals, what motivates you to consistently work out?
v
It’s best if you can find some sort of exercise you actively enjoy, thus making exercise its own reward instead of something punishing to be endured. For me, thinking outside the framework of traditional gym (treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine) exercises helped with that.
MMS
Great question. For me, I recently lost a lot of weight. I’m motivated to do my running now because: (1) I have all new clothes and don’t want to risk not being able to wear them; and (2) it would seem like a huge waste of time/effort/energy to have worked so hard to lose all this weight just to gain it back. I’ve recently taken up running and have found that it’s my only “me” time, without work, or kids, and I actually enjoy it because I can listen to music and think about whatever I want without interruption.
D
Good for you MMS!
ARinFL
I have the same problem! Plus, I really have an aversion to gyms (for lots of reasons that do not need mentioning).
I found an women’s outdoor workout group in my area. I love love love the group of girls and the instructor. Having a group has helped me to remain accountable for showing up… We give each other hell if someone misses a class! Plus, it forces me to workout much harder than I otherwise would. Sometimes workout groups are associated with gyms; sometimes they are not. I am Florida, so working out outside works 100% of the year… but I know there are different groups that workout inside during winter, outside during summer, etc.
Often, these groups are referred to as “boot camps.” I would try searching in your area for a work out group / boot camp etc. Or, if that doesn’t appeal to you, see if there are classes at your gym that you can participate in – spinning, yoga, pilates, whatever. If you start the habit of going to class in January, chances are you’ll have made friends who will hold you accountable in March! Good luck!!
B
Two suggestions here:
1 – Set a specific goal, i.e., a future road racing event. I’ve been totally lazy for the past 2 months and literally have not worked out once since November 1, but I have a half-marathon on my calendar for Mid-May (that I’ve already signed up and paid for), so today I’m starting my training for it. Obviously this plan doesn’t work for 12 months, but it does mean that I’m exercising a majority of months and slacking for very few, as opposed to the other way around.
2 – Realize that exercising is not necessarily fun until you’ve invested a few months to get conditioned. So if you put in the 2 months and then give up, you’ve quit just before you’re able to realize the gains from your hard work. Sometimes that thought alone can help me get over the hump.
Erin M.
Yes. Signing up for a charity 10K that all my friends had also signed up for was a big motivator. I’d paid money to do it, I cared about the charity, and my friends would have made fun of me if I dropped out. Good idea.
Also, it does take about four months to really feel results from working out, so it’s hard to stick with it at first. But after a few months, once you realize how much better you feel in a more fit body it’s easier to keep going.
lulu
Agree–paying your fees (especially for a larger (and thus more expensive) race) is a great motivator. The year after law school I trained for a half marathon but put off paying my entrance fee–when the weather turned bad, I stopped running. In order to keep that from happening again, I paid my entrance to the next half-marathon that had been recommended immediately so that I would be less likely to drop out. (I didn’t drop out and I finished the race but have since decided I don’t really like running so I don’t do it anymore.)
Another thing that has helped me is finding someone to work out with. Someone mentioned bootcamps and I know a lot of people who have had success with that but I haven’t tried it. But turns out my fiance enjoys yoga, which also happens to be great for our relationship (nothing like watching the person you love struggle through a power yoga session to make you be more compassionate toward him or her), so making time for that (a workout and a quasi-date all-in-one) can also be a motivator.
All that said, I am not as regular of an exerciser as I would like so I am curious about others’ suggestions. But these are two things that have worked for me at various points.
MelD
I think the first step is thinking outside the gym. If you go in January, slip in February, and don’t go at all by March, chances are you just don’t like it there. I know I just find using the gym equipment to be unbelievably boring and while I like the group classes, sometimes it can be hard to fit them into a busy schedule.
I love to walk, so I do things that allow me to incorporate walking into my daily life. I park a little farther from my workplace (if possible) and try to make a brisk walk to/from work. If I have time, I might also take a walk during lunchtime.
On days when the weather is bad, I just do yoga or pilates at home. I tried taking group classes, but sometimes I can feel self conscious since I tend to be a little clutzy and fall out of poses on a regular basis. At home, no one is going to see me and it doesn’t matter if I fall over a few times.
Erin M.
Find a way to work out outside the gym, preferably out of necessity. Could you walk or bike to work? I walk to and from work and save a lot of money on transportation. Or maybe have your husband drop you and your bike off five miles from home twice a week, and you have to bike home (or if you don’t bike he could just drop you off two miles away, and you jog home).
You could also make a bet with someone that you’ll pay them a large sum of money if you aren’t still regularly working out in, say, May. Or better, give them a check now as a deposit and they can cash it if you fall behind.
Going to the gym bores the hell out of me, but if I have to I listen to podcasts or watch tv instead of just listening to music, because I’m less likely to get bored that way. But the bottom line is that you have to make exercise part of your routine, and once it becomes routine it won’t be hard to keep up.
Lobbyist
I work out because I need it for my mental and physical health, but I sign up for events to motivate me to train. I hate to run but signed up for a half marathon (I need to run today still!! but will because I am a rule follower type and I have a training program and it says I have to go 4 miles easy and so this will make me.) A couple months after that, I will sign up for a triathlon.
lawdiva
I completely agree with V. If you don’t enjoy exercise, you won’t do it. I never went to the gym before because I felt that I “had” to run in order to lose weight and I hate running. Now I take long walks outside, or go to the gym and ride the bike and do weights. I enjoy these activities so it keeps me motivated to keep going back.
Have you tried a personal trainer? They vary in quality, but if you’re paying for something and have someone expecting you every week (or a few times a week), you’ll be much more likely to head to the gym.
We have all been there so you’re not alone. Good luck!!
DLS
Mama — I feel your pain. I discovered pilates about 2 years ago and it has really changed my motivation and the way that I view exercise. Not only do I look better, but I feel better. I have found that it really helps me be a better attorney — I have more confidence in myself than I have ever had before. In the beginning though, the real motivator was that my reformer classes were expensive, and I would be charged whether I attended or not (my prime motivation for getting up early enough to make a 6 a.m. class)! I always found that at the gym, I wasn’t really accountable to anyone — I used the treadmill, did the elliptical, lifted weights, etc. but no one really noticed if I was there or not (except for myself, of course).
Anon
I find it helpful to sign up for an event, like a 10k run or maybe a duathlon (bike and run) or something, and then train for it. You know that if you don’t do the training, you will be pretty embarrassed come race day.
Kris
I find that if working out isn’t fun for me, or if there doesn’t seem to be a purpose in it other than fitting into my suits, I won’t do it. I generally do better if I have a sport, rather than just an exercise routine. Running and training for an event definitely works. Lately I’ve focused more on martial arts. It’s a good motivator to do not only cardio work but strength-training work, and you meet some really great people.
If you live in an area with an active meetup.com, you might want to check that out as well. My area has a variety of fitness-oriented groups, including some outdoor hiking/paddling groups, rock-climbing, biking, yoga, and so on. Good luck!
Darlene
Here’s a trick my career coach taught me: Plan to give yourself a reward. I told myself that if I did 45 minutes of aerobic exercise 5 times last week, I could get a massage on Saturday. Now I’m going to set a new reward for making it to the gym 8 times in the next two weeks. Eventually, the effects of working out become a reward in themselves, but until they do, this is a fun way to keep at it.
I also have a negative motivation. I’m prone to headaches, and going to the gym helps avoid them. Once the headaches have been gone for a while, I tend to forget how painful they are. Then I hit a decadent period, like the holidays where I ate too many refined carbs and skipped the gym, and I got headaches that reminded me to start working out again.
nyc-anon
Think of it in tersm of mental health benefits, not physical.
nyc-anon
also consider signing up w/ a trainer when you start slipping. they will be able to show you new activities that you haven’t tried, will keep you accountable, and can be a great motivating force. expensive yes, but may be worth it, and nothing says you can’t say at some point that you need to take a break from them for whatever reason
K
Great suggestions! I’ve also found that having a workout buddy or a class that you have to sign up for in advance have always worked best for me. People expect you to be there so you make the extra effort to go and after awhile you’re in the routine so you go even if they don’t or class is canceled. It’s that little something extra to hold you accountable. Another suggestion: on days when I’m supposed to workout but just can’t bring myself to do it, I’ll try to force myself to go for a walk, either outside or on the treadmill depending on the weather. It’s not as great as a workout but it’s something and will make you feel less guilty about skipping the gym.
Anonymous
I read a lot of fiction for pleasure, usually mysteries. When I work out on an elliptical machine, I get 30-45 minutes of pleasure reading. I found it difficult to get to the gym, however, so I purchased a good elliptical machine (Sole E55 for $1,500) and work out when I get home. Basically, my incentive for working out is that I get to read something I enjoy.
I also have a Wii Fit, but I’m unimpressed with how the activities last for only 2-3 minutes. Why can’t the Wii Fit have a 20-minute yoga routine?
Anonymous
Have you tried the Wii version of Biggest Loser? It has longer yoga routines in varying levels and uses the balance board. It doesn’t measure the poses quite as well as the Fit, but it’s a good workout. I think you can string the yoga poses together in the Fit Plus, but it still doesn’t flow like a regular yoga routine.
Anonymous
Thanks for the suggestion!
MelM
I agree w/ MMS. in 2008, I lost a lot of weight, which meant in 2009 that I had to maintain it. I started out w/ very minimal exercise b/c I was so out of shape – I just tried to get through 10 minutes on this little stepper thing I bought at Target (I could also read or watch TV while I did it). I gradually increased the time up to about 30 minutes. Then I realized I had to do something else once I started to hit a plateau. My husband was encouraging my daughter to run to get in better shape for soccer, and he found this “couch potato to 5k” program on the web. Since they both were doing it, I felt like I had to set a good example for my kid and at least try it. My husband and I both got hooked on running (my daughter still hates it). There was something about the gradual increase (you start out walking more than running) and the weekly goals that kept me going. and believe me, I am someone who NEVER thought they would enjoy running and do it on purpose. heck, I even made fun of runners and swore I would never be one of them! I ran my first 5k in November 2008 (after starting the C25K program in June 08), and then did my first half marathon in November 2009. If I can do it, ANYbody can! I have a friend who loves bootcamp and another into yoga. You just have to find that thing that you enjoy, and it will be easier to stick w/ it. I always got bored w/ the gym routine too, but running has kept my interest (and having some goals and fun tech gadgets help). Good luck!
M in CA
Yes! Big fan of the C25K program here too. I just did my first 5K in December 2009 after starting C25K in October 2009. Doing C25K has helped me set the 2 following goals this year: 1) run a faster 5K and 2) complete a 10K. For me, it’s “smaller” goals like that that will get me through. The idea of becoming a regular 5k/10k racer is much more appealing to me than doing something like a marathon – plus, I think I’m less likely to suffer burnout. (I’m not ruling out a sprint distance triathlon one of these days, though!)
MelM: congratulations on the half marathon! That’s so great!
In defense of the shorter/middle distances (5k/10k): unlike some other (lucky) folks, I am just not able to listen to music/podcasts and “tune out” while I’m running. Running is hard for me, period, and when I’m doing it, nothing will make me forget that! What I’ve discovered is that I really enjoy the meditative aspect of running the shorter distances without some kind of aural aid or distraction. I need to focus only on my physical self during the run (form, breathing, powering through), and nothing else. It’s the closest to meditation I get these days!
AN
Sounds awfully anal, but what I do to motivate me is to track progress on an XL chart, with total mileage per week/month, avg mileage per day, etc and have it build a chart. That just makes me want to BEAT my numbers for the past month.
The other thing is to run outside – even if you give up after 1km, you still have to atleast walk the 1km back home, as opposed to a treadmill in the gym, which might be close to your home. That said, I live in a country that has warm weather 12 mths of the year (while running gets tough due to humidity, atleast I’m not battling icy roads) – not sure if it would work for you in winter?
zee
Fashion question here, please please help! (Great suggestions above, by the way).
I’m going to a very conservative event and have been invited to go to the Big Donor reception beforehand. I got a knee-length indigo dress, plan to wear with black bolero, black handbag, black peeptoes – here’s the problem: what color do I paint my toes? I never wear peeptoes to fancy functions for precisely this dilemma.
Thank you in advance for any help!
Erin M.
I’d go with a neutral color like pale pink or mauve. Definitely not indigo or black.
pinkrobot
How about matching it to the dress? That way it coordinates with the dress, and blends nicely with the shoes
If that doesn’t appeal, you could also go for the french manicure/bare-but-better look
MelD
The last time I wore peep toe with a blue dress I chose a metallic peachy color that was just a little lighter than my skin tone. I thought it looked really nice with the blue.
KLo
I guess I’m the only one who thinks French toes is creepy and kinda gross … I would go for either a neutral color or a fabulous rich red. If it’s a fancy function, why not have fancy feet?
C
I agree, French toes creep me out. I’d do red, or maybe wine.
AN
red/ wine/ burgundy type colours!
Amber
I’m with you 100% on the French toes. I don’t know why, but it gives me the heebie jeebies.
LYA
Another vote for a classic red toe.
Anonymous
agreed…i think french toes are kind of yicky.
Sharon
Agree on the French manicure for toes. Not a fan here. Too fake looking.
I get an American manicure on my nails, which I keep fairly short. It’s similar to a French manicure except the white is soft and natural looking, not White-Out white.
MelD
I’m not into them at all. I like to keep my toenails short, so the French look is rather hard to maintain and looks weird when half the toe is taken up by the bright white.
LA
Just my 2 cents, but I totally agree that a French pedicure is icky, and seems a little trashy to me.
I’m also a fan of American manicures over French, and am even more particular about the nailbed color. Sometimes the manicurist offers a “too pink” shade that just doesn’t look good on me.
While on the subject of nail polish, I’m loving the newer shades that are a bit different, like the matte dove gray (Moon over Mumbai) and lavender (Done Out in Deco) by Opi. I’m wearing the gray this week and thought it was a perfectly professional neutral. I felt pretty renegade when I bought them, I guess they’re kinda mainstream by now. Always behind the fashion curve…
Amber
I got a manicure a couple of weeks ago and loved the dove gray, but wasn’t sure if it was professional.
Is there a consensus on whether it is? I live in the South if that makes a difference.
Lynette
The taupe and greyed out shades are pretty muted, so I would say that they are fine in a professional environment. I like You Don’t Know Jacques and Over the Taupe by OPI.
F
My friend was wearing Moon Over Mumbai at a dinner party at my home. My 60 year-old lawyer parents both commented (after the friend left, of course) that she was wearing, gasp, gray nail polish! I take this to mean you should not wear this color at the office.
DLS
I would go for a classic red. I used to work in D.C. and I went to several conservative black tie type events. The powerful women typically stuck with a powerful red!
Darlene
I vote red as well. No one expects toes to be as conservative as finger nails. Red stands out and “finishes” the look. It says you thought of every detail.
nyc-anon
interesting. I like classic red but I never think I can pull it off, esp for a conservative event. I’d feel too much like I’m trying too hard to be sexy. I’d stick with a neutral color, but professionally done. The American style pedicure that someone mentioned above sounds nice, but I don’t exactly know what it looks like.
ARinFL
Sounds beautiful. I always go for a french on my toes. I think it looks the most clean and sophisticated. Also, it won’t draw attention. If you’re not a fan of french, then I’d suggest a shade of neutral pink or beige, depending on your skin tone (like you would get with the french, but without the white tips).
lulu
I usually do french, although I actually think that it draws more attention than a neutral pink or beige because the white tips stand out so much.
Have fun at the event!
Erin M.
I think enough people have indicated a strong dislike of French that it’s a bad idea to do it if you’re trying to impress people.
Personally I have no preference and wouldn’t care if a woman had neon green toenails, but if the OP’s goal is to fit in and make people like he I’d avoid anything that people might feel strongly about.
Marla
I live in a large city, and last summer I asked my pedicurist (not sure if that’s the word) at one of the top spas in the city what she thought of French pedicures. She said the only people who ask for them are people from rural towns vacationing in the big city. Maybe she was wrong/prejudiced, whatever, but since I personally find them gross (I think they make your toenails look like claws) I always notice them. The only people I know personally who I remember seeing with them last summer were my 70ish year old neighbor and some support staff at my job (all 40s and up, and all of whom live in the suburbs). So I agree — if you like them, swell, but if your goal is to look classy with a sophisticated audience, I would go with red or some other color and save the French pedicure for another time.
3L
That Free People dress is insanely overpriced.
2L
One thing that motivates me to get to the gym: I only let myself read my magazines there! I subscribe to everything from Newsweek to Marie Claire to Women’s Health, so it’s a big incentive- gotta get to the elliptical if I want to read them.
Here’s an unrelated question: what are your thoughts on an 11-11-11 wedding? It’s a Friday, but it’s also a fed holiday, so the problem of people having to leave work early to attend a Friday night wedding would not be as pronounced, and although it’s a holiday (Veteran’s Day), I don’t feel like it’s “big” enough of a holiday to interrupt other plans (like a 4th of July wedding or Valentine’s Day wedding might). Any thoughts?
K
I think your reasoning is sound! One other point in its favor – Veterans Day is not a big “travel” holiday so your out of town guests (if any) shouldn’t run into lots of gridlock, huge airport lines, overbooked hotels, etc.
zee
I think it’s fine, as long as you get the word out to your attendees ASAP.
Marla
I’ve attended several weddings on Fridays, and I absolutely hate it, so here are my very biased arguments against:
Friday weddings pretty much require that people take time off or leave work early to get home and change and get to your event. And if you’re traveling for the wedding, rather than just traveling Friday night or Saturday morning, you definitely have to take a full day Friday and may have to travel Thursday night.
They require that people in your wedding take the whole day off, as well as probably leaving work early for the rehearsal.
If you have federal holidays off, you probably guard the 3 day weekends you do have and may not want to use one for a wedding that isn’t for a really close friend family member.
In addition, how many of your guests have federal holidays off?
If you’re planning a small wedding with just close friends and family, it’s probably fine. But if you are planning a large wedding, just some things to think about.
Erin M.
What do you think about having your anniversary coincide with Veterans’ Day every year for the rest of your lives?
If that is fine with you, I say go for it. It won’t be terribly inconvenient for anyone and it shouldn’t be an expensive travel weekend.
ClerkChic
I have friends (both attorneys) whose anniversary coincides with Veterans’ day and the love it. It’s an easy excuse for a quick get-away, everyone understand when they have plans, and they don’t have to fight nearly as hard as the rest of us (dual lawyer couples) to find time for one another on their special day.
Yes. Friday weddings are a complete pain for the guests. But, if it’s only one evening and you’re wine-ing and dining the people you love, they’ll deal!
Al
Developing a routine is the only way that I can keep up with working out. It’s getting out the door that is my biggest challenge.
There are ways to make exercising more enjoyable — you can fill up your ipod with books-on-tape or fabulous music, and …uh… okay, that’s all I got. But it has worked in the past for me — when I had successfully incorporated going to the gym into my routine.
My belly and hips are starting to show the Jan/Feb “blahs”. It’s time to give routine-building one more try, I guess!
nyc-anon
I also listen to music, but never tried the books on tape. But for anyone into running and want something kind of trance-like that can just keep you going, try Crystal Method. It’s sort of electronica w/ a good beat and not too many lyrics, except one song I really like while running has the (only) lyric – “There is hope”. Seems appropriate when I’m struggling to keep going.
Kacey
I’m with Al – make it part of your routine. Literally, I’ve gotten to the gym out of routine and I actually think – yuk, why I am here. Nonetheless, I always stick it out. For me, taking a class helps. I’ll stick with the workout longer if I am in the group.
Must agree – don’t like the french toes. Not sure why it bothers me – but it does.
Claire
I’m with all the folks who say you have find something you enjoy. IMO consistency is more important than intensity–especially when you’re just starting a new routine. So find something that you enjoy doing and can look forward to each day whether that’s an hour to be by yourself, working out with your friends, or watching your favorite tv show while you work out.
mkm
Love all of the exercise motivators above. I have a terribly difficult time getting myself TO whatever activity I’ve chosen, but once there, I love the feeling of the activity itself (I find that exercise generally makes me feel strong and confident!) so I try to remember that feeling as I’m preparing to go.
Question for married/engaged ladies (though I do welcome anyone’s input on this!): what is the suggested etiquette regarding inviting officemates to a wedding? If you work in an intimate (9-10 people who know one another somewhat well) office setting and definitely want to invite your supervisor and one coworker, but feel you could skip your other coworkers, is that acceptable? Or does it open the floodgates to invite even one coworker and/or the boss? (I’m not engaged but am asking on behalf of someone who is.)
Thanks!!
Anon
I think it depends on how many “other” coworkers you have. If you have a tight-knit group of 9-10, but would be leaving out 3 others, I’d say invite them all. But if you have that group of 9-10 and would be leaving out, say, 100 others, I’d say no one would fault you for not inviting the rest. But in that case, you have to be careful about the people on the fringes of your 9-10 cut-off–the individual folks who might feel like they knew you well enough to be invited but weren’t. Usually there’s no harm in inviting those folks anyway–in my experience, they just want the invitation, but usually find some excuse not to go.
Erin M.
I think it depends on a few factors. If the wedding is out of town and is not in a “destination” location (or, if it’s in a destination location but you’re not in a high-paying field) I’d go ahead and invite people but let them know in person that, while you’d love to have them there to celebrate with you, there’s no pressure to attend (or send a gift) because you understand it’s far away/inconvenient/expensive. In that case, probably only about a quarter of the people you invite will be able to come and the ones who do make the effort to come will probably be your closest work friends. So if the wedding’s out of town and people are unlikely to come to it, go ahead and invite the whole group.
But if it’s in town, or if you and your coworkers all make a lot of money and can afford to go to Hawaii or Florida or somewhere, you don’t want to invite a lot of people unless you want them all to actually come. This situation is more awkward, obviously. It really depends on the dynamic of your office. Personally, at my office, I know that the 9-10 people on my team would feel slighted if I only invited the one or two people I actually like and hang out with outside of work. The people who know me but aren’t actually on my team wouldn’t feel slighted. But it would be impossible to get away with just inviting one or two people out of the 9-10 I work with closely. It also would be perceived as very rude not to invite the one or two people I am good friends with so as to avoid inviting any coworkers. So in my case, I would invite my entire team but no other coworkers, and suck up the extra $2,000+ or so it costs to have them at the wedding. I’d consider that cost a career investment, and honestly I’d probably recoup it in gifts, anyway.
Sharon
Just make sure your coworkers don’t dance down your aisle to the Chris Brown song “Forever.” I heard that happened to a couple named Jim and Pam once.
North Shore
People in my office continue to talk about who was (and was not) invited to various weddings over the years. Like, 15 years after said weddings. I say do what you want, though. You’re not required to invite anyone. I didn’t invite any co-workers, but that was because I was fairly new to the office, and got married in a different state. My husband is frequently invited to his paralegals’ weddings. (The paralegal job in his office is typically two years in between college and law school, so lots of weddings in his office.) Sometimes I don’t even go, though, because I don’t even know the couple getting married and don’t want to sit at a table of “work buddies” all taking about work.
nyc-anon
So it sounds like you’d invite 2 people and not invite 7-8, and this is the total of the people that you work with on a daily basis. I’d invite them all, it’s only a few extra bodies and probably half won’t be able to make it. There was someone in my dep’t who had a wedding and didn’t invite the whole department (we are small), possibly because some of us had somewhat recently joined (but not *that* recently), but I still thought it was insulting even though I wouldn’t have gone anyway. That said, I would never ever ever say to someone else that “I was insulted” — that’s the quickest way for office gossip to start getting around, and it’s highly inappropriate IMO. So I’ll just complain anonymously here and recommend you take a different path, I guess.
Al
mkm,
The best advice for my own wedding’s guest list was “Invitations are to celebrate the relationships you already have, not to cultivate relationships you would like to have.”
It may be easier to think about the relationships you have with your coworkers — are you friends or just friendly? Do you mostly lunch but never have each other over for dinner? Do you know their husbands and wives?
Also consider hierarchies at work in the firm. If you are a junior person, the invitation might cause awkwardness. If you are senior, your subordinates may also feel awkward.
Keep in mind that it may be more professionally savvy to limit your coworkers’ exposure to your Crazy Aunt Millie. On the other hand, there may be an advantage to to bringing coworkers, if you don’t have a Crazy Aunt Millie.
Also… be cognizant of what this may do to the numbers for the total invitations. Your husband-to-be may wish to invite 9-10 coworkers from his work. Would you be okay with that?
Thankfully, one thing is quite likely — if you choose not to invite your coworkers, everyone will understand without your saying that it is a family affair.
Congratulations!
KLo
Random question as I was clearance shopping this morning … does anyone wear corduroy to work ever? In the Deep South (where I go to law school), I can’t imagine it ever working, but my mid Atlantic home state, I could see a fine wale on a really cold day. Maybe. Thoughts?
LA
Yes, I wear my only pair of fine wale cords on casual Fridays in Atlanta’s blissfully short winter.
RZS
I have two pairs, in a trouser cut, that are so fine that from a distance, they just look like khakis and grey pants. I wear them in the fall/spring transition in the mid-Atlantic (business casual law firm), with cashmere sweaters or jackets. I’ve never felt out of place. I probably would avoid the corduroys from, say, Banana, that are meant to look like more casual pants.
Erin M.
Yes, definitely. I have a corduroy blazer that’s perfect for casual days and corduroy pants are also good for casual wear.
divaliscious11
I do, but I’m in-house. I have some wide-leg trousers that are more casual, and a pair of chocolate brown narrow cut that I wear more dressy… I probably wouldn’t have worn them at the law firm, but yes at the AG’s office…
anon - chi
Maybe if the pants in question are really cut like more dressy slacks, although I would not do this in my office which is in Chicago but on the dressy side of business casual. I would definitely skip them if they have back pockets across the seat like jeans would. On the other hand, I think you could get away with a blazer in the same material if the rest of your outfit is dressy.
Mel
My best tip for getting to the gym is just to go. Pack your workout stuff, put it in the car, and go straight from work or first thing in the morning. Don’t give yourself the chance to bail. If you don’t feel like going, just force yourself to go for 15 minutes…chances are, once you get there, you’ll be more motivated and get a better work out in than you were expecting. Every workout doesn’t need to be a great one, just get in the routine of getting to the gym so many days a week and it’ll get easier.
ClerkChic
To that I’ll add: When I plan to go to the gym after work, I always tell someone. Even if it’s just my husband or a co-worker. The more people that I know might ask me “how was the gym?” the next morning = the more incentive I have to get myself there and not look like a flake!
nyc-anon
Totally agree with this line — “Every workout doesn’t need to be a great one” — It’s very helpful to remind myself of that whenever I have a sucky workout where I have no energy or am feeling fat. Just being there, even if just for a short while, can be enough sometimes, because at least I’m keeping my routine.
Amy
A workout question – do you work out when you’re sick? I’ve heard varying things about whether or not it’s good to work out when you’re still actively experiencing symptoms. I also feel guilty about possibly getting others sick. I have a cold right now and skipped my Thursday workout but would like to pick it up on Sunday if I can. Thoughts?
Erin M.
I don’t work out indoors if I think I might be contagious. If I just feel a little crummy and don’t have a fever or cough, I work out either indoors or outdoors. But if I have a fever, cough or trouble breathing, I don’t work out at all.
Please don’t go to the gym if you are contagious. The rest of us who don’t have colds will thank you.
MelD
I would not go to a gym or any group class while I was actively experiencing symptoms. No one wants to be the one using the machine after you or standing next to you if you’re coughing or wiping your nose every two minutes. If you still want to be active, do a workout in the privacy of your own home or outdoors where you’re not likely to be coming into close contact with people.
E
I’ve always adhered to the rule that I work out when I have upper respiratory symptoms (runny nose, sinus congestion) but not when I have lower respiratory symptoms (cough, chest congestion/shortness of breath). Also I nix it when I’m febrile or dehydrated from GI symptoms. In general, I often feel better when I work out with URI symptoms (seems to clear things up at least temporarily) but much worse when I work out with any other symptoms. Not at all scientific, but makes sense to me.
nyc-anon
if you have had cold symptoms since thursday, chances are you’re not contagious anymore anyways, because it’s the rule of thumb that you’re mostly contagious before you even get symptoms anyway? THen once you get them the contagious-ness goes away pretty quickly. Besides I say go ahead to the gym anyway, everyone else can just deal, your health is too important.
v
Besides I say go ahead to the gym anyway, everyone else can just deal, your health is too important.
That’s a lovely sentiment.
Anonymous
Well I think the risk is actually quite small that you will get people sick. So that’s what’s behind the sentiment. Also people sometimes use the sick/contagious excuse too often as a reason to not go to the gym. I’d rather have someone tell me to go anyway, and thus push me further, than to tell me “it’s ok, you’d probably just get someone sick anyway, so don’t go.”
Anonymous
also it came out worse than it should’ve sounded anyways.
LZ
Love the dress, whyyyy is it so expensive? :(
ab68
I run or walk 6 mornings each week — always outside. I live in a very cold climate, but I don’t allow myself to skip. I keep all my running gear right next to my bed and I just automatically put the gear on when I get up. I use Jeff Galloway’s run-walk-run method, which has helped me avoid knee trouble I had during previous attempts to develop a running habit. Here’s my motivation: during each run (or walk), I bring my cell phone along and take one (and only one) photo, and upload it to my facebook account. It’s usually dark when I run, but I can always find something of interest to photograph. I have to be selective, though, since I only get one photo each morning. Then, if I’ve taken a photo of a landmark or something like that, when I get to work I do a quick search and post some links about what’s in the photo. There are a few aspects to the motivation. First, I pay more attention to the beauty in my surroundings as I run or walk. I’m always looking for something interesting, and I’m always considering the available light, whether my really old cell phone camera can do the subject justice, and whether a particular subject is “worth” that morning’s photo. Second, because I instantly “publish” my photos, I make it public that I have been out exercising. Some of my friends and family would definitely notice if I stopped posting my morning photos. Third, I love getting feedback on my photos. I’m even thinking of upgrading my cell phone so I can take better photos. Fourth, I am learning a lot more about the history of the area where I live, and I’m looking forward to doing some traveling and a temporary relocation, so that I can explore new areas, too.
Claire
This is way off topic but I was wondering if anyone has had any experience either working as or applying to JAG?
Erin M.
A couple good friends are JAGs and I seriously considered applying.
Claire
Do you know what type of work they mostly do and if they like their jobs? Why did you decide not to apply if you don’t mind my asking?
Erin M.
I have chronic health problems and wasn’t sure I would get into the military at all, and I didn’t like the lack of control over where you’re stationed (you can express preferences and you usually won’t end up somewhere you don’t want to be, but there are no guarantees and you’re unlikely to spend more than a few years in any one place).
One good friend is in the Air Force, does mostly criminal prosecutions, and was deployed to a war zone where she was also dealing with criminal issues. Another is in the Navy, is currently doing what she calls “advising” which basically means giving legal opinions to the higher-ups who run the base where she’s stationed on all kinds of legal issues, but also does a lot of discharges, and she eventually wants to do criminal defense. I have a few Army JAG friends who do everything from procurement/contracts to wills and estates. My understanding is that JAGs usually end up doing a wide variety of work and are not likely to specialize in any one thing, but common themes at least at the entry levels seem to be employment issues (both soldiers who want to get out of the military, and soldiers that want to stay in but the military wants to discharge), wills and family law, and criminal law (under the military justice code).
JAG is a really comfortable career path and a lot of people stay in for the long term (full retirement benefits in 20 years!), but people who transition out tend to work in government, not the private sector. The skills wouldn’t be likely to translate well to a private law firm. There are benefits and drawbacks to each of the four branches; Marine JAGs have to actually qualify as Marines (i.e., go through Marine boot camp and all the Marine training) while the JAGs in the other three branches go to officer training only. Navy JAGs are the least likely to deploy.
Hope this helps… it’s all I can think of at the moment.
Claire
Thanks! I’m pretty certain that I’m going to apply but I’m getting some additional info first. My husband is a Marine and plans to go for the full 20 years (he’s been in 7 already) so I’m looking at Navy since the corps and the navy will work together to try to keep us w/in 50 miles of one another. The bit about having to move every couple of years doesn’t bother me since we’d be doing it anyway. If I joined I think I might be tempted to stay in until I retired or they told me I had to go but even if I did decide to leave, I’d be happy taking a government job. Do you know anything about the selection process or what to do to make your application stronger? I understand that it’s quite competitive…
Erin M.
I can’t reply directly to your reply for some reason so I’m replying to my own post instead. I think that it is very competitive to get in as a lawyer (as opposed to as a law student), but it sounds like you probably have the right background (being married to a Marine will help). But they only take a handful of experiened lawyers per year, so yeah, it’s competitive. I seem to recall that all the information was readily available on the Navy JAG website so if you google you should find it.
MelD
I looked into applying to JAG but decided against it for health reasons. From what I understand, it’s almost impossible to get into Navy as an experienced attorney. The information available on the Navy site says it takes about 5 direct hires once per year, while I think the rest come from the student program. The Air Force interviews 6 times a year and takes about 20-25 per cycle. I think people who are really serious about it will reapply multiple times after getting rejected.
J
My fiance is currently in the process of applying for the Marine Corp JAG program. He looked into several of the branches, but ultimately chose the Marines because (a) they were actively seeking people with his qualifications (in his case, a new attorney with multiple bar admittances) and (b) the fact that he would have to meet the fitness requirements wasn’t an impossible hurdle for him (but the requirements are nothing to sneeze at… 3 miles in under 23 minutes, 10 pull-ups (palms facing forward), and 80 crunches — I believe that the pull-up and run time requirement is slightly adjusted for female applicants, but still challenging no doubt).
My fiance starts his Marine training with Officers Training, then Basic, then JAG school. We have little control over where he’ll be stationed after the training, but we were told to expect to be in the US for the first two years. My fiance is fluent in several languages, so we hope to ultimately be based abroad, and he will likely try to stay for a career term if possible.
If you’re looking at the Navy, I understand that it is extremely competitive.
Best of luck to you!
Claire
From one Marine Corps wife to another (soon-to-be, anyways)…Welcome to the Corps! It’s a crazy place! And best of luck to your fiance at OCS. I would highly recommend living on Okinawa if you get the chance–it is absolutely gorgeous!
Megan
I just graduated from college and have been hired for my first professional job. So far I have worn only pant suits to work, but i want to venture out and wear skirts too. (I live in Texas so its not that cold). My question is….Do I really have to wear panty hose when I wear a skirt? I haven’t worn those since I was 8 years old!
E
What do the other women at your level in the office wear? That would be how I’d decide. Have you ever seen anyone barelegged? If not, I’d hesitate. Also if you truly abhor flesh colored pantyhose, maybe tights are more appropriate, or textured hose that are subtle. But if every other woman in the office wears em, or if the only one who doesn’t is much lower in position, I would suck it up.
Mel
I think E is pretty accurate, but I think you also want to focus on people who are in your department specifically or have jobs similar to yours. If it’s a larger company, there may be a lot of variation from one department to another. I worked at a place where high-level employees could be wearing anything from jeans to suits depending on how much interaction they were expected to have with clients. If you aren’t sure what standard your department follows, you can feel free to ask HR what they suggest.
ab68
On exercise and motivation:
I run or walk 6 mornings each week — always outside. I live in a very cold climate, but I don’t allow myself to skip. I keep all my running gear right next to my bed and I just automatically put the gear on when I get up. I use Jeff Galloway’s run-walk-run method, which has helped me avoid knee trouble I had during previous attempts to develop a running habit. Here’s my motivation: during each run (or walk), I bring my cell phone along and take one (and only one) photo, and upload it to my facebook account. It’s usually dark when I run, but I can always find something of interest to photograph. I have to be selective, though, since I only get one photo each morning. Then, if I’ve taken a photo of a landmark or something like that, when I get to work I do a quick search and post some links about what’s in the photo. There are a few aspects to the motivation. First, I pay more attention to the beauty in my surroundings as I run or walk. I’m always looking for something interesting, and I’m always considering the available light, whether my really old cell phone camera can do the subject justice, and whether a particular subject is “worth” that morning’s photo. Second, because I instantly “publish” my photos, I make it public that I have been out exercising. Some of my friends and family would definitely notice if I stopped posting my morning photos. Third, I love getting feedback on my photos. I’m even thinking of upgrading my cell phone so I can take better photos. Fourth, I am learning a lot more about the history of the area where I live, and I’m looking forward to doing some traveling and a temporary relocation, so that I can explore new areas, too.
LA
What a great idea! At the end of the year, you could make a photo calendar of your favorites. Make a nice gift for those family/friends who’ve followed you.
a
Another pantyhose related question – i am a lawyer in a not-too-conservative part of the country and am about to go to a jury trial for the first time. While I tend not to wear hose with skirts for non-trial hearings, I am wondering what other attorneys here do. I am whiter than white generally, and especially right now, so the right tone of hose may actually be an improvement. Also – what’s your favorite brand? I don’t mind spending a little more for something that has less chance of running.
Sarah
I like the Hanes Silk Reflections brand. You can get them at Kohl’s, they last for at least a few washes, you need to try to make them run, and they look nice all day. And they’re relatively cheap (about $6-8 a pair) for hose that will last like that.
Amber
+1!
I have a pair of these that has lasted at least 10 washings. They even have a little pull on the thigh (hidden by my skirt) that has not yet made a run despite washings.
MelD
I think I’ve gotten a 3-pack for $12 before. I agree that the color is pretty good if you have paler legs.
mm
I have really pale skin and a phobia of suntan pantyhose legs. The lightest shade of Donna Karen’s the Nudes line works well for me when I absolutely have to wear pantyhose. They’re a tad pricy, but don’t have that slight tan/orange undertone that I notice with other brands that I’ve tried. Ann Taylor also has a very sheer line with a good color for pale skin, although this line (I can’t remember the name of it) seems to be less available during colder months, at least where I live.
Anonymous
I swear by the italian brand – Filodoro – and some of those from spain as well. if you had time, I’d say go to http://www.shapings.com and see what you like…especially if you want color on your legs. I can easily wear a pair for at least a month without runs or snags (of course, with washing after each wear) . Lots of brands, sizing, and styles. Very helpful customer service on line. They are out of Eastern Canada. I wear pantyhose every day in Texas and have for longer than I care to mention – year round. Their summerweight hosiery is also good.
jcb
I have sworn off pantyhose, but if I had to wear them I’d go with the Calvin Klein extreme sheer. I am a very pale redhead, paler than pale, and the CK line has some shades that blend perfectly. Wolford’s has some good ones, too, but they are tres pricey. Not worth it, IMO, unless you are going to be wearing them a lot.
I tried out the Donna Karan’s a while back and absolutely hated them. They had too much of a white sheen, didn’t have enough elastic to keep from getting saggy, and they snagged on everything.
Sarah
I have a fashion-unrelated question for you fabulous professional women. I’m a 3L and I need to redo my resume. It’s not working. I would like to include all the work I’ve done with my extracurriculars. I’m the president of 2 major organizations, one of which I’m currently starting (Moot Court Board). I also serve on the boards of 3 other organizations, and coach my moot court team. I’ve done a whooollleeee lot more than just making sure the orgs don’t get kicked off campus and making sure enough money is brought in. It’s more “life” experience than “legal” experience, and so I’d like to include it on my resume in more than just under “activities.” However, I don’t know how my career services office will handle it.
So what do you think? I want people to do more than just say, “Oh, good, president of this and that, that’s good.” I want them to say, “Wow, she really went above and beyond and did some really awesome stuff.” As my grades aren’t that fabulous, I think my leadership is what’s going to get me a job, and I’d like to highlight them. Thoughts? Thanks so much!
SUCL 3L
The way that I understand to put together a resume is that you have your “topic” (job or activity), the time frame, and then your title. After that I usually include a few lines describing in brief detail what that job or activity entailed. You probably won’t be able to go in great depth, but a few brief lines about the awesome stuff you’ve done could lead to a discussion about your work during an actual interview.
divaliscious11
Actually too many activities with less than fabulous grades is usually interpreted as over-committed and doesn’t have priorities straight. So you may want to be strategic about the extras…. If you want to litigate, add the moot court and leave something off…. if you want a transactional practice, leave off the Moot court, unless you can articulate a clear benefit… Keep things like research assistant or things with transferable skills. My best advice would be to get focused and try to finish strong. You’ll probably still be looking for a job after graduation so do everything you can to get some movement on the gpa.
Rachel
Big ditto to divalicious. No matter how much you want to build up your extracurriculars, the hiring partner is looking at your grades. If your grades aren’t stellar, all I’m wondering is why your priorities were so out of whack that you signed up for a lot of extracurricular responsibility. If your grades are good, then pump the extras, because it shows that you can perform well with a lot on your plate.
Al
Ditto what divaliscious said about the lack of priorities. Be selective about what you include, and don’t look like you are talking yourself up when you describe the value you brought to that position. For example, membership in the Moot Court Board may speak for itself with just the title – no need to go into coaching the moot court team.
There is sometimes a disconnect between how students look at their resumes and how lawyers look at student’s resumes. To an experienced lawyer who puts value in his post-graduation experience, a 2 page resume filled with student activities may not blow him away. He’ll just want to get a sense of whether you’re flexible and adaptable enough to get “real” experience. Depends on the firm too.
Good luck!
Sarah
But I’m not just a member of something; I started a moot court board that joined all the interscholastic moots and created a couple new ones. Which involved dealing with faculty/administration/student politics, and a bunch of other stuff that students don’t normally do. I think that “Moot Court Board: President” doesn’t say all that I really did to get it off the ground. I want to show that I am flexible and adaptable, which is why I want to describe what I’ve done. In interviews, interviewers have completely skipped over the activities that I’m majorly involved in and have asked me about all the minor ones and I want to turn the focus to the ones that show what I’m capable of. Am I completely misguided? Thanks!! :-)
v
I’m wondering – and other people can probably chime in better than me on this one – if the cover letter might not be the best place to address the details of the moot court position (and maybe some other positions). It can be hard to find things to say in your cover letter that aren’t just reiterating your resume, and that one in particular can probably be tied into the skills necessary for the jobs you’re applying for.
Faith
Change your title then on your resume to “founder and president of” . . .
lulu
Write “founding president” for starters. That implies you did more than normal, and will trigger questions. Also consider discussing it in cover letter, as v suggests below.
divaliscious11
But you are also a law student, and starting a moot court board is great, but your primary purpose for going tolaw school is learning the law, yes? And while I am well aware that law school grades don’t always reflect how much of the law you actually learned, they are the key indicator used by most legal jobs for first year associates.
If interviewers have skipped over your activities, its because they aren’t interested. I am not trying to be harsh, but even Founded Moot Court Board, more or less tells me all I need to know, and from a transactional perspective, I don’t really care, because founding it doesn’t mean you competed and won a spot, and from a lit perspective, I am likely again more interested if you competed and won, either a spot or a competition.
Again, I am not trying to harsh you, but when I am hiring a lawyer, I want to know what you know about the law, what your ability to learn the law is, and what I don’t want, rightly or wrongly, is to be worried that your extra-curricular activities will take more priority over your primary work responsibilities. Now had you pulled all that off AND had great grades, you’d be in a much better position, because it would show that you had mastered your subject matter, and had the ability to balance the activities/social aspects that would help you in building a book of business etc…
What is it that you want to do? Maybe that would help give you more guidance and you could tailor your cover letter to include more about your activities, but you will get more bang for your buck using that space to highlight were you have academic strengths, ie.. classes in your area of practice. (Did you do better in those classes? eg.. while I had good grades, in my business law related classes I had stellar grades and I highlighted that in my cover letter.)
Al
Sarah, There are some great comments here already.
I would only add that it is a real mind-bender to think about resumes in the most strategic way possible. Most people think that a resume is a place for them to summarize what they are proud about having achieved. But a resume is a way to anticipate what a single reader is looking for, and manipulate their response to get them to do what you want them to do.
Lawyers are not impressed by law school. Period. That is a difficult concept to wrap your head around when you are in law school. They want students with good grades (because the other firms may also want that student and they want to compete with those firms to show how incredible their own firm is) and some activity involvement (to make sure they aren’t hiring someone who is a social idiot — unless, of course, they have savant-like intelligence). But they don’t think of school activities as impressive.
Things that impress lawyers (and all businesspeople) are money, power, and prestige. Everyone wants to be rich, successful, and popular. If you have those things, try to figure out a way to refer to them in your resume or cover letter. I can’t tell if you are those things – you sound like a self-starter and a hard-worker, yes. But those aren’t the trigger points that will influence the decision-maker.
Here’s a strategy that may help if you don’t have amazing law school grades/awards/honors (pre-law school-related stuff counts even less than law school stuff), and you don’t have a solid business background/experience: Look up the firm’s clients, discuss their particular reputation in the legal community, mention a mutual acquaintance with the hiring manager who spoke well of the firm, etc. Their website is only the first (and easiest) location to start your search.
NYC-anon’s “Leadership Positions” suggestion is a great one. It gets them to think what you want without you going on about yourself.
The application and the resume and the interview and the job are only about one thing: the firm. And they only want to hire someone who gets that this particular firm is the best firm.
Not meaning to be harsh or insulting at all. Lots of luck!
Al
Sorry to be a comment hog here, but this is an example that is similar to how I started my cover letter for my #1 choice firm:
“I have heard a number of positive things about [firm] from your client, [name]. At a social gathering recently, a number of other brokers echoed his good opinion.”
With that sentence, I told them 3 things: 1. that I was not living a student lifestyle, and I was networking with people other than law students (junior lawyers won’t bring in dealflow, except for the occasional referral), 2. that I had connections with clients and potential client referral sources for the firm, and 3. That I am not going to try and beat the reader over the head with these things or puff them up into more than what they are. At least, that was what I was going for!
If you don’t have a connection you can leverage, then try to discuss a business lesson from your summer employment — dropping references to how much money was saved by increasing efficiencies or earned by meeting targets or developing a new product, but couching it in modest, value-laden language: eg, “During my time with [business], I learned to deliver results working in a heavily team-oriented environment. My department developed their project on time and under budget. I still keep in touch with the owner of the company, Mr. Important.
Erin M.
It may be different in different markets, but if I received a cover letter with that level of name-dropping, I’d laugh and throw it in the trash.
In my experience, if an applicant has real connections, that connection will call or email me and mention the applicant to me. Name dropping like what you indicated is usually a sign that the applicant is trying to show off and probably can’t back it up.
Al
Erin M.,
Ah, yes, good point . Anyone who attempts to inflate or misrepresent their connections would likely not only lose the job opportunity but also skewer their reputation.
For myself, with reference to the Mr. Important line, I said I kept in touch from the 3 managers of the fund and did not name them – perhaps that seemed less sycophantic/obvious. It also worked in with the content of the letter.
With reference to the sample first line of my cover letter, I noted the client/broker was a relative. Perhaps this is why it didn’t interfere with the selection process as you suggested it might, and I got the job.
Rachel
I second someone else’s suggestion of a cover letter? If you want it on your resume, put it under Activities and put a short blurb about it. Someone else mentioned 2-page resumes. Never ever ever ever ever should a law student have a two page resume. Just don’t.
Really, if you want honesty here, it doesn’t matter how much you’ve done on moot court. It’s still just a gloss over in the eyes of the interviewer. It’s more helpful if you are set on being a litigator – not helpful at all if you want to be a transactional lawyer. I work in a BigLaw firm, which is probably not the kind of job you are going for, but what I look for is alma mater, grades, law review, interesting background, and then other activities.
Faith
Regarding the 2 page resume – there are some very rare exceptions. I was one and that is how I got my job. I worked for 4 years before going to law school. I was applying to jobs where I went to undergrad, in a different state from where I was born, and yet a different state from where I had worked and gone to law school. I had a second page to my resume listing my undergrad volunteer work, activities, and jobs. This was to show my connection to the community I was trying to return to while still keeping my law school accomplishments on the front page.
I also had to work during law school and didn’t feel I could give the time to a journal. I did, however, take 3 classes that required scholarly writing and I listed that writing on that second page of my resume to show I could write publishable quality material (though none of it was yet published.)
I got a lot of interviews and a lot of questions about why I included the second page. All my interviewers seemed impressed and interested in my answer and I ultimately got the job I wanted. Feel free to be original.
nyc-anon
Instead of using the heading “Activities,’ calll it “Leadership Positions”
Erin M.
I would not go beyond simply listing the organizations and positions (e.g. Founding President, Moot Court Board) on your actual resume, for the reasons others have stated. I would continue to list them as bullet points under your law school. Your cover letter is the place to highlight your dedicated participation in activities that are pertinent to the job for which you’re applying. You may want to bold on your resume those activities in which you were especially involved and would like prospective employers to note.
M in CA
Regarding the OP re: working out:
If you go to a gym after work, are you able to change into your gym clothes before leaving the office? When I’m already in my gym clothes as I drive by my gym (which is on my way home) then working out feels more like an “errand” that I can do quickly, rather than a big production that involves 2 visits to the locker room (before and after my workout) which, for some reason, can just feel like too much at the end of a long day!
N in TX
Do you have to change your clothes again after your workout? I generally don’t change after my workout at night. I just throw on my coat or a sweatshirt over my workout clothes and then go home. It is usually too much of an ordeal to shower and re-dress, especially when you are just going home to change out of your work clothes.
M in CA
Agreed! Unless I have double-booked for the night, I’ll just take my gym-clothed self home for a hot shower, dinner, and bed. On the rare occasions where I have social plans after the gym, I will bring a change of clothes and shower and change at the gym post-workout (doing that tomorrow, actually). I’m lucky to live in a warm-weather/driving climate so on most nights, I don’t need more than a sweatshirt to stay warm post-workout for the walk from the gym to the car, and from the car to my house.
corporate-chickee
I work out on my lunch hour when I can – mostly strength training so I don’t get too sweaty, and definitely not on meeting days, etc. I usually go later in the afternoon so that when I get back I only have a couple of hours left.
What motivates me? Clothes, definitely. Also vacations – but more so the clothes that I want to wear on vacation!
I reward myself with clothing and other treats like massages, manis/pedis and facials when I stick to my routine for a given time period. I also put a recurring meeting reminder in my calendar to workout so that I don’t get busy and forget to go.
I used to put a star sticker on my calendar for every day that I worked out. That was a nice visual to look at my calendar and see a whole month full of stars :)
nyc-anon
So I tried those Vitalicious muffin tops that Corporette recommended awhile back. Definitely tasty, but not quite enough protein for me, there was only 5g/protein per one muffin (100 cals), and 5g/fiber. But I do like the idea of taking something frozen into work in the morning and letting it thaw (though I didn’t actually try that yet wiht these).
georgienyc
love that dress (for warmer weather) even with a braided brown belt in the summer. might have to get immediately! check out some other great weekend looks
http://www.what2wearwhere.com/blog/post/2010/01/13/Great-Debate-MLK-Weekend-Destinations.aspx
ClerkChic
I just bought my first pair of Cole Haan pumps! They’re patent leather and I’ve been dropping by the store to pet them for several weeks now. The question I have is this: Do Cole Haans tend to stretch a great deal? Do they run small? What should I do if they feel a little tight? Move up a half size? break them in? Help!
Anonymous
I find that Cole Haan runs a bit small/narrow. I normally wear a US 7/Euro 37, but need a 7 1/2 in Cole Haan (except the peep-toe styles).
P
I find that Cole Haan runs small and am I the only person here who finds them more uncomfortable than shoes without all that Nike “technology?”
lulu
I have two pairs–tall boots and pumps. The boots are comfortable but the shoes, not so much. Plus, the heels aren’t properly balanced, so I wobble way more than I should given the price. Ver disappointed and I won’t be buying them again.
SUCL 3L
I have a pair of the Nike Air heels and I totally have the same problem! I was starting to wonder if I was the only person who thought they were improperly balanced. I busted ass TWICE in the same day while walking around in my Cole Haans – before then I had never fallen while wearing heels.
Anonymous
My Cole Haan loafers are still really tight after wearing them 15+ times. I wish I’d purchased them a half-size larger or in a wide–and I’m consistently a 7.5 medium.
BAS
Hah, I wish Cole Haan made more wide shoes! I bought a great pair of brown pumps (regular width) with a rounded toe, a half-size larger than usual, but my toes are still smushed–even after wearing them around the office quite a bit this past year. I am very disappointed.
C
work outs- do something that is a group or team sport (tennis, basketball, volleyball). If you do not show up, it ruins it, so you HAVE to show up. Other possibilities if you hate “gym” work outs: a dance class or swim class or do some chores that are physical labor- vacuum super fast, wash floors or windows or mirrors. Walk/run your (or some one else’s) dog. Just some ideas.
AN
Rather off topic but a while back I bought the ColeHaan Nike pumps (3″ in a lovely tortoise-shell). Problem is that they slip off when I walk and insoles haven’t solved the issue. Any suggestions, ladies? I love the look of the shoes and hate to see them just lying on the shoe-rack!!
P
Bring them to a place that repairs shoes and has a bunch of kinds of insoles. They will be able to tell you the right insoles to get.
Anonymous
I don’t have any suggestions, but I love those shoes. I bought the tortoise-shell loafers and am considering the pumps. I just purchased these –> http://www.zappos.com/joan-david-coraline-dark-red-patent
C
shoes- there are some inserts that go around the inside back of the shoe- so that it sort of hugs your heel. Possibly those would help? Where is it loose?
Liz
To MamaJD: I find that pictures of myself looking fat or shopping for new clothes motivates me. It also helps that I’m surrounded by short, skinny girls all the time since I live in LA and am an actress.