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Hey guys! Today I’ve got a round-up of my favorite places to shop for Activewear (and not one of them is Lululemon!). I’ll also be talking about how I’ve been recovering from a torn disc back in March 2017 and how I’ve learned to get back into my workout routine. Read more after the jump!
If you’ve been following my blog, I posted back in the Summer about my favorite workout tops to wear to physical therapy for recovering from my torn disc. Here’s a quick recap for those who need it: I have Marfan Syndrome which is a connective tissue disease where my tissues are made with too much of a protein that causes them flexible, and not enough of a protein that makes them durable. That leads to a lot of issues such as scoliosis, dislocated lenses (eyes), and/or an enlarged aorta (heart). It also can lead to a lot of physical injuries.
Because of my enlarged aorta, and at the recommendation of my geneticist, I moved from a cardio-focused workout routine (cycling, step class, and the Lithe Method [wonderful cheerleader-inspired workout studio that is now defunct (RIP!!)]) to just doing yoga. Hot yoga, to be exact because around the time I made this decision, my home studio Yoga Habit had recently opened next to my apartment and well, I’m lazy AF when it comes right down to it.
I went to hot yoga 3-4 times a week, and for the first eight months, the results were spectacular. I developed a four-pack and could touch my toes for the first time in 10 years! I also liked the workouts because to me; it never felt like I was working out and I received the most significant ROI value for the effort put in.
After the first six months of this new routine, I started pushing myself to new advanced moves. For a long time, my goal inspiration had been this Equinox video (if you’re not inspired to do yoga after watching, you’re probably lying):
I had been able to achieve a headstand at one point in my early 20’s, so I knew it was possible to get to that point again. Once I achieved tripod headstand and forearm headstand consistently (often a warm-up for me before class). I then moved to tighter binds such as Bird of Paradise, to holding Wheel for minutes at a time, to the ultimate yogi achievement: the handstand. It was during my attempt to achieve handstand that a tightness in my lower left back never seemed to heal. I rested for a few days before hitting the studio again only to find that the pain was exacerbated. Finally, around May/June, I couldn’t even get through a whole class without flopping around like a fish on my mat from the pain.
I went to physical therapy with the intention that all I needed was some dry needling to reset the muscles in my low back and everything would be normal again. I learned quickly that was not the case – my curvature is in such a way that I had torn my disc which had caused a lot of fluid to build up in the joint causing the pain. To heal, not only would the tear need to recover, but the fluid in the joint would also need to reduce.
Physical therapy is all about reeducating about your body. For me, this was a harsh lesson to learn. The PTs I worked with were all fantastic (shout out Emily and Nick!), and through discussions with them, I realized that pushing myself to achieve handstand and wheel were detrimental to my body. Just because I was able to achieve a goal physically did not mean that I should. So while my body is hyper flexible and able to contort into all of these impressive yogi moves, they are not strong enough to support them which lead to tears and injuries.
In October, I ran out of PT through my insurance and was back on my own with a partially healed injury. Getting back into my routine has been tough. I’ve had a lot of fear of further damage, but another thing I’ve learned through this whole process is that baby steps are critical. I expected a short turnaround time to getting through a class with no pain, but that is far from reality. However, I’ve focused on elongating my back and have stayed away from intense backbends like Wheel, Camel, or trying to flip myself up into a head/handstand. While everyone is making beautiful Wheels like the silhouette on a Lululemon bag, I’m just chillin’ on my mat in the most straight-spined bridge squeezing my glutes like there’s no tomorrow.
I’m still not completely back on the horse yet, but I know I’m closer to recovering as after each class I’m a little less sore each time.
What has helped me get back to my routine is getting a few new pieces of workout gear. Below are my absolute favorite places to shop, ranked by cheapest to treat-yo-self expensive. Let me know if you like my picks in the comments!
1. Forever21
Say what you want about Forever21. Yes, their normal clothes are disposable clothing – perfect for that frat party in college that you’re going to soak in beer and other unidentifiable liquids. But their activewear? On point! Like most of their clothing, it’s dupes off of super trendy Lululemon styles. While I’ve had a couple issues with fit, I’ve NEVER had an issue with quality. Some items I’ve had for years and they haven’t torn or ripped or anything. Most items are also moisture-wicking. And when it comes down to it, you’re going to be sweating and disgusting wearing these items anyway, so why pay $$$ for it? I literally have their running shorts in 5 different colors which are perfect for running errands in the Summer. Below are my other favorite picks from this season.
2. Old Navy
I’m old enough to remember when the Old Navy Tech Fleece was the hottest trend to wear. Today, while I find that their clothing is hit or miss, their activewear is consistently solid and, oh what’s that? Cheap! I still have a moisture wicking tank that is almost 10 years old that is still going strong. My favorites include their sports bras and compression leggings which make you feel pencil thin on even your most bloated of days. Also, almost everything is on sale/under $30 – doesn’t get much better than that!
3. Aerie
What a pleasant find this was! I didn’t realize that Aerie had a ton of great activewear until I went to the Aerie store at King of Prussia and wanted two of everything. Their leggings are totally on-trend with prints like camo and (sparkily!) gold foil stars,and beautiful colors like the rust color below. They also have some super cute crop tops.
4. Target
I know this is a little bit of a no-brainer, but Target has some great activewear! Especially the C9 and new Joy Lab lines. A friend of mine used to be a designer at C9 and said that her focus of design was to take a design she liked from Lululemon and design it in a way that was cheaper so that it could be manufactured by C9. So basically you’re getting the same style and look for a fraction of the price. The materials are always high quality and the prints are always super fun. The sports bras are godly.
5. Altar Ego
I love that Altar Ego is female owned and operated and that their products are made in the US which adds to the quality of the product. They’re headquartered in Boston where their products are made and what I love most about their leggings are the prints! I have the ombre marble – but just a heads up, the lighter colors can be see through, so plan your undergarments accordingly. Or just buy dark prints. I think the leggings are reasonably priced for the quality and you can snag 15% off with code: ‘katyforaker’. Note: yes, I receive a small commission, but TBH you’re getting a better deal off on the leggings than I make from the commission.
This is a treat-yo-self place I like to shop. Mainly when there’s a sale. But I wanted to put Kate Spade on the list because their style is unique and super girly and I thought it needed to be mentioned. I’m crushing on the floral backpack from this season (below).
