Who does not have a favorite workout shirt?  I know I have ones that I love to wear and others that hardly get worn.  This GGS girl wanted to put some other workout tops to the ultimate show down!  With each workout shirt, I did a great, sweaty hard breath taking workout to see what ones had what it took to be a leader in the workout shirt drawer.  Drop the gloves, this fight is on!

This prAna workout shirt called the Mahdia Kassidy Top is so so so soft.  You would not believe how soft it is.  I got mine in blue just like the picture and it is the ultimate of comfort.   This shirt felt great while I was doing my workout.  It wicked away the sweat so it did not leave me sticky and wet. But in the end, I could wear this shirt for days without taking it off.  Yes, it is that soft and comfortable.  Also, like so many of the tops at prAna, you could really wear this top out for a causal dinner and people would have no idea that this was suppose to be a workout top.  Being almost like an empire waist, it is very flattening on.  This shirt does fit small, so I personally would recommend you to go one size up.  Added bonus for myself, this top actually makes me look like I have got boobies.  Yipeeee to cleavage.  My only complaint about this shirt is that I wished it was bit longer for my body shape.  Some more details are:

• Mahdia fabric
• Peached Micropoly
• Scoop neck with rouching details
• Internal shelf bra
• Screen print on back body
• Semi-fitted with built in support

Washes great too!

The Lululemon Cool Racer back was not a great workout top.  I love that Lululemon makes most of their tops super long to fit,  BUT their is no built in bra.   It also is not good for bending, stretching, weight lifting or biking.  The scoop on the top is way too low to bend in.  I am small busted and did have a sports bra on but when I did a spin class in this tank it was constantly drooping.  It needs shorter straps for a workout top.  This tank does come in many colors to choose from.  Has anyone else noticed that Lululemon stock is super low lately?  Last time we did a review for Fit Fashion we got so many emails about how hard it is to get the desired color/ style/ size at Lululemon lately.  Not sure what is up with that?   

My white Puttin’ on the Bliss tee felt really good as soon as I put it on.   It did not feel sticky in the slightest after my workout.   I loved how this t-shirt was long so when I did weights my stretched mark stomach did not hang out.  I hate when that happens!  Workout sleeves have their own place in my drawer when I have yet had time to do a shave.  I know YUK, but do not judge, I know you have been there too.  Washed great ready for its next workout to come.

Puttin’ on the Bliss is now good for the environment!  This t-shirt is 100% certified organic cotton t-shirt.  I LOVE that it’s produced by a system of farming that avoids the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers and genetically modified seeds.  The cotton is also colored using organic dyes.  So, it feels as great to the planet as it does to your skin! 

Now on to the GIVEAWAY!

Puttin’ on the Bliss and GGS have teamed up for you to win a groovy Bliss tee-shirt, color of your choice !  To enter answer this question:

What puts you in a state of Bliss, in other words your highest degree of happiness?

Really wanna win this cute tee?    

• Tweet it out using #GirlGetStrong for extra entries (you can use the tweet button above)
• Become a Facebook Fan of Puttin’ on the Bliss 
• Become a Facebook Fan of GirlGetStrong (right hand side)   
• Post the giveaway on your Facebook Page (you can use the share button below)
• Make sure to tell us in the comment section on what you did for the extra entries for them to count

Contest ends June 18, 2010.  Winner will be notified by email.  US and Canadian residents only.

Reviews on GirlGetStrong.com reflect the personal opinion of the writer, whether it is good, bad or ugly.  No compensation was accepted by me or GGS Media Corporation for this review.

I recently wrote a post about my favorite running gear.  I would have to say I do love hitting the pavement and knocking back 5-6 miles.  Such a great rush.  But, most of the time I drive to the gym for my regular workout.  A girl has got to pump her iron to stay in shape too.  The latest items I have been enjoying while working out are:

My GymBoss.  It is this cute tiny little interval timer I can use for weight training or circuit training.  It clips on to any piece of clothing.  It also sets to vibrate so you can still wear your head set (and who doesn’t listen to music while working out) and you don’t have have to annoy your fellow gym goer with a beeping noise.  My favorite activity I have been using it for is, instead of counting my reps for each muscle group, I use the GymBoss.  I set it for 1 minute intervals with 30 seconds wait time.  This gives my enough time to get me to my next station.  I can really concentrate on that particular muscle and form instead of worrying about how many reps I have done (or yet to do).   This works perfectly when I am doing the same number of sets slowly for each muscle group. The GymBoss would also be a great tool for training to run.  Super easy to set up too!

Since I have heard of so many pet peeves at the gym lately, one of the BIG ones is people not wiping off the equipment after they use it.  It is pretty gross.  No one wants to lie on a wet bench of someone else sweat. UGK!   I do have a great Inperspire Towels I use for the weight machines that I can sit on but  this towel is too small for the long workout benches.  So my Yogitoes sweat-less towel is super long and fits the workout bench so nicely.  It is also super absorbent so any sweat is instantly moped right off you and the equipment. 

My other super cool Yogitoes towel is a skidless towel.  You can use it under your yoga mat or under the gym bench to prevent any skidding what so ever.  Do you ever have that feeling that the machine or mat or ball is going to slip away from under you?  I just had that feeling in my Maxed Out class I recently did with Melanie.  I used it under a  BOSU® ball that the crazy instructor had us jump straight on to, squat, jump off and than do a push up.  Kinda like a burpee but on a BOSU® ball.  Man, that was such a hard, intense class.  I loved every minute of it.  I would never have pushed myself that hard.  I felt so assured knowing that the dang ball was not going to slip away and leave me lying on the floor, knocked out.

What is your biggest pet peeve at the gym?

Due to a misunderstanding this giveaway is cancelled at this time.  BUT, we have some other excellent giveaways going on right now!

Reviews on Girlgetstrong.com reflect the personal opinion of the writer, whether it is good, bad or ugly.  No compensation was accepted by me or GGS Media Corporation for this review.

Winner~Run 4 May-congrats!

I’m not a real runner.  Not like, Melanie who trains like crazy. But, I do try.  I like just knowing I can bang off 5-7 miles any time, any where and feel great.  Yes, the weather has to right.  The place has to be right. The time needs to be right.  BUT when I get out there, there is nothing more refreshing than cool air and hitting the pavement!  Ahhhh…the high….

I dont have any fancy equipment that I run with.  I would love to buy a Garmin one day but the way I run right now I don’t really need one.  I am not out there to time myself, check my pace or my heart rate.  I. JUST. WANT . TO. RUN.  I do use Map my Run on occasion out of curiously to see how far I’ve gone, but that’s it.  And, of course I still wear my beloved Gruve , which I use everyday all day after almost one year of owning it. 

BUT I still NEED to look like a seasoned runner, right!  So on to my favorite running gear of the moment is:

I like running in tank tops and really like this one.  The Lotus (Padmasana) from Shabby Apple . It has  a built in shelf bra with liner.  It is made of sweat-wicking supplex: a spandex/nylon blend that sucks everything in and helps smooth out unwanted lines and bulges perfect for running. It is super comfortable and I barely know it is there.  I do need to wear a sports bra underneath for extra support.

I like the freedom of running in shorts even when the weather is still a bit cooler.  Moxie Short from SUGOI is perfect for running. It has a flattering waistband, built in mesh liner underwear, two front pockets, and an inside pocket.  I dig that I have a place to store my key, ipod or some change.