Typically, one has to choose between lying on the couch in full relaxation mode or finding the energy to go to the gym. We recommend you give a chance to “cozy cardio”, the best way to exercise from home.
Cozy Cardio workouts are the ideal way to have the best of both worlds. The important thing is always to try and not stay with the desire, right? If you are struggling to stick to a super elaborate and strict exercise routine, don’t worry, this is a great solution. Cozy cardio consists of a cardio routine you can do from your bedroom or living room where you decide the intensity of the exercises and remain in front of your favorite Netflix marathon.
Cozy cardio is the best way to start your mornings
The idea is that you relax, prepare acoffee, matcha, or aprotein shake, put on a movie/series or music, and let yourself flow in your activity. You can make a treadmill, bike, elliptical, or any device you have available. Remember thatit’s always important to listen to your body. If you’re at a stage where you either don’t have the time to exercise or you don’t feel in a good place emotionally or physically, there are exercise alternatives like this that can help.
For your cozy cardio to be a success, you must set small goals. This will help you stay motivated and with your mind on a goal. Also, you must take care of the atmosphereof the place where you will exercise. To enjoy the experience to the maximum, darken the place, lightscented candles if you can, place-colored lightsand you’re all set!
*excuse my morning appearance lol* Ive got no shot at getting in my 10k steps a day unless I start it off like this + making it as easy and vibey and comfortable as possible and it goes by SO FAST – highly recommend #cozycardio
Does anyone else remember the show Kyle XY? It aired on what used to be ABC Family channel (now it’s Freeform) and followed the life of an teenage inhuman boy who didn’t have a belly button. I bring this up because when I look for workout clothes, I constantly have Kyle XY in mind because I don’t want anyone to see my belly button. If you can see my belly button, you can see my lower stomach, which is one of my least favorite areas of my body. I train hard three to six days per week. I try to eat clean, I do have my moments especially at work. My goal is a flatter tummy! There are more important things in life, like French fries and cookies, and I’m not willing to skimp on those small pleasures. So in order to feel like my most confident and fittest self, I rely on my best friend—my high-waisted leggings.
If you don’t love your stomach area and you don’t own high-waisted leggings, I’m here to hit you with the truth. They are, without a doubt, the best thing to happen to the athleisure world since the sports bra. A good pair of high-waisted leggings not only hides your lower stomach, but it also pulls you, lifts your butt, and stays up throughout your most difficult and active workouts. I wanted to take my love for this article of clothing to the next level and try to find the pieces that check all the aforementioned boxes. I tried high-waisted leggings from 11 popular athleisure brands and, I promise, these are the best of the best.
These are hands-down a favorite for BEAUTYLEEBAR readers and for myself for a number of reasons. One, they’re comfortable and supportive with moisture-wicking and sculpting fabric. Two, the elastic waistband never slips and even has a handy built-in pocket. And three, it’s a great quality pair of leggings at an even better price point. It sculpts the body perfectly and is super soft on the skin!
This UK activewear brand is a force to be reckoned with. Its high-waisted bum-sculpting leggings do exactly what they say they will. Thanks to their flattering and practical design and their discreet drawstring at the waistband, I will continue to trust these leggings through my most difficult and fast-paced workouts.
You know a pair of high-waisted tights are going to be good when they have a drawstring, a lightweight feel, AND pockets. These tights are perfect because it SuperSonic fabric is sleek with supportive compression while still flattering the booty.
These leggings are incredibly light. They feel like you’re wearing next to nothing. I was worried they would move around during my workout because, in my experience, lighter leggings don’t always stay close to the body during fast movements. I was so wrong. These stayed up and barely moved during my workout. I was constantly worried and kept touching them and checking to make sure they were staying in place because I felt like I wasn’t even wearing leggings, but they really did stay up.
I thought the perfect high-waisted leggings didn’t exist—and then I tried these. This brand might be new to the activewear world, but don’t get it twisted—its products will quickly replace all your tried-and-true favorite athleisure pieces. The pieces are lightweight, the seams aren’t heavy, and the waistband survived through squats, burpees, and deadlifts. The fabric feels like buttery velvet against your skin, and these leggings keep your body cool and dry during super-sweaty workouts. If I could live in these leggings I would.
These leggings have a special space in my closet. Alala leggings don’t come cheap, but they’re worth every penny. The thick waistband makes you feel secure, and the fashion-forward design features are absolutely perfect. This particular pair of leggings lasted through every type of movement that I threw its way. If you love to work out and find yourself looking for an item to splurge on, give yourself the gift of a pair of Alala leggings.
I’m no stranger to Lululemon leggings. Prior to completing this experiment, its Fast & Free Tights ($128) were my favorite high-waisted leggings of all time. I considered buying multiple pairs, but my bank account suggested otherwise. This new high-waisted tight has pockets and a drawstring to make sure that the tights are just as high at the end of the workout as they were at the beginning. I’ll definitely be wearing this style on repeat.
There are a lot of things I love about Fabletics. I love that the brand uses real fitness influencers to be the models for its website. I love that it designs pieces with the hardest workouts in mind. They’re the best-selling leggings on the site, and they deserve that honor.They don’t move. The slimming design pulls you in and keeps you secure no matter how intense your workout is. Fabletics is a FREE sign up site that customize to your needs and wants.
New, revolutionary Motion365 is their most versatile fabric, designed to give you all the sculpting benefits of high compression with maximum breathability. This state-of-the-art fabric is crafted from resilient nylon that wicks away sweat and enables full range of motion—whether you’re at boot camp or barre class.
I’m no stranger to prAna leggings. Prior to completing this experiment, its Momento 7/8 Legging ($79) were my favorite mid-rise leggings of all time. This new high-waisted tight has pockets and a drawstring to make sure that the tights are just as high at the end of the workout as they were at the beginning. I’ll definitely be wearing this style on repeat. I am a fan of their leggings, bags and etc! I have worked with this brand before and I am still a fan after all these years.
This women’s style is made with a blend of Chakara®, their most compressive performance fabric yet, and offers moisture-wicking properties, UPF 50+ sun safety, and a strong, grounding feeling against the skin.
Then prAna added extra support by creating a high-rise fit, a hidden key pocket in the waistband, and a COOLMAX® triangle gusset. And last (but certainly not least), included charming eyehole embroidery that wraps around the ankle and runs up the length of the leg.
After all of my thorough research and testing, I can confidently say that you can’t go wrong with any of these leggings. No matter what kind of workout you enjoy, these will make you look and feel your absolute best. So next time you’re feeling like buying yourself a little something special, feel free to add one of these to your cart.
As you know, rule number one of working out is to take off your makeup! Doing this alone is a great to start ensuring your skin looks better, not worse, at the end of a workout. But when it comes to working out we don’t often think about our skincare routine, but treating your skin properly before and after your workout will make a huge difference to your skin. When you exercise, your body temperature increases and more often than not, you sweat – a lot – and that makes your pores dilate, making it even easier for makeup and bacteria to make its way in and block your pores.
So, we’re here to share the ultimate skincare routine for before and after your workout to ensure your skin brings its a-game every time. We’ve even discovered some workout skincare products that are giving us incredible results while we exercise – now that’s multitasking at its best!
Pre-Workout Skincare Routine
Step 1: Wash your Face
…Not with makeup wipes!!
A.M.: If you’ve just woken up or you’re not wearing makeup, do a quick wipe with micellar water on a cotton pad or splash your face with a little water. It’s important that your skin is clean, so if you feel like your skin needs it, do a gentle cleanse with a milk or gel cleanser.
P.M.: Double cleanse to remove all your makeup! We love to use the Face Halo, because all you have to do is wet it, and the tiny little fibers will lift off makeup and dirt, so it’s super easy to use on-the-go. To finish, we love to use the Foreo Luna 3 cleansing device with a gel cleanser to remove every last trace of makeup – the T-sonic pulsations and soft silicone bristles help clean extra deep into pores, which is exactly what you need before a workout!
Step 2: Actives That Work
Just because you’re working out, doesn’t mean your skin shouldn’t get a little love. We love to use lightweight, hydrating and protective formulas while we work out, like a vitamin C serum, or an antioxidant-rich gel moisturizer to protect our skin from free radicals that attack during exercise. Avoid anything to rich and heavy, which could feel uncomfortable when you sweat.
Without a doubt, one of our most exciting new discoveries is Face Gym’s Training Sticks, $49, aka heat-activated skincare that gets to work while you do! Since we’ve discovered these, we literally haven’t worked out without them, and we love how they warm up on your skin while you work out, slowly releasing potent actives that penetrate deeper as your skin’s metabolism is accelerated. The controlled delivery system also helps improve your complexion for up to six hours post-workout (even after cleansing).
The Training Sticks are so quick and easy to use – literally just swipe onto your forehead, cheeks, chin, and temples – and we love the different options: Spirulina for lifting and firming, Activated Charcoal for detoxing, and Brazilian Pink Clay for brightening. You can also buy all three in mini version, plus a hydrating Multivitamin stick for $75 – so you can multi-mask to target different issues. The charcoal formula leaves our skin feeling super soft and bright post-workout, and we love that these fight against damaging free-radicals, which are rife during exercise.
If you’re working out outside in the sun or going for a hike, SPF is essential. We recommend a mineral sunscreen, which means when you sweat your eyes shouldn’t sting (chemical SPFs often sting the eyes). Check out one of my fave mineral sunscreen here.
Finally, don’t forget a little lip balm to keep your lips moist and to prevent cracking. And always tie your hair up to avoid hair and hair products mingling with your skin.
Post-Workout Skincare Routine
Step 1: Cleanse
We know after working out you often have places to be, but it’s so important to wash your face post-workout as soon as possible. If you’ve washed your skin before your work out (we really hope you did), use a gentle water-based cleanser to get rid of sweat and bacteria. We love the Holi Frog Superior Omega Nutritive Gel Wash, $36, which is pH-balanced and deeply cleans the skin while nourishing it with omega fatty acids, probiotics, and antioxidants to replenish the skin. It also has natural antibacterial properties to help prevent breakouts and clogged pores, without stripping your skin.
Finish your cleanse by splashing your face with cool water, which helps to tighten the pores and shrink blood vessels, which will help to reduce redness more quickly.
Step 2: Hydrate
First things first, drink plenty of water to hydrate your body and skin – the best hydration comes from within! Then use plenty of hydrating ingredients on your skin. Start with a toner that’s soothing and calming, so look for ingredients like chamomile and aloe or opt for hydrating milky formulas. We love the Pixi Rose Tonic, $18, which helps to reduce redness and calm the skin while balancing your skin’s pH levels. Follow with a lightweight serum or hyaluronic acid, like the Sarah Chapman Intense Hydrating Booster Moisture Serum, $98, which is formulated with Bioecolia and Beta Glucan to activate the skin’s natural defenses against bacteria and irritants, plus hyaluronic acid and soothing rose water. We love how fluid this serum is and how easily it melts into the skin to instantly hydrate and repair the skin after the stress of working out.
Step 3: Lock it in
Now your skin is well hydrated, lock it all in with a moisturizer. We prefer to steer clear of thicker formulas post-workout (save that for nighttime), instead, stick to gel-like or lightweight moisturizers like the Biossance Squalane + Probiotic Gel Moisturizer, $52, which helps to reduce redness (great for after a workout), tighten pores, and balance your skin.
Now enjoy that glow-up and feel proud of yourself for working out and showing your skin some love at the same time.
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