Product Review: PopFit Leggings

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen ads for Pop Fit leggings. They are ALL OVER IG and Facebook. And I’ll admit, once again, I got sucked in by the ads. These friggin’ targeted ads are getting me lately.

Anyway, the schtick is this: if you go to the website via a social media ad, you can get one pair of leggings “free.” And by free, they mean you pay $11.99 for shipping. Being a stay-at-home mom with very limited discretionary spending money, $11.99 for a pair of leggings is about all I can afford. I was further sucked in with the “sign up for our VIP subscription program and get ANOTHER pair of leggings FREE!” TWO pairs of leggings for $12? Even if they aren’t that great, as long as they’re comfy I can wear them around the house. And they have POCKETS! I made sure to review the rules for the subscription program, and bolstered by the knowledge that I could cancel any time, I went for it.

If you’re like me and your interest has been piqued by PopFit, read on to see what I experienced. Since I got different styles, I will review them separately below.

PopFit “Stella” Leggings

First things first, these leggings SO do not pass the squat test, despite the phrase “Squat Test Approved” that is included in all of Pop Fit’s marketing. In fact, you can actually see my underwear through these even when I’m just standing around. This may be due to the light color, but still. Definitely not opaque. Not a total deal breaker, as I often go commando when exercising, but then there is the concern that people will see my butt crack. Ew.

The phone pocket is quite deep, and definitely wide enough to accommodate my iPhone 6s. I think it could probably handle an iPhone Plus or similar extra large smartphone too.

The fabric is 95% polyester and 5% spandex, so very plastic-y, and makes a distinct and unpleasant swishing noise as I walk. Maybe if your thighs don’t rub together when you walk or run, this won’t be an issue for you, but I have large, muscular thighs, so it’s kind of awkward to swish around all the time.

These are supposed to be full length leggings, but they definitely are a bit short, more like a 7/8 length on me. For reference, I am 5’7″. As far as sizing goes, I ordered a medium, which is my usual size, and they fit fine. I have a pretty short torso, so even though these aren’t a high waist style, the waist comes up high enough that I don’t get a muffin top.

I’m not a huge fan of the waist band. It’s sort of awkward. There’s a piece of elastic that’s about 2″ wide sewn into a much wider piece of fabric. I have concerns that the elastic will twist and roll and do weird stuff over time. It also digs into my stomach more than a nice, wide waistband would.

When I wore them to run, the first thing I noticed is HOLY CROTCH SWEAT, BATMAN! It looks like I peed myself. Again, that may be due to the color, but still. Not a good look. They did stay up well, and I didn’t have any chafing issues, but the fabric was pretty warm, even in my 50 degree basement.

PopFit “Ava” Leggings

Well, these leggings were a fail from the get-go. I tried them on and they fit ok, so I took the tags off. The day after I got them, I put them on in the morning to wear around the house. I never even got the chance to do more than lounge around, and within an hour, they had developed two holes where the mesh meets the regular material.

I immediately took them off, took the photo above, and emailed Pop Fit customer support. After some back and forth with order confirmation numbers and photos, they send me a link to order a free replacement pair, and said I didn’t need to send back the damaged pair.

Since I was keeping the Ava leggings in spite of the damage, I still decided to test them out. They are much the same as the Stella leggings–cheap material that does NOT pass the squat test, narrow, uncomfortable and unflattering waist band. Also, the pockets are weirdly positioned toward the back of the thigh and not very big–I have to work hard to get my iPhone 6s in there, so if you have a larger phone, you’re probably out of luck. These have a higher waist and are definitely longer than the Stella leggings.

As far as workouts went, they stayed up pretty well, but they were pretty warm in spite of the mesh. Mostly I just feel like it’s only a matter of time before they fall apart.

PopFit “Piper” Leggings

These were the replacement pair for the damaged Ava leggings, and they were the worst of the lot. I loved the pattern details on the black leggings, but these actually had a strong plastic odor out of the package, almost like they were off-gassing. They also are somehow not as stretchy as the other pairs, so they don’t stay up well, and the waistband hits me in just the wrong spot–the same narrow elastic cuts into my spare tire and gives me bad muffin top.

They are shorter than a true legging like the Stella, and have the same small, weirdly positioned pocket as the Ava, and surprise surprise, they don’t pass the squat test. So basically, they are the worst aspects of the other two leggings combined.

Overall
With a PopFit VIP membership, I would get a new pair of leggings each month, subscription style, for $30. I would also get 40% off additional purchases and free shipping. Based on my experience with the three pairs I got, I cancelled my membership before the next round.

In my opinion, these leggings aren’t worth the money or the hype. While I ended up with three pairs of leggings for my introductory payment of $11.99, I feel like I got three pairs of leggings that I don’t really want to wear and are just going to take up space in my drawers until I get tired of looking at them and get rid of them. I would have been better served just saving up for a month or so and buying one really nice pair from Athleta or Lululemon. And that’s what I’ll do from now on.

Have you tried PopFit? What did you think?

Friday Free-For-All – 05/03/19

I’m running a leg of the Vermont City Marathon Relay. This is a super last-minute addition to the calendar, and I’m pumped! One of Ben’s coworker’s mother’s team had a last-minute vacancy and I jumped at the chance. I’ll be running the longest leg (6.6 miles) with the most elevation (Battery Street hill), so I guess I’d better start throwing some hill training in!

Vera had her 9-month well child visit this week. Which is funny, because as of today she’s actually 10 months old. As expected, she’s perfectly healthy and hitting all the major developmental milestones. Growth-wise, she’s still very petite; she’s in the 19th percentile for height, and actually moved way up to the 29th percentile in weight (from 17th percentile at her 6 month appointment!).

My in-laws bought us a plum tree. They just showed up at our house with a tree for us, haha! It’s a Mount Royal Plum, which according to my research is extremely cold-hardy, and “so prolific that planting a second tree would be absurd.” It won’t bear fruit for a couple of years, but when it does, I can’t wait to make ALL the plum recipes.

What are your plans this weekend? I’ve got a bridal shower and a birthday party 🙂

Quick Monday Check-In

Hi, friends!

I didn’t really mean to disappear for two weeks, but c’est la vie. I was feeling exhausted and rundown, Vera wasn’t sleeping well, and then Ben’s spring break was last week, so I decided to spend my time doing other things.

Break was lovely. We spent lots of time together as a family, and got a ton of projects done around the house. We also have had fairly decent success with dropping overnight feeding and getting Vera to sleep through the night. And by success, I mean she only cries for forty minutes a night versus three straight hours. Fun times.

Now Ben is back to work and I’m sitting here with a cup of coffee, trying to get back into the swing of SAHM life. My race is in a little less than two weeks and I’m looking forward to that. I’ve been keeping up with running, though not really with strength or yoga, but I’m ok with that.

And on a completely random note, I unfriended someone on Facebook last night for posting GoT spoilers. Yeah, really. He posted literally moments after the episode ended, with a charming little note to the effect that if one hadn’t yet seen the new episode, one wasn’t really a true fan and therefore too bad.

Granted, I had already seen it, so he didn’t spoil anything for me. But that casual “fuck you” attitude for other people’s feelings really pissed me off. Ever heard of time zones, buddy? Ever heard of responsibilities like jobs, travel, and children that might prevent someone from watching immediately?

I’m the first to say that expecting everyone everywhere to avoid posting spoilers for all time is unrealistic, and if you really don’t want to see spoilers you probably should avoid social media. HOWEVER, I think a respectful 24 hours is due. And maybe a little sympathy for your fellow fans.

Has anyone ever spoiled a show/movie for you? How did you handle it? Am I overreacting?

Friday Free-For-All – 04/19/19

Woohoo, spring break! Ben’s break begins today, and we couldn’t be happier about it. The last few weeks have been a bit of a slog for both of us, and we’re ready to have some family time. Also, ALL OF THE PROJECTS. We need to get our garden prep going and take care of some stuff around the house that we’ve been neglecting.

Sleep training, round two. We’re also planning to use this break as an opportunity to try to give up overnight feeds with Vera. At her age, it’s not at all necessary, but it’s become a habit that is messing with our sleep and driving me a bit crazy. I haven’t had a night of uninterrupted sleep for almost 10 months and it’s wearing on me. I’m not at all looking forward to the process, but I’m looking forward to the results.

My husband is a cookie gobbler. I bake a lot, because homemade treats are cheaper and generally better tasting than store bought. Recently, I had to start dividing up cookies into “mine” and “yours” batches, because otherwise Ben ended up eating twice as many cookie as I did, and I was not happy about it. Seriously. That man can eat four enormous cookies in one go, whereas I like to make mine last a bit longer. So now we have separate containers.

My race is three weeks away. I’m getting very excited to race again. Unfortunately, fundraising is going a bit slower this year than in years past. A large portion of donations used to come from my work colleagues, and now that I’m not working anymore, well, those donations aren’t happening. I still have time, and I still have some family who are planning to contribute, but I don’t think I’m going to hit $1000 this year. If by chance you feel moved to contribute, the link to my fundraising page is here.

Do you have a spouse who eats a disproportionate amount of treats?

Manic Monday Training Recap – 04/15/19

Training For: McClure Miller Respite House Jiggety Jog 5k
What Was Planned vs What Happened

Monday 04/08/19: 3 mile run | 3 mile run + hip strength + stretching
I was a little tired and a little sore, but I NEEDED this run. Vera hasn’t been napping well during the day OR sleeping well at night, and I desperately needed some time to myself.

Tuesday 04/09/19: Yoga | Rest
I had my annual physical in the morning, which meant driving and babysitters and a funky nap schedule for Vera, so I wasn’t able to manage a workout.

Wednesday 04/10/19: 4 mile run | 3 mile run + hip strength + stretch/roll
I warmed up for half a mile, then did 5 x 400 with 400 recoveries. It felt good to work hard.

Thursday 04/11/19: Strength | 10 minutes core
We got a last-minute invitation for a playdate with some of Vera’s friends, but I still managed to squeeze in a quick core workout during her morning nap.

Friday 04/12/19: 3 mile run | 3 mile run
I had a rough night getting up with Vera several times and was pretty tired, but I needed the alone time.

Saturday 04/13/19: 5 mile run | Rest
It was a gorgeous day, but I had tickets to go see a show, so I took a rest day.

Sunday 04/14/19: Rest | 4 miles
Hooray for outdoor running! This run contained my fastest post-baby mile and my fastest post-baby 5k, which felt wonderful.

Weekly Mileage: 13

Total 2019 Mileage: 127.25

Woohoo, that was a pretty good week! I’m really happy to be getting outside a bit more now, as my 5k is coming up pretty quickly. At this point, my goal is to hit a sub-30. This was once the norm for me, but I haven’t hit those paces in close to two years, so I’m trying to keep my expectations in check. For now, it’s just great to be running and feeling good.

Have you been getting outside for your runs, or are you stuck on the treadmill like me?

Friday Free-For-All – 04/12/19

SPRING! It’s finally here! My daylillies are coming up, my rhubarb is coming up, and all I want is to be outside. It’s supposed to be gorgeous tomorrow, and of course, that’s the one day this week I have indoor plans. Whomp whomp. I’m hoping for more warm, sunny days next week so I can attack our long list of yard work during Vera’s nap.

My first sourdough came out… ok. It’s got a lovely, crusty outside, and a nice, springy inside, but it really doesn’t taste like sourdough. It’s odd. I don’t think it’s an issue with my starter; the dough rose just fine. I’m not sure. All I can do is keep practicing, I guess. And over time, my starter will get stronger, so the flavor might get better. I’m also excited to try other recipes–sourdough pancakes, anyone? English muffins? Mmmmmm.

Two of the audiobooks I had on hold through my library came in at once. That’s a whole lot of listening. And audiobook rentals only last for seven days each, so I’ve gotta push through them both quickly. Thank goodness for my Aftershokz Bluetooth headphones!

Do you like audiobooks? When/where do you listen to them?

 

Product Review: SheFit Ultimate Sports Bra

Disclaimer: I purchased this bra for myself. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Instragram targeted ads totally got me on this one, guys. I kept seeing the add over and over, and finally, curiosity got the better of me. I impulse ordered this bra, and since I’ve talked so much about the challenges of being a busty runner here on the old blog, I figured I ought to do a review.

Cost
First things first, the SheFit Ultimate Sports Bra is $65, with free shipping and free returns. This is pretty much what I expect to pay for a sports bra these days, since I need specialty sizes and lots of support. I was happy about the free shipping, and while I ended up keeping the bra I ordered, it’s nice to know that I wouldn’t have had to pay to send it back if it didn’t work out.

Fit
I used the size calculator on SheFit’s website, and according to my current bra size, I was instructed to order the “2Luxe” size. The cool thing about this bra is that the band AND the straps are adjustable, allowing you to get a fairly customized fit. The band on the 2Lux is juuuuust a tiny bit too large for me, but when it’s completely cinched down, it’s pretty dang close. So close that I didn’t bother to exchange it for a different size. If I end up losing more weight, I will definitely need to size down, but for now, it works.

The front zipper is a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it makes getting into and out of the bra SO MUCH EASIER. That’s always been a problem for me with other sports bras–in order to be supportive, they are constrictive, and difficult to put on and take off, especially once they’re soaked in sweat. But with the SheFit Ultimate Sports Bra, I just unzip and VOILA! I’m free! At first, I was worried that it might unzip itself during a workout, but thus far this hasn’t been an issue. Once I’m zipped in, the zipper stays put. There are also backup hooks that you can do up if you’re really worried.

The negative impact of the zipper is that old sports bra nemesis: chafing. SheFit obviously tried to anticipate this problem by putting little fabric flaps that can fold over the top and bottom of the zipper, but they don’t completely alleviate the feeling of the zipper digging into my chest. The good news is, a little bit of anti-chafe product takes care of it handily. I haven’t done any super long runs, so I’m not sure how long the anti-chafe would last, but so far I’m good up to three miles or about 30 minutes.

Support
This bra is wonderfully supportive. Because the straps and band are both adjustable and there’s a zipper in front, I can easily get it on, and then tighten everything down. It doesn’t completely eliminate bounce, but honestly, I know better than to expect that. If anything, my breasts move on the upswing, but are completely cradled on the down, so there’s no hard impact. Also, you can change the straps from racer back to H-back configuration, allowing you to get the best support and fit for your body, activity, and wardrobe.

Style
The SheFit Ultimate Sports Bra comes in eight different colors, so there’s something for everyone. I got basic black, but I’d love to get a few others. There is a reflective strip on either side of the zipper, which is a nice feature except for the fact that I literally NEVER run without a shirt. But hey, if that’s your thing, that would be nice for you.

This bra also has much more of a true bra structure, so there’s no uniboob action, thank goodness! I actually look like I have two separate breasts. Unfortunately, the way the zipper is set into the bra causes it to bump up a little, so I look like I have a weird extra growth under my shirt. This may also be due to the aforementioned “this bra is slightly too large” issue. But honestly, it’s minimal and I don’t really care.

It feels really weird to be posting a picture of my chest on the internet.

Comfort
The customizable fit of this bra means it’s a lot more comfortable than other high-impact sports bras. If the straps are a bit too tight, just unhook the velcro and re-position them. Same with the band. The only caveat is that you need to be careful how you place the straps–you’ve got to get them lined up just so. If you don’t, you’ve got velcro rubbing on your neck or collarbone, which is not at all comfortable.

Obviously, there’s only so comfortable one can be in an extremely structured and supportive bra. That’s just how it goes when you’ve got big boobs; you pretty much always have to choose between comfort and support. I will say, I don’t immediately want to rip this bra off as soon as a workout is done. It doesn’t make me feel claustrophobic, and even after a sweaty workout, I don’t feel gross and overheated.

Overall
In general, I like this bra quite a lot. The biggest plus for me right now is the zipper. It just makes putting this bra on so much simpler than my other bras. I reach for it first over all my other sports bras, and wear it more than I probably should between washes. It’s pretty much the same price as the other brands of sports bras I generally wear, AND ships free. There’s a great range of sizes and colors, and the customizable fit means that I get a pretty good nexus of comfort, support, and cost. I will most likely buy at least one more of these bras.

And for those of you who are less “blessed” in the chestal region, SheFit offers other medium and low impact options with the same customizable fit.

What’s your favorite sports bra?

 

Manic Monday Training Recap – 04/08/19

Training For: McClure Miller Respite House Jiggety Jog 5k
What Was Planned vs What Happened

Monday 04/01/19: 3 mile run | 2 mile run
I was worn out after running my longest post-baby run on Sunday, so I called it quits after two easy miles.

Tuesday 04/02/19: Yoga | Stroller walk
My usual yoga partner is on vacation, but I did haul Vera and the jogging stroller down to the rail trail for a 2ish mile walk. It’s still pretty snowy and icy, so we couldn’t go far.

Wednesday 04/03/19: 4 mile run | 3 mile run + stroller walk
I set the treadmill to a moderately easy pace, and threw in four incline intervals throughout the run. It felt hard, which is no surprise considering that I do 99% of my runs with zero incline. I also met my girlfriend Nikki near her in-laws’ place for a stroller walk with the kiddos.

Thursday 04/04/19: Strength | Abs + Legs + Foam Rolling
I did a circuit of 3 x 10 goblet squats, lunges, and single leg deadlifts, then 3 x 10 of various planks, planks variations, and other ab exercises. It wasn’t a lot, but I got a good sweat going.

Friday 04/05/19: 3 mile run | 3 mile run
Not much to say about this one. I got it done.

Saturday 04/06/19: 5 mile run | Rest
We had a busy day with TWO birthday parties, so I didn’t run.

Sunday 04/07/19: Rest | 3 mile run
Not the long run I wanted, but I ran OUTSIDE and it was glorious! And now my quads are really sore because I’m not used to running outside, haha!

Weekly Mileage: 11

Total 2019 Mileage: 114.25

I am SO EXCITED that outdoor running is back on the menu. I can’t wait to get our jogging stroller in action, because Vera naps really well in a stroller. I foresee lots of nap time runs and walks in our future 🙂

This is also timely because I have a race in a month, so I kind of need to get acclimated to variations in elevation and temperature. And sun. And wind. You know, all that stuff that happens outside.

Friday Free-For-All – 04/05/19

Well, the decision of whether or not to renew my blog domain registration was taken out of my hands. I was literally sitting down at my computer to cancel auto-renew when I got an email from WordPress thanking me for my payment. Crap! For some reason, I thought the renewal date was much later this month. That’s kind of crippling the rest of my month spending-wise, but I’m taking it as a sign from the universe that I’m not quite done with my little blog just yet.

We have a very full weekend ahead. “Oysterfest” with my in-laws tonight, TWO birthday parties tomorrow, and then my folks are coming to visit Sunday. Bring it on! I’ve been feeling pretty isolated lately (being a stay at home mom who lives in the boonies will do that to you), so I’m excited for some social events.

The weather around here has been downright bipolar lately. One minute sunny and blue skies, the next, blowing winds and sleet. It was 60 degrees on Wednesday and 35 on Thursday. COME ON SPRING, LET’S GO ALREADY!

A friend of mine is looking for someone to split the Vermont City Marathon with and I SO WISH I could do it. After the crapfest that was VCM 2016, it would be so nice to have a positive experience with the race, but I simply can’t afford the registration fee. That and I’m definitely not in shape to run a half marathon at the end of May. I mean, maybe I could do a super short training cycle and get there, but it wouldn’t be pretty. Boo to being fiscally responsible.

Have you ever had to turn down a race because you couldn’t afford registration?

 

Manic Monday Training Recap – 04/01/19

Training For: McClure Miller Respite House Jiggety Jog 5k
What Was Planned vs What Happened

Monday 03/25/19: 3 mile run | 3 mile run + hip strength
Woohoo, first run in a week! I kept it nice and easy, and with the company of my audiobook the time flew by.

Tuesday 03/26/19: Yoga | Yoga
I did Yoga With Adriene’s “Rainbow Yoga.” It’s only about 15 minutes long, which was about all the time I had since Vera has been on a run of short naps lately.

Wednesday 03/27/19: 4 mile run | 3.5 mile run
I felt like running hard, so I did .5 up, 5 x 400 with 400 recoveries, and .5 down. My intervals were around a 9 min/mile pace, which is pretty fast for me these days.

Thursday 03/28/19: Strength | Rest
Vera decided to go on a nap strike, so a workout didn’t happen.

Friday 03/29/19: 3 mile run | 3 mile run
Another nice, easy run. I’m trying to really honor the easy runs so that I can really push during workouts.

Saturday 03/30/19: 5 mile run | Rest
It was a busy day running errands and then seeing family for dinner, so I decided to postpone my long run.

Sunday 03/31/19: Rest | 5 mile run + stretching + rolling
Yaaaaay, I got it done! This was another distance milestone–I haven’t run this far since before I got pregnant with Vera. It was a bit of a mental slog on the treadmill, but physically it felt great.

Weekly Mileage: 14.5

Total 2019 Mileage: 103.25

Well, it was very nice to have such a strong week after my illness last week derailed pretty much all of my training. Completing a long run this week felt SO good. I’d like to just kind of hang out in this week of training for a while. Five miles feels like such a milestone, and since I’m not training for any longer races, I don’t really feel the need to go further right now.

From now until my 5k on May 11, I plan to just work on speed and strength versus distance, so that I can actually race said race and not just run for completion’s sake. I know I can run a 5k, and I’d like to run it fast. I’m eager to start working on some post-baby PRs 🙂

Did you get to run this weekend?