My Exercise Routine

Many of you have asked about my exercise routine and how I keep my weight down, so I will tell you all about it today.

I have been a fan of taking walks since I was five years old. I used to roam the hills of our farm in North Carolina every day. No matter where I have lived, I have always found a safe walking route away from traffic in a nice neighborhood.

 

I may go for a short walk around the lakes two or three times a day. (My neighborhood is built around four small lakes that flow into each other.) Some days I walk briskly about three miles around my neighborhood or on the greenway trails near my home. If the weather is cold and wet, I might go for a walk in the mall or at the shopping center near my home, which has a long sidewalk protected from the rain.

This isn't a routine that requires planning, unique clothes, or equipment other than comfortable shoes, so this form of exercise fits my needs perfectly. I am wearing a fabulous Covered Perfectly top and Perfect Fit Leggings with flat Rockport shoes here.

When I was younger, I spent hours in the gym, in exercise classes, and in dance classes but at this busy time in my life, going for a walk fits into my routine much better.

When my mind gets cloudy from tons of administrative work, endless figures, and countless emails, I get up from my desk and go for a short walk. I visit neighbors and their dogs for a few minutes and get my blood flowing with a quick walk around the lakes. When I return to my desk, my head is clear again, and my hair smells like fresh air.

When I go to the grocery, I never look for the parking spot closest to the building. I park far away and walk briskly to the building and also while I am inside.

I use a small blue and white teacup so that I have to keep getting up and walking to the kitchen to get more tea or water. I go to the bathroom upstairs rather than the one right outside my office door.

The point is that I do not sit still for hours working, watching TV, or reading. I get up and move around often. I stretch many times during the day. Again this is no particular routine; I just bend from the waist, slowly touching my toes and reaching for the ceiling and then side to side. The movement is always slow and comfortable.

I drink lots of water with lemon and or Braggs apple cider vinegar. I wait until I am actually hungry, and I never eat until I am stuffed. My meals include mostly fresh plant-based foods. I think of food as fuel, not entertainment. When I eat something that I enjoy very much but know is not suitable for my body (cheese comes to mind), I will occasionally have a small piece. The second half tastes the same as the first, so a small bite savored is better for your mind and body than consuming a large portion without enjoying it thoroughly.

On this beautiful day, I wore a very soft and comfortable piping top from Covered Perfectly. This is a growing but small, woman-owned business. Pauline, the owner, and designer, listens to our requests for styles that flatter our bodies and serve our needs. The fabric and the whole line is made here in the USA. All the models for this company are over forty (in my case, way over forty!)

Fifty, not Frumpy followers can get a 20% discount on up to two items! Use the discount code FNF20 when you check out at Covered Perfectly. Only one discount can be applied per order. There are several styles to choose from, and the discount will apply on up to two items; after that, you can take advantage of the buy 2 get 1 FREE special!

Splendid September

September is such a beautiful month here in east Tennessee and our surrounding mountains.

Last evening we celebrated all of the September birthdays in my family by having dinner together at the fabulous Artisanal restaurant in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

The black tank, jacket, and pants are part of Chico's Travelers Collection. I wore suede D'Orsay pumps from Sam Edelman with silver and crystal earrings and bracelets. The small clutch is the same silver-gray as the jeweled button on my velvet trimmed tuxedo jacket.

This is the Knob Creek Brethren Church, the first Brethren church in Tennessee, being established in 1799. It is very close to my home, and I have photographed it on several occasions over the years because it is surrounded by such beautiful trees that are now starting to take on their splendid fall colors.

Statement Pieces

The shoes are the star of this show, so I kept all the other simple and solid elements.

Limiting myself to one statement piece per look tones down visual overload.

On this day, I was attending a business meeting, so professional and sophisticated was the image I was going for. Dressing for the occasion first and for the weather, second is always my order of importance. I hate being cold, so I normally dress for the coolest part of the day.

The clothing and necklace are old from Chico's. The bag is from Saks Off 5th. The shoes were by Guess via T.J.Maxx last year.

I love all the brown animal prints, but they are usually too golden to be worn near my face. Instead of a scarf or blouse, I choose shoes, bags, and belts. I limit myself to one animal print item per look.

Welcoming Fall!

Fall is such a gorgeous season here! I love the changes in leaves and the weather and the chance to wear a different wardrobe.

Today I am adding another layer to the look I showed you yesterday. This beautiful ruana is by Foxcroft.

Soon, our weather will be cool enough to need this extra layer during the day.

As the weather continues to get colder, I will wear this ruana over a jacket for warmth and an added pop of color and texture.

Foxcroft offers timeless pieces of high quality that have served me well over the years.

The top is the long sleeve Simple Comfort from Covered Perfectly. 

The bag is old from Finely House Couture in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The boots are from Antelope Shoes. The necklaces are old from Chico's.

Great Beginnings!

The weather is getting cool enough to wear jackets and tunics and leggings and boots and... well, you get the idea. I love fall!

Today I am sharing the best layering pieces I have found. I plan to wear these pieces often throughout fall and winter.

This top is the new long sleeve Simple Comfort from Covered Perfectly, which comes in black and also in white. If you are like me, you will need both colors. This really is the perfect top to wear alone or with jackets, vests, sweaters, scarves, necklaces, or ruanas. I'll show you how I topped off this look tomorrow.

The leggings are appropriately called Perfect Fit. They have supportive panels that help with shaping at the sides. I am showing you the panels in the photo above. These are great leggings to wear with tunics and boots. The top was supplied by Covered Perfectly.

The bag is old from Finely House Couture in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The boots were supplied by Antelope Shoes. The necklaces are old from Chico's.

Fifty, not Frumpy followers can get a 20% discount on up to two items! Use the discount code FNF20 when you check out at Covered Perfectly. Only one discount can be applied per order. There are several styles to choose from, and the discount will apply on up to two items; after that, you can take advantage of the buy 2 get 1 FREE special.