Hello, friends! How are you? What’s new in your world? I’m coming at you with a light and fluffy “current faves” post.

Today, I’m off to the gym to sub two LifeBarre classes in a row. I haven’t taught back-to-back classes in almost two years. The good news is that the classes are only 45 minutes long, and there’s a 30-minute break in between them. But because I do mirror the class to demonstrate movements, I do the majority of the workout, so it’s going to be a lot of sweating. It’s fun sweating though, and I’m always down for that.

Other than that, this past week was much more manageable than the one before. I started the week mostly caught up on my work and life, because last weekend was pretty chill. And that vibe mostly continued throughout the weekdays, which was nice. I taught my classes, we had a parent/teacher conference at Brady’s school, I went to the dentist for a teeth cleaning, I had a FaceTime date with some friends, I fit in a solo workout, and we officially moved Brady’s high-chair attachment out of the house and into the garage, so our kitchen table is much cuter. And he’s excited to sit in the “big boy” chairs. 

This weekend, I’m getting a massage (which is a gift Dave bought for me for our anniversary back in May, and I’m finally using), Rudy is going to the groomer (which is long awaited, because our groomers around here have been booked up for months, and we got lucky that he was pulled from the wait-list for this appointment), and Dave and I are going to hit up a basketball game, and that’s about it.

I’ll also be working on some holiday gift guides for the ladies and the guys, so please do leave a comment or email me if you have any recommendations on what to feature. I’d love to include your tips with the group, so don’t be shy to share.

Let’s get to the faves … 

Current faves

Fun

Beautiful fall weather

This is our first fall in North Carolina, and I had heard from everyone how gorgeous it was going to be. They weren’t wrong. Our neighborhood is filled with trees with red leaves, yellow leaves and falling brown leaves. And the air is cool, crisp and very pleasant. We’re into it! We did get some fall colors in Walnut Creek/Pleasant Hill, where we lived in the Bay Area in California before here. But this fall situation is superior. It’s quite cold in the mornings, then levels out during the day. Truly gorgeous. 

Gear

New protein shaker

Isn’t it funny how the little things in life that you use a lot mean a lot to you? I was using a metal protein shaker for the last year, and I never liked the way it felt on my mouth or the way it felt in my hands. But instead of changing it, I just dealt with it. And I never enjoyed it.

Well, I finally decided to get a new shaker at Target the other day, and I got a classic Blender Bottle, but with a pop of color. The color combination makes me think of Barbie, but I’m okay with that. This shaker has brightened my day, every day, over the last week. By the way, I’m still using Organifi for my plant-based protein needs. And my code, ALADYGOESWEST, still gets you 15 percent off anything on the Organifi site.

TV

“Dancing with the Stars”

I know I’ve already told you I’m watching “Dancing with the Stars” this season for the first time in several years. But I have to bring it up again, because I’ve been enjoying it so much. I was initially interested in watching this season because my favorite Peloton instructor, Cody Rigsby, was going to be dancing (see my other favorite instructors here). However, I’ve been pulled in. It’s amazing to see the progress that some of the stars have made, and the dancing is so fabulous.

True story: I was sad to see Olivia Jade sent home this week, because she was doing so well. Anywho, I don’t know if I’ll continue to watch the show moving forward after this season, but it’s been a great addition to my Monday nights. I’m not sure Dave would agree though, because I’ve been hijacking the TV for two hours every Monday to watch the live broadcast. Good times.

Workouts

Weekly workouts 

This part needs a bit of a disclaimer.

This section of the post is where I share all the workouts I did the previous week. I want to remind you that I do more than the average person, because I’m a group fitness instructor, and it’s part of my job. 

Your personal workout week should work with your lifestyle, be diverse and leave you feeling energized. It doesn’t need to look like mine or anyone else’s. It’s yours.

And in order to stay injury free, you should pay attention to the gear you use during your workout. Are you wearing the right shoes? Check out this post to find out … “How to choose the right athletic shoe for your workouts.”

• Monday: Taught 1-hour full-body barbell class at Life Time, 9:45 a.m.
• Tuesday: Taught 1-hour barre class with light weights at Life Time, 9:45 a.m.
• Wednesday: 30-minute lower-body weights workout, 9:45 a.m.
• Thursday: Taught 45-minute full-body weights/cardio class at Life Time, 10 a.m.
• Friday: Took 1-hour hot yoga class at Life Time, 9 a.m.
• Saturday: Took 45-minute lower-body weights class at Life Time, 8:30 a.m.
• Sunday: Rest day

This past week of workouts was very good, because I taught my regular three classes, I took a hot yoga class, I took a lower-body class, and I even did a solo session at the gym. During my solo session, I walked on incline on the treadmill for 15 minutes, I did some mobility warm-ups, then I did bridges, single-leg deadlifts, back extensions and sumo squats to target the lower body. After all of that, I stretched, foam rolled and jumped on the vibrating PowerPlate for a little recovery. It was nice to spend some time working on what I need to work on outside the class setting, and I hope to do it more regularly. Also, a full rest day was had, of course.

Promo codes

A Lady Goes West favorite products

There are certain brands that I swear by in my own life, and so I like to share them with you. If you choose to try them too, and if you use my links or promo codes, you will be supporting me. Thanks for that!

• Carbon38. I’m always wearing stuff from here, and it’s the coolest activewear around. Get 15 percent off your first two orders of $100 or more using the code ASHLEYPITT. 
• G2G protein bars. I love these tasty and minimal-ingredient protein bars. You can get 15 percent off your order on the G2G Bar site with the code ALADYGOESWEST.
• Organifi supplements. This is my go-to protein powder brand. You can get 15 percent off your order on the Organifi site with the code ALADYGOESWEST.
• Beautycounter. The best safe skincare and makeup. Send me a message, and I’ll share a 20 percent off code for your very first order.
• Les Mills On Demand workouts. My favorite fitness brand. You can do a whole month of workouts during a free 30-day trial by using my special referral link here.

Best reads

A couple of good ones from around the web 

• Inspiring podcast. I only listen to one or two podcast episodes a week these days, and I’m always drawn to “The Skinny Confidential Him & Her” show, because they have excellent guests. This episode, featuring entrepreneur Ed Mylett, was absolutely enriching. Mylett helps you get your life into perspective by realizing your strengths, he tells you how you can see challenges in your life within the big picture and so much more. I ate this one up, and I highly recommend it.
• Tough conversations. I enjoyed this article on how to have tough conversations. Life is full of them, and you have to have them.

Here’s the thought of the week, which I posted to Instagram a couple of weeks ago …

A Lady Goes West favorite archives 

• Fashion. I hope you enjoyed seeing what I’ll be wearing on repeat the next few months … “Seven things I’ve bought to wear during fall and winter 2021 (fall fashion picks).”

• Breakfast. This is totally the season to pull back out this delicious breakfast recipe … “The creamiest warm almond butter oatmeal.”

Thank you for coming by A Lady Goes West! I hope you have a great day and weekend. As always, please reach out to me if you have any post requests, questions or feedback. I appreciate you! xoxo

Questions of the day

How was your week?

Do you have a busy or low-key weekend ahead?

What’s on your holiday wish list this year?