Nike Women – Boots Bikes + Barbells

Apple Watch & Nike+

For those of you who have spoken to me recently, you probably know that I have been exercising an incredible amount of control on NOT buying an Apple Watch. I’ve mostly been holding off because I have no REAL need for a $300 tether to my iPhone. But…I caved.

The fitness-focused aspects of the Apple Watch coupled with a seamless connection to my iPhone were enough to sway me. I’ll admit, however, that running with the Apple Watch and my preferred app (Nike+ Running) was not as perfect as I had hoped. But I’ll share the good, the bad and the settings for success that I found while using Nike+ with the Apple Watch.

The Bad
You still need to take your iPhone with you. Wearing the watch does not free you from the phone because it is not a GPS device and it relies entirely on the iPhone for pace, distance and route.

The Good
It did allow me to put the phone in my FlipBelt for the duration of my run while giving me a quicker way to glance at my stats. The app interface on the watch allows you to see your distance, pace, route and music.

Settings for Success

On the Phone – Make sure you’ve enabled Nike+ to be visible on the watch
On the Phone – Set the watch’s Wake Screen as “resume last activity.” This will ensure you do not have to push any buttons on the watch, while running, to check the stats
On the Phone – Set your preferred Nike+ settings through the app on your phone, not on the watch
On the Phone – Set the Nike+ app to start and stop runs automatically so that you do not need to push buttons on either the watch or phone during your runs
On the Watch – Pair bluetooth headphones with your watch in order to listen to music on your runs

While it is not perfect, I am very happy with my watch thus far, and look forward to having two free hands on all of my runs from now on.

Happy training, beautiful people.

May 16, 2016May 16, 2016 by raypayne33 Categories: Becca Payne, Becca's Workouts, Fitness Fashion, gear, Motivation, Running, UncategorizedTags: Apple, Apple Watch, Bluetooth, Fitness Gear Review, Fitness Tech, gear, Gear Review, iphone, Newton, Newton Running, Newton Running Shoes, Nike, Nike Running, Nike Women, Running, Tech, Tech Fit Leave a comment

Gear Review: Nike Epic Lux Tights

You’ve all heard the jokes about women and their “yoga pants as real pants.” Well, I am a culprit of wearing my running tights even when I am not running. Currently, I am sitting in the middle seat of a four-hour flight, and the one thing that isn’t driving me completely insane…my running tights.

So I figured this was a good time to write a quick review about a new line of Nike tights that I found in the past year. The Nike Epic Lux are miracle pants in more ways than one:

Muffin top, be gone! – Because of the thick waistband, these pants never cause any muffin top.
Nobody needs to see your ASSets! – The thick and quality material means that these pants are never see-through.
So many options! – The pants come in tights, crops and capris. In addition to three lengths, they also come out with TONS of awesome designs and colors (see pic below) to spruce up your workout wardrobe.
One size always fits! – One of my biggest pet peeves is when you buy multiple colors of the same article of clothing and each fits different. I’ve got 2 capris, 1 crop and 2 full-length tights in the Epic Lux and each fits PERFECTLY.
You move, they don’t! – No matter what activity I am doing, running, lunges, planks, dead lifts. These tights stay in place. They don’t twist, or droop down. I’m never at risk for plumber crack or even worse, the ol’ camel toe.

As with all Nike products, the Epic Lux can be a bit pricey. They range from $95 to $110. Nike’s running tight range is $50 to $150. Although, if you’re a savvy bargain shopper, they’re occasionally on sale at places like Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx and even right on nike.com. But let’s compare them to a few other pricey alternatives:

Lululemon Running Tights – $98 to $298. $298?!?! You kidding me??
Under Armour Running Tights – $45 to $180.
Brooks Running Tights – $85 and $165
Pearl Izumi Running Tights – $65 and $145.
CW-X Running Tights – $65 to $200.

What it comes down to is loving what you’re wearing. The comfort, the performance and of course, the way it hugs your curves. Happy shopping, y’all!

April 9, 2016April 11, 2016 by raypayne33 Categories: Becca Payne, Becca's Workouts, Fitness Fashion, Gym, Marathon, Motivation, Running, Strength Training, Uncategorized, YogaTags: Becca Payne, Brooks, CW-X, Epic Lux, gear, Lululemon, Nike, Nike Epic Lux, Nike Running, Nike Women, Nordstrom Rack, Pearl Izumi, price comparison, Running, Running Tights, TJ Maxx, Under Armour, Yoga Leave a comment

Nike Women’s 21 Days of Better For It

If you do not follow Nike or Nike Women on social media, then you may not be aware of 21 Days of Better For It. I stumbled upon it on Nike Women’s Instagram yesterday, and started my workout plan this morning! There are a few things that make this effort truly awesome:

MirrorSelfie_NikeLogo — First day of 21 Days of Better For It

No Purchase Necessary: You may complain that Nike prices break the bank, but their series of workout apps and programs like this one are 100% free!
Tailored for a Better Fit: The initiative, which lives on nike.com, asks users a series of questions which lead them to the best workout plan for their fitness level.
Seamless Integration to Your Smartphone: Once your plan is selected, 21 days of workouts are loaded to your calendar with reminders for you. The workouts range from sprints to yoga to weight circuits and, when necessary, links you to Nike Training Club and Nike+ Running apps. It also helps design workout playlists through Spotify. The entire process is quick, simple, and leaves little room for excuses.
A Learning Process: I think the part about this program that I am most excited about is that I will learn a few new workouts or movements. For those who are new to regular workouts, you will learn so much in 21 days and be able to build off of those workouts once the program is over.

I am off to take on the plan that Nike built for me, and I encourage you to do it too. I’ll follow up with a blog post at the end of the 21 days and let you know just how much better I am for it!

Follow me on IG for workout tips, pics, vids and more!

January 5, 2016December 11, 2016 by raypayne33 Categories: Becca Payne, Becca's Workouts, Fitness Fashion, Gym, Running, Strength Training, YogaTags: 2016, BetterForIt, Fitness, New Years, Nike, Nike Run Club, nike training club, Nike Women, Running, Workout, Yoga Leave a comment