Women on Bikes SoCal May/June 2013

My Alibi clothing was showcased in our September Cycle Chic fashion show!

As a busy single mom it can be hard to keep up with everyday life.  There is a lot of multi-tasking that comes with being a single parent (or any parent really) which is why I love being able to simplify things.  For many, two of the hardest activities to schedule are exercise and catching up with friends.  We often put work and our children first and forget to take time to ourselves. The reason? Not so lofty, for a long time there seemed to be no clothing that could take me from working to working out. But I have now  found some fabulous solutions!

When considering why it can be so difficult to make the time to hit the gym or meet up for girl’s night, I realized that a major time consumer is the tedious getting-ready process.  I want to go for a bike ride, which means that I will have to take a shower and change into a cute outfit before I can go out and socialize.  Either that, or I will have to skip my workout altogether so that I can run all of my errands.  How can single moms do and be it all?  But wait, we can!  We just need a versatile outfit that will allow the flexibility needed to stay fit, run to a business meeting, finish errands, and allows the opportunity to meet up with friends for appetizers and a drink.

Working out used to mean putting on whatever you could find that was both comfortable and sweat-worthy.  Today, there are new trends and styles in active wear that provide so much more.  You can actually look hot when going for a bike ride or hiking!  I’m not talking about aerobic leotards and leg-warmers (although it’s okay if you are into that).  I am talking about trendy, sexy active wear that allows you to look good while staying fit.

As the author of It Takes All 5: The Single Mom’s Guide to Finding the Real One, I understand the value of knowing that when you look good you feel good.  Clothes can be a total confidence booster.  Besides, you never know when you will run into the man who may become your real one.  Anyone can see you when you’re cruising along on your bike or running on the beach.  As a single mom especially, it is important to make sure you are prepared for any situation that could lead to meeting a terrific guy.  Wearing fashion-forward active wear helps you feel confident when life throws you a possibilities such as bumping into someone very interesting at the gym or when you're shopping for groceries. 

This past September I was delighted to play MC for Long Beach’s first Cycle Chic Fashion Show.  There were some great versatile pieces on the catwalk including those from My Alibi as shown in the image above. It got me to thinking about other active lifestyle brands I could find that are comfortable, movable, and also provide a fun, chic look.  That is when I discovered an amazing brand of active wear made for women by women named after its founder and designer, Lorna Jane.  The line offers bright colors and fashion-forward designs for every type of active woman. Another beautifully designed line is Lucy. Check out their explore wear "around the world pant." They are made of a lightweight washed woven fabric with tapered skinny fit, cute detail and pockets! I am also a huge fan of Zella Activewear, Nordstroms answer to lululemon, both fabulously designed and versatile brands.  Top of the line fabulous! Check out European inspired Anatomie.

It’s great to look good when exercising but burning calories is key.  An intermediate 20-minute bike ride to the pharmacy or bank can torch about 200 calories.  I burn another 200 calories by riding 20 more minutes or so to meet my friends at the local hot spot to catch up on each other’s busy lives.  After all that, I get to knock out a few more hundred calories when biking home after the long day.  Without changing my outfit I can burn at least 500 calories biking from one place to another depending on how vigorously I choose to ride.  How great is that?

We know it's important to maintain an active lifestyle.  Functionable fashion makes my everyday activities easier to keep up with. Chic active wear keeps you looking good and feeling good, while also providing the versatility needed to maintain a happy, healthy life.  So go for it, be confident in your fashion-forward active wear, and always put your best you out there! 

As you all know from my website I am the single mom advisor and a healthy living expert. I advocate that bicycling is one of the best forms of exercise because it’s easy on the joints as well as an exhilarating way to get around town.  Though there are many of my city cycling compatriots in Long Beach, California who will tell you I'm more of a walking nut than a bike buddy. While they like to kick it up into high gear and race through the streets stealthy hunched over their handlebars, I tend to take a more leisurely approach to peddling. I’ll cruise around Belmont Shore on my old crossover bike, and I mean old – going on 25 years old – which inevitably unfortunately leaves me with a backache and a sore hoohaa (ladies you know what I’m talking about).  That’s why when Elayne Fowler, the marketing director from Electra Bicycle Company brought a few of her attractive bicycles on location for a recent photo shoot, I fell in love with the two wheeled wonders.  They are not only stunning pieces of art but happily easy on your body.

THE OFFICIAL BIKE OF NOTHING

Our mission at WOBSOCAL is to get more women to ride bicycles and my personal mantra is for moms to find ways they can make exercise a part of their daily routines. For me riding bikes is the perfect solution. It is a great way to spend time with your children while role modeling a healthy outdoor behavior. And as we all know the female propensity to multi-task, cycling on a bike with a super cool basket allows for a vigorous dose of fitness while making time with quick trip errands.

I think there is no better way to show off your cycling style than on an Electra bicycle. They are the perfect mode of fashion forward transportation for moms and kids. The bikes come in playful designs, so you are not to be missed on the road, they are extremely front basket worthy for quick trips to the store and they all come fully equipped with fun bell ringers so everyone knows you've arrived. And as Fowler indicated in her blog,  “I think it comes back to appealing to a broad population, from ages 6-96— we appeal to enthusiasts as their pleasure bikes, and then to all those who don’t plan to race in a peloton or bounce off boulders…which is to say, most of the general population." I couldn't agree more.

SITTING TALL IN THE SADDLE

Ergonomically comfortable the people at Electra have developed what they call Flat Foot Technology or crank forward design. It's a breakthrough in cycling design so when the rider is sitting in the saddle, her feet can still stand flat on the ground which feels safer and more comfortable. This design also allows for the rider to get full leg extension when they pedal. Basically, Electra’s are built more like a recumbent bike in that the pedals have been moved forward and the seat back. This revolutionary adjustment to bike frame geometry improves your ride and creates the ultimate in comfort. Ahh, relief!

To find out more about Electra Bicycle Company visit their website or to purchase one online or to see the bikes in person join us for the Pro walk pro bike Cycle Chic: Past, Present & Future fall fashion show and fundraiser Thursday September 13 from 6:30 to 9:30 on the Downtown Long Beach Promenade.