It’s that time of week again! Hopefully you’ve been enjoying this new link up with your FIVE amazing hosts – me, My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Runs with Pugs, Zenaida ! Feel free to join in on the fun!
It’s also that time of the month… the Ultimate Coffee Date for June!
Want to get together for a cup of joe (or tea) and have a little gab session? Join in the monthly Ultimate Coffee Date! What would you tell ME if we were having coffee? Linkup is open now and stays that way through the weekend.
Deborah and Coco are your hosts and you can find the guidelines here.
Finally time to relax and catch up
I can’t believe it’s been more than one year that I’ve had the Ultimate Coffee Date with my lovely blog friends, how sad is that??
And of course it’s been really crazy-busy in my life the last several weeks and I haven’t been able to participate in the Fit Five Friday.
I shall now rectify BOTH situations! Grab a cup of whatever makes your heart happy at this moment and let’s chat!
If we were having coffee –
I would have to admit to you, first and foremost, that I’ve completely gone to the dark side and have joined TikTok. Yep. It’s true. I actually joined about a year ago and mostly just watched videos and followed some folks I really enjoyed, but only lately I started posting.
I blame being one of two people who are handling the social media account for Sonsbeek parkrun. On IG, business accounts can no longer use free music on Reels so I asked if I could also create an account for parkrun on TikTok. I really have fun making videos and am truly enjoying so much of the content of people and subjects I follow.
I never once in a million years thought I would join TikTok but here we are!
@sonsbeekparkrun parcours uitzetten! setting up the course! #sonsbeekparkrun #parkrunnl #loveparkrun #gratis #loopwandelofjog ♬ Walk This Way (feat. Aerosmith) (7" Single Version) – RUN DMC
Are you on TikTok? Or are you staying away forever? The above video is from our sonsbeekparkrun account, my own account is the same as everywhere else; runlaugheatpie. Not a whole lot on there, still mostly watching videos.
If we were having coffee –
I’d tell you my sob story about not being able to find any clothes I like. Being at home for two years, gaining weight due to various reasons (some I can control, others I cannot) and pretty much living in workout clothes has got me now in a pickle. I have to go to the office two times a week and I really don’t have a lot of office clothes anymore. The office I was working at was pretty casual; the office I now go to is a bit more corporate. Not to say I have to wear suits, but I can’t go in jeans and tees anymore.
My problem: I hate shopping. I hate trying on clothes, I hate that feeling of being disappointed over and over again when something in a size that should fit does not (and I’m honest with myself, I’m not going for the size I was 20 years ago). I hate sweating in those tiny spaces, feeling frustrated.
I also do not want to buy fast fashion. It has to be somewhat sustainable. The quality has to be decent and has to last for a bit. I’ve tried charity shops but the ones I’ve been to have no dressing rooms. I use an app called Vinted – you can buy gently used items at a decent price or even swap items – and about half of my purchases have been successful (so I’m still spending money and ending up with something I can’t wear).
I’ve now done a few online shops which have been 90% a failure. More spending money just to have to send almost everything back. It’s. SO. Frustrating. I’m literally in between sizes and I’ve no idea what to do at this point.
A friend suggested a personal shopper – it’s a minimum cost of EUR 400. Um. That’s kind of the most I want to spend on a few new quality items. UGH.
How do you find clothes? Are you an online shopper? How do you get over the changing room blues?
If we were having coffee –
I would definitely check in with you how your running is going. Mine is… ok, but there are days when I am hard on myself. Injury, surgery, menopause, weight gain, arthritis in my feet… none of those things are making it easier.
I am off HRT (again) and my symptoms have only slightly returned, so maybe I’m over the meno-hump?
What’s your mantra for acceptance and keeping in the present?
If we were having coffee –
I would tell you that I had such a blast with my parents recently. It was so great to see them even if it was just a long weekend. I’m, however, painfully aware of my father’s mortality, especially. With the kidney issues he had last year, the cancer and the subsequent treatment, he’s just not as peppy as he used to be. He’s 100% making the most of life, but it’s kind of hitting me that they really are getting older.
More things to accept as part of ‘adulting’ I guess.
If we were having coffee –
I’d ask you how the heck we are in JUNE already!! We’ve got some fun things coming up this month as well as (I HOPE) the stress being less at work. I hope to share more of this with you all in the coming weeks.
Do you have anything nice planned for this month or the summer in general?
What would you tell me over coffee?
Join the Fit Five Friday Link-up!
Here are the guidelines:
- Your link should center around some kind of fitness (exercise, wellness, mental health, nutrition… the possibilities are endless!)
- Please link back to your hosts! It’s the right thing to do!
- Share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!
- Feel free to share about Fit Five Friday on your social media! Tag #FitFiveFriday to get the word out!
Here are the guidelines:
- Your link should center around some kind of fitness (exercise, wellness, mental health, nutrition… the possibilities are endless!)
- Please link back to your hosts! It’s the right thing to do!
- Share the link-up love by visiting and commenting on your hosts and at least two other Fit Five Friday bloggers!
- Feel free to share about Fit Five Friday on your social media! Tag #FitFiveFriday to get the word out!
Menopause has changed my body–I can’t fight it anymore. I just try to do what I can by watching my diet (avoiding refined carbs and sugary foods) and working out. We dress casually at work too–buying clothes is always tough. I needed an update, so I restarted a subscription service every other month where they send you a box of clothes. You try them on and keep what you want. I like it.
I’m sure it was great to see your dad!
I have a few go-to stores for work clothes, but even then it’s hit or miss. For work, I tend to choose dresses or skirts and tops because pants are really hard to find — I’m short and have hips which designers seem to not contemplate.
No TikTok for me. My husband has a security clearance and is banned from having it. Technically, I’m not, but …
I prefer skirts and dresses too, pants are difficult and I can’t get away with jeans all the time anymore. An added issue I have is finding shoes… because of my messed up foot I can’t wear heels anymore and flats kill my feet as well. So I’m pushing the boundaries with athletic shoes!
well if you or the hubs can’t tiktok I’m sure your life will still be just as wonderful :)
I so wish I could get a subscription service here. But no dice. Only for people with standard sizes. For the most part I’m much more accepting of the meno body, but I’m just not happy that I can’t find clothes to reflect me. I have always kind of struggled with that though. To be fair when I was much smaller I had a lot more choice. So that’s kind of a bummer.
it really was great to see him :)
I’m not on TikTok but I’ve been doing more Reels. I love your creative video!
I do a lot of online shopping and returns. I haven’t needed new clothes in a while but I refresh the basics a lot.
I just saw my mom after 3 years – she’s thriving despite losing most of her sight. But it’s tough to get older and to know they won’t be around forever!
ah thanks! Reels take some creativity as well :)
the whole having to return stuff is really annoying to me. maybe not as annoying as trying clothes on in the shops though. I took back a huge box to the post office today. *sigh*. Yet I’m still going to try again.
Definitely tough seeing our parents get older.
Yes you are definitely hard on yourself. But most of us are.
No to TikTok… never I hope. IG and FB and the blog takes up way too much of my time as it is.
Menopause definitely moves things around. I haven’t gained weight (I don’t think) but clothes fit differently. I am still working from home but that will change. I’m with you. Don’t know what to wear and I don’t like my old stuff. My closet is full and so I can’t justify buying anything new…
Great news about your parents’ visit and that they are doing so well.
Miss your posts!
I hear you about how much time social media and the blog takes. I am not certain I would be so involved with it if I wasn’t already doing the social media for our parkrun.
I always have trouble justifying buying new things. I usually have a yearly clear out but this year I put some stuff on Vinted and then was able to buy a few things with the money I earned. It’s not a lot but at least I’m trying to be a bit more sustainable than just buying more stuff…
I hope soon to have more time to even start doing the WRD. I miss catching up with everyone!
I have an account on TikTok, but only to watch videos – I’m way too scared to make a video to post, lol.
Don’t be so hard on yourself! My “regular” clothes definitely don’t fit like they used to pre-Covid – but I guess that is what happens when I spend 95% of my time in gym/leisure clothes. Like you, I also hate shopping and tend to buy most things online which can be very difficult.
yeah I still really only watch videos for the most part. but I do occasionally post things now and again.
I’m not happy you also have clothing challenges, but I’m glad you and others have helped me feel like I’m not alone in this.
Oh yes things have definitely shifted! Going back into an office a couple of days a week has definitely come with clothing challenges. I recently decided to give one of those subscription services a try and have gotten lucky with a few items.
I have barely gotten around to making reels for IG so Tik Tok is beyond me lol!
Glad you got to spend some time with your parents.
a friend of mine found a clothing subscription service for me here in NL…but their max size is a 42 (a US 12). Maybe I can get away with that in some tops, but definitely not bottoms. This country is still so far behind on clothing for curvier women. And believe me, they have gotten “curvier” in general in the last 25+ years. So why only up to a 42??
you’d be surprised at how easy tiktok is. but it’s also a bit of a rabbit hole…
Luckily I CAN live in workout clothes, but menopause is a process, let me tell you — I haven’t had a particularly hard time with it, but there has been STUFF & the changing body is part of it.
No use beating yourself up about it, because you really can’t change it. Good luck finding clothes.
I can’t even begin to tell you how challenging the last 6+ years with my parent/s has been. If my mother was happy I think I’d feel differently, but she really isn’t. But then again, look about how we feel at our age! Now think about what’s going on with them at their age!
I’m glad that you were able to be with your parents. Sometimes a short visit is just the ticket!
I’m accepting menopause and all the changes a lot more than I did the last couple of years. Now I’m at the stage where I want to actually dress comfortably but still be cute/office casual / myself. I never really have been into the latest fashion so that also doesn’t help me. Sometimes I see older women in cute clothes and I just wish I could ask where they get them! Believe me, if I was in the US I would, but honestly it’s SO HARD to ask those things here. Even if you give a compliment people act like you have two heads.
My parents keep revising their will and keep giving me copies of it, which is very confronting every single time. They want to talk about it, I understand that but at the same time I am not ready to deal with that. Well, when are we??
So far, Tik Tok is a big NO for me. I do my weekly Talk To Me Tuesday reels on Insta (and an occasional “bonus” reel now & then), and I’m good with that. Hugs to you, Renee, on all your struggles…I wish I could hug you in person <3 I hear you on the aging parents… my mom is starting to show her age (85) and it’s really tough to think of ones parents as “elderly.”
What I realised with tiktok is that it’s really tailored to your interests. So I don’t have to watch people dancing all the time LOL (I always think of dancing when I think of tiktok). One day I’m going to cash in a bunch of hugs, by the way. Prepare yo self !
I am so glad you had a wonderful time with your parents! That’s awesome!
I hate shopping, so I get it. I do a lot online, but that makes it easier.
I will follow you on TikTok!
No TikTok for me. I can barely handle Facebook and Instagram. I am glad you got to spend time with your parents. Whenever I find something that I like, I tend to buy the same item in multiple colors. Kohl’s had a great sale on Land’s End tops and I bought like 10 of them. I stick to black pants and have a few pairs since they go with everything.