Thank you prAna for sponsoring this post.

You guys, I started something I NEVER thought I would do. Okay, I made that sound way more dramatic than necessary. Especially when I tell you that it’s just that I started taking yoga classes.

Cue the part where you all like, “That’s not weird Danielle, like a million and one people do yoga.” And while that is true, for YEARS I have vowed that it’s just not for me. I’m more of a cardio queen. If there’s running, jumping, biking or any sort of competition involved – I’m in. But things that made you slow down, focus and be more thoughtful, yeah nope. Not me.

Until now. I blame my friend Shannon Kessler for finally giving in. I could only see so many videos of her looking super svelte while doing crazy handstands on instagram for so long before I wanted to see if that could be me. Spoiler Alert: it’s not. I am neither svelte, nor coordinated, nor flexible. But I am trying.

Shannon invited me for a yoga date and I figured now was as good as ever to give it a go. I will say that I almost ran away in fear when I realized it was hot yoga but after giving it a try I was a reluctant fan. First off, I love a good sweat. It feels good to get all that out of your system but more than that, I have really enjoyed the challenge.

I haven’t enjoyed looking like an uncoordinated gorilla in all the classes – seriously, my out of whack arm-to-torso-to-leg proportions make me an embarrassment. But the classes have been really relaxing in a way where you still feel like you’re getting a solid workout. And I can attest to the work out part since I have been insanely sore after every class. I’m thinking if I can stick with it, I might even become mildly flexible. I mean, my goal is to be able to touch the ground without bending my knees so I’m not raising the bar too high or anything.

And with any new activity, I’ve had to up my gear game. It only took one class for me to figure out that my thick leggings weren’t gonna cut it. Plus any top that isn’t snug ends up making me look even more like the amateur I am when I do any downward facing pose. It ended up being pretty awesome that prAna reached out to me about collaborating like the week after I started this whole yoga journey. They make sustainable and eco-friendly clothes and gear. The kind that you want to wear. They also aim to make versatile items that can go from workout to work which is exactly what I’ve been up to lately.

I try to take classes at the beginning or end of the day. Which means I’m either going from the classes to work (on casual days, obvi) or to after school pick-up before heading off to whatever practice d3 has that night. The goal is to look mildly presentable and while sometimes my face/hair combo isn’t on point, the prAna pieces I’ve picked up have picked up the slack. I’ve been eyeing a couple more of their hoodies, especially this one, to up my work-out to work routine.

I love this wrap because I can layer it over my workout clothes on chilly mornings and then wear it into the office to save me from the winter temps of the A/C. I threw it on over joggers and a tee after my spin class yesterday and it was perfect for a casual day spent parked behind my computer but also had me covered for lunch in front of the professionals downtown.

prAna Loveland Wrap c/o
Save 15% on your order with code F17CGDD

As for the yoga side of things… I’m eyeing this top and these fun printed leggings so I can fit in with the cool yogis (if you didn’t read that and quote “I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool mom” you’re clearly not as Mean Girl obsessed as I am). If you want to learn more about prAna’s mission to make us all more informed, conscious consumers (I definitely suggest it) check it out here. And if you ever want to join me for yoga, holla. I can’t guarantee you’ll be hooked but I can promise you’ll get a good laugh.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Photos by Tabitha Booth.