Music to My Ears - Koss Headphones Review

This post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Koss.

This last week I received not one but two pairs of headphones from Koss. These headphones are different from other headphones because they are made specifically for active women! In fact, they were designed by Olympic Gold Medalist, Dara Torres. I was sent both the FitClips - ear clip headphones and the smaller FitBuds - that fit in your ear. I have been on the hunt for new headphones and these showed up at just the right time! 

Gifts from Koss

The first pair that I tried on my run was the FitClips. The first thing I noticed about the clips was how light they were. They fit over my ear and didn't weigh it down at all. A lot of times the over the ear headphones will start to put pressure on the outside of my ears because of the weight, but not these, I hardly noticed that they were there. I also love the color. For anyone who has run the Nike Women's Marathon, these come in a great Tiffany blue teal color! They are also sweat resistant and come with three ear cushions, small, medium and large, to help you create a custom fit. 

I wore the FitClips for the California International Marathon Relay race on Sunday and they were a great fit and kept the music flowing during my six mile leg of the race. The also kept my ears a bit warmer than they would have been if they were exposed to the cold - in the low 30's on race day - brrr!

CIM Race Day Outfit - FitClips in the top right corner!

The second pair of headphones were the FitBuds. These came in a fun, bright coral color. I liked the fit of these headphones. I had to put on the smaller ear cover to keep the earbuds in my ears, but once I adjusted the size properly, they stayed put. I will be wearing these for training runs and when I'm listening to music around the house. Personally, when I am running long distances I will be wearing the FitClips because I don't want to take chance that I have to worry about my FitBuds moving. This is just a personal preference. I feel the most secure in the FitClips and they will be my racing and marathon headphones. 

FitBuds - sweat resistant and they do not fall out!

Both of these headphones have a lot to offer for a female athlete. They were designed for women, by women. They feature a 33% smaller fit than traditional headphones, fit more women's ears, are sweat resistant and come in stylish and bright colors. These will make great stocking stuffers or gifts for your fellow runners this Christmas season. Generally, these retail for $29.99, but during the holiday season they will be offered for a discounted price of $19.99. You can find the earbuds at many local retailers:

• Best Buy
• Wal-Mart
• Walgreens
• Kmart
• Sears

What are you waiting for? Grab a pair for yourself and one to give to a friend. At this great price, you don't want to miss out. When you snag a pair be sure to let me know what you think. Follow Koss on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more holiday ideas!

Happy Running!

Merry Christmas to All!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had an amazing day and that all your Christmas wishes came true. I had a great day with my husband and my parents just relaxing at Sun River Resort in Oregon. It was definitely a great idea to rent a cabin and spend time appreciating family. The snow today was gorgeous and I got to go out for a bit of a walk/run and took some great pictures with my family. It's definitely nice to be able to just get away from the everyday life events sometimes and appreciate the small things.

My dad and I went ice skating this evening, and while I don't think the US National Hockey team will be knocking on my door anytime soon, I still had a great time. With only one fall to speak of, I would say that today was a success. I was even getting into a bit of a rhythm near the end of our hour and a half of skating. I was definitely a bit too bundled, skating is a great workout and I was roasting, too many layers! I was a bit worried that I would not reach my Nike Fuel goal today because of all the lounging that we were doing, but ice skating really burned those Christmas calories!

Even when I don't get a workout in at the gym, I still find ways to stay active and keep my body guessing. Aaron and I even tried to get into the gym at the resort but we were turned away because we were not homeowners here. Oh, well, that will come soon enough...I hope! We decided we would make our own workout and instead shoveled snow off the balcony...tough work! I don't think anyone has shoveled the snow all season long, they must have known that some crazy fitness fanatics would be by just in time to clear the deck of three feet of snow!

I couldn't be more thankful for great friends and family this holiday season. How was your Christmas? Did you find any creative ways to stay active and enjoy time with your family? 

Merry Fitmas!

Vacation could not have come soon enough. I am so glad to have arrived in Oregon on Thursday night. After a brief delay at the airport, we arrived in Oregon ready for fun. And the fun started from day one. On Friday I went for an early afternoon jog, all dressed in my hyperwarm Nike gear, and it was great. I stayed warm and dry in the cold, wind and damp weather. Following that jog I went out for some much needed holiday shopping. 

I had barely stopped at one store when I headed to the mall. After stopping at a stop light in my dad's borrowed truck, the vehicle just turned off. It would not start back up. After searching for the flashers for quite some time I decided to just start pushing. I pushed the truck down the street and then tried to get it to turn into the mall parking lot. After pushing and pushing with no success, some guys came to help. Thank you! We got the truck out of the way of the holiday shopping madness and towed it home. Still not sure what happened, but it may be a bad fuel pump. After some comfort food at Taco Time and a smoothie at Orange Julius I was ready for an evening at home.

Saturday I began the day with a killer 45 minute NTC workout by Jeanette Jenkins. It was the best way to start off my day. In the afternoon we had a pre-Christmas dinner with my grandparents and they went out for some shopping at the outlet mall. The Woodburn Oregon outlets have the BEST Nike outlet store and I found the coolest Nike boots, I wanted everything, but my hubby kept me in check. I might have to stop back by on my way to the airport next Thursday, just to say goodbye!

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and our family just arrived in Sun River, Oregon for a fun Christmas adventure! I have been looking forward to this trip for months and it is finally here. It also just happens to be the same place where Nike founders often come to relax and plan their future endeavors! Many famous Nike moments were probably created here. Tomorrow we will be off to Mt. Bachelor to shred some hills on our snowboards. I finally get to try out my new boots, I got them two years ago and haven't been boarding since. It's time to break them in and tomorrow looks like it will be a great day.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings! I'm loving this white Christmas!

Holiday Exercises for the Family

This is me after a trail hike sporting my Nike gear! 

The holidays have arrived and sometimes it is hard to fit in a trip to the gym when relatives from across the country are crashing on your living room floor. This year turn your exercise time into time with the family. Here are some fun activities to do with you family and friends that will get you moving without feeling like exercise. 

1. Go on a hike through the woods, or go on a trail run. Not only will this up your heart rate and burn off those Christmas cookies and holiday parties, but it is also a great way to relax the mind and body. Nature has a way of healing the soul and a brisk walk through the woods may be just the thing you need to get your mind off crazy aunt Gertrude and back into the Christmas spirit.

2. Go sledding. Trudging through snow and climbing up and down hills is a MAJOR calorie burn. So grab the kids and some inner tubes and head for the nearest snow covered hill. You'll be having a blast in no time! Only an hour could torch up to 600 calories!

3. Take a few extra laps around the mall when finishing up your Christmas shopping. You'll feel better about yourself once your heart is pumping and you will be less likely to stop in the chocolate shop if your are speed walking by rather than merely taking a stroll and window shopping. 

4. Do 10 jumping jacks and squats in the fitting room in between trying on clothes. Every small movement counts and this is an easy place to get in a few quick leg strengthening drills. Plus it'll make you feel like you have earned your purchases because of all your hard work.

5. Do lunges around the kitchen while baking. Every time you take a dish out of the cupboard or go to the oven lunge your way there, you'll be surprised how quick you feel the burn! Tired of  lunges, then power press your rolling pin over your head. It's your kitchen, make up a workout...squats while mixing, back kicks, it's up to you! (Just be careful of sharp objects and be aware of the space around you)

I hope you are all with family and friends this Christmas and enjoying yourselves. Merry Christmas everyone, I hope these simple tips helped. Let me know if you did any of them and how they turned out in the comments below!