DITL Episode 10: How I Shop for Fun Clothes + Getting Back Into Rock Climbing

I LOATHE shopping for clothes.

The store. The people. The sizes & styles that don’t fit me right.

I know what you’re thinking… “but Dana, that’s one of the reasons I want to lose weight - so it’s easier to find clothes that fit.”

I hate to burst your bubble, but bodies of all types have their challenges when trying to fit into the mainstream mold. (If there even IS such a thing anyway)

The patience and talent required for me to mix & match outfits that go with my personality, fit my body right, represent my personal brand and match the occasion? Ugh… wayyy too stressful.

That’s why I LOVE LOVE LOVE these new subscription services that send you clothes, you get to try them, wear them as long as you’d like. What you really love, you keep. The rest you send back and they will get started on styling a new tote for you.

It’s freakin’ BRILLIANT.

In episode 10 I share my latest LeTote arrival that includes 3 fun pieces of clothing + 2 cool accessories provided by an online styling service that actually helps me enjoy shopping!

The stylists then replenish my next tote & I have 48 hours to go in & swap out anothing I’d like (or add in an additional piece) as I plan for the upcoming events in my social calendar.

Like... what I chose to wear to the climbing gym in this very episode (so comfy and a great combo of colors, I actually decided to keep these!) ?

It’s a freakin’ fantastic subscription service and I HIGHLY recommend you give it a shot, starting with a free tote on me. Claim it here.

As for the climbing gym, Steve & I have decided to designate Wednesday nights as our climbing night. We’ve been away from it for far too long for a few different reasons and we are mentally & physically ready to get it back into our lives.

Bouldering is place for each of us to improve, but on our own terms from where we are right now in a way that doesn’t hold one another back.

I climb my V0’s & V1’s.

He climbs his V3’s & V4’s.

V stands for “Vermin” which was taken from the nickname of a famous climber and is a scale that was designed to communicate the difficulty of a route, also known as a “problem.” In a climbing gym, different colored tape represents each particular route.

The scale starts at V0 & can go up to V17. The higher the number, the greater the difficulty.

For example, sometimes the pink tape can be a V0, in other sections of the gym - or in other gyms - it can be a V5. There are always posters around to show you what’s what.

What I love about rock climbing is that it schools you on developing skill and technique, and proves that it’s not always about brute strength. In fact, some of the very best climbers are women!

Which is why it’s peaking my interest and has come back to my attention. I want to expand my horizons to understand how to fuse strength & skill while practicing patience and having FUN!

Plus, it’s something we can do together. And there’s a lot I can learn from my husband’s experience and skill.

When Steve & I met back in 2004, he was a regular rock climber and would often judge rock climbing competitions. He would regularly take trips with his buddies to New Paltz where the bouldering and climbing is among the best in our area.

At the time, I was way too much of a perfectionist to really have any fun or enjoy the experience of learning how to climb.

If I couldn’t climb to the top & get it right the first time, I felt like “why bother?” & “I feel like a failure” and that thinking has stopped me in my tracks more times than I’d like to admit.

But now that I have worked through many of my mindset blocks (which I thought were only pertaining to food & my weight… haha… if only!), I have wayyy more fun with new adventures in life without feeling “why bother” or like “I’m a failure” thoughts creep in and paralyze me.

It’s as if I am wearing a new set of glasses (that happen to go beautifully with each new LeTote delivery) ?

Amanda turned 39 on April 2nd, which is perfectly timed for the RealFit Ride release so I told her to put together a playlist with some of her faves so we can celebrate together!

Like that? The big sister still making her little sister do all the work. ?