John B. of Westchester, Illinois, was having a hard time figuring out which Jockey® boxers to buy. His wife, who just passed away, used to handle all that for him. When personal shopper Laura Otter heard this, she offered her heart-felt condolences.

Laura then sent John some samples to try, along with a special condolence card. John just couldn’t believe it. “I didn’t get treated like a customer,” he says. “I got treated like a member of the family! It’s just unbelievable.”

John really is a believer and he’s out to make believers of the people around him who don’t know “what a fabulous company Jockey® is.”

You thought I wouldn’t be writing this week, didn’t you?

Well, I thought about skipping this post. I’ll be honest.

I can say, without doubt, that I was definitely depressed after I sprained my ankle last week. Take an active girl who has just recently rediscovered her passion and love for running, biking, even just walking outside, and plop her on the couch for a week straight. Yes, I was depressed. And can you say cabin fever?

My mom would say I looked like Rosie the Robot from the Jetsons. (Okay, weird reference, I know, but go with it.) When I was a kid, if my little sister or I pouted and dragged ourselves around the house, my mom would tell us we looked like Rosie the Robot. As little kids, this was an insult! Yet here I was, shuffling around the apartment all day with my head down, heaving big sighs. I had reverted.

Not only was I stuck on the couch, basically immobile, but I also found it was harder to keep eating healthy. For over a week, I was so mad and frustrated that I became apathetic about anything health-wise. I went out to several dinners with friends and got whatever I wanted on the menu, not even thinking about if it was good for me or not. I even got dessert twice. I never do that! At home, I ate whatever I felt like, too. I craved pizza one night, so I ordered one—plus breadsticks. What happened to me?

So yes, I’ll admit that I very much did not want to write this post, because I didn’t want to confess that I was a despondent gobbler all week. But, admitting my mistakes makes it easier, I’ve realized, to rebound. I thought I had the working out and eating thing under control… Nope, I don’t. And you know what? I realize that it will be a constant battle, all the time. With the world surrounding me with all kinds of unhealthy foods, drinks, and ideas; and limiting my time to cook or work out, of course it’s always going to be difficult. But it will get easier, as it has been getting easier over the last four months.

I think people believe they can pick either dieting or exercising—one or the other—and that alone will help them be healthier or lose weight. But they should go hand-in-hand. Doing one makes it easier to do the other. If you work your butt off in the gym for an hour, why on earth would you want to eat a piece of cheesecake that totally negates that? So, if there’s one piece of advice I can offer, it’s this: Fight both battles at once. You’re stronger than you think.

That’s Couch Potato Lesson #1 from Amanda. I’ve had a lot of time to sit here and think. However, I’m happy to say I went for a 20-minute bike ride yesterday (for the first time since the ankle sprain), and though my ankle felt weird being used again, it didn’t hurt. So, here’s to a speedy recovery. And here’s to a stronger YOU.

Fat Stats:
Starting weight: 166 pounds
Last week: 150.5 pounds
This week: 153.5 pounds (That’s what happens when you let yourself stop caring…)
Goal weight: 145 pounds

Fightin’ the battle,
Amanda
@jockey_amanda

The days of summer are quickly coming to an end, and the crisp fall air is starting to blow in.  Don’t fret over what to wear!  We have 5 great ways to keep you comfy, stylish and warm this season!

 Our 5 fall essentials (straight from our lookbook ):

1. Thermals
 Layer up and keep warm with long sleeve thermal henleys, crew and v-neck style long sleeve tops and long Johns.  Fashionable colors and prints make our men’s and women’s thermal styles a fall must-have.

 2. Sleepwear
Shorter days mean more time in your PJ’s!  Get a restful night’s sleep in our new selection of women’s sleepwear bottoms, tops and sleep shirts

3. Sportswear
Mild-weather workouts will be a blast with our men’s and women’s activewear styles!  Gear up with active tanks, tees, bottoms, hoodies and more!

4. Socks & hosiery
Treat your feet right and add fashion to your fall wardrobe.  Guys, step up your look with our selection of athletic, casual, and dress socks.  Ladies, add fashion to your feet with colorful hosiery styles or get comfy in any of our other women’s sock styles

5. Layering Pieces
Take your favorite Jockey® layering pieces from summer to fall.  Create a trendy fall with our men’s and women’s tanks and tees.  Pair them up with a Jockey® hoodies, jacket or stylish top for the perfect fall look.

Do you have any other fall essentials?  We’d love to hear!  Shop all of our fall styles, or any of your other Jockey® favorites!

I read a lot of running and health magazines, websites, blogs and more, and in all my time reading these wonderful purveyors of information, I generally skip over certain articles: how to avoid injury/coming back from an injury/dealing with an injury. Besides my little hip problem, which was from too much running and not enough stretching, I pretty much never get injured.

This week, I am kicking myself. Except that I’m really not, because my kicking leg cannot do that. Because it’s…injured.

Yes, yes. Here’s the story:

My last two weeks have been pretty hectic and busy, jam-packed with working, meeting up with friends, and going lots of fun places on the weekend. This past Sunday was the first day that I had zero plans and nothing I had to do. As I sat sipping my coffee and waking up in the hazy morning light that streamed through my living room window, I felt so calm and relaxed that I pondered taking a lazy day off from everything, including my boot camp workout class. I decided since I had been so busy, that yes, I could be lazy and sit on the couch and watch some TV.

But 20 minutes later, I found myself double-knotting my shoes and fishing my car keys out of my purse. I hate feeling lazy. It was a beautiful day out, and there was nothing good on TV; so, at the last minute, I decided to go to my workout class. I got there two minutes late, even. But I went.

Man, I wish I had kept my butt sitting on the couch for once!

We were only about 20 minutes into the hour-long class, running on the trail outside after doing some killer lunges, when all of the sudden my face was plummeting towards the pavement. I will spare you the pain, tears and sweat (though it was quite the combo of each). An hour later, I was sitting in a wheelchair in the ER waiting to get the verdict. Three hours later, I was home with a snazzy gel splint, wobbling on crutches and nursing a sprained ankle.

Wahhhh.

Okay, really, I’m over it now. It sucks and I can’t say I’m happy about it, but honestly, as they all say: “S” happens.

I’m sure it will be several weeks until I get back to running. But, I have researched just about everything I can do as far as sprained ankle recovery and rehab. I also found myself some new pilates, yoga and circuit workout DVDs that will hopefully keep me going until the day I can lace up those sneakers again. (Sniffle, sniffle.)

For now, I will just have to look forward to taking a little break, and trying some new non-impact workouts. Maybe I will finally try swimming? (I’ve been too afraid to take the plunge—okay, forgive my pun.)

And, I’ll admit that I’m digging up those old articles I remember skipping over and reading about how to deal with losing what feels like a little piece of me. Until these tootsies can get back on the road again…

Fat Stats:
Starting weight: 166 pounds
Last week: 150.5 pounds
This week: ??? I can’t balance on the scale!
Goal weight: 145 pounds

Here’s to staying positive,
Amanda
@jockey_amanda