Cassey Ho's Blog, page 20

The Beach Bed Towel is a total game changer

Hey guys!

You can count on me to add pockets…TO EVERYTHING

I’ve never designed a beach towel before but I figured I could update a few things to the traditional towel:

 

 

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The Beach Bed Towel

4 secret pockets to hide your valuables (plus it acts as a weight when stuff is inside so your towel won’t blow away!)
The fabric is made of recycled plastic bottles (about 40 bottles per towel)
Double-sided + reversible
Boho tassels
AS BIG AS A TWIN SIZED MATTRESS

SHOP BEACH BED TOWEL

SHOP BEACH BED TOWEL

 

Sorry should have told you about the Beach Bed Towel at the start at summer but better late than never! Annnnd Swim just restocked – did you see?! Now’s the time to grab anything you missed the first time around!

Did you guys go anywhere fun this summer?

Cutting my bangs HOURS before the red carpet

Hey guys!

Remember when I said I’d vow to myself to dress up to my heart’s content at every event going forward? Okay well for this year’s Streamys my heart said BANGS so a few hours before the red carpet I decided to get my bangs cut and honestly – HONESTLY I don’t need to jump out of airplanes bc this is the type of risk that gets my adrenaline pumping .

 

 

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I remember attending my first Streamys 10 years ago…can’t believe how much the online world has changed since then…and how much I’ve changed since then! Back in 2013 I was in the thick of Blogilates song challenges wearing “train insane or remain the same” neon-colored motivational shirts and my hair was nearly blonde! These days, I get to design cool products with you, girls now work out in skorts and skleggings, and my hair is black. What a time to be alive!

At this year’s show, I had the honor of presenting a Streamy Award to someone I admire in the creator space. I was so happy to choose my friend Joanne (The Korean Vegan), whose voice soothed me throughout the pandemic with her soulful stories and beautiful cooking videos. But the best part is, over the past year we’ve become actual, real friends. It’s hard to make friends as adults because as you go through life, trusting the wrong people turns into getting burned, so you get cautious, you begin to lose trust in all people, and then you build up a wall to protect yourself from the bad ones only to keep the good ones out too. I’m so grateful for you Joanne! And so happy that we got to celebrate you and your amazingness last night with the entire internet community!

Thank you Sam for being the best date! Thank you Jennifer and Jen-Ai for flying out to celebrate our POPFLEX nomination! Thank you Streamy Awards for a glamorous evening. Btw my dress is Milla, my shoes are BCBG, my nails are Glamnetic, my earrings are Amazon and my hair and makeup are by Soreya Yann.

K love you byeeeee!

The Blogilates September 2023 Workout Calendar!!

Hey guys!

Is it still 1000 degrees where you live, or is it finally cooling down? More importantly, did you hear that fall items are arriving at Trader Joe’s soon?! This might be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t love how we rush into fall earlier and earlier each year. Like, PSL in August?! Too soooon!

I’m still holding onto summer for now. Excited for a new month though!

Here's your September Workout Calendar!!!

Download PDF

How to follow the September Workout Calendar

Check the Blogilates YouTube playlists to find all of the videos you need for this month’s calendar!!

OR you can get everything you need (and more motivational tools!) on the BODY By Blogilates app! If you don’t have the app yet, it will make following along with this month’s workouts easier! You can access not only the calendar but all of the videos in one place. Find challenges and free programs like the Glow Up Sessions and the 200 Ab Challenge there too!

Now that you know where to find your workouts, here’s what you can expect each day of the September Workout Calendar. You ready?!!!

SUNDAY: Recovery
MONDAY: Total Body
TUESDAY: Abs
WEDNESDAY: Booty
THURSDAY: Total Body
FRIDAY: Arms
SATURDAY: Legs & Thighs

Do each video once (unless otherwise stated) and check off as you go! Most days will be 45 min max of exercise.

If you get the BODY By Blogilates app, your workout calendar and workouts will all be in one place! And it’s so fun and motivating to get that “Workout Complete” checkmark

Speaking of the app!

The Blogilates community is the BEST. So, I wanted to create a space where we could all feel a little more connected to each other! The social feature (in the most updated version of the app) is a place where you can share photos and/or text thoughts and comment on each other’s post. Think the good ol’ days of Instagram!

ANNNND

This spring we launched PPCYCLE, a place where you can list and shop for gently used POPFLEX and Blogilates items! You can read more about it here!

If you're just getting started...

Or want to ease into working out, my Beginner’s Calendar is a great place to start! It’s a free 4-week program to get you stronger so that you can join in on the monthlies when you are ready.

Want MORE?! Take on a challenge

Take on the No Abs Left Behind Challenge or discover some fun new meals with the Build-A-Bowl Challenge!

You can find more challenges here!

Time to check in!

Let me know if you’re IN for September!!!

Vegan Ice Cream Bread: A Dairy-Free Twist on the Viral Trend

All you need to make ice cream bread is ice cream and self-rising flour! Let’s make it with vegan ice cream and see if this trend is worth the hype.

Have you seen the viral ice cream bread on TikTok?! Yep, we’ve moved on from our Creami obsession (for now). Instead, we’re baking with ice cream.

I had to try it.

Ice cream + flour = bread?

To make ice cream bread, you just add self-rising flour to melted ice cream and bake it in a loaf pan. It’s like magic! But here’s why it works. If you’ve ever made quick bread, you know the main components are:

FlourEggsSugarFatLiquid

 

In this case, the ice cream works as the eggs, sugar, fat, and liquid. It’s not magic…just food science!

Can you make vegan ice cream bread?

I could have tested the same recipe that’s all over my fyp, but what’s the fun in that? We know that recipe works. Instead, I wanted to see if this trend works for our dairy-free and/or vegan friends.

I used dairy-free ice cream made with coconut milk for this little test, because it has the highest fat content compared to other dairy alternatives. We need fat to get the texture right.

Sciency stuff aside, I chose SO Delicious Dairy-Free Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Ice Cream because it’s one of my favorite ice creams. I’m not even dairy-free. I just love it.

But…does it work for this recipe?

The final product was dense, slightly sweet, and undeniably fun.

 

PrintVegan Ice Cream Bread#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-full svg * { fill: #343434; }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-33 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-33); }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-50 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-50); }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-66 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-66); }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-33 stop { stop-color: #343434; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-50 stop { stop-color: #343434; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-0-66 stop { stop-color: #343434; }A vegan alternative to the viral ice cream bread.Course Dessert, SnackCuisine AmericanKeyword vegan, dessert, snacks, dairy-free, 2 ingredient, quick breadPrep Time 10 minutesCook Time 35 minutesTotal Time 45 minutesServings 8Calories 166kcalEquipment1 loaf panIngredients2 cups SO Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream or dairy-free ice cream of choice, melted1½ cups Self-rising flourMix-ins (sprinkles, candy, nuts, graham crackers, etc.) OptionalInstructionsGrease a loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside. In a bowl, stir together melted ice cream, flour, and baking powder until well combined. The batter will be thick. Add mix-ins, if desired.Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Top with sprinkles (if using). Bake at 350℉ for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Allow the ice cream bread to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Notes*Nutrition information is approximate and may vary according to the ingredients you use.** 1 pint of ice cream is usually equal to 2 cups! *** If you don't have self-rising flour, just use 1½ cups flour + 1½ tsp baking powder.**** If you want to make a non-vegan loaf, just use your favorite ice cream! Just make sure it's nice and melty before you mix up your batter. NutritionServing: 1slice | Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Fiber: 1g

Should you make it?

This is a really fun recipe to try! I also tried it with “real” ice cream (I used Hagen Daaz matcha flavor!) and got cute little loaves both times.

It’s not as sweet as you’d think

You might assume that ice cream bread is super sweet, but it’s not! In fact, some people are saying it’s straight up bland. I wouldn’t go that far, but adding the flour does absorb a lot of the flavor. When I experimented with matcha ice cream, the matcha flavor was almost undetectable.

I didn’t mind the lighter flavor in this vegan loaf, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind. This isn’t going to taste like cake.

Would I make it again?

Honestly, probably not. MAYBE with my kids because it’s a fun, easy recipe for them to practice basic baking skills, and it blows their minds to bake with ice cream.

Personally, I’d rather just eat the ice cream. But this little experiment was still worth it!

Have you tried ice cream bread yet? What do you think?

Meet the High-Impact Sports Bra of Your Dreams

Hey guys!

The high-impact bra of your dreams: SUPERBRA 

 

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SHOP SUPERBRA

The best high-impact sports bra

Thank you to everyone who gave feedback and made this possible! The goal was to design the best high-impact sports bra. After thousands of surveys, 2.5 years of development, and testing on over 100 boobs, we did it! The Superbra has:

Convertible, adjustable straps
4-hook-and-eye adjustable band
Molded cups
Non-removable padding
A mesh, sweetheart neckline

One of the biggest challenges was achieving high-impact, adjustable functionality without looking totally BORING. Finally, it was the mesh neckline that gave this bra the lil’ somethin’ it was missing.

Find your size

If you’re not sure on sizing, use the POPFLEX size chart and get your normal top size using the bust and waist measurement. The underband has 4 levels of customization so ladies with the big cup small band issue, I think I’ve gotchu .

If you’re DDD+ you can unofficially size up one.

We tested a size small woman with G cups and she fit well into the medium. However please note that our official larger cup high-impact sports bra is in development. I just need more time to study the E, F, G, H, I, J’s etc. I didn’t want to rush into larger cups, so please know that this is where we’re starting and I will accommodate a larger range once I feel like we’ve perfected the fit. As you know, it takes time and I am grateful for your patience as we traverse this sports bra journey together!

SHOP SUPERBRA

The Superbra is avail now in XXS-3X in 5 colors! If you have any fit questions ask me below!

PS: For those of you who didn’t see my original Ambition Bra vid featuring my water balloon boobs, the H cup weight and measurement is explained in that video! However, this bra was tested on hundreds of REAL and different sized boobs so rest assured that the support of this high-impact sports bra is real boob approved.

“A workout dress won’t work on my body.”

Hey guys!

If you think a workout dress isn’t for you or “wouldn’t work” for your body type, this post is for you.

First of all, I get it! If I can’t envision something on my body, I’m not buying it.  That’s one reason why I try to show you a product on as many different bodies as possible! But that’s not all – I test every new design on lots of bodies so when you DO buy it, the fit is perfect.

From start to finish in the design process, we’re checking fit across all sizes, taking notes, making improvements, and repeat. Once the design is complete, we have one more try-on sesh with our Try On Crew to help you envision the product on your body.

Let’s try on the Matchpoint Zipper Dress

This is the third active dress to join the POPFLEX fam. Every new dress design has its own unique flair, but also improvements in fit!

How “twirlable” is the skirt on different body types?
Is there enough boob coverage across sizes?
Is there any weird bunching? Is it comfy to wear?

Those are just a few examples of what we’re looking for, to ensure perfect fit for sizes XXS-3X.

Anyway, here’s a little try-on vid so you can see the Zipper Dress on different bodies.

 

 

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SHOP MATCHPOINT ZIPPER DRESS

The reviews are in

Your feedback is so important for future designs! Plus I know reviews are a major part of the research process when I have my eye on something!

Here are a few reviews for the Matchpoint Zipper Dress.

Sharon, Try-On Crew

Measurements:

Height: 4′ 9″
Bust: 31.5″
Waist: 25.4″
Hips: 32.25″
Size: XS

Sharon says, “Love the fit of this dress! The length is just right even for someone like me who has a short stature.

I definitely feel like I can move more freely and fluidly in this dress without worrying that the straps might fall. The zipper is super smooth and easy to use and I like that it doesn’t get caught on anything on the way up.

The shorts underneath feel a little more structured than previous inner shorts, so it does feel like they stay in place a little better without moving around too much.” 

This is so stunning on you! And I AGREE it’s the worst when you’re trying to workout but falling straps or flimsy shorts constantly need adjusting. So happy this works for you!

Allison, Try-On Crew

Measurements: 

Height: 5′ 10″
Bust: 37″
Waist: 31″
Hips: 41″
Size: M

From Allison! “A sexy little black workout dress!! I was wary of having a zipper on a workout dress but felt very secure! The latch in the inside makes sure the gals stay in! The skirt is incredibly twirl-able and the built-in shorts are perfect! They have two pockets! It’s great for on-the-go or medium-intensity workouts (Pilates approved!).”

Omg YES feeling secure is a must! Happy twirling!

Brandy, Try-On Crew

Measurements: 

Height: 5′ 4″
Bust: 37″
Waist: 33″
Hips: 41.5″
Size: L

Brandy says, “Love the color and softness of the fabric, the dress is very comfy and stylish!”

I can literally feel the confidence through this pic! Love that color on you!

Hopefully this helps!

Now do you feel confident that you could totally rock a workout dress? Do these try-ons help with figuring out which size to get?!

Here’s How My Body Changed After 30 Days of Stretching

A few weeks ago, I attended my usual yoga class (after a brief hiatus) and had the weirdest feeling. When I moved into downward dog, my back was extremely tight. Something that had been so easy in the past was suddenly a huge challenge. I realized that when focusing on strength training, I had completely and totally neglected stretching… and now my body was feeling it. 

Inspired by Cassey’s decision to enter her slow fitness era, I switched up my workout routine too.

I stretched every single day for a month.

My goal was to find relief from stiffness and pain, but became so much more than that. Committing to gentle movements and stretches seriously changed my body and my relationship with fitness. 

Stretching has so many benefits

Most people stretch to become more flexible. As an ex-dancer, I already have some flexibility so that wasn’t necessarily my goal. Stretching also provides benefits like:

Improving performance Decreasing risk of injury Improving your ability to do daily activities

 

I started my 30-day journey with the intention of adding small moments of movement into my life. During times when I’d find myself stationary for long periods of time, I stopped and gave my body relief through stretching. 

Over the course of the month, I started to see stretching not as a part of my workout, but as its own separate form of movement. I tried all sorts of new moves that I hadn’t done before and became more in tune with what type of movement my body needed on a particular day. 

No two days were the same

Some days, my stretching took the form of a 60-minute yoga session. On other days, it was a quick three-minute forward fold before bed. I listened to what my body needed (and what I had time for) and tried to tailor my movement to find balance between these two factors. 

Time can be a huge barrier to working out. However, it’s pretty easy to incorporate daily stretches into your routine. I found myself doing standing quad stretches while waiting for my morning coffee to brew. Family movie night? I did some arm stretches while watching the show! I even sat in a straddle stretch while doing my nightly social media scroll. (I know I’m not the only one who falls into that TikTok vortex  ). 

@blogilates Been a while since I’ve stretched and it feels good to be back at it. If you’re looking to get into your splits, here are some things I do in my personal routine that you can try: 1/ I turn on the heater to warm up my muscles. Cold muscles don’t like to stretch. 2/ I wear socks on top of my @popflexactive vegan suede mat for easy sliding. The less friction, the easier it is to make tiny sliding movements. 3/ I start out with a very short, very light cardio routine like 10 squats and 10 lunges ea side to warm up my muscles. 4/ Then I do a very short, light Pilates routine targeting my legs to make sure blood flow is happening in those areas. Also stretching is as much about flexible muscles as it is about strong muscle (to hold the pose), so you NEED to do this! Single legged hamstring extensions x 10 ea Butt pulses x 20 ea Booty band bridge press outs x 15 5/ Massage your legs. I specially use my @therabody Theragun mini to massage my hamstrings and hips, which are my tightest areas. This bring more blood flow into the area and also helps loosen up my muscles. 6/ Now my splits stretching routine Pike x 1 min Butterfly x 1 min Hamstring stretch x 1 min ea leg Deep lunge x 1 min ea leg Half splits with booty shake x 1 min ea leg Now you can get into your splits! And once you feel like you have that, do your… 7/ Oversplits! I use blocks to add height! There ya go! Remember, go slow and take your time. Depending on your flexibility, this could take weeks, months, or even years. Do not push yourself too hard! You do not want to get an injury – and that usually happens when you’re trying to rush and get results. Your body needs time. GOOD LUCK! Cassey #stretching #splits #flexibility #therabodypartner ♬ Morning with U – Tollan Kim

There are stretches for everything

Have a specific fitness goal? You can do stretches to destress after a busy work day. Or maybe you want to work towards being able to do the splits. Perhaps you were reading this article and kept thinking “I need stretches to relieve my lower back pain!” Those are easy to find too. There are so many different types of stretching, for whatever your body needs! 

Just grab a comfy mat and get started!  

I saw some serious changes

I was already pretty flexible thanks to my past as a dancer, so I didn’t have a huge transformation as far as how far I can stretch. However, I found that building a consistent stretching routine allowed me to hold slightly uncomfortable poses longer and relax into them more easily. 

I also saw a huge improvement in how my muscles felt on a daily basis. The best way I can describe it is this; after stretching every day, my muscles felt like my brain does after coffee. They were awake and ready for anything! I felt lighter, less stiff, and more energized. 

In the past month, not only did my body go through changes, but so did my mindset. I used to see fitness as “all or nothing:”

If I don’t have time to go to the gym for an hour, then it isn’t really worth it to work out at all. 

If I don’t sweat, then it isn’t really a workout. 

I have to be sore the day after a workout or I didn’t work hard enough. 

These are things I used to tell myself. Now, I see that any form of movement can have a positive effect on the body. I don’t need to push myself to the limit every single time I set out to engage in physical activity. 

Stretching is like the behind-the-scenes crew on a movie set. It doesn’t get the recognition it deserves and the show could not run without it! 

Without stretching, our bodies are getting torn down, but not built back up. Doing gentle movements helps to warm up and cool down from our busy lives and take a moment to breathe and just exist in the moment. 

Try this 30-Day Stretch Challenge!

If you need something to follow along, try the 30-day #JourneytoSplits challenge!

Get the Graphic

Live in your moment.

Feel like you can relate? How can you find balance by slowing down? 

 

The 2.5-Year Superbra Journey

Girls, get ready.

It’s everything you wished for. 2.5 years in the making and I’m finally ready to share with you what will be the best sports bra in the world.

Were you one of the 22,000 women who filled out the survey back in 2021? If so, you helped create this:

The POPFLEX Superbra.

 

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The Superbra Journey

Why did it take 2.5 years? Because we had to get creative and go back to the drawing board so many times. Here’s a lil peek at the BTS.

 

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SHOP SUPERBRA

Can you believe how many times the design changed!? As you can see, the product development process is truly A PROCESS. Good, reliable products take time, but with the speed of social media and fast fashion setting the pace, I feel like it’s warped people’s sense of time. (Copying other people’s designs and getting them out in a matter of weeks is UNNATURAL!)

9-12 months is the average time I can sketch something from your requests, develop, and produce, but the harder ones like Superbra need even more attention.

Anyway, thank you for giving me grace and patience. I’m currently editing my Superbra video and I cannot wait to show you all the cool features!

The pleated skort young me wishes she had

Hey guys!

I wish I had this skort growing up! As an ex-captain of the tennis team 00’s player, we did NOT have cute uniforms. Our team wore men’s soccer shorts rolled down 3 times to make them look somewhat cute.

I’m happy that women’s activewear has evolved sooooo much and I’m so grateful to be a part of this industry. But really, I am. I was just telling Sam over dinner tonight how lucky I feel to be doing what we’re doing. As unpredictably crazy as it gets sometimes, I am doing exactly what I want. Like literally exactly. Thank you for watching these videos, wearing the clothes, and letting me be a fashion designer. You don’t know how many tears I cried, how much screaming I endured, and how many nights I spent wondering if my life was still worth living…all for a dream I knew one day, some way, somehow, was going to be my reality. So thank you. Thank you for letting me do this.

Oh wow, hold. I went real deep before even telling you about this skort!

 

 

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My new Ace ‘Em Pleated Skort

It’s got all the features you love about POPFLEX skort…

Anti-
Deep pockets
Twirlable
XXS-3X

But this time! It’s also got:

Crisp pleats that won’t wash out
Water repellent fabric
Longer back skirt
Beautiful elastic jacquard waistband

 

GET THE ACE 'EM SKORT

 

I am 5’5 wearing S, and this runs TTS!

Which color do you like best!? Desert rose , Sugar , Black , or Rustic olive ?

 

2000s Low Rise Shorts Are Back 👀

Hey guys!

Calling all millennials who were traumatized by the low rise trend of the 2000s!

I honestly have never been able to go low-low as I have a very soft lower belly and hips, so my body type isn’t highlighted in a way I like with traditional low rise bottoms.

Low rise shorts are back

20 years later (omg whattttt), low rise is back, but this time around, I get to control how it looks. Don’t be scared guys. I found a way for us to do this (if you want to of course) and do it better than in the 2000s!

 

 

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Shop Low Rise Supershort

I am very pleased with how my Low Rise Supershort turned out and it’s my shorts of choice at the moment! Love how it fits right over my hips, it doesn’t pinch, and it lightly shows off my belly button. Very flattering. On short torso’d girls, this will probably be like a mid rise on you!

An honest note on sizing

Initially I had planned to make low rise shorts in our full size range xxs-3x but all of the plus size fit models we worked with kept it real and said they’d never wear this. In order to not create extra waste by making something no one wants, we opted not to produce plus sizes, however, if you feel like you actually would wear this – comment and tell me and I can make it for next time.

Im 5’5” wearing the small! The waist is very generous in its construction (which is what makes it anti-pinch). If you have a softer lower belly like me, stick with your normal size chart size. If you have more muscle in your hips and abs, I would say size down!

Hope you like the new options! Oh and for those wondering about thigh chafing – I’m working on something for you. Thank you for being patient as we develop!