Wearing nice stuff to work out

Grumpelina

When I first started out in the gym I wore old cotton leggings and the baggiest cotton t-shirts - my rationale being I need to keep my wobbly bits completely hidden and I refuse to spend money on stuff I would hopefully grow out of - or rather, would grow too small for....

However, I felt self conscious anyway - ending up in sweat sodden, wrinkly **** did nothing to improve that and knowing that, did nothing to improve my motivation to go to the gym and work.

I've recently bought some better fitting (still not skin-tight - no way!) but nice looking and 'fit for purpose' sweat wicking gear. I feel like I look OK and even if I'm not as svelte as I'm working towards I don't look as unkempt and sweaty as I once did. I'm happier working out and more otivated because I'm not overly conscious about how I look.

I don't feel like I look like 'that fat bird on the treadmill wearing her comfy clothes - look how sweaty and puce she is...!'

The investment in nice gear is paying off, very well actually. For anyone putting off buying nice stuff for working out I say "don't"!

Grumpelina

It seems we're not allowed to say the word for 'poo' which beings with 'sh'. Who knew!

fteale

I think having nice exercise clothes is important. If you feel confident in how you look, you are more likely to wear them. I wish there were some flattering running singlets on my shape. I always look like a heifer in my vest tops.

dandydalek

I agree. No one wants to feel frumpy at any time, not even at the gym. Knowing you have some cute stuff to wear while you work out is certainly much nicer than knowing you're going to spend an hour not only hot sweaty and a little miserable, but also feeling particularly unattractive. Kudos on your new workout gear!

alexbowser

I feel more motivated when I wear my nice workout clothes. I bought this really cute exercise skort and I feel awesome it in. I do most of my exercising at home (except Zumba), but I still feel better in well fitted exercise clothes, than in pajamas.

Mariposa187

you know this was very helpful to me!i was starting to feel the same way even though i only exercise at home or at the park. I usually wear my husbands shirts (SHhhhh...) and a pair of baggy pants so people cant see my fat move faster than the wiggles when i move... But i really am starting to think if you feel pretty or even sexy (te he he) you might work out harder and feel more accomplished! I def think i am going to have to invest in some workout gear. Love the post!

sezp

I totally agree. I was just working out at home and cycling so I didn't buy any new workout gear to begin with, but now I've started running outdoors and felt not only self-conscious in my baggy clothes, but also plain uncomfortable - tshirts were sticking to me, bra straps falling down and tracksuit bottoms slipping down. That didn't make running stress-free. So this month I've bought a load of new gear: wicking tshirts, yoga pants, running trousers and new running shoes. I feel better and I'm also able to just run rather than worry about my clothes falling down. It also felt good to buy all of those clothes two sizes smaller :-)

TourThePast

It seems we're not allowed to say the word for 'poo' which beings with 'sh'. Who knew!

Nor are we allowed to say bit*ch, which I find hilarious. We are however allowed to say ****e. Oh, and *kitten*, but not *kitten*! :bigsmile: (EDIT it appears we can't say sh-ite now, but can say *kitten*!. LOL)

As for wearing nice stuff to work out, I'm sort of in agreement and sort of not.

I like having practical stuff like drifit tops that don't absorb a load of sweat and feel disgusting, and lycra shorts that don't ride up, but how I look is pretty irrelevant. Even in my "nice" workout gear, which looks great, the woman inside is looking sweaty and fat and (damn those mirrors) has a dumbass grimace on her face when doing those last few reps. I suspect I also grunt at times. So, no. Matching workout gear isn't going to make this b*tch look good!

Grumpelina

It also felt good to buy all of those clothes two sizes smaller :-)

The only problem with this for me is that I've had to buy good dri-fit t-shirts a size larger than I was BEFORE I even started out, just because I hate the tight fitting aspect of exercise clothes which seem imposed on ladies.

I'm trying not to focus on numbers though...heh. Buy bigger if it's comfier!

Grumpelina

So, no. Matching workout gear isn't going to make this b*tch look good!

Hah!

I don't care for, and could never sustain matchy-matchy - and I'm always going to be puce and sweaty when I exercise. But nice lycra HAS to be better than droopy sweaty H&M T-shirts which go all wonky after one wash!

TourThePast

So, no. Matching workout gear isn't going to make this b*tch look good!

Hah!

I don't care for, and could never sustain matchy-matchy - and I'm always going to be puce and sweaty when I exercise. But nice lycra HAS to be better than droopy sweaty H&M T-shirts which go all wonky after one wash!

I'm absolutely with you on that one.

After running once in a tshirt (and having a long walk back home with it feeling wet and cold and clinging to me because I forgot to turn round half way during my run DOH!) I've been seriously put off the idea of working out in t-shirts.

PegasusDeb

I totally agree. Although I work out at home, so I can wear something a bit more tighter, and hope to slim into it! It is a nice feeling though, when I see my reflection on the TV screen, and think, hmmm, my legs are looking better! lol
I finding too that I am shrinking out of my work clothes & even though I've lost over 30 total, I feel like a blob in my baggy jeans & 2x t'shirts! (one of my guys actually told me I need to go out & buy some new clothes to show off all the work I've done! ) I'm proud of my success, so I need to go thru my old clothes & find stuff that fits to make me feel better.