Looking Good, Billy Ray!

Hi. It's Laura.

Happy Monday!

Enough crankiness. Sadly I have gotten crotchety before my time but I will do my best to curb that going forward and keep it between me and my crotchety husband [Editor’s Note: Hey!].

I had a conversation with my mother the other day. We were talking about skiing.

She currently is skiing and I am currently wishing that I were. We got around to talking about how hot and sweaty you can get. And that she was particularly sweaty on that day. Somehow, during the conversation, undergarments came up. We are talking about my mother, so it is not really odd for undergarments to come up at all in conversation. Anyway, I hope she does not mind me sharing. She made a comment about her bra being soaked with sweat from skiing moguls. I asked, “no sports bra?” Apparently she gave me all of her sports bras. What??? How do you work out without a sports bra?

I apologize to my male readers, I will try not to spend too much time on this topic.

A good sports bra helps support your girls and wicks away sweat. Other than just the ethics of a good sports bra there are other benefits: 1) improves your posture 2) improves circulation by lifting the breast which in turn helps increase lymphatic drainage, which helps improve breast health. Click here for the link that will go into more detail.

This leads me to more on the topic of clothing and what we wear to work out. I have seen some scary things in the gym (gym going forward is my broad word for any workout facility). We spend an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out what to wear to work, what to wear to meetings, what to wear Saturday night, and so on (some of us more than others). But I have never seen anyone obsess over what to wear to the gym.

When I was doing martial arts full time, I never had to worry about what to wear because we wore uniforms. As bad as that may sound (I swore I would never wear a uniform again after I got out of catholic grade school), it was so easy to go the martial arts school. Gi pants, logoed t-shirt, and I was done. (I can't tell you how many times I had to go to the sporting goods store on the corner and buy a sports bra.)

It also saved a ton of money. I own two pair of gi pants and six to ten t-shirts at a time. You just wore them till they wore out. We also did not have to wear shoes so that saved on sneakers and socks.

The uniform in my martial arts school was for one thing, to create an even playing field. The only status (social or otherwise) was displayed on your uniform in the form of stripes you earned for attendance, the stars that you earned for Kata, and belts that you earned for your progress. Jewelry was not allowed and the school preferred you use the equipment that they sold. (I am not a dummy, I know it was for them to make more money) but no one had a better pair or a nicer pair so everyone was even.

In the real world, this is just not so. People are allowed to wear whatever they want to the gym. People wear jewelry (this I don't understand), hats (still don't understand) and sport brand names that I have never heard of or are not in existence anymore.

It’s a free for all and with that kind of freedom why would go to the gym looking like a slob?

The gym (or dojo or yoga studio) can be an intimidating enough place why not walk in with your best face forward?

Invest in wicking undergarments, both a bra and underwear. You will be so much more comfortable in garments that fit properly and keep you dry. Buy a cute shirt that you like (preferably wicking) and that makes you feel good. Same with pants or shorts. Nothing too short but pants that fit (no matter your size!) that wick and make your legs look good and that make you feel good about wearing them.

I don't know who made the rule that you need to wear your husband's (boyfriend’s, ex-boyfriend’s or father's over size t-shirt). It’s not flattering and you cannot possibly feel good in it.  Believe me, if you look good, you feel good even before the work out. Even if you exercise in the dark at dawn, you should feel good about what you have on it will only make you feel better about you.

Let's add a little motivation to our wardrobe. If you have something nicer to wear you are more likely to put it on and get out the door in the first place!

Play hard!

Laura