Fashion & Style

This is a guide to assembling a workout wardrobe for women. Learn how to choose the right clothing and accessories to enhance your workout experience.

In order to maintain optimum health, most medical experts recommend regular exercise at least three times a week. For women everywhere, this recommendation poses a challenge: how to follow this advice and yet still feel attractive. You don’t want to look bad while you’re exercising to try and look even better. Fortunately, there are some easy solutions. There are many kinds of exercise clothing that look reasonably flattering while simultaneously permitting someone who works out to achieve a full range of physical motion.

There are several factors you should consider before purchasing items to wear when you work out. One of the most important is where you chose to exercise. If you have a home gym set up or merely a few weights and an exercise bicycle in one corner of the living room, you are under fewer clothing restrictions than if you primarily work out at a fitness club. If you work out at home you can wear just about anything you like, but there are still certain types of clothes that can make your workout easier. If you work out outside most of the year, you’ll need to adapt your clothes to the changing climate.

The foundation of any workout wardrobe is the sports bra. Sports bras are widely available undergarments that provide you with support and limit the movement of your breasts while you exercise. When you try on bras, look for ones that fit snugly. Lots of support will keep your breasts in place and make the workout easier.

Once you’ve found the right bra, another item to think about is your workout shoes. Some exercises are better executed without any shoes at all. But others, like weightlifting and walking, are impossible to perform without footwear. Sneakers are great for exercising. Many different kinds are commonly and widely available. You’re seeking a platform for your feet that won’t move if you are in the middle of lifting a twenty-pound weight or pedaling your entire body forward. The sneakers don’t need to be expensive to be good. If you don’t like sneakers, make sure you have shoes that feel comfortable but aren’t worn. Avoid working out in heels. Heels throw off your natural center of balance and can easily cause injuries.

In addition to underwear and shoes you’ll want to pick out some other basic items. A great principle to work around is the concept of layering. Layering is an excellent idea because it allows you to add or remove pieces as your workout proceeds. You start a routine with all clothing on to provide maximum warmth for your muscles. You then add and subtract clothing as the workout progresses. A good workable winter outfit top is a cotton tee shirt, a longer comfortable pullover on top of that, and then a light jacket. Cotton and fleece are ideal fabrics because they won’t chafe your skin while you move. Choose soft, solid colors like white or black because solid colors flatter you when you move. Prints can make you look like traveling wallpaper. A good bottom outfit might consist of tights topped with sweatpants. Again, solid color cotton is a good choice because it will help you look and feel slimmer.

You can adapt the winter wardrobe for summer by simply keeping the cotton tee shirt and adding a pair of shorts. Look for light weight cottons to help keep away the heat. Do not work out in dresses or skirts. Even at home you might be too conscious of having someone see too much to do a proper stretch.

The right clothing can play an important role in your ability to get in shape. If you wear clothing that makes your workout go more smoothly, you’ll have every incentive to exercise as often as you should.

By: Stacy Herlihy