What Should I Wear to the Gym?

I was just on Amazon.com and cruised away depressed.  I love Heidi Klum and she has a fantastic new line of workout wear for New Balance. (It's so cute!)  Yet there are two problems - the average piece runs about $100 and the model wearing the clothes was so skinny I wanted to FedEx her a sandwich.  And it's moments like these that I am reminded why people stumble as they start to workout - a price tag that would scare almost anyone and a model that puts forth an unreasonable expectation.  Today we set the record straight.

If you choose the right gym, no one will care what you are wearing - people are just there to workout like you and we all sweat like a sinner in church.  Okay, you need clothes on and no giant holes and if you have a breasts or male genitalia, you should control them.  But otherwise, no fashionistas need to apply.  This is not the component of your workout you should invest either the most money or time in - money is better spent on a great trainer, mp3 player or swimming lessons and time should be spent in the gym.  :)

That being said, jeans are a poor workout choice - rashes and chaffing await.  Ladies, you will need an actual sports bra, your everyday bra holds the same charms of sweating in jeans.  Loafers aren't going to cut it in the shoe department, instead invest wisely in a great pair of workout shoes with guidance from a pro who has been at it for a while - locally I go to Fitness Sports, but every town has the place all the sports teams shop, that's your cue.

All right, so what do you wear?  First and foremost, something comfortable.  If you are uncomfortable because something is cutting into you or you feel everyone is staring, you will cut your gym time short and that's no good.  When starting out, I suggest people grab two pairs of either cheap workout shorts or pants and the cheapest t-shirts you can find - the latter has likely accumulated in your closet from every event you have attended the last ten years.

Ladies, I mentioned before that you will need a sports bra - if you have smaller breasts the inexpensive ones that you find at Target will be fine.  If, like me, your are genetically endowed on a more pronounced level - spend the money on something that will keep you from knocking yourself out with the 'girls'.  I use Moving Comfort, Oprah uses Enell, there are others as well - I admit they are $50-$70, but they will take away your inhibitions and let you really rock the gym.

For the boys - jocks please.  Or at least shorts with gauze or other materials to rein in the your boys.  If I had a dollar for every time I have caught an accidental peek at someone at the gym, well I would have entirely too many dollars for my taste.

As for socks - if you are running, thinner is better.  But if you are just getting started any sports oriented socks will do - the woolies that keep you warm in the winter are a 'no'.

Hats and headbands?  Baseball caps can be good on a long run purely for sun protection.  However, your body is trying to put out heat through your head, so it might effect your ability to cool down.  As for headbands, unless you sweat profusely, skip it - those are back with Jane Fonda circa 1985 and that's where they belong.

Total financial output - (approximate)
Men: shoes ($75-$100), jock ($15), shorts ($30), t-shirts (free) = $145.
Women: shoes ($75-$100), bra ($15-$70), shorts ($30), t-shirts (free) = $200

Both of those totals are maximums.  If you find great sales, you can do it for much less.  Please don't let the price tag scare you - it is much more expensive to be overweight (doctors, prescriptions, etc.) and your health is worth every penny.

Tomorrow:  You Need a Day of Rest

Yours in Health,
Kate

Sunday Inspiration - That Oprah

This episode actually aired in November, but I didn't see it then. I watched part of it as I did stairs earlier this week at the gym. It was a great motivator for two reasons - it reminded me of where I had been AND these people did it the right way, reassuring me I had too.

All of these people lost their weight through modifying their eating habits and exercise. They are heroes and should be revered for not 'taking the easy way out' with surgery. (Too painful too be easy, frankly.) Or taking pills that would damage their liver or soil their pants. They make have been down the fad diet road before, but believe me good sense and Bob Greene (Oprah's trainer) won out this time.

These people did what I have done and what anyone can do, if they care enough, saved their own lives. Read their stories at Oprah's Website.

Yours in health, Kate

Ready to Run

The last 24 hours have gone a long way toward following through on my stated plan to run a 5K in October.

First, I chose and registered for a race. It's the 5K that happens on October 21st in conjunction with the Des Moines Marathon. Here is the Des Moines Marathon site. So, I have plenty of time to train.

I will have at least one training buddy. I am excited to say that my brother Gordon will be joining me in the race. He, like every other member of my family, struggles with his weight. He is currently quite overweight and I have been trying to find gentle ways to get him motivated. I was VERY pleasantly surprised when I asked him if he would do this with me and he said yes. We will train separately and meet up once a week to run and keep each other on track.

Annette, my sister-in-law to be, will be running the half-marathon that day and my brother Casey, her betrothed, has decided to join her. So, it will be a real family affair. The only downside is we hoped to get Caelen, my 4 year old (by then) nephew, into the kids fun run, but you have to be 7. He's fast, he could probably beat them all in the 1/4 mile race, but I guess we'll never know. ;)

Second, I went to the mall today and purchased my heavy duty sports bra. I ended up, after seemingly endless research, going with the Enell. Honestly I was avoiding it because a number of celebrities had endorsed it, including Oprah. Now, while I completely respect and admire (and in some ways aspire to) all that Oprah has accomplished and does for the world, I was bristling at having her help me pick a sports bra. But the more I read, the more I was convinced that if you have an ample bosom this was the only realistic choice.

I tried it on, which takes some doing because it has like 15 hooks, all up the front and found it comfortable. I will say, despite knocking two cup sizes off of me to control "the girls", I didn't feel as confined and squished as I have in bras with less support. While I had it on I jogged really hard in the dressing room and got minimal bounce, I was impressed. The real test will be later in the week when I have enough time to take a run.

That's going to be my real challenge this week, finding time to workout. I work at 3:30 in the morning this week and then I have Caelen all day. He gets picked up about 5:30 p.m. and then, well I should probably should be winding down to go to bed at a decent time to start it all over again. But I am going to workout instead, I think. I just don't think I will work as hard this week, so that I am not flush with adrenaline when 8 p.m. rolls around. That's my self-imposed cut off to finally start heading for bed, since I have to be up by about 2:45 a.m.

Speaking of my lovely schedule I had better go eat so that bed will happen before 9 tonight.

Best always, Ms_H
Weight - 183 Pounds