Can We Talk About Work Out Gear That Actually Works…

I know the end of the year is looming, looming!!! And I know a lot of you think if you can just get through the crazy holiday season, then you are going to begin the New Year with a new health plan… you are going to sleep better, eat better and workout a whole lot more. Really, I am always hoping this for myself. This is the journey to health after all. Can I just say, that this post is specifically for those of you who are reading this, who think that they can’t begin to work out because they literally have nothing to wear… this is a real problem for folk who work out everywhere, it is not exclusively a problem for plus size athletes… but I can say that it is especially a problem for plus size athletes.

I wrote a series of blog posts about the problems that we all face with regard to gym apparel, over at Sport Science:

Real People With Real shapes Need Real Clothes…

So What Do I Actually Wear To Gym?

And, Here Are My Gym Gear Tips…

1. Shoes: Honestly, when I began my journey back to health I wore crocs, and then I moved on to trail shoes, because I did more hiking than running… but somewhere along the line I switched to more running than hiking and I am going to need a shoe upgrade in the New Year, because I recently discovered that I am wearing completley the wrong shoes for the job at hand!!!
2. Socks: Good socks make the world of difference… if you don’t believe me then gift yourself with one fine pair of workout socks and trust me… you will love them.
3. Leggings: When I started at gym, I would grab any leggings that I could get into, from anywhere… the cheaper the better, they never lasted long and they literally unravelled, but I was changing shape quickly… so didn’t need a long term fix. When it comes to leggings, you get exactly what you pay for. I eventually found OTG Active leggings, click on the link to see which ones, and they have lasted for months. They don’t fall down, they don’t creep up, they are perfect. I have to say in the heat of summer I would love to run in shorts, but I bought a pair of short leggings and they roll up, I mean really roll up… not great, for me or anybody else, and I will have to stick to leggings for now.

4. Sports Bra: You are going to need one. To run one step, you need one… for ambling you can get still get away with anything. I battled for the longest time to find anything that fitted… nothing in any regular store fitted me, even in the plus size sections. After searching and researching this is the one I wear… And this is my life hack for you… When the wire in your underwire snaps, and threatens to pierce your lung in the middle of a run… you can actually yank the metal out with a pair of pliers… in fact I am highly recommending you do this on the day of purchase and you will never find metal pins piercing into any part of you, especially your underarms, while you are running again. Seriously, the discomfort is real – get rid of the underwire in your underwear and you will live happily forever after.
5. T-shirt: I would love to find a lose fitting t-back vest to run in, one that isn’t so baggy as to gape, and isn’t so tight as to show every um, curve. For now, I just wear the t-shirt I got when I joined the Healthy Weight Class at Sport Science.

6. Bathing Costume: In my excitement of actually finding a swimsuit lately, I blogged about this a week or two back… this is such valuable information that I am going to blog it again. When I started at gym I wasn’t swimming at all… and my ancient maternity bathing costume may have been what was holding me back. If you are a Cape Town mom, looking to actually swim this summer, then look no further than Oggi Active Wear in Harfield Village. Firstly, they will have your size, secondly their costumes are not frumpy at all, thirdly you can actually move around in their costumes… and their costumes can expand over baby bumps as well… pregnant moms take head, because it is almost impossible to find a costume to cover a baby bump, that you can afford and that you can swim in.
7. Handheld Fuelbelt: So this isn’t apparel, but it is running gear that I have been using lately. It is hot over here, mid-summer and water while you are out running is essential. As I start to race more, the thought of using plastic water sashets, after all the beach cleanups we do, was just appalling to me. Turns out that there are alternatives… this little water bottle has been an absolute gem.

Here are se7en+1 things I love about it:

1. My biggest worry was that it would be difficult to carry, but it has fabric around it, that is stretchy and elastic, so it grips my hand, rather than me having to hang on to it.
2. The fabric is quick drying, and wicks away the sweatiness… so no slippery water bottle to cope with.
3. The cover has loops on it for storing gel packs (not that I ever have), and you can also unclip the cover to wash it.
4. It is extremely lightweight, and not a burden at all.
5. It has a very handy zipper pocket for you to keep your key/coins/parkrun card, in while you are running.
6. It is a silicone squeeze bottle, you literally squeeze the water into your mouth while you run, so no difficulty trying to have a drink while running. It does mean however, once you have filled it up, don’t toss it in your gym bag to run with later, the water will squash out… don’t ask me how I know that!!!
7. The bottle has a quick twist opening, which makes it super-fast to refill when you find a tap that you can stop and refill at.
8. And I love a product with a great cause… They support the Thirst Project: Give Water, Give Life.
   I was gifted with a FuelBelt soft bottle, by the FuelBeltZA team, as part of their search for brand ambassadors.

I was not asked to review any of the products in this post, I wrote about them because I thought that my followers would be curious. This is not a sponsored post. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.