Burning The Scale

Easy Exercises & Gym Fashion Tips

by meielisawy on March 30th, 2008

My newest exercise of the week is cyling! Work on those quads with something that doesn’t set your ankles and calves on fire. While everyone says that we need to diversify, diversify, diversify, it doesn’t really hit home until you start going to the gym regularly and you spent all of your time upright and doing impact-involving activities. So I’ve started to mix in a little low-resistance biking, and that gives my ankles an opportunity for a little rest. Oh yeah– and I do it in these amazing cellulite-reducing bike shorts. What a perfect combination.

Which brings me to clothes, as always. There are some serious plus concerns when you need to exercise, especially when you head into “uncharted territory” and you’ve not quite sure what to wear for your new activity. Behold! Tips for common plus-size exercise challenges, laid out for your perusal.

• The Dreaded Thigh Rub: I’ve found that the best way to fight thigh chafing is, in fact, a plus-size person’s worst enemy– spandex. It supports your stomach and keeps your legs from getting rubbed raw, and that’s a great deal. Since you probably detest the way spandex looks (as do many of us), you can always slip on a pair of walking trousers over in a looser microfiber fabric.
• The Whole Swimsuit Thing: If you are 80 pounds overweight, you many not want to wear a swimsuit even though water exercise is a gentle way to get into a workout. If ever the thought of a swimsuit freaks you out, try getting inventive. Look for a racerback swimsuit with a high neck and thick straps with a full-coverage back. Layer your swimsuit with either a separate swim skirt or, better yet, microfiber running shorts that hit at mid-thigh length. (It also helps if you find a pool with easy access to your hanging towel!)
• Find the “Breast” Solutions: I layer sports bras, and I know that I’m not alone. If your bras feel too tight around your rib cage to layer like that, you can also wear one bra and then two supportive tops that also include built-in shelf bras. With that new support, you won’t be adding layers, but adding items that you would normally with a little boosted comfort as well.

Do you have any tips for being comfortable at the gym?

Photo (c) Alight.com

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POSTED IN: BTS Bloggers, Exercise, Meieli, Work-Out Gears