That's Fit

Last summer, when I decided to do a sprint triathlon, I wasn't too nervous about the race. It's not that I was cocky -- far from it -- I just knew that, regardless of how long it took, I would cross that finish line and feel fantastic. There was one aspect I was really nervous about though -- figuring out what to wear.

Whenever I looked at pictures of triathlons or saw them on TV, everyone was either wearing race suits specifically made for triathlon, which was well out of my budget, or sporty swimsuits, which is fine for swimming, but I don't have the confidence to run in front of people in a bathing suit unless I'm actually on the beach.

What I discovered is that you can wear just about anything you want. Ideally, you'll find a race day outfit that does the following:

Next time you head to the gym, plan to cozy up next to some unfit folks on the weight machines. Chances are you'll work harder and longer if your exercise partners are frumpier than you.

When researchers from the University of California, San Diego, secretly timed women on a weight machine, they found than if a fit woman in tight gym clothes was on the next machine, the exercisers stopped in just under three minutes. But when their neighbor looked unfit and was sporting baggy sweat pants, the women kept going for more than five minutes. Questionnaires the participants later completed revealed the unfit folks didn't make them feel better about themselves, but the hot bods did make them feel worse than when no one was on the next machine.

This news brief, found in the June 2008 issue of Good Housekeeping, has me wondering where I'll place myself next time I hit the gym. How about you?

I'm totally guilty of buying yoga pants for the express purpose of having something comfy to wear for ... sitting on the couch, not necessarily for yoga (Hey, I work from home! I'm not going to wear a suit!). However, when you're ordering yoga apparel, don't you want to feel confident that the clothes you're buying are truly made for poses like downward facing dog, rather than super lazy couch potato?

Should you choose to check out J. Crew's online Yoga Shop, you can rest assured that it's truly made for yoga -- their model is actually a yogini and co-owner of the Shri Yoga Center in Tribeca, New York.

As many of you commented, yoga isn't about what you wear, but if you do happen to be in the market for some new yoga-wear, there's nothing wrong with finding something cute and comfy, right?

You might remember a while ago when I "went running with Lance Armstrong," courtesy of a Lance Armstrong coaching mix provided by Nike. Don't forget that Lance's mix isn't the only one available -- check out some of the other coaching mixes for yourself!

To further encourage you to get (or stay) fit, Nike is giving away one $100 gift card to a lucky That's Fit reader. You can use that gift card toward any gear at Nike.com or at Nike stores. You can use it to purchase clothing, shoes -- you name it! Unfortunately, it's not good toward the coaching mixes, but they're pretty affordable anyway.

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment below before 5:00PM Eastern, May 9, telling us about who or what inspires you to get fit. We'll randomly choose one winner amongst the eligible entries and announce the winner on May 12. Some other important details:

• To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us about who or what inspires you to get fit.
• The comment must be left and confirmed before May 9 at 5:00PM EST.
• You may only enter once.
• One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
• One winner will receive a Nike Gift Card valued at $100.
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

Click here for complete Official Rules.

Congratulations to Sarah, commenter #34. Sarah was randomly selected from over 300 entries and has won the Land's End Sport Giveaway. She'll receive a women's cardio workout apparel package valued at $300, including the Clubhouse Duffel, Via Panic Pedometer, Beach Trekker Shoes, Performance Fitness Tee, Sleeveless Performance Fitness Tee, Performance Sport Pants, Performance Sport Shorts, and a Sport Knit Jacket.

Thank you everyone who participated -- we got some fantastic responses on crazy outfits you guys wore for your workouts. There were lots of baggy sweats, some 80's style leotards and legwarmers, and quite a few mentions of exercising in undies. Even though not everyone can win the free package, everyone can check out Land's End's new collection of sport apparel for men and women.

Because you were all so forthcoming with your fitness fashion stories, we've decided to join in. Early next week watch for our admissions -- a gallery of fitness fashion faux pas by bloggers right here at That's Fit!

Okay, so I admit that this post is purely for fun -- it's a dress that looks like a hamburger! We all love hamburgers (they're one of the most popular foods ever) but we also know how unhealthy most of them are, so why eat one when you can wear one instead?

Of course it's not really that fashionable (it is clothing that looks like food, after all) but it could make a cute Halloween costume or something. And the single best part about this particular hamburger? It comes off your hips just as fast as it goes on.

Oh, and don't forget to check out "The Sundae Dress" and "The Ice Cream Cone Dress" too. You know, in case you're in the mood for dessert.


Via Slashfood

I know that people who don't have pets or who aren't big animal lovers can't understand how those of us with furry friends can possibly think of dogs and cats and friends, family members and even children. I suppose these people think it's ridiculous to shell out perfectly good money on specialty treats for pets. To an extent I can see where they're coming from -- fancy clothing for cats and dogs is a bit extreme in my opinion -- but I will happily spend hard-earned cash on fun stuff for my dog.

I know that I'm not the only one. Most major, dog-friendly cities (Vancouver being the first that comes to my mind) have got fancy dog salons and boutiques in pretty much every trendy neighborhood. While I usually stick with funny squeaky toys and the occasional cute new collar, other dog owners out there will open their wallets for specialized grooming products, accessories, clothing, bedding and more.

I'm a sucker for a good motivational quote or phrase to get me exercising or bring me up out of a bad mood, and with today's stresses what better phrase than the 1939 classic "Keep Calm and Carry On?" It was originally created by the British as a way to calm people during the outbreak of a war with Germany, but the simple phrase is catching on all over again and people are applying it to all kinds of situations. Stress is a known health hazard, so use this phrase to keep calm and you really will be able to carry on a lot longer.

Via Retro to Go

For quite a while now there have been a lot of giggles and jokes happening about one of pop culture's favorite new phrases, "the muffin top". As I'm sure all of you know, but in case any of you have someone managed to not yet hear the description, a "muffin top" occurs when one wears pants with a waist-size that is too small, making their stomach spill over their belt so that their mid-section resembles the top of a muffin.

While I know a small group of people who find the muffin top attractive, as far as I know most don't and tend to snicker at the thought of it. The thing about it is, a muffin top doesn't necessarily have anything to do with how much extra weight you're carrying but it has everything to do with how your clothing fits. If you've chosen jeans or pants of an appropriate size, you shouldn't have too much trouble preventing your belly -- whether large or small -- from ballooning outward.

According to this article on Trendhunter 73% of women don't wear a sports bra when exercising -- is that right??? Ouch ladies! Maybe we'd all be a little more inclined to support ourselves adequately if we could find customized support tailored to our individual needs. Shockabsorber does just that, by having women take a quiz to narrow their activity level and cup size down to a specific recommendation of a sports bra with the right support and fit in all the right places. Sounds awesome, although I will say it looks like some of their styles are downright functional (read: ugly!) to look at.

Certain celebrities -- I'm thinking along the lines of Jessica Alba, Uma Thurman and Reese Witherspoon -- seem to look good all the time. So we have to wonder -- just how do they do it? Glee Magazine wonders the same thing and has these celebrity-inspired tips for looking slim and healthy all the time:

• Avoid loose, baggy clothes. It's too easy to hide weight gain under baggy clothes. Wearing tight outfits, no matter how much they make you cringe, will motivate you to lose the flab.
• Watch what you eat when you eat out. Mere salad dressing can add 600 calories to your meal. And imagine you're a celeb being trailed by the paparazzi when you eat -- take small, slow bites instead of shoveling it in.
• Water. Why is it that when you see a celeb working out they always have a bottle of water? Because they know how important water is -- not only does it help you stay hydrated while your working out, but it helps ward off hunger.
  

What's your favourite weight-loss tip?

The environment, global warming, and going green are all things that are becoming more and more embedded in our every day lives, which is of course a good thing. We can all be a little more conscious in our global efforts, and even if it's just making the smallest change the great part is that it multiplies across the population and can end up really making a difference. I thought for today's Jumpstart I'd take the idea that sometimes all your stalled workout needs is something new in the way of clothes or equipment to help make it interesting again, and going eco-friendly is the perfect excuse to help soothe that pang of guilt that's been holding you back.

Of course there are countless products out there to choose from in the green fitness world, and thankfully the options are only increasing. So what is it that would make the biggest difference for you and your workout right now? Maybe it's a new top, new shoes, or something else? Here's a few things I found online to help get the wheels of inspiration turning!

Walking can be one of the cheapest physical activities to do (heck we all do it every day to some extent) but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of options out there for spending money and making the whole experience completely tailored to how you like it. You can get clothes specifically designed to block wind and wick away sweat, and shoes made just for the surfaces you usually walk on. Socks that add cushioning and reduce friction, gadgets to measure everything from your vital signs to how far you've gone, and germ-resistant water bottles that calculate how much water you need to drink are just a few of the ways you can make your walking experience more enjoyable.

What's one piece of fitness gear you can't walk without?

Fall can be an expensive time of year as far as clothing is concerned. Kids are heading back to school and need the newest, hippest pieces if they don't want to become social outcasts (please, note the sarcasm), and the rest of us need to find new outfits to replace the stuff that got worn-out or donated to charity last year.

Unfortunately, we can't all afford to be fashionistas so if you're looking for Todd Oldham style on a Old Navy budget, consider some of these suggestions to find cool clothes at a decent price. Tips include using different accessories to transform an outfit from boring to bold and digging through the racks at consignment stores for designer clothing that has been cast-off before its time (granted this kind of treasure may be rare but with some patience you could be duly rewarded with a fantastic, unused or rarely-worn piece),

Also, consider throwing a clothes swapping party. You may have grown (hopefully) too small for a great pair of jeans that you've hardly broken in, while a friend could have been gifted an incredible top that isn't her style, but which she neglected to return. Remember, one woman's throwaway is another's hottest new outfit. For more tips, take a look at the entire article here.

The first thing you should do if you've lost a significant amount of weight is toss your old clothes. Sure, it's fun to flaunt your new bod around the office with obviously saggy slacks, but you need to get rid of them and fast!

Why the urgency? You need to remove the ability to grow back into them. Shrinking out of your clothes is an awesome accomplishment and the best way to celebrate is to say adios to all of the things you never want to be able to wear again. I hound my personal training clients about this all the time. Keeping your too-big sizes around is literally a way of giving yourself permission to regain the weight you've lost.

Clothes are costly and you're far better off spending that cash on smaller clothes you are proud to wear. And, they'll keep you in check. If you should slide and start putting a a few pounds back on........pain in the waistband is certain to prove as a sturdy reality check. So run, don't walk to your closet and make a grand donation to your favorite cause. In fact. Run to lots of different closets and burn a bunch more calories. Maybe your new pants will be your old pants soon!