That's Fit

If you wear plus-size clothing, you might have noticed that finding your size is more difficult than usual. Individuals aren't the only ones having to scale back during this recession. Just like you might cut out Friday night movies and opt for a video at home instead, retailers are also cutting back. And one thing to go is plus-size clothing.

Considering that 66 percent of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, you would think that plus-size clothing would be a big money maker for retailers. But cutting plus-size clothing is strictly a numbers game; the extra fabric, specially-fit models and different patterns means plus-size clothing costs more to produce. While some retailers or manufacturers have scaled back production of plus-size clothes altogether, others are moving their plus-size stock to online only.

Now shopping online is fine. But when you're searching for that perfect LBD or a new shirt for a hot date, a quick trip to the mall is in order. Having more limitations on what was already a limited stock to begin with might be extra motivation for moving out of the plus sizes.

If you're looking to move from the Women's section into the smaller sizes, you can find reasonable and practical tips for weight loss on AOL Health.

Do you think it's OK for retailers to scale back their plus-size offerings?

Triathlon season is around the corner, and I couldn't be more excited. Not only did I just have a fantastic swim (the first in a while), but I have the right gear, thanks to Danskin's new triathlon collection.

It makes sense that they'd launch a line of triathlon gear -- after all, the Danskin Women's Triathlon Series is the longest running women's triathlon series in the U.S., and they've now joined forces with the super popular SheROX Triathlon series. The Danskin SheROX Triathlon Series is taking place in cities all over the country (check out the website to find a location near you).

Anyway, Danskin's triathlon collection combines quality, style, and -- bum bum bum -- femininity. Because, I don't know about you, but although I like looking tough and athletic, I still like looking like a girl. Sue me, but it's the truth. I can kick butt just as well wearing a pink top with flowers on it as I can wearing all black.

I don't know anyone who doesn't consider jeans an absolute must. For some, comfort is most important, and others are more interested in style. Still other people are concerned about the brand. And the latest Fit Beauty giveaway has you covered on all accounts.

We're giving away five pairs of Joe's Jeans, and, over at our super-stylish sister site, StyleList blog, they're doing the same. You can enter once on both sites, giving you 10 chances to win your choice of style!

There's just one catch -- you only have until 5:00 ET today to enter! If you haven't done so yet, head over to the original post to leave a comment and get yourself entered in the contest, and be sure to do the same at StyleList blog. And hurry!

Back in the mid-90's, I was looking for a gym to join. A friend of mine got me a guest pass to her gym and I was horrified. The gym was filled with guys working out and women dressed in spandex -- most of whom were just standing around patting their perfect hair, fixing their makeup, or checking out their manicures. Needless to say, despite the stellar equipment the gym offered, I didn't sign up.

Soon, I found an all-women's gym that didn't have half the equipment, but they offered great classes and the women there actually worked out. They let themselves sweat and they didn't worry about how their hair looked. It was the perfect fit for me. (I miss that gym. I moved over an hour away from it and had to cancel my membership.)

Luckily the Jane Fonda-esque spandex era is long gone. But there are certainly still gym-goers that are more concerned with their appearance than their workout. Glamour recently ran an article wondering if their readers gussied-up for the gym or not. It made me wonder about That's Fit readers, too.

Do you have fat clothes? I have to admit, I have a few items that fit a little more loosely, and I definitely have some outfits that make me look a little slimmer when I wake up feeling a bit on the heavy side. However, unlike Lindsay Lohan, I don't count on leggings to hide my trouble areas.

Lindsay says, "I never liked my thighs when I was younger, and I don't always feel comfortable with my body ... Pair a big sweater with leggings or layer, that's what makes them so good for winter."

Of course, LiLo might have an ulterior motive, here -- she designs a line of leggings, called 6126. Sorry, Linds -- I liked the 80's too, when we paired the giant sweatshirt with leggings, but you're not going to convince me that's a good idea for me now. No way.

BBC Health has a video showing a mother discussing how her children got overweight, the problems they encountered, and what they're doing to lose the extra weight. The mother mentioned that she realized her son was getting overweight when she couldn't find pants that fit him properly. She had to buy pants in America because "they cater more to the overweight child." Her choice of words really struck a chord with me.

It's definitely a chicken and egg situation. Larger clothing sizes are necessary because there are larger kids who need them. But is childhood obesity, in part, prolonged by the fact that items like husky or plus-sized clothing is readily available? The mom in the BBC Health interview stated that the lack of clothing was a main impetus for changing the family's unhealthy habits and helping the kids lose weight.

I think it would be discriminatory to not have larger clothing sizes available. But, on the other hand, childhood obesity is an ever increasing problem and we don't want to become a society that caters to the issue. What do you think?

We had a bunch of great entries in last week's Fit Beauty Gracie's Gear Giveaway. Many of you shared hilarious stories about backwards pants and baggy shirts and more, and if I could, I'd give each and every one of you something new and fabulous to wear.

But, I can't. And so, I want to congratulate Kimberly, our Fit Beauty winner, who will be receiving her fabulous Gracie's Gear Hoodie shortly. Poor Kimberly wrote, "When my sisters and I were little, we took a lot of dance classes. Nothing stinks more than having to take off your entire leotard and tights ensemble to use the bathroom - nothing except my mother's solution. My mother cut the leotards at the crotch area and fastened them back together with VELCRO. What do you think happened when we did a cartwheel or back walkover? Yep, you guessed it. Horror."

The hoodie might not solve that exact problem, but it's sure to help her stay warm when she's working out this winner. Thank you to everyone who entered and shared their funny stories, and be sure to check out next week's giveaway! And, of course, you can get your own goodies from Gracie's Gear here.

Earlier this year, I did a review of Gracie's Gear, a fitness apparel company with charitable twist. I was totally impressed with the quality, fit, usefulness, and look of the sports bra and top, and now, you could win a chance to try out a Gracie's Gear hoodie!

The hoodie is a quarter-zip jacket designed to keep you sufficiently warm but dry when you're working out on cooler days -- the special material even works to keep you from getting smelly! A zip-close pocket in the front will hold all of your workout essentials. Plus, it's cute!

Entering to win is easy! See below for details.

• To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling me about your worst fitness wardrobe malfunction -- split pants, bouncy bra, whatever applies to you.
  
• The comment must be left before 5pm ET on Friday, November 28, 2008.
  
• You may enter only once.
• One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
  
• One winner will receive one Gracie's Gear hoodie (valued at $65).
• Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, and the District of Columbia who are 18 or older.
  
  

Click here for complete Official Rules.

Winners are notified by email, so make sure to check next week to find out if you're the winner!

That's Fit Club is our feature devoted to you, the reader! We have all learned so much on our paths to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! That's Fit Club members are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect; some are not. But all have health on the mind. Besides showing you off, we want to reward you for all of your hard work! Everlast and Everlast Woman are giving gorgeous workout T-shirts to each featured member! To join, please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Janeen Glenn

Age: 35

Occupation: Retail Management and Mom

How often do you exercise? Five times a week.

What type of exercise do you do? Running and working out with exercise DVDs.

To see how Janeen's fitness level landed her a spot in televsion production read on!

Ricky Gervais, the comedic mastermind behind shows like The Office, has recently made an interesting plea: He wants fat people to be stigmatized and forced into healthy habits. Says Gervais: "I don't think there's enough stigma. With all the political correctness now, and the fact that food is so refined, there's no stigma any more."

That's not all -- in this article from the Telegraph, he adds, "In supermarkets, the really fattening stuff should be behind a really thin door. Shops should be full of salads but if you want to get to the pies and cakes, you've got to crawl through a little tube."

Normally I wouldn't work a book review into Fit Beauty, but this is just too perfect. I recently read Nina Garcia's The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own, and just like watching an inspirational sports movie makes me want to hit the gym, this book made me want to shop. But with a purpose.

It seems like each season, I look in my closet and think, "Holy crap, I have nothing to wear." I know that's completely untrue, but I also know I'm not alone. And while that might not seem like a big deal, it really can take a toll on you emotionally when you can't find anything to wear, and you know you spent a bit of cash on clothes just a year ago.

With some help from this book, I now feel confident that I can shop in a way that will be productive and stay relevant from season to season, year after year. Let me explain.

Any fitness buff or sports enthusiast will know what I mean when I say moisture-wicking fabrics have a stinky problem. Sure, they're wonderful when you're jogging or working out at the gym; they pull sweat away from your body instead of letting it cling to you like a cotton t-shirt does. But those moisture-wicking shirts and shorts and socks have a downfall... they are the pack rats of sweat.

The same problem holds true for many sports uniforms. I know my son's nylon soccer uniform can come out of the wash with all the grass stains removed, but sometimes there's a lingering aroma quite different than the spring-fresh aroma my laundry detergent touts.

There are plenty of options for getting your workout clothes or sports uniforms looking and smelling perfectly clean. Specialty sports detergents are designed for performance fabrics. And other laundry additives can boost the cleaning ability of your normal detergents. Check out the gallery for some ideas.

Several summers ago, I hosted a young boy from a Russian orphanage. He lived with me for nearly two months. During that time, I picked up quite a bit of Russian and he learned even more English. As 8-year-old boys are prone to do, he tended to fall off his bike and scooter quite a bit. Every time he'd get up and say "Ni chevo!" which roughly translates into something like "no big deal" or "no sweat!" Every time he'd say "Ni chevo," I'd nod and respond with the English colloquialisms. If anyone in his orphanage spoke English, they may wonder why he came back from America talking about not sweating!

"No sweat" is one of those phrases that has worked its way into our culture. There's a subtle implication that sweating is a problem. But, in most cases, sweat is a good thing. While everyone sweats at a different rate, sweat during physical activity isn't a bad thing. But, unfortunately, it can be a bad thing for our noses. If you want to take the odor out of your sweaty workout, Good Housekeeping has a review on odor-free socks and sweat-wicking workout clothes.

Let's face it: It's hard work getting motivated to work out in the evening after a long day at the office. But here's a tip that might make a difference.

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: