Here's my confession. The number-one reason I'm late for a workout isn't because I've overslept, or that I'm running behind in that day's to-do list, or even because the baby needed a nap later than usual. The real reason is actually sort of embarrassing...
...it's usually because I've put my favorite workout clothing someplace it shouldn't be and I have to tear through everything in the house to find it. Because I won't--can't!--work out in anything else.
I have exacting standards for my workout clothes. They must not be too tight (nor too loose), not too short (this applies to shirts, pants and shorts), not too threadbare. No shirts with high crewnecks. They must be comfortable, but not in a sloppy gray-sweatpants-you-sleep-in sort of way. And, by god, they must be cute. If I don't feel happy in my clothes, I will not have a happy workout.
There's some psychology to back this up, luckily. Experts say that wearing flattering clothing can actually improve your attitude about exercise and, thus, your motivation to get out--and actually work out.
Says Victoria Moran, author of Fit from Within: 101 Simple Secrets to Change Your Body and Your Life: "On a practical level, you need special workout clothes simply because street clothes are either too constricting, or they'll rip, or they're made from non-breathable fibers. But psychologically, you need special workout gear to convince yourself it's time to work out."
Of course, there are times that I just suck it up and throw on whatever to work out--and meh. I feel like I'm just not as into it when that happens. I want to be able to focus on the actual workout, not on how irritated I am by my workout gear.
What do you wear to work out--does it matter to you? What are the most important clothing qualities to get you out and exercising?
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