The (gym) clothes make the (wo)man

I have never been a "girlie girl." I rarely wear make-up, hardly ever do my hair and my wardrobe consists of practical, comfortable clothes (read: I wear stretchy pants... ALOT).

Maybe that's part of the reason I enjoy the gym so much, because it's totally okay to wear stretchy pants there, all the time, no questions asked. As a matter of fact, its frowned upon if you don't (except for guys, but that's a different post all together!).

I love shopping for gym clothes probably more than anything else... except food that is. I recently bought a new tank and to be honest, I've already worn it to the gym twice this week. I'll justify this, though, by saying I was there at two completely different times so it's doubtful anyone noticed, and I did wash the shirt).

But this tank is different. Not that its not really cut, which it is. And it fits great, not too loose, not too tight. This one has a message: "There are no shortcuts." I love it.

I don't know how I found Reflect It Apparel, but I love it. Not only are the shirts totally motivational and made with really unique patterns on the fabric (referred to as "burnout"), but they are messages to the world that fit and healthy are a lifestyle.

The company was founded by a woman, named Jill Altorfer, who lost her mother and mother-in-law to cancer. Now she's working to promote prevention rather than intervention when it comes to health. I agree with her 100 percent.

Life should not be about waiting for something to go wrong before fixing it; it should be about taking a proactive role in your health and creating the best life possible. We are all given so many opportunities in life, if we don't eventually seize them, they're going to run out.

I say thanks to Jill and Reflect It Apparel, and I'm going to keep on rocking this awesome tank.

What do you like to wear to the gym? 

Are there any opportunities in life that you regret not taking?

WTF

I have to say one of my biggest pet peeves is people, at the gym of course, who feel the need to stop you mid-workout to make some ridiculous comment. I'll give you an example... actually multiple examples that involve the SAME guy.

A few weeks ago I was working out my legs. After my warm-up I head straight for the squat rack, slip on some weights and get working. I'm in my final set, 165-pounds on the bar, and I eek out 3 reps. I'm totally fine with that considering I'd already killed 3 previous sets. I rack the bar, step back and catch my breath only to find this older dude standing 2 feet from me.

Still huffing and puffing, I remove my ear buds and wait for his comment. It goes something like this: "I was going to ask you if you needed a spot, but I didn't know if that was inappropriate." I should have told him to shove it, but apparently I'm too nice. I said something like, "If I can't handle it on my own, I shouldn't be doing it."

Some background on the dude: yeah, I had talked to him before. He's told me numerous times he's never seen a woman work out like I do and that he's going to try the exercises I do sometimes, namely single-arm cable rows on the BOSU. He's also told me he's never seen a woman doing "chins" (he's referring to chin-ups).

It's people like this who make other people, namely women, uncomfortable in the gym. I've tried to convince a friend of mine to join my gym, but she refuses, calling it a "meat market." And I don't blame her. Why do men feel the need to single out the women who know what they're doing in the gym? I've been lifting weights for over 10 years. I have a personal training certification and constantly try to keep myself informed of new techniques and exercises. I would say I am more knowledgeable and have better form than 99% of guys in my gym (a ridiculous, made-up statistic, but you get my point).

I say step-off, homeboy, cause this bitch is gonna bring it.

Who out there has had a bad experience in a gym? What have you done about it? 


What exercise have you seen someone do or read about in a magazine that you would like to be able to try?

Outside the comfort zone

My schedule was rearranged yesterday and I found myself at the gym at an off time for me. It was late afternoon, the time when normally I feel my energy levels plunge, when I want to eat anything that crosses my path and when the amount of patience I have is virtually none.

What do you do when your regular routine gets messed up? Does your day end up ruined and your workout and healthy eating habits fall by the wayside? Or, are you the type who can deal with change and adapt to what's happening around you? The answers to these questions can make all the difference to your success.

For as long as I can remember, I've always embraced change. As a matter of fact, I often seek out change in my life to deal with boredom and monotony. And since I've become a mother, I've found that change is a constant in my life. It's hard to make plans and count on routines when you have 2 little people calling the shots.

So that being said, I killed yesterday's workout, and it happened to be my favorite: legs. My energy was high, and despite the fact that the gym was basically filled with teenage boys and meathead guys, I dominated my squats and Romanian deadlifts.

Sometimes change is all you need to take your workout and success to the next level. Don't be afraid to make changes and try something new. Free weights instead of machines. A spinning class instead of the eilliptical. Exercising outside your comfort zone IS good for you.

You know how I feel. Now how do you feel? Please share!


How often do you change up your routine? 


Is there an exercise, class or something else you'd like to try but have felt too intimidated to do it?