Tuesday, January 4, 2011

They Say Clothes Make the Man ...

I say clothes make the workout.

I don't work out in schlumpy sweat pants. Mostly because they're too hot and heavy and restricting. But also because they make me feel schlumpy.

I sweat when I work out. I hate being hot. In the early days, I'd wear capri-length, yoga-style pants with a sports bra. I didn't look remotely cute. But the ensemble allowed me to feel the most air from the fan I had pointed directly on me as the ... "sweat poured out my body like the music that I play-ay-ay-ed," to paraphrase Bob Seger. (Who will figure into a post in the near future. Stay tuned.)

But my point is that acting and looking the part of "Exercise Girl" made me feel like maybe I could be Exercise Girl.

And wearing clothes that allowed me to see my body helped me LOOK at my body and understand what was happening to it.

As I've said before, for years I just didn't look at myself at all. Cursory glances in the mirror as I got ready in the morning was about as far as it went. But when you're wrapped up in tight lycra-infused material, you simply have to notice. To pay attention.

I've had to retire two pieces of exercise gear because they're now too big. I have a top that doesn't "support" enough to be useful anymore and a bottom that will literally slide off over my hips. That would be a great thing on a catwalk, wouldn't it?

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