Work It Out...In Style!

Alright now...I have never been one that has had the desire to look "good" while working out-no matter what size I am/was. I do, however, care about feeling comfortable and being able to move flexibly according to what exercise I'm doing. 

I got pretty serious about running and losing extra weight this summer when I wasn't in school, so it was pretty hot...miserably hot, actually. I wanted to feel like I had the coverage I needed to feel comfortable, but still not have a ton of material sticking to me while running. I decided to jump on the "Ruffles With Love" bandwagon and see what all the fuss was about. The first tank I ordered was this one:

It was great. It was a little big, but that was perfect because it was nice and loose, but still gave me coverage in all the right areas. The only thing that bothered me about it was the neck. This particular style was pretty low cut and when I started to sweat it would hang down and show my sports bra which was annoying. Still, a good tank and I love the message on it.

When I started getting a little more fit, I ordered the other style of tanks from Ruffles With Love on ETSY:

These are my favorite. They are so darn cute. The neck of this style doesn't stretch out at all and it has nice chest coverage. The only thing I could complain about is the length. When I run or really get into a workout, they tend to slide up and show my stomach. I think I love the messages she puts on these tops more than anything.

Another work out top I love and still wear today even though it's pretty baggy is this one:

It has a great shape and is loose in all the right areas. It's sleeveless so I never have to pull it or worry about straps coming down. I got this one at Academy. The brand is Magellan and they are actually really great about putting things on sale often. I love all of their sports wear. My dog was freaking out because there was thunder outside...typical pit bull...so mean, right?!

Shorts. My sworn enemy. They really piss me off. No matter how much weight I ever lose, I will always, ALWAYS have nice-sized hips and thighs. This makes it difficult to find shorts that are a decent length without riding up to my future baby exit location. It's irritating. In the picture above, I have on some Adidas shorts from Academy. I like them for the most part. I like the length, I only wish they were a little bit shorter because if I get really sweaty, they start to stick and I hate that so much...maybe more than Greek yogurt, but not quite. My very very favorite shorts for working out in are from Old Navy. They are so wonderful. Yes, they are a little shorter, but they're really free-fitting in the leg and have a wider band of elastic in the waist. I absolutely love them. They come in all sizes. When I was much bigger and just started walking, Old Navy was where I started when looking for clothes to walk in. They are reasonable priced and carry so many bigger sizes that fit comfortably. This is a picture of my favorite ones from Old Navy:

 Nike shorts can suck it. Those cute little compression shorts for really skinny bitches can suck it. 

Now that it's getting cooler, I'm moving on to pants. I recently bought a pair of compression Capri pants from Target and I like them a lot. They go right past my knees and aren't so tight that you can see every nook and crease I have. I also bought a work out t-shirt at Target. They are the 10$ ones that come in several different colors. I got 2 sizes bigger than I would typically wear because with the compression pants, I wanted a top that was long enough to cover my stomach area, but still be comfortable. I love running in this outfit. Go visit your local Target and scope out what they have. I love their clearance section for workout clothing. I'll continue to get Fall/Winter workout clothes from Target and Old Navy. I'll let you know if I come across anything exceptional!

Let's see, what's next? Shoes? Sure. I am a 100% Asics fan. I love them so very much. I once strayed and tried a pair of Brooks. Gross. I hated them...didn't even last 1/2 mile before I trotted back to my house to change back to my old Asics. I'll never cheat on them again. I don't think you can go wrong with any Asics, but I would try a variety. I've never been to get fitted for a running shoe and don't plan to. I just don't feel like it and my shoes feel great on me. Here are the ones I have, also from Academy:

They offer so much support and cushion. I love them so much!

What else? Hair accessories? You got it. I'm saving the most dreaded apparel for last. Just wait. I hate messing with my hair especially when I'm running. I don't have anything fancy or unique-just your everyday, can be found pretty much anywhere, ponytail holders and hair bands. I get mine at Wal-Mart. This is what they are:

They hold my hair perfectly and I have THICK hair folks. I'll be honest, I was so excited to order a BicBand! When it came in the mail, I ripped open the package and couldn't wait to try it out. It was hot pink and looked so cute in my hair:

Well...it slipped off!!! Like 10 times!! I know it's a good product based on tons of positive reviews. I just don't think my head shape was cooperative and my hair is pretty thick which was probably an issue also.

And last, but most certainly not least...mother loving sports bras. UGH! I feel that I will NEVER find one that I love. It's a sad thought, I know. When I was bigger, I would wear one of my "everyday" bras with a thin sports bra over it. I needed that much support and didn't know where else to look. Now, however, the "girls" have gotten smaller and much more manageable, but I still struggle to find a good sports bra. Right now, I'm using this one from Academy:

The brand is Champion. It's the comfort, high support sports bra. It's decent. That band at the bottom tends to get tight and uncomfortable and I hate messing with it. I like that the straps fit nicely and like a typical bra. That's all I can say. I have tried the Moving Comfort Juno and Jubilee. Hated them both. One of my favorites from the past that I plan on getting again soon is this one, also from Academy:

Why yes, I do know that it looks like a grandma bra. And I'm okay with that. The under-wire support is incredible. It also fits so well in the cup-that net lining at the top holds everything in. This is a great bra. The brand is Champion Women's Powerback Underwire Sports Bra. 

I'm pretty sure that covers everything. If I missed something, please let me know and I'll add it in here! As always, thank you for reading and here are some motivating pics to get you through your next workout...you can do it!

My father...always the jokester and loves the bunny ears.

I can't forget one of my angels!