I’m sure you are familiar with the show What Not To Wear. Well this blog post will be a spin on that topic. Not because the fashion, not because of vanity but for motivation.
I’m going to focus on time that you have at home after work or on the weekend. How do you dress whenever you get home from work? Do you stay in your work clothes until time for bed? Are you like a lot of women (like me) who begin to shed the bra I soon as you walk in the door? Do you get out of your work clothes and into something more comfortable? Believe it or not, your answers to these questions can determine whether you will be motivated to exercise or not.
I have been thinking about this topic for quite some time. I decided I would do a blog post on the decisions that I make. In one picture you see a blue gown. In another picture you’ll see a workout outfit complete with shoes and Fitbit. The one that I choose will greatly determine how the remainder of my day will go. Let’s take a look at each of those hangers.
Hanger 1 is the blue gown. I admit when I am at home after working, I want to be comfortable. After a whole day of being in a 44DDD bra, I am definitely ready to shed the bra. My shoulders have red imprints on them from the pull of gravity. My back is tired from that pressure also, so if I go home and change into that blue gown, then you can forget it. The most exercise I am going to get will be from moving around the house. This is generally the type of decision that I have been making until now.
Hanger 2 is the workout outfit. It doesn’t really have to be just a workout outfit. It can actually be my “getting comfortable outfit” too. The difference, however, is the bra because as I mentioned if the bra comes off all deals are off. Interestingly enough, when I put on the workout outfit, complete with my socks and my shoes, I am pretty comfortable even with the bra still on. Now, I say that having not been in the bra all day long, so just for long enough to take a walk and then get back in and get a shower and get changed into something comfortable I’m sure that would be okay too if it is a workday.
Picture three. This is the decision I made today on a day off first thing when I woke up. I chose a workout outfit with my Fitbit, my socks, and shoes. As soon as I got my shoes on, something interesting happened. I filled up my water bottle and headed out the door for a one mile walk. I’m participating in a challenge from someone on FB, I Lost Big And So Can You, to walk a mile a day for 30 days. Since I do tend to be tired after work, my goal is to walk my mile at lunch during the week, or just before I pick up my son at the YMCA.
So I am motivated to get active, motivated by someone to walk a mile a day, and now motivated by the positive choice that I made in clothing. So let’s get moving. I’m glad that I made the choice I did today. While this idea of choosing the blue down or choosing the workout outfit was more of a theory for this blog post initially, testing it today showed me that what I choose to wear does have A LOT to do with whether or not I take additional steps. At least, it is true for me. Do your own test to see if it is true for you.
If you are that type of person who comes home tired and just wants to shed those work clothes and get comfortable, choose the comfortable workout clothes. That means that you need to have comfortable workout clothes. Look I know the struggle of not being able to find workout clothes. For a long time I was a 4X and a 5X in some sizes. Now, I am a 3X/4X. The point is that I kept looking and I found clothes that work for me. Since the pants I wear now aren’t available anymore, I will be buying a couple of pairs in the current size and the next size down once I find them again. I highly recommend Cato Plus. If you have suggestions, PLEASE share with us in comments!!
In summary, I am out to get healthy. Dress to impress your goals–not other people. Unlike the television clothes, don’t think twice about what other people think of what you have one. If it motivates you to exercise, wear it! Find clothes that work for you. Most importantly find comfortable shoes. Find things that motivate you and get moving. Let’s do it!
Fighting FAT 
I relate to everything you wrote in this post! I have had a struggle with being overweight since I was 13. I became “morbidly obese” after I turned 30, right after I got married. My husband is now morbidly obese (he has had the same struggles I’ve had), actually much more than myself, but has no interest in losing weight. We are both now 40. I am 5′ 8″ and weigh over 270 lbs, this is my top weight. I lost 30 lbs with Weight Watchers in 2011 but I couldn’t afford it anymore, and gained it all back plus 10 lbs. I have the desire but for some reason can’t get the motivation back. I like to blame it on my husband (isn’t that terrible?!) but when I lost weight in 2011, I did it all on my own, without his support. That tells me I can do it, but I just don’t know what’s wrong with me! Any advice you could give me would be much appreciated! Also, congrats on your goals, you can do it! We all just need to help each other!
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Kayla, I have learned that motivation varies according to what is going on in your life at the time. So many things impact motivation. I’ve just gone through a difficult 30 days myself because of sickness in my family (my son and me). I know there are things that work for me. Whole30 works for me. If WW works for you, follow the plan without the membership. Join some friends and do a regular weigh-in. My online 241Journey support group weighs once a week and we share the number with each other in our private FB group. We don’t do it for the number but instead for the accountability. We want to be sure the number is going in the right direction, and if it goes up, it causes us to be more aware of what we are doing that may be increasing it. What I preach is that whatever you do make it simple. I used to complicate things. It just adds another obstacle to success. What simply makes you want to eat good, healthy food? What makes you want to move? Think on those things. See what calls your name and respond to it. Keep in touch. I’d love to hear more about your journey.
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Thank you so much for your kinds words! I started Weight Watchers again yesterday on my own. I found an app for a $3.99 one time fee that is very similar to Weight Watchers online. It also has a “community” function where you can get encouragement and healthy ideas. I love it! You are so right, each of us has to find what works for us individually. I put your blog in my favorites on my iPad so I look forward to your future posts! You seem like such a positive person and that’s just what I need. It’s great that you put your journey out there to encourage people like me. Thank you!!
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Yay!! So glad to hear that you found something that is working for you. I have liked using apps, too. I just have a little consistency issue with them. I like MyFitnessPal. It’s the one that I can use the most with all of the health tools that I have. Share what the name of your app is and what you are able to do with it here, and we’ll be able to share it with other readers also.
Thank you for following my journey. I knew there had to be other people like me out there who is on a similar journey. It’s much easier to travel on a journey when you have other people with you that you can talk to. I’m looking forward to getting to know you more. I’m so glad to know you’re encouraged. That is one of the things that really motivates me to keep going strong. 🙂
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