This week the Fashion/Beauty Friend Friday bloggers are discussing fitness. I used to think of fashion as a way to avoid fitness – instead of fixing my body through exercise, I could use clothes to highlight what I liked and disguise what I didn’t (this is why you will never see me in a pair of shorts). At the very least, as long as my clothes fit I never cared about going to the gym. I was able to do this in part because of my gluten intolerance. With most carbs out of the question I was practically always on a diet. And then the food industry caught on. After a couple years of going without I’m finally able to make my own pizza, muffins, and brownies (among other things). I can buy gluten-free pasta, sandwich bread, and even gluten-free beer. And now I work out 🙂
1. Do you keep some kind of fitness routine? Why?
I keep a loose fitness routine, which consists of going to the gym and alternating between cardio and weight-lifting workouts; when I do weights I alternate between upper and lower body. I recently added some small group pilates classes to the mix. My goal is to have a toned body, so weight lifting and strength exercises are the bulk of my workout, with some cardio sprinkled here and there. I work out at Equinox, do pilates at Burn SF, occasionally do yoga at Yoga to the People, and even more occasionally take a dance class at ODC. I highly recommend any/all of these places to someone looking to jumpstart their exercise routine, or take it to the next level.
If you want to get some exercise AND support a great cause, the Dress for Success Power Walk is happening in San Francisco next Saturday (check the website for a city near you – including Canada and the UK).
2. Has working out, maybe training for a marathon or something of that nature, helped with your own perception of body image?
Working out has reminded me of a truism I think I first heard on What Not To Wear: you can change your size, but you can’t change your shape. My upper arms are very round, which can make fitted sleeves difficult to wear. I’ve specifically been working on my upper arms since last fall, and while they’ve grown leaner, it hasn’t really made sleeves any easier. Even as I continue to to strengthen and tone them, they’ll still be round.
3. When you are hitting the gym or just going out for a long walk what
do you wear? Is it about functionality or fashion?
I blogged about this recently, but still don’t have an answer. I would like to look better when I work out; especially as I get more serious about it I’d like to look the part. When it comes to specific pieces, I find it helpful to to wear as little surface coverage as (modestly) possible. This is not to advocate wearing a bathing suit to the gym, but if I can see the muscles (or lack thereof) I’m motivated to work on them.
In the months that I was concentrating solely on my arms I wore a tank top and running tights. One day I couldn’t find the tights so I wore shorts and I was like wow – my thighs really need some work! So now I alternate between upper and lower body, and… I stare at my muscles all the time. But I can look at them and see progress. I don’t dare just wear a sports bra because my core is really soft, and I don’t want to be reminded of that.
As for the actual outfit, I still haven’t decided if I want to invest in Lululemon, go totally sporty in Nike, or play it safe with GapBody. I’m still taking recs, if you have any!
4. Do you feel there is a cultural perception of what you ‘should’ be
doing for your own physical fitness?
Forget cultural perception, let me tell you something: Working out is one of the few things in life where what you put into it is exactly what you get out. There are no outside variables, you don’t have to depend on anyone else. The more you work out, the more fit you’ll be, plain and simple. Whether you stick to one activity or mix it up if you do it regularly you’re guaranteed to see results.
5. Dream big… what would be your ultimate fitness goal.
No question: arms like Michelle Obama!
Speaking of fitness – the Self Workout at the Park was today in San Francisco. If you went let me know how it was! Check out the FBFF headquarters over at Modly Chic to see what other bloggers have to say!
What's your opinion?