What Is Your Fitness Wardrobe?

I want to start this post by saying that I get it! If you have not seen my Facebook page to see or hear my story, you might not know that I was 60 lbs over weight. I have been on medication for depression, and at age 31 I was told I needed to be put on medication for high cholesterol.

You might not know that I hated living where there was an upstairs because getting up and down them was hard.

You might not know that I yelled at my kids too often out of exhaustion and frustration when they didn’t necessarily deserve it.

You might not know that I didn’t have much to give to my husband or our marriage because I felt so bad about myself.

You might not know that I am not who I am today.

With that being said, know that this post comes from a place of love and understanding. I am not being judgmental, because I have been there.

Have you thought about your fitness wardrobe lately? And no, I don’t mean all the cute clothes you can buy that have an upside down “U” over a regular one for Under Armor or the stylish Lulu Lemon yoga pants or the Auto-ship Outfits from Fabletics. I am talking about the “wardrobe” that includes the heart of the “outfit” like the actual workouts, the must have accessories, like your nutrition, and the cute pumps & matching purse like your accountability. What is YOUR wardrobe?

One of the things I have been seeing as a trend in this industry is people NOT seeing their health & fitness as an important part of their lifestyle and quite simply, a part of their financial budget. I have talked with people from very wealthy backgrounds to paycheck-to-paycheck backgrounds and the resounding statement(s), “it’s just too expensive to eat healthy” or “it’s too expensive to get a gym membership”, or “that Shakeology you are always talking about and those Beachbody workouts, they just cost too much” comes up almost EVERY time.

Why is that? Is it really more expensive to invest in one of these things than to go to the doctor several times a year and/or pay for several prescriptions a year, if not monthly?! Is it really such a large investment when you consider the payoff of having TEN TIMES the energy to spend with your friends, family, and loved ones? To have the confidence that naturally comes with being at an ideal weight for YOUR body type and the general feeling of happiness that most healthy people have on a more regular basis?

Consider this: MOST of us, including me just a few short years ago, find a temporary fix in “retail therapy”. I get it, I really do. I still get that temporary “fix” and general happiness that comes from my nails being manicured, my hair done, and that new cute outfit with all the fabulous accessories for my wardrobe.

But the thought that came to me this morning, hence prompting this post, is that when I was doing “that” on a more regular basis, I was finding temporary happiness in getting things for my wardrobe that were 2 and 3 sizes bigger than they should have been. Because I was 2 and 3 sizes bigger than I should have been. Was I still a good person then? YES!! (I hope so anyway:) Was I still pretty? My husband will tell you I was just as beautiful 60lbs ago. Do I believe that about myself now plus have more energy and confidence that EVER before? Abso-freakin-lutely!

So, how is it that we make room in our budgets for a regular shopping trip for clothes that we don’t even feel good in & not see the value of stocking our fitness wardrobe?

What does a fitness wardrobe look like? Well much like your personal wardrobe, it’s going to look a little different for everybody, but the basics are the same. We all need a workout plan, a more nutritious intake of foods on a daily basis, and accountability to stay on track.

For some, those workouts will come in the form of a group fitness class like Zumba, Piyo Live, Insanity Live, Boot Camps, Pound, Spin, or Strength Training. For some it might be a gym membership to lift weights or hop on a treadmill, and for others it may be pushing play on various home versions like Insanity, T25, Piyo, P90x3, Insanity Max 30, or some other personal favorite. These are like your shirts, pants, skirts, suits….you know, the bulk of any wardrobe.

Next comes nutrition. You know I am going to talk about Shakeolgy here because I drink it every day and LOVE it! Honestly, I don’t care what you choose here, as long as it’s healthier than what you were doing. Fresh is best, then comes frozen, lastly canned. Anything in a box or bag should be considered a treat and eaten sparingly. I don’t care what fancy, healthy words have been printed on it. “Gluten Free”, “Low Fat”, “Fat Free”, “Sugar Free”, “Low Calorie”, etc., does NOT MEAN HEALTHY. And in many cases, what has been added to replace whatever it is they took out is worse for you than just eating whatever it is you thought you should avoid.

If you eat the flesh of the fruit or veggie, organic is better. If it’s something you peel, I wouldn’t spend the extra money on it. Eat whole fat dairy if you are not vegan and keep your portions to normal size. This is like all the cute accessories to your wardrobe. The scarves, jewelry, belts, etc. Your outfits would NOT look the same without them.

Lastly, let’s talk accountability. How do we, as humans, stay on track? By joining forces with each other and helping each other. This is even a biblical principal. Ecclesiastes 4:9 says “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed”. Whether it’s a workout partner you meet at the gym, the friends you meet at a group class, an online coach in a Facebook group, or a personal trainer; we were made to need accountability and to help hold others accountable. This is like the cute matching shoes and purse that completes any outfit. You could head out without them, but it’s not nearly as fun!!

What’s my personal fitness wardrobe look like?

• I prefer group fitness classes and LOVE Zumba, Piyo Live, Spin & Insanity.
• I also LOVE to push play at home and have Insanity, T25, P90x3, Piyo, & the New Insanity Max 30!
• I have 3 or 4 flavors of Shakeology on hand so I don’t get bored.
• I do my best to keep snacky items out of the house and, at a minimum, keep the fridge stocked with fresh fruits & veggies.
• I use Greenbean Delivery for the items I like that are organic.
• I try to keep meat lean and to a minimum.
• I try to plan and prepare my meals for the week on Sunday as often as I can.
• I drink LOTS of water and take my supplements from the Vitamin Shoppe daily.
• I have more than one accountability partner. I count all the amazing peeps at my group classes as my accountability because they inspire me to keep going, to keep pushing, and to keep learning so that I can teach them even more.
• I have accountability groups online so that I can help and get help from them in private Facebook groups and on my Facebook Page.
• I have people that check in with me via text often and allow me to check in with them.
• I have a husband that will help keep me on track and even gets up at 5:45 a.m. to work out with me.

My family doesn’t all share my passion for fitness, but they do know and respect it.

I hope I have inspired some new thoughts for you today – A new way of looking at your health & fitness and what it costs. In the end, YOU are more valuable than gold and should be taking care of yourself as such.

If you need/want help sorting out your “wardrobe”, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

In Faith & Fitness,

Christy