Amid self-isolation due to the pandemic, many individuals gained weight. This may have happened because they could not get proper exercise or be mindful of the food they eat. Some may have eaten more than they should as a result of stress brought by the pandemic.
It’s okay if you gained weight during the quarantine. But you need to lose them as soon as you can as excess weight gain poses many health risks. Some examples include obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Given these risks, you need to do your best to become active and manage your weight.
Along with proper diet, exercise is the most important factor to lose weight. And make your workout time enjoyable, you need to wear the right workout clothes. Here are some factors you need to consider to find the right workout gear:
Table of Contents
Workout Clothes
Fabric
When you workout, you need to be mindful of the fabric of your workout clothes. You’ll want something moisture-wicking and breathable.
Moisture-wicking fabric can move sweat from the skin to the fabric’s outer surface and make the sweat dry fast. If you are doing cardio and aerobic exercises, your clothes will need to have this fabric so that you can stay comfortable even after sweating so much. You’ll also want a breathable fabric that can maintain proper ventilation. Some examples of moisture-wicking fabrics that are breathable include polyester, nylon, and spandex.
Cotton is okay in some cases. You can use cotton tops and bottoms if you’ll be doing low-intensity workouts. But for high-intensity workouts, it’s best to stick with sweat-wicking fabrics. While cotton is breathable, it absorbs sweat and becomes heavy. So you’ll feel sticky and stuffy wearing one.
Fit
The fit of your workout clothes will depend on the activity. For cardio or aerobic exercises such as walking or running, you’ll want to wear a loose-fitting top so that you can move your upper body easily. For your bottoms, you’ll want to wear something a little tight-fitting so that the fabrics don’t get tangled up while you move. Meanwhile, if you are to do yoga or Pilates where you will do a lot of inverted poses, loose-fitting clothes will only get in the way. For these types of exercises, wearing fitted clothes is better.
Weather
You also need to consider the weather. If it’s hot, the breathable, moisture-wicking fabric will do you good. But you might want to choose something sleeveless so that you don’t get hot quickly.
If it’s cold, it’s vital that you dress warm, but consider layering up instead of wearing thick clothes. As time passes while you work out, your body temperature will rise. Thus, to avoid any hassle in the middle of an exercise, you’ll want to wear layers that are easy to remove.
If you run or walk while it’s raining or when it’s windy, you’ll want to wear a windbreaker. This will protect you not just from the water and moisture.
Workout Shoes
Form of exercise
There are many kinds of shoes for certain workouts. Mixing them up or using a single shoe for every form of exercise can end badly.
For example, walking shoes and running shoes are different from each other. Walking shoes tend to be a little stiffer and have less cushioning. Meanwhile, runners like Altra’s running shoes are more flexible and have more cushioning around on the heels and forefoot. The extra cushioning helps absorb the impact of running. Thus, if you run using walking shoes, you’ll most likely experience foot pain. Thus, when you choose shoes, you need to consider what exercise you will do.
Foot size and shape
Feet come in different shapes and sizes. You can identify your foot type by doing a “wet test.” Dip your feet in the water and stamp it on a piece of brown paper. The footprint will help you determine whether you have flat, neutral, or high arches. If you’re flat-footed, go for motion control shoes for stability. If you have high arches, go for cushioned shoes for maximum support.
You also need to make sure that you wear the right size of shoes. The wrong size will cause foot pain and other problems, such as corns and calluses, deformities, and so on. If you wear something too big, moving will be difficult. You might even trip. If you wear something too small, your feet will feel squeezed, and you won’t be able to move properly.
With the right workout gear, you’ll be more motivated to stay active.