It’s the new year and most resolutions revolve around getting healthy. I’m a HUGE supporter of that! Stay strong, push through the first few weeks of soreness and get through mid February.  It only takes 30 days to create a habit, so give yourself at least that before letting go of the resolution.

I’m a product of the 30 days to a habit. Started at my current studio and it turned into a spare-time gig as a cycling instructor (SYNCCYCLE, stand up – if you wanna get down!). Due to teaching and my workout schedule I’ve gone through a couple of phases of what works for my workout attire. I went through a brief love affair with Lululemon but after learning that they weren’t supportive of curvy women wearing their pants for working out, I quickly got over that affair. My wallet thanks you for your callous remarks, Chip.

So where can curvy petite ladies get workout clothes? My favorite places are under the Gap, Inc. family of brands. Athleta and Old Navy carry petite sized pants online and even if you get regular length, the capris don’t look like you’re just wearing ankle length pants. Their tops flow nicely away from the mid-section and are long enough that they cover your bum, which for me is a plus. Also, over the past 2 years, they have started taking their active wear to the next level with new patterns and colors that make you feel sassy while getting your sweat on.

Fav Pants:

 l to r: Bare to Run Knickers: Athleta | Compression Capris: Old Navy | gFast Capris: Gap Fit
As you can tell, I like a good compression tight. I prefer them to looser yoga pants, because I feel like everything is in place and I can focus on my form instead of where my pants land. Also, I’ve started to equate yoga pants (aka dance pants) to two activities – lounging around the house or contemporary dance. While both things are on my top five ways to spend a Saturday, it’s not the same mindset I need to do a quad blasting super set.

Fav Tops:

                                                           

l to r: Bubble Tank and Compression Tank: Old Navy
These two are my go-to tops for working out. They are long, flowy, and keep the girls in place.  Plus they are easy on the wallet. Normally these tops run between $12 – $15, but right now all active wear is on sale, so they are $8 – $10. Please believe I’ve got one in every color.

Locked and Loaded:

l to r: Compression Bra: Old Navy | Urban Mover: Athleta
This is an essential part to a curvy gal’s workout look. I have had great great luck with these compression bras.  Most compression bras don’t come in bra sizes and the sports bras that use your bra size don’t seem to be able to handle high impact plyo sessions to my liking. These two provide good coverage and support so you don’t have to worry about a peek-a-boo moment during Zumba.

So there’s my round up on workout clothes.  Sometimes I go to the standards (Nike and Reebok), but really I get what I need at this price point.  What are your favorite workout gear brands? What’s your favorite workout?

Here’s to you and your year of being fit and healthy!