Ah, summer. The season of sun-filled days, lazy afternoons and long nights. Living in Florida definitely has its perks when it comes to outside activities. As a fellow Floridian, I spend my summer days bouncing from the beach for swimming to the river for tubing.
Which would mean that the warmer weather generally leads to less clothing (unless you are immune to high temperatures and even higher humidity levels, then I envy you). So, getting that bikini bod after nine months of Chipotle and late-night 5 Star Pizza is a tough challenge. Even just up-keeping your fitness routine in this heat requires pure dedication. And I salute those of you for shedding that freshman 15 during our time off.
However, dressing for a summer workout seems like another obstacle. But it isn’t. What you wear can change how you feel about your body, and that extra boost of confidence may push you harder in your training. Try these tips on how to stay cool while sweating it out.
- Go shopping! Treat yo’self to some cute gym clothing. Buying something new you love to wear will make you want to wear it, and hopefully to the gym and not for errands at CVS Pharmacy.
- Bright colors! Trade out the dark clothing for bright pieces that will liven up your look. Lululemon and Gap are always stocked with colorful gear.
- Tank tops. You can’t go wrong with a loose (not revealing) tank top and shorts. This will give you a lot of wiggle room while letting your upper body breathe. You can find great basics at stores like Forever 21 for cheap.
- Switch up your sneakers. Try a fun-colored running shoe instead of the basic white sneakers and you’ll smile every time you sneak a peek at your feet. Nike and Reebok have lots of options covering each end of the rainbow.
- Streamline. Bulky pants with an ill-fitting T-shirt is not the way to go. You’ll feel more streamlined in leaner (but not too tight) clothes. Plus, according to Stacey and Clinton from What Not To Wear (don’t judge), wearing bigger and baggier clothing will not hide any extra weight, but will only make you appear bigger than you actually are.
So, find pieces that you love and feel great in, and it’ll make your summer workout a little more fun and not dreadful. And once you’re done getting your exercise squeezed in, enjoy your break at the beach with your toned summer body.
