Changeroom Confession: Target

Target has a lot of workout gear on clearance, so I went to try some on. Cute workout gear gets me excited to exercise!

I've already talked about my thoughts on Target's Activewear here.  This post is just a changeroom confessional. I wanted to emphasis how important it is to try things on at Target, since the sizing is inconsistent. I grabbed everything that was available in an 18 or 20 at my local Target.

I like to go trying on activewear before I go to the gym -- that way I'm already wearing my workout clothes so I can see what the new stuff looks like on with what I already own. I can see if it covers what I want it to cover (e.g. the tops are long enough), if it 'goes' with what I have, and if it looks as good as/better than what I already own.

1. Here's what I was wearing already. This is a target top, and dharmabums bottoms.

2. I tried the same top I was already wearing in a different colour. I'm wearing a size 20. I wasn't feeling this colour on me. Find the top here.

3. I tried this on in a size 18. I really was liking the colour, but I wasn't convinced of the cut: it seemed simultaneously too loose and too tight. I didn't not feel cute in this. Find the top here.

4. I tried this on in a size 18. I very nearly got this, but it wasn't on sale enough for me to lay down the money for it. #cheapskate. Find the top here.

5. I tried this on in an 18. The stock image is of the same product in a different colour. This was too tight, especially around the gut. I felt super frumpy in this. Find this in blue here.

6. These leggings weren't on special, but I wanted to try them anyway. These are size 18. They are not compression leggings, but do feel comfortable. The waist band is looser than what I am used to, so I'm not sure how they'll stay up when I'm bouncing around. I'll keep an eye out for when they become discounted. Find the leggings here.

In the end, I didn't end up getting anything. That's okay, I'm only looking to get things I super love and would feel excited about exercising in. Otherwise, why waste my money, and limited environmental resources?

Exercising with Injuries

Carrying a lot of weight means that I place a lot of stress on my body, particularly during exercise. Sometimes this is good, because I have built a lot of muscle mass and strength, just from lugging my body around. Sometimes this is not so good, as it places me at greater risk for a strain or exercise related injury.

I've been dealing insertional Achilles tendonitis for the past month or so.

Insertional Achilles tendonitis is a pain that runs up the back of my heel into my calf. At times the area is swollen and hot to the touch, and it hurts to walk. It flares up mostly when I wear shitty trainers, and when I do high impact exercises. In fact, the whole reason I have it is because I started doing Zombies Run! in some really unsupportive shoes.

The treatment was to stop doing the high impact exercises that put strain on my Achilles tendon -- i.e. no more running, jumping, lunges, or squats. It's hard to find a workout that makes you sweat that avoids all of those things -- but it's doable.  I've been doing daily stretches, and find that with stretching before and after workouts, I'm able to do squats and pylometric exercises. I still haven't been brave enough to pick up running again, but I have started doing HIIT type workouts.

It's really important to listen to your health professional (in this case, my sister who is a podiatrist) so that you don't aggravate or worsen your injuries into something more permanent. The hardest part was for me to manage my expectations, and not give in to the urge to start running and jump-squatting as soon as my heel felt slightly better. The psychological battle is nearly always harder than the physical battle.

I had this little voice at the back of my head telling me that I wasn't working out hard enough or I was cheating myself by not giving 100%. This voice was borne both from my perfectionist, Type-A, all-or-nothing personality, as well as the fitspiration bro-culture that many of us have been exposed to. I'm not laying blame, and absolving myself of responsibility for my actions. What I'm saying is that it is useful to be mindful of where these voices come from, so you know how to counter them.

For me, remembering that I exercise to nurture my mind and body and to practice feeling embodied, helps me resist the urge of pushing my body too far. Pushing myself and doing exercises that will hurt me is not nurturing my body, and listening to that voice at the back of my head is not nurturing my mind. Exercising from a place of moderation and compassion for myself is the pathway to maintaining and growing an integrated version of healthy for me.

And anyway, when I really missed those endorphins that come from a really intense workout, I just had to get creative! I've discovered Les Mill's RPM, glute lifts, supermans, 100 varieties of planks, oblique leg raises, and yoga, in my adventures to find ways to increase strength and stamina without putting strain on my heel. I don't think I would have done half of these if I didn't have to!

Exercise as Self-Care

I hate the whole mentality of exercise as needing to be tortuous and extreme -- as if it is a punishment. Why can't exercise be seen as something nurturing? Like a sweaty cup of tea for your body? Besides, working out has benefits that extend beyond physical health. Exercise helps with mental and psychological health.

I'm a postgraduate student, and I have a desk job. Both of these things means that I exert my brain more than my body. For all my life, I have prioritized extending my academic and intellectual strengths, over and above my emotional capacities and physical abilities. I often feel like my body is just a vehicle to maneuver my head about. There is a definite and pervasive disconnect between my mind and my body.

Exercise forces me to be mindful of my body. For 30 to 60 minutes a day, I am focused within my body. I am aware of where my limbs are, which muscles are engaged, how my temperature has risen, where I'm feeling the strain. For that period of time, I feel embodied. This is time for me, a time for an aspect of myself I neglect frequently. And as my fitness increases, so too does my ability to be simultaneously of aware of more parts of my body.

Allowing myself to have a body, to use it, and to celebrate it, is helping me get into touch with my own oriels of sensuality and sexuality. As a person who has eschewed and disowned her own physicality, this feels bizarre and alien, and totally addicting. (Also post-workout endorphins are pretty addictive too).

I believe in an integrated model of health -- one that includes emotional, intellectual, and psychological health as core companions alongside physical health. Using exercise as a mode to exist and be mindful within your body is something that can provide psychological nourishment just as much as nurturing physical health. Exercise shouldn't be about punishment or torture, or making your body cry with sweat. It should be seen as a tool for self care, just as a hot bath or a pedicure is.

Size Fat Activewear Review: Dharmabums

Continuing on with my series of Fat Activewear (Fat-ive Wear?), I'm reviewing one of my favourite brands. It was one of the first non-budget brand that I discovered that would fit me. In the pic below are all of the patterns of leggings I own. Most of these are no longer available on the website, but they always have some really cool patterns released.

Dharmabums:

Dharmabums go up to an XL, which theoretically translates into an Australian 18/20. I find this to be true of the leggings, which fit like Target straight-sizing. The sports-tops I find to be very small and I wouldn't recommend the XL to someone bigger than a 16 on top.

The leggings are really nice -- made with a lightweight and compression-like silky material. It's like a compression bra for my butt and gut!

They offer high-waist and standard waist cuts, with differing leg lengths. All of the leggings I own are high-waisted and this goes to slightly above my belly button. The full length leggings do go all the way to my ankle. Good for tall girls!

Dharmabums are better cut for pears and hourglasses, as I find the waistband rolls down on me sometimes. They also come out of the packet looking VERY small, but they do stretch a lot, and mould to the body of the wearer. I find that it took about 5 wears before I felt like I had "broken in" a pair.

At ~$80 a pop, these are not cheap options. But they are an Australian company and ethically made, really good quality, and come in really nice patterns in size fat.

1000 REPS: CORE EDITION

So here's a workout I did yesterday that I had a real blast doing. It's based off this Darebee workout. You don't even need any equipment! Low impact for our fat joints, and as high intensity as you want.  Do it in one go for a high intensity workout, and spread it throughout the day for something more low intensity. Whatever is your jam, man!

1000 REPS: CORE EDITION

Do a 1000 reps total of any combination of the following (click link for youtube video of exercise):

• squats (regular and/or sumo)
• push ups 
• crunches
• flutter kicks
• glute bridge
• superman
• plank (1 second = 1 rep)

Mostly core stuff, with 1 upper and 2 lower body exercise to cycle through to give your core a rest. Working on your glutes (squats and glute lifts) and lower back (superman) are important to helping your abs maintain a stable core.

Here's Toby deciding to help me by adding more resistance to the crunches. And glute lifts. And squats. And flutterkicks. And all of it, really. So helpful.

I finished this in 30 minutes and I was s-w-e-a-t-i-n-g, I did 300 squats and glute lifts and holy shit my aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssssssssssssssss. I started off feeling a bit sluggish, but my competitive nature kicked in and I wanted to get to that magical 1000 reps.

I think I'll be posting more 1000 Rep workouts. Maybe something like the 1000 Rep Challenge series?

Size Fat Activewear Review: Target

So finding work out stuff in plus sizes is one of those bullshit games I hate playing. I like good quality, funky type of workout gear. If I feel I could be mistaken for a fitness guru on instagram, then I'm much more likely to give it all I got during a workout. Anyway, I've tried a bunch of brands on over the past year, and thought a series of reviews on brands that I've had experience could be something useful.

For your reference for sizing: I am 48 inches in the bust, 42 inches in the waist, and 48 inches in the hips. Roughly an M in City Chic. I'm 6ft (184cm) tall, 120 kg.

Target: 

Whilst there is a (depressing) dedicated plus size range, most of the cute stuff from the straight size range sizes out at 18/20. Depending on the cut, the 18s and 20s fit. I wouldn't buy online -- the fit is pretty inconsistent from item to item. Target do have sales very regularly, and things get marked down to clearance frequently making it super affordable. Overall, this is my preferred budget line.

The tops are on the shorter side.

 I'm wearing an 18 in these items right now:
http://www.target.com.au/p/active-performance-tank-diva-pink/57910024
http://www.target.com.au/p/double-layer-top-coral-black/57806518
http://www.target.com.au/p/active-racer-back-tank-black-diva-pink/57845913

I'm wearing a 20 in these:
http://www.target.com.au/p/t3-strap-back-t-shirt-black-pink/57809588
http://www.target.com.au/p/active-low-back-tank-black/58157008

Even though the tops can be short, I do prefer them over Target leggings in general. I find the leggings to have thinner material, and the printed leggings show the white backing when stretched. However, there are some real gems out there, that are equal parts comfortable, durable, and cute.

I have this in an 18 and it's one of my favourite leggings:
http://www.target.com.au/p/giaan-by-spalding-scoria-3-4-leggings/58176429

Gelatin and Mayo everywhere

Yesterday I did not bother logging my food -- but it's safe to say that it's not the sort of day to ever be repeated.

I threw a retro food/1950's themed housewarming last night. In the preparation -- I ate sampled a lot of cured meats and pickled vegetables. During the party, more than necessary amounts of gelatin and mayo were consumed. And a very necessary amount of cocktails were had.

Although this morning my stomach feels like a dump truck, which is a really good sign that jelly-filled-polony is not a nourishing foodstuff.