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.

It's about barriers pt. 2

Another big barrier is having the option of not needing to actually go anywhere to get exercise in.

I love swimming -- I finding soothing and invigorating. But I hate having to muster the effort to find the time when the pool is open, get dressed, organised, drive to the pool, and pay for entry before I've even swum my first lap. I want something free, with minimal scheduling needed.

I bought myself a recumbent stationary bike second-hand from gumtree. Upright bikes hurt my crotch, and I've heard this issue is worse for those of the testically-inclined. It was the best $100 I've spent in a long while.  It means that when it's 9pm at night, and all I want to do is go to bed -- it doesn't take very much effort to sit and ride the bike while I watch something on netflix. It's so comfortable -- well, as comfortable you can get when you are sweating and panting.

(This is just a tribute)

It's about barriers

One of the biggest barriers to me working out is getting dressed in work out gear. Fat girl workout gear is usually pretty uninspiring, and makes me feel like a frumpy housewife, so I'm never excited to wear it. If exercise is pretty blah already, having crappy clothes that make me feel like crap is definitely not a way in incentivise me to do it.

What I want, ideally, is workout gear that doubles as casual wear. The sports luxe and athleisure niches that have been big these last few seasons have made wearing good quality active wear way more acceptable to be worn outside the gym. I know that when I get home for the day if I can just change into a cool outfit that doubles as activewear, that means I have the flexibility to continue about my day until the moment to workout takes me. Then I can just do it.

This is why I've been keeping a close eye for cute, adorable active wear in size fat. They do exist! But that's another post of it's own. But now that I have some, getting exercise in has been much less of a drag.

Do a little bit nearly everyday

My philosophy on exercise is to do a little bit nearly everyday.

Which just so happens to agree with the Australian Department of Health's recommended guidelines for physical activity for adults.

• Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. If you currently do no physical activity, start by doing some, and gradually build up to the recommended amount.

• Be active on most, preferably all, days every week.

• Accumulate 150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours) of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes (1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours) of vigorous intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate and vigorous activities, each week.

• Do muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days each week.

For people like me, who are perfectionistic and time starved, we really want to do exercise that is the most efficient to achieve good health. And in the quest of trying to do the BEST POSSIBLE THING (tm), we get swept up in the mythos and dynamism of the diet industry and bro-culture. So sometimes it's important to remember that being healthy is not about being the best all the time, but it's about moderation and consistency - because every bit accumulates. So for me, that means doing a little something nearly every day.

My tale of woe

I bought new loafers-- they are good quality leather, and as stiff as [genital reference]. I was so excited to wear them, that I didn't do any of the usual prerequisite breaking in. No socks, no ice, no hairdryers. It took 5 minutes before my heels were torn up, and I had to take them off and walk around the shops in bare feet.

Cut to that evening, and I want to go for a walk. So I put on thick socks and band-aids to protect my heels, and even though my trusty Asics are fairly cushioned and padded, it was too painful to walk. Unperturbed, I decide to walk in my Birkenstocks.

Now I have blisters on the bottom of my feet, and it hurts to stand.

I guess I need to figure out an alternative form of exercise that don't use my feet at all.

Monday Logs (4th May to 10th May)

Lots of LISS (low intensity, steady state) this week, because that was the exercise I felt most like doing. Also the weather is excellent for walks right now.

Monday 
Food - Food - Click
Exercise - 2 hour walk, 9km - with friend

Tuesday 
Food - Click
Exercise - 1.5 hour walk, 9 km - 2 kms around uni, 7kms walk with Dad (something about this entry doesn't feel right -- I think I got length of time wrong).

Wednesday 
Food - Click
Exercise - 30 min walk, 2.5 km - with friends, uphill

Thursday 
Food - Click
Exercise - 30 mins stationary bike, 7km, resistance 3/8

Friday 
Food - Click
Exercise - 30 mins stationary bike, 6km, resistance 2/8

Saturday 
Food - Click
Exercise - N/A -- went to quiz night. Lightly active during day doing errands.

Sunday
Food - Click
Exercise - 1 hour walk, 4 km - with husband.

Fat Girl Working Out Problems

Is there such a thing as workout pants that don't fall down when you do pylometrics because your junk is shaking them off with enough force to hammer nails into plywood?

Monday Logs (27th April to 3rd May)

For accountability and transparency, I thought I would post my food and exercise logs (flogs and elogs?) on this blog weekly.

Monday 
Food - NA
Exercise - Fitness Blender Low Impact Cardio Workout

Tuesday 
Food - NA
Exercise - Darebee Kickboxer

Wednesday 
Food - Click
Exercise - Darebee One and One

Thursday 
Food - Click
Exercise - Darebee Beowulf

Friday 
Food - Click
Exercise - Darebee Masterpack

Saturday 
Food - Click
Exercise -  60 minutes cycling on recumbent bike, light effort

Sunday
Food - Click
Exercise - Darebee You Had Me At Bacon

I like to ride my bicycle

Good News Everyone!

I picked up a recumbent stationary bike on gumtree for $100 on Friday. I really like recumbent bikes -- they are way less aggressive on the vagina than regular bikes. Finally, now I can watch netflix and sweat disgustingly without having to buy a bucket of KFC. All my dreams have come true.

Babble: Rekt

So when I started this blog I got it into my head that FIVE DAYS OF BODY WEIGHT TRAINING IN A ROW would be a good idea for someone who sporadically works out. This was not a good idea. Yesterday was day 4 and I was wrecked so I skipped it and got some sleep. However, I woke up this morning not wanting to die, so that was nice.

Yet another lesson in taking it slow and steady.

To do: find some low impact, low intensity forms of exercise for alternate days.

Food: Apple and Peanut Butter

Why is it that when I search for ~*~healthy breakfast ideas~*~ I can only find recipes including eggs and/or hot oatmeal. I don't want to cook eggs every morning, I hate washing dishes. I really have to psych myself up for hot porridge, in Australia, in the summer (or really, anytime).

Also on the list of things I don't like eating: yoghurt and cereal. Because I have lactose intolerance it's not just gas that comes out of my food hole 10 minutes later. (But the pertinent question is which food hole?)

I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner -- it might be because fat people are just really stupid -- but I've just thought of apples and peanut butter as a solution. It's like you're eating chips and dip, but only none of those things.

For those of you calorie counting at home (poor fuckers), 1 large apple and 2 tbsp of peanut butter has:

313 calories, 35g carbs, 16g fat, 10g protein

It's better than skipping breakfast in a passive aggressive move against the whole institution of breakfast foods for not providing a non-egg/yoghurt/oatmeal breakfast alternative, and being murderously hangry by 11am.

As an aside, I should probably get some pictures up in this joint.

FAQ

HO HUM.

Thought exercise: Troll the Troll

My blog is about talking about exercising, and healthy food, and being fat, but without a focus on weight loss. 
Do you think this will annoy the fuck out of r/fatpeoplehate and others likeminded, because there is literally no reason to hate this blog except that the author is fat and writing for fat people?

BUT YOU'RE PROMOTING OBESITY?
Yes, I sure am. Through exercise and a healthy diet. That sounds like a fast ticket to Hamplanet Town, population: us.

BUT YOU'RE A FAT AND THEREFORE UNHEALTHY
Yes, I bet I am with all this exercise and healthy food and all this fat. Also mental and emotional health is totally a pile of shit and is not included in overall health, as we all know studies have shown repeatedly BIGPHARMA. 

BUT MY TAX DOLLARS
I would like to see these tax dollars because I need some new curtains.

BUT YOU LOOK SO GROSS, MY EYES, MY EYES
Yep, wiggle dat jiggle

Gadgets and Gizmos: Fitocracy

I have this theory that if I can turn sweating on the floor of my loungeroom into a competitive activity, then I'm more likely to want to do it, instead of bemoaning all the reasons I have to do it. Sadly, sweating on the floor is not an organised team sport.

I remembered Fitocracy. 

From what I can tell in the 5 minutes of clicking around, Fitocracy is platform to log your workout and depending on intensity, will grant you a number of points for working out. You compete against friends; first to infinity points wins. I don't know what these points are good for, but I am assured that they are very important. 

This is not my first time on Fitocracy.I had joined back in 2011 in the Great Baby Weight Expungancy with a bunch of online friends. I logged exactly two work outs -- both comprising of a light walk and an insane number of squats -- and then left the thing to die of neglect. 

But I am a different person now. I am four years older. I have mostly a new set of cells. I am way more dedicated than last time. Look, I even have a blog. I will definitely use this properly now; I will log every work out. I mean, its not like I have any active groups to be competitive with, or a buddy to work out with, or any real plan or goals. These are totally parameters for good outcome.

If, for some reason, I have made fitocracy sound like a cool idea, I've made a group that we can all chat and chill out and COMPETE TO THE DEATH in.

Join Fat Assventures on Fitocracy.

Edit: Also I found out there are affliliate links on this thing, so maybe I can get cool stuff if you sign up with my link. Or not. Whatever, your call. Join Fitocracy on this affliliate link!

Sitting on my fat ass, blogging about my fat ass.

So this thing here is a blog about working out when you are fat. There are lots of things that happen when you want to work out but you are fat.

Firstly, push ups really hurt your wrists.

Secondly, some yoga positions are impossible because your belly gets in the way.

Thirdly, work out clothes in size fat are ugly.

Basically, working out when you're fat is like a billion times worse than working out and not being fat. So that is why I made this blog: so I can whinge at the faceless internet about fat people  working out problems.