Affordable Plus Size Fitness Apparel {Health & Exercise}

I know many of you might be thinking about New Year’s Resolutions. What is it about a new year that makes us all think we can succeed at everything we failed at the previous year?

Well, besides the fact we can succeed at anything, it is a fresh slate of sorts. Everything is so last year and is so not happening  again in 2013.

I feel ya. I do.

And while it’s technically not the new year yet, it is a great time to beat everyone who is also thinking of hopping on the fitness bandwagon. They won’t get on it until January 1, sooooo, you have almost a whole week to snag up the fitness apparel in the sizes you want/need. Now, as a woman who is fluffy, I am appalled at the lack of cute fitness apparel for fluffys. It’s like I have to lose weight to fit into anything from the major fitness brands. I’m looking at you, Reebok.

Well, let’s say you want fitness apparel, aren’t sizes 0-10, and don’t want to spend $70 on yoga pants (yeah, screw you Victoria’s Secret!)…then you’ve come to the right place. These are stores with super affordable, cute, fitness apparel that will fit you NOW.

1.) Walmart.com: Affordable (think $17 and under per item), cute, and with 97-cent per item shipping (or shop in store), they are a viable, SUPER affordable option for workout pants, tops and sports bras.

2.) LaneBryant.com: Not as cheap as Walmart, but with coupons, it can be (if you buy at the right time). A lot of the items are made by Reebox, oddly enough since Reebox.com only goes up to XL, but lots of the tops/pants are on sale constantly. The sports bras are FAB quality, and are usually BOGO 50% off or free. Coupons are key to maximizing your savings, but the prices are reasonable nonetheless.

3.) OldNavy.com: Free shipping on orders over $50, free returns, and loads of coupon offers every week, this another great option for affordable fitness apparel. They have a whole section of plus size fitness wear that is cute, practical and affordable. The sizing is a little funky, so you might want to order one size up/down and return one. Some items run huge, others run small.

As you can see, with these options there is no excuse to workout in ratty t-shirts and icky pants. I think investing in a 2-3 workout outfits will help make you feel good about yourself when working out, and hopefully keep you motivated because you’ll look so darn cute.

And since you’re saving on workout apparel, I’d urge you to splurge on these items:

1.) A heart rate monitor! My absolute favorite is this one. I’ve owned it for about 2 years now, and I love that it tells me if I need to work harder (or take it down a notch), plus it tells me how many calories I’ve burned. That info alone will help your weight loss goals since those online calculators tend to grossly over estimate how many calories you burn. This is money WELL spent, and Polar is an outstanding brand that will last you MANY years. Well worth the $65 or so.

2.) Good athletic shoes. Your knees, joints, and feet will thank you profusely. I’d suggest going to a running/walking store to get properly fitted for the proper shoes (over/under pronators), but if you don’t or can’t, Amazon.com’s shoe department is your friend. They offer free returns on all shoes sold by Amazon, so by a few different sizes/types, keep what fits, and send the others back. You won’t even have to leave the house. I personally love Asics, these shoes to be exact, but order shoes that will work for the type of exercise you will be doing (running/walking/dancing, indoor/outdoor).

3.) If you’re running or walking or even just planning on vacuuming as a form of exercise, a pair of bluetooth headphones will prove invaluable. Gotta love the feeling of no wires to interfere with your arm motions, plus if you get a phone call while you’re exercising, it’s really easy to just pick up the phone by pressing a button on your bluetooth headphones. Adjust volume, switch songs, talk on the phone without having to mess with your phone. Pure. Bliss. I own this pair, and they’re so luxe without the luxe price tag. They’re rechargeable, have good volume and seem pretty heavy duty.

I hope those suggestions help all of us who are a little ahem, chubby, find some cute workout clothes so we can be fit and healthy in 2013. If there’s a store I forgot about, please leave me a comment so others can see, too.

I almost forgot—if you’re shopping online, remember to click through eBates! You earn cash back on all your purchases, so if you spend $100 at Old Navy, and they’re doing 5% cash back that day, you’ll end up with $5 cash back. Every bit helps, and it’s super easy to sign up here. You can save up that cash back money to buy some smaller clothes in spring time, right? :)

What are your favorite exercise/fitness activities to do when you’re trying to get back into a fitness routine?