CHANGE #11

Consider Your Wardrobe Carefully

SIMPLY PUT… Dress to your strength. Whenever you choose an outfit for the day or for the gym or for a big event, pick the things that will help you feel empowered.

I’ve never been into fashion. I don’t gravitate toward labels. I don’t wear what’s trendy. And I certainly don’t wear anything uncomfortable.

I know what you’re thinking… Who would wear anything uncomfortable? Well, welcome to the wonderful world of television. Those crazy heels and sleeveless dresses in the dead of winter? Uncomfortable. I like what I like and I often stay under the radar on the clothing spectrum.

It’s easy to look back and pinpoint exactly when my indifference toward clothing came about. It was 1989, I had just moved to the United States from the Caribbean, where I had lived for fourteen years—and I was about to start high school. Woo-hoo!!! High school as the new kid in class! For some reason, that sounded awesome, thanks in part to living in Haiti. I never saw an Afterschool Special, so I knew nothing about high school hardships.

The weekend before school started, my mom took me to a discount store and bought me a few outfits for my first week in ninth grade. I laid out all the new clothes on my bed and picked out what I deemed would be my first-day-of-high-school Power Outfit: red pants, a white button-down short-sleeved top with some colorful coconut trees stamped everywhere, and loafers (I’ll pause for a moment so you can fully take that in).

Looking back, I’m not surprised I was the laughingstock of my freshman class. And while I chuckle about it now, it was heartbreaking back then. No matter what I wore or how hard I tried to fit in, my wardrobe kept me out and I never quite caught up. I was always much more productive (and happy) dressing down comfortably than dressing up uncomfortably.

Granted, being on television forced me to adjust my fashion focus a little bit. But when I’m not on TV, I’m out of my fancy dress and heels and back to dressing for strength and comfort. Jeans, a soft T-shirt, a worn-in sweater, and a pair of boots—Boom, I’m done! And while much of the world enjoys Fashion Week, a good high-end shoe sale, or when Oscar goers are asked who they’re wearing on the red carpet, I tune out.

I tune most fashion out, but I still recognize that I am better when I feel better… and I feel better when I dress strong. Whether its color, style, or fit, I dress the way I want to feel. For me, I know I deliver a better speech when I’m wearing a black power dress. I know I’ll feel happier and more confident on a summer weekend when I’m wearing flip-flops. And when I exercise, while it’s still not about what brands I’m wearing, I dress the part.

For me, I know that I personally work out harder and more effectively when I’m wearing my favorite gym colors, which are gray and either yellow or orange. So why does it matter what I wear to the gym? I don’t want to hide my body under baggy clothes because that prevents me from being accountable. Wearing tight clothes or showing a little skin means that if there’s any part of me that needs to be addressed, it’s there to mock (and motivate) me when I walk in front of every mirror.

But even though you and I may be different, the concept of picking outfits that either inspire you to be more active or remind you what you need to work on is a tactic anyone can use. And I’m not just talking about what you wear to exercise. I’m talking about your entire wardrobe—every last piece of attire folded in your dresser and hanging in your closet.

I may not love fashion, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think about what I’m wearing every day. Believe it or not, what you wear can go a long way toward keeping your food in check and burning calories all day long.

Tips and Tricks

For me, if I don’t like what I see in the mirror, I will do something about it. But maybe for you, seeing your flaws reflected back leaves you feeling self-conscious and more likely to race through your workouts or skip them altogether. No matter what your personality (or style!) may be, these apparel pointers will still let you get more from the Changes you’ve already triumphed over and the ones you’ll soon be tackling.

With Your Workout Clothes

Find your power colors. Now you know mine, but I didn’t know them right away. It was a matter of trial and error. Try to mix up what you wear each time and see if you notice any difference in your performance. Best bet: Make sure to take it a step further and wear colors you normally never wear—you may be surprised at what fires you up when it’s time to sweat.

Don’t have a power color? If seeing your problem areas drives you, try wearing bright colors that accentuate your “need to work on” parts and dark colors to hide your “right on track” spots. If seeing your problem areas keeps you from putting in as much effort, just do the exact opposite.

Keep it plain if you can’t plan. If coordinating clothes isn’t your thing, I’d rather you keep things as simple as possible than skip a workout. Instead, when it comes to bottoms, stick with black, white, or gray—all three pretty much go with anything, so whatever you grab to wear up top should match in a pinch.

Leave it lean if weighing less is your goal. Even if you hate pointing out your problem spots, stick with slimmer-fitting clothes that hug your frame instead of hiding it. Looser clothing not only makes you look heavier, but it may prevent you from checking your posture as you exercise. The more you can see your silhouette, the less often you’ll exercise incorrectly.

If you can’t move in it, make another choice. Anything you wear should always fit comfortably. If you love Lycra or spandex, I’m not going to stop you. But if it’s tight anyplace on your body that bends—waist, shoulders, knees, elbows, wrists, ankles, and even your neck—either stretch it out or switch it out to give yourself more freedom.

Never skimp on your shoes. It’s not hype. There actually is a difference among walking, running, and cross-trainer shoes in terms of their support, padding, breathability, and structure. Investing in one pair of walking shoes for your 10,000 steps and a pair of cross-trainers for your workouts can help reduce your risk of injury and improve your performance.

Just remember when to replace them! Toss your walking/running shoes for a pair of new ones every three to five hundred miles. Your cross-trainers should be good for about a year before you need a new pair, so long as you’re only wearing them when you exercise.

… And the Rest of Your Wardrobe

Think fitted over forgiving. Ample room and elastic waistbands are not your friends, because they let you get away with ignoring your body, along with the warning signs that you may be eating too much. Instead, stick with non-stretch jeans and clothes with enough room to spare but snug enough to remind you of your goals.

Buy one outfit in your target size. I’m not saying go crazy, but spend a few bucks on something simple—a swimsuit, a cheap but cute dress, whatever—in the size that you will be one day. Then hang it behind your bedroom door so it’s the first thing you see when you head out for the day and the last thing you see when you go to sleep.

Size down your pj’s. There’s a reason we love curling up in our jammies. All that extra room makes it way too easy to snack away at night without feeling the pinch around your waistline. Instead, get a pair that’s not as forgiving, or if you can’t give up the comfort of your old pj’s, wear something slightly restrictive underneath that reminds you when your belly’s filling up.

If it’s baggy, then bag it. As you begin to drop a few pounds, don’t just ignore your fat clothes. Toss them in a bag and put them somewhere that’s out of sight and inconvenient. The fewer oversized options you have at your disposal, the more likely you’ll be to reach for an outfit that’s less forgiving.

Size up what you need. It’s far from an exact science, but for every five to ten pounds you lose, you typically will drop one size. Each time that happens, buy (or better yet borrow) just a few wardrobe essentials, such as a pair of black pants, one pair of jeans, a fitted blouse, or even a day dress and evening dress, so you have just a few things that fit the new you perfectly during those “in-between” stages.

Bring your belt in a notch. Instead of wearing it to fit (or ever letting it out!), cinch your belt up a hole when you’re not sitting down. That tiny bit of constraint can sometimes help keep you more conscious of your eating habits and activity levels throughout the day.

Embrace casual Fridays. The more comfortable you dress during the day, the more active you’re likely to be.

The “So You Know” Science

A now-classic study performed at the University of Wisconsin found that wearing casual, comfortable clothing to work (over conventional business attire) actually affects your physical activity level. According to the research, when participants wore jeans, they walked an average of 491 (or 8 percent) more steps and burned an average of 25 more calories a day.1

That may not sound like much, but keep in mind that when added up, wearing casual clothing to work every day equals 125 calories a week (or 6,250 calories in a fifty-week year). It’s a difference researchers believe could help offset the average annual weight gain of 0.4 to 1.8 pounds that American adults naturally experience as they age.