I'm very much into my fitness, I've trained as an aerobics instructor, and was once a sports coach for kids, however I find it much more fun if I am the one taking part....
I'm not by any stretch saying I'm an angel when it comes to exercising, sometimes life literally gets in the way or I'm frankly too tired to go and do a class. I had a conversation with a close friend about how we both go in phases of certain fitness classes, we'll be obsessed with Zumba for a few weeks, then find we're loving the latest Body Attack release but then it's all about Body Step... and so on. It is always good to bring variety into your fitness routines or it'd just get boring, and one thing I have learnt is that I personally prefer to give myself variety in location. I dont always think doing fitness classes is the best option, riding your bike or jogging near the local park can often be a great alternative - it gets you out in the fresh air instead of constantly doing the same thing each time you want to exercise.
Even though I have lost weight through eating well and exercising properly, I'm still a curvy girl. I still have a chest and still have a bum basically, and often when doing exercise making sure you're well supported can be really tough. In the past I've been in such a rush to get to one of my classes, I grabbed a basic sports bra and found that I was so unsupported I had to leave the class early. When you have a big chest, there is nothing worse than the pain from having an ill fitting bra.
When I went to the fantastic Cybher conference in this year, I was measured by the lingerie team from the company Freya. I'd been measured before but was absolutely astonished to what they measured me to be. I'd been trotting around in a 34E, when they had me as a 30F.... slight difference I'm sure you will agree.
So the best thing for me to do was invest in good quality supportive sports clothing. My first stop was a decent sports bra, none of these cheap ones - I've learnt that what you save in money, you lose in quality and quite honestly none of the cheap sports bras actually do what they should... which is support you.
I got a Freya Active black moulded sports bra, and set to test it out. As I was a big cup size I found that having more fasteners on the back really helped me feel secure, this was especially the case if I went out for a run or was doing a vigorous step class. This bra was £35.00 with a choice of briefs for £11.00, I went for the shorts as they were supportive and seamless.
I'm not sure if many of you remember but I promised during the New Year, I'd get into swimming. I used to be a fish in the water when I was younger, but body hang ups, gaining weight etc all caused me to abandon it. I have however, got right back into it and top of my to do list was of course buy a swimming costume (shucks I had to shop!) and like the sports bra issue, I had the same problem in the past with a swimsuit. Yes the lycra would hold me in, but it never felt very good quality.
I opted for a Freya swimsuit that has a built in support system, as there is a well hidden sports bra on the inside. You're held into place so well that it actually made me feel great, for once in a swimming costume. We all know how horrible swimwear can potentially be, but this costume has been amazing. I went for the pink and black one - purely because I feel more comfy in darker swimsuits but having the flashes of pink made it that bit better. One of these
Freya Black Soft Suits are £45.00 - I know that may seem quite expensive but honestly, from a girl who has struggled to find the right support, its worth it.
All of the Freya items not only are great quality and support well, but they wash great too. Obviously after exercising or swimming you'll need to wash them a lot, and I've been using these daily and they seem to be holding shape and color perfectly. If you are worrying you're in the wrong bra size, and are looking for better supportive clothing for exercise do have a look at Freya Active.Yes, it may appear much more expensive than other places but these are a fab lingerie company who know what they're talking about. They know we all come in a variety of shapes and sizes and they certainly know we need support when exercising.
xoxo