to expect keep fit clothes to come in BIG sizes?

[punter]

I am looking at you Sweaty Betty - your XL translates according to your website as a size 16 which is the average UK women's size. As you have a sale on I ordered 3 different styles, they arrived this morning and looked like they had shrunk in the wash when I tried stuff on.
Surely people who want to get fit should be able to get clothes that are comfortable and fit for purpose (that came out as a pun sorry.
Suppose I shall have to try dreaded M&S ....

Sophie nice helmet

"Slim/skinny/stick insect = does exercise properly, needs small size clothes" - how do explain my ExH then?

Someone mentioned bras, Panache do an amazing sports bra that goes up to something like a 40GG, usually no more than £20-£25 on Amazon, I have two, best sports bra I've ever worn.

I am a 12 and can get into a Swetty Betty M, but I don't because I don't think their stuff is that great, most of it seems to be aimed at people who want to look like they might do yoga.....

Dp is a runner and mostly wears stuff that is skin tight, I do a variety of stuff and tend to wear cotton or Bjorn Borg leggings, either full length or just cut down to below the knee or shorts, old cotton vests or tees, old jumpers and a good sports bra.

"most of it seems to be aimed at people who want to look like they might do yoga" - that is so true! I wear yoga pants at home. I've only ever done yoga once!

Another vote for Sainsburys

I like tight bottom halves but not tight tops - I prefer a bit of movement (and nothing showing my belly up!)

I run 3 times a week and also do 1/2 hours aerobics a week and the odd mud run / tough mudder - I am also fat !

Bloody Hell TheChandler seriously?

For most people a 20 minute 5 km is excellent. You seem determined to discourage people. (for what it's worth DH is insanely fit and able to push himself far beyond what most people can...he never ever criticises anyone else's efforts...in fact he usually lauds them!).

I think she was just determined to ick me apart degust (Sorry I cant work your name out!)

*pick

I have some old Sainsbury fitness leggings which are great in a snug but not skin-tight way. I went in there last night to see what they have and their latest offerings are awful: they are very tight and made of very thin material, they looked like sausage casings.
I get stuff from Aldi occasionally. I like their tops - again snug but not skin tight and a good length - but their lower halves tend to be low-waisted, which I don't like.

BitOutOfPractice yeah sorry it's a bit of a mouthful...Degust will do

I know a lot of ultra fit people and not one of them would be sneery about those starting out, quite the opposite...

Thechandler, your posts on this thread aren't that helpful. I'm a size 16. I used to be bigger. I could be smaller but I will never have a runner's build, I have broad shoulders, broad hips and big breasts, even when I'm skinny.

I run for health and enjoyment, I'm not very fast but I've done many 10ks and a half marathon, training for my second half marathon at present.

You're making ME feel like maybe I shouldn't go to the gym today, because I clearly don't exercise properly, what with being overweight and not as fast as some people. You're making me wonder if everyone else is going to be looking at me in my (fitted but not skin tight) clothes and thinking 'she isn't a proper runner. She isn't exercising properly'

Now this is me you're making feel like that, someone who has been running for a few years and really enjoys it, who was looking forward to going to the gym today on my day off (I work frequent 12 hour shifts so can't get to the gym every day), someone who knows that most people there won't even notice my existence and those who do will probably be thinking 'good on you for doing some exercise rather than sitting on the sofa eating chocolate'

A lot of the people posting on this thread are looking to buy gym clothes in bigger sizes. That suggests they are starting out (or they'd already have exercise clothes) and that they are self conscious about how they look. I remember how bloody anxious I was as a big size 20 about to walk into the gym for the first time and start week 1 of c25k, if I'd've read your last post beforehand I probably wouldn't have even left the house.

You're slim and you can run fast. Well done, that's great. Some of us are not slim and don't run fast. That doesn't stop us from enjoying our sport, it also doesn't devalue the commitment you've put into running competitively. If there weren't loads of people behind you when you finish your 5 or 10k with an amazing time, that amazing time wouldn't mean so much! Some of us are fat and don't run at all. But running isn't an exclusive club that only the fast and slim can be a part of, anyone can play.

If I had started this thread saying I'm gutted cos my 10k times are slower than last yr and incidentally I weigh about half a stone more than I did then, your comments would be useful, but on this thread it may be an idea to reign it in a little.

20 mins for 5k is not that fast
...I think MorrisZapp has you right, TheChandler. You're on this thread to brag and sneer.

I don't like exercising in skintight tops but don't want a baggy t-shirt which will reveal everything when we do floorwork and downward dog at the end of my gym class. But I'm a mature mum of teemagers, and gravity and age are attempting to do their thing to me...and I don't feel the urge to display my less attractive curves, which I'm trying to minimise through exercise. I'm never going to be an amazing athlete - just an average mum trying to keep reasonably fit in the short time available to me each week.
I have one fab shape vest-top from Fat Face that is fitted round my bust but then loose enough below my bust (and not clingy and shiney) so it doesn't show every lump and bump. I'm seriously considering paying someone good money to make me a couple of copies when it falls apart.

Yes I must say the comment about sub-20min 5k being nothing special was rather funny. That's a good time, and if you can run a sub-20min 5k, you are indisputably fit (or Kenyan )

Definitely recommend looking in GAP - their stuff is better than you'd imagine although its not really made from a technical fabric (but it does the job unless you're going hill running in 35 degrees). I think many of the sportswear makers do deliberately not make the stuff in larger sizes basically because they want to create an aspiration of "wear this stuff and you will miraculously morph into twisted steel". There may also be the case that there's not the demand, because although 50% of the population is Size 16 and above, that doesn't translate to 50% of the exercising population. Having worked in retail I know that any modifications they need to make to the spec have to be really worth it as they add to costs- so if, say, larger women wanted a less fitted shape, and that meant amending the pattern, but would only increase sales 10% they'd probably not do it.

Oh, and as for clothes, when I first started I wore tightish yoga trouser type things ordered online from sport direct (who have a sale on at the min I think) and the cheapest men's xl tshirt from primark which are ridiculously thin so you don't get too hot and sweaty in them like you would in decent quality ones, they only cost about 2 quid each. Sports bra from m&s. If you're planning on running, spend your money on some decent shoes, a lot of stores (asics for example) will do a gait analysis for you and suggest which shoes to get, I used to have really bad ankle pain the day after every run til I invested in decent shoes.

Fwiw I exercise to stay the size I am, a size 14. I have no plans to try to go down to a size 10. To do that, I'd need to diet very hard. Exercise is great but without changing diet, it does not take you down the dress sizes, unless you train hard every day. So the idea that larger people will get smaller by exercising is only less than half right. They would also need to commit to dieting, which as we all know isn't easy. If it was, we'd all be a size ten and Sweaty Betty would be fighting us back with a stick.

Exactly, MorrisZapp. I seem to remember reading somewhere that weight loss is 80% diet, 20% exercise....

I bought a gym top from Sports Direct before Xmas....a size 16. Fine apart from the fact that I'm a 10/12. No idea how on earth anyone with actual boobs as opposed to the paracetamols on an ironing board that I have would fit into it.

degust I only lose (or is it loose? I have a TOTAL mental block about that) shift weight when I diet. If I exercise as well it goes off a bit quicker and it helps motivate me to keep dieting.

I'm just off the tradmill. I on't post my 5km time for fear of being sneered to death!

Primark have some nice gym gear in now - goes up to size 20.

Just remember that there are loads of folk that can run faster than the Chandler. But more importantly, do you think you would like to share a post-race cup of tea with someone with attitudes like that? Joyless, fecking joyless...

Me, I can't run due to joint issues, but I swim, do pilates, go to the gym a couple of times a week etc etc.
I am rubbish at most of these but I think that the majority of people who exercise are just trying their best. Everyone struggles, everyone has times when they love it and hate it.

The important thing is to keep moving, and try. I am full of admiration when I see someone overweight (as I am) exercising, especially if they are out running. In think 'good on you of not just giving up!' Because, I have given up on numerous occasions and wished I hadn't.
(That said, I have just eaten a Tunnocks teacake.)

And I have some SB capris. They are not a patch on my RonHills. And I do laugh when I go into that shop, willing to pay a stupid amount of money for gym stuff and all they can offer is a small neon hankerchief to try to squeeze my 36DDs into.

" but 20 mins for 5k is not that fast, its good club level stuff but nothing overly special, and any proper athletics coach might suggest, depending on her build etc that she could get down to sub-19 minutes if she lost some weight. "

This actually seems reasonable to me. It is a good club level standard. Most people aren't running those times, but yes, at that level dropping a few kgs could help you scrape some seconds off.

She runs for fun bonkers and, not getting any younger, I joke that her times will soon be as bad as like mine

I just googled the H&M sportswear range but it's not letting me post the link. However, they clearly do fitness clothing in all shapes and sizes - slim and not to slim models (who are still gorgeous before anyone jumps on me) being used to display the range.

It's not just the lack in range of sizing though. I'm a uk size 6 to 8 and if I want gear that fits properly and comfortably l have to get a size 12 in most brands...Maybe I'm just wearing these clothes wrongly, but I'm more inclined to think that they're just not realistically sized in the first place.

bitout. I also run for fun, though I am in a club. I nailed all my PBs last year at age 43 and 44. I've been running all my life (give or take) and like many women have got better with time.
I run more wisely now.

Your mate is FAST! Would she like to pace me at our next 5K time trial?!