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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to expect keep fit clothes to come in BIG sizes?

241 replies

punter · 08/01/2015 17:33

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 ....

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
IDismyname · 12/01/2015 07:02

I have just got some good stuff from Lands End, some of which was in their sale.
I usually do dance classes, so need to be able to lift my hands up without exposing my midriff, but no 'downward dog' stuff needed!
Their t shirts are cut in such a way that they give you a bit of shape without being clingy. Have yet to wear them to a class, though.

My trusty leggings came from Under. Armour. Had them for 6 years, hence the need to find more stuff!

Pipbin · 12/01/2015 07:13

I mentioned Decathlon Run.

Alibalibumblebee · 12/01/2015 07:21

Someone asked about larger sized Golf clothes -

www.lovegolfclothes.co.uk/products/plus-size-ladies-golf

Runningupthathill82 · 12/01/2015 07:36

Oops, sorry Pipbin. Should have rtft more closely!

NewYearNewBrie · 12/01/2015 10:32

primark goes up to 20, I'm sure it does.
My primark work out stuff is amazing. I'm an 8 though. with a spare tyre.

EBearhug · 12/01/2015 12:44

Decathlon certainly do large swimming costumes. I will probably be looking for a new cossie soon, but haven't been in to the centre of Reading for a while (my nearest store.)

TheChandler · 12/01/2015 12:47

Kelpeed even when i was a pre-kid fit fit fit person with size 6-8waist, size 10-12 arse NOTHING fit me. So, Chandler, how does that fit into your excercise more, eat less to wear off the shelf stylish clothes???

Well, that would make you a similar proportion to most sprinters, so I guess you could simply wear lycra like they do?

i challenge MN to find loose-fittting light-weight woven fabric, stylish mid-thigh running shorts.

I don't think you get them because cloth type mid thigh length shorts would either cut into you when your legs move forwards and back when you run, or ride up. You do get lycra shorts (without the padding, before you go off on one at me) which are mid thigh length, often with leg grippers.

JapaneseMargaret am really pleased that there are no attitudes like this on the runners thread in Exercise, or it would be completely off-putting. Everyone there is massively encouraging of any and every effort or achievement. Telling someone that a 20-min 5k run isn't that good is just disingenuous

Except I didn't. I simply said it isn't that fast. Someone like Jo Pavey, or Gemma Steel, or Emelia Gorecka are running 15.30 for 5k, and that's fast. Plenty of other women are running sub 18 minutes, and while 20 minutes is good, its not exceptional. The whole running community doesn't inhabit the mumsnet Exercise thread, or want to. While 20 mins, or 25, or 30 or 35 might be a great personal achievement for you, and interesting to your friends and family, its not that interesting to the rest of the world. Far from being discouraging, I'm simply pointing out that blatant attention seeking, prima donna tantrums, etc is something that many other people find a bit tedious. I bet that 20 min 5k club runner would be mortified if she found out that her time was being upheld as some fantastic standard - it won't be her that's boasting about how wonderful she is, because inversely, the faster the runner, the more modest and less likely to bore you with their achievements they tend to be.

Which is great if you are self-conscious - very few people really are looking at you and judging you out running. And OP, dull though it is, I simply suggested you just try on a new brand before ordering online, if possible. There obviously are many brands which offer a huge range of sizes.

I really can't be bothered with this misinterpreting everything so as to be as offended as possible that seems to be filling mumsnet of late. It used to be a place where you could have a good discussion with a variety of people, but now if you dare to join a discussion if you aren't exactly the same as the small group posting on it, you are effectively bullied out of the discussion.

Who wants to aim for average anyway?

BitOutOfPractice · 12/01/2015 13:29

Where did I have a prima Donna tantrum by mentioning that my friend runs 5km in 20 minutes Chandler? If it was attention seeking surely I'd have mentioned MY PB.

I didn't hold it up as a massive achievement. I mentioned it as an indication that my friend is no couch potato

It was your sneering at it that caused the kerfuffle. You have a very supercilious tone I'm afraid that got my back right up! And, it would seem, quite a few others.

TheChandler · 12/01/2015 13:41

sneering, dissing, shaming, fat-bashing - just because someone pointed out that 20 minutes for 5k isn't a world beating time. You and some others are really trying very hard to be offended. I suspect the very-easily-offended are the only ones now posting, other than the very reasonable posters sticking to the theme who have posted loads of brands that do a big variety of sizes.

The great thing about running is that its ultimately only judged on how fast you run. Not what you look like (many runners do look good, but many don't), what clothes you wear, how popular you are, how much you post on an internet forum, what style you run in. You might think you are great, but unless you are literally Mo Farah, there will always be someone else faster than you. I love listening to Jo Pavey - she has been a top athlete for many years, yet she is just about the most modest, well balanced person you could ever hope to hear. So yes, by all means celebrate your personal achievements, but don't beat other runners over the head with a stick because we don't all go "Wow, you are sooooo amazing" every single minute of the day.

I actually think theres far too much emphasis on how good you look when running. I would say from what I've read on here, it seems to be far more important to the runners near the back of the field than the front.

And the problem the OP had is one that affects most runners, no matter what size. Anyone can end up buying something online that simply doesn't fit. Its happened to me quite a lot of times. When I go shopping, quite a lot of things I try on don't look good or don't fit. Its normal!

BitOutOfPractice · 12/01/2015 14:25

Oh Chandler I really do give up with you. You seem very determined misconstrue and misinterpret everything I say. And I truly can't be arsed with it.

And if course I'm not offended by you. You are just a name on a screen. Nothing more

Hope you continue to enjoy your running

MorrisZapp · 12/01/2015 14:32

Chandler must be reading another thread. She thinks nine pages of women bemoaning the availability of nice, practical active wear in larger sizes is all a misunderstanding because OP didn't try on Sweaty Betty before ordering it online.

They only go up to XL. Their XL equates to a very nippy size 16. That's the whole point. They do not come in larger sizes. All this hot air about serious runners is irrelevant.

FullOfChoc · 12/01/2015 14:35

www.amplebosom.com/

do great sports bras in a great range of sizes.

lowcrabdiet · 12/01/2015 14:45

Wowsers this thread went off topic.

But it has been fabulous for all the links to larger sized running tights. I really struggle to find tights that are wearable for me. I'm a size 18 but am also relatively tall and I need leggings with a drawstring in the waist otherwise I end up spending all my time yanking my waistband back up. And it has to be leggings otherwise my inner thighs would completely skin each other!

My little contribution to this thread is that last spring I got a great technical-type-material running vest from Asda. Cheap as chips, size 20 and lovely and long. It was tight enough that I don't flash my fat when bending and jumping and the like, but cut nicely so that I don't look like a sack of spuds. Their leggings don't have a draw string though so werent any good to me.

For what it's worth I'm in a huge sports league. The majority of the women are size 10/12, but there are a few very slim members and a few pretty overweight ones like me. I have never, ever experienced body any shaming like there has been on this thread.

I'd never dream of calling anyone a stick insect any more than I would tolerate them calling me lard arse!

So yeah, let's live and let live, or run and let run and all that jazz Grin

EBearhug · 12/01/2015 15:01

Who wants to aim for average anyway?

Nothing wrong with aiming for average, if your starting point is below average. Average is a great achievement for some people - a greater achievement than for those whose starting point was better than average.

It's not all about winning against other people. It's about winning against yourself, which for some people is a far harder battle.

CMOTDibbler · 12/01/2015 15:56

I just saw an advert from this girl can, celebrating women of all sizes and types enjoying the exercise they do for their own pleasure - made a nice change!

bookishandblondish · 12/01/2015 16:34

For anyone interested, this label goes up to size 22/24

style.fabletics.co.uk/dms4914/?utm_source=Google%20Search&utm_medium=Search

Sirzy · 12/01/2015 17:10

Be careful with fabletics though to get the best prices you have to be a VIP member which means unless you remember each month to say you don't want that months outfit they take £44 from your bank and 'credit' your account with them

PoppyField · 12/01/2015 17:50

Hey BitofPractice high five!

I think Jo Pavey is fabulous. And she's not at all boring. When I've seen her interviewed she is interesting and modest and down-to-earth and funny and she never labours the point i.e. banging on endlessly over and over a-bloody-gain saying the same thing and moaning on and on and on... and then, perhaps, once she'd said her piece, re-emphasising her incredibly laborious and bleedin' obvious point in a slightly different way only this time even more pedantically. Because, well, that would be everso tedious wouldn't it? You really wouldn't want to get stuck in a lift with Jo Pavey if that's what she was like.

BitOutOfPractice · 12/01/2015 17:54

PoppyField Smile

JapaneseMargaret · 12/01/2015 18:25

TheChandler, your slightly odd rants all seem to apply to you, and only you?!

Nobody here thinks they're great. You're the only one banging on about a 20-min 5k run not being that great, and how you can do better. Nobody else is bigging themselves up on here. Confused

At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, this is not an Athletics club, nor professional runners forum. It's Mumsnet. None of us can reasonably be expected to be performing at quite the standard you seem to expect; exercise is one part of our lives, and people are just expressing a bit of disappoint in the range of clothing out there for regular, normal people who was to exercise.

None of us - save perhaps you - are claiming to be Olympic standard.

Why are you so angry at the OP, and so ready to dismiss people who just want to get out there and exercise and make healthy choices...?

And the utter irony of you holding up somebody like Jo Pavey is just cringeworthy.

You're the one who most needs to take a leaf out of her book.

emummy · 12/01/2015 19:22

Gosh, and I was proud of myself for doing 5k in less than 29 minutes! Anyway, I am 6ft1 and a size 14, I have a lot of Ronhill tops which I find comfy, fitted but not skin tight, and nice and long. And their size 14 seems accurate. They do only go up to a size 16 unfortunately, but or anyone up to that size I can reccomend them. And I hope those of larger sizes just starting on their fitness journey won't be put off by the clothing issue, I think we should all be proud of ourselves for getting up and making the effort.

Greywackejones · 12/01/2015 19:26

Fascinating.

I wear SB. Am a size 18. And 5k at 16 mins. (Sports bras are shite there though.)

Just shows, every ones different I guess.

CruCru · 12/01/2015 19:58

Wow, seriously? You can do 5k in 16 mins...that is amazing.

Sirzy · 12/01/2015 20:11

I am happy if I do 2.5k in 16 mins!

JapaneseMargaret · 12/01/2015 21:27

15k at 16 mins is amazing - I can only dream of that!