Expecting Mommies: You can still shop at your favorite stores for fitness gear!

9 Dec 2011

 

At some point during your pregnancy, the inevitable happens; your favorite work-out staples just don’t work for you anymore.  I distinctly remember the (sad) day when my favorite baby-blue tank that I have had for years was too short for my expanding mid-section.  Good news!  Just because your body is changing and you may have to move your old workout staples temporarily to the top of your closet, it does not mean you have to stop going to your favorite stores.  And even better news: the holidays are approaching us and what better to ask for than new workout clothes from your favorite stores that will fit through your pregnancy and beyond. 

Don’t want to break your budget? Try C9 by Champion for Target

No one wants to spend a lot on maternity clothes.  So why not find work out clothes that are not only affordable, but that look good, function well, and that you could wear after pregnancy?  Through a variety of styles and colors, while pricing everything under $50, the C9 by Champion for Target line will help you achieve this goal.

From this line, my favorite outfit is my Women's Short Sleeve Athletic Tee shirt ($12.99) and the C9 Cold Weather Running Tights ($27.99).  The black pants are perfect for a run outside as the weather gets a bit cooler and Capri style pants leave your ankles exposed.  The waistline on the C9 Cold Weather Running Tights cuts just low enough so it sits right below your baby bump yet it fits well to your butt so you don’t feel as though you are constantly having to readjust your pants throughout your jog (i.e. no worries about showing any “butt crack” ladies, it won’t happen in these pants).  

I also love the C9 by Champion® Women's Racer Back Compression Bra for $14.99.  A note about sports bras; pre-pregnancy, I usually wore sports bras with an underwire for more support.  However, I noticed early on in my pregnancy that when I would run, the underwire would cause me to chaffe.  The C9 by Champion for Target does not have an underwire yet the tighter fit around the chest gives good support.  I do sometimes wear it with a shirt that has some built-in support.  And one more note about the sports bra: they have all sorts of colors, including red!  For fun, I love wearing my red C9 by Champion for Target sports bra with a grey tank and the C9 dark grey cuffed sweat pants, with a drawstring, for a yoga class.   

For the Lulu Lovers

Lululemon does not have a specific maternity line; but with all they have to offer why bother?  The combination of the 4-way stretch used in their clothing makes it work for all athletes, including pregnancy.  The clothes easily expand with you as you grow, and are designed in a way that works well with the pregnant body.  For instance, the pants fit well below your waist (or below the baby bump) and the shirts stretch with your expanding abdomen, but do not stay stretched out so they are wearable once you return to your pre-pregnancy form. If my word isn’t enough, Lulu even featured some of their pregnant employees who wrote a blog emphasizing what Lulu items work best for them and why.

I was fortunate enough to have a Lululemon outfit designed specifically for me to use throughout my pregnancy. What I found worked best for a cardio work out was their cool racerback tank top and their inspire cropped run tights.  The cool racerback is long enough to continue to cover your abdomen as it grows, yet it isn’t too long that it rides up your butt and hips while you run. The cropped pants sit below your baby bump as well. 

Photo Credit: Lululemon Athletica

A note about shirts: my favorite shirts pre-pregnancy were ones that gave me underlining support around the chest. During pregnancy, a shirt like the Racer Back Tank Top works best because, as the chest grows the shirts with built in support can constrict the chest. You will not have that problem with the Racer Back Tank. 

And let’s not forget: lulu clothes are really flattering!  While I used to be a person who didn’t care what I wore to the gym (after all, I am there to work out and sweat), I have to admit I have been transformed by lulu and all the great styles and colors they have to offer.

Sugoi: For Good All-Weather Wear

In my search for the perfect running attire to wear during the NYC marathon in 2010, I ended up with the Sugoi Versa Jacket. To date, this is one of the best workout purchases I have made, and six months pregnant I am still able to wear it.  The material is breathable, water resistant (so it wicks the sweat away yet also allows for sweat to evaporate) and the detachable sleeves makes it good to wear on windy but slightly warm days.   The vest is priced at $120, but I have gotten so much use out of it, both with the sleeves and without, depending on the weather, that it is definitely worth it!  I also wear it not when I am working out.  

Another piece of stylish outerwear that works for either a run outside or as a cover-up to the gym is the Firewall 220 Zip.  The Firewall has powerful windproof protection, and the stretch thermal mobility has made it work well for me as I have grown.  It is priced at $180, but the versatility of the item, as well as the quality will make it a purchase that you can use for years to come.  

 

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