The time of year to get into gear

Look to your exercise regime for inspiration, says The Kit’s editor-at-large

The Kit offers advice on finding the right workout garb,

I signed up for a nice gym and bought new running shoes in order to make good on my resolutions and am feeling a bit overwhelmed since I need to stock up on exercise gear. What do you recommend? —Tracy, Toronto

Are you still in resolution mode? If so, good for you. You’ve lasted about three weeks longer than most people who forged insane and unreachable goals designed to transform their habits, their appearance … themselves.

A handful of years ago, my husband and I were in glorious Mexico City on New Year’s Eve, half-drunk on Micheladas and the pulse of the city. Inspired, I jotted some resolutions into the notes app on my phone while we ordered another round of unforgettable, eye-wateringly spicy tacos.

I woke up the next morning thinking about the carnitas but not the promises I’d made myself. In fact, I only found the list about a year later: my aspirations for the year had included becoming fluent in Spanish, running a race, reading 50 books, getting regular manicures and several other things I obviously never accomplished.

Since that day, I’ve focused on selecting one manageable touchpoint for the year that I can come back to, again and again, when I lose focus. This year, my goal is to make sure my relatively debilitating flares-up-every-now-and-then back issue stays dormant for the year. Sounds lame, but it actually means focusing on getting regular exercise, drinking enough water, getting a respectable amount of sleep and not spinning myself an inexorable stress-web.

So all that to say that, after a few weeks of absolute holiday hedonism, I too have brushed the dust off my exercise gear this month. And we are not alone: Jennifer Lau was slammed when I caught up with her to get her expert take on your question — after all she’s the soughtafter personal trainer, holistic nutritionist and co-owner of Fit Squad Toronto.

“First and foremost, women need to find the right bra, because, often, well, if there’s no bra, there’s no workout,” she says with a laugh. The first step to finding a bra that will do you right is determining how you’ll be working up a sweat. High-impact activities (read: running or interval training) require much more support than, say, yoga. “Bras that offer less support are generally those with spaghetti straps that look really fancy and nice,” adds Lau with a chuckle. “But regardless of look, you need to be comfortable.”

That means not choosing a bra that makes you feel like a sausage stuffed into a too-tight casing, one that doesn’t chafe or rub. “In short: You don’t want to be tugging at your bra during your workout — it’s distracting.” The only way to determine the best fit? Try, try, try — and put the various styles to the test. Jump! Twist! Bend! Most undergarments feel comfortable enough when you’re standing still, looking awkwardly at yourself in the mirror. But does it still feel good when you’re attempting a burpee? That’s the question you need answered.

Once you have a supportive bra lined up, turn your focus to footwear. “Proper footwear could be the difference between injuring yourself and not. You have to have the right support for your training,” explains Lau. That means, again, choosing a shoe that is designed for the type of exercise you’re signing up for and offers proper cushioning. Lau, who is always running around training clients, personally favours the Nike Metcon 5 because it was designed as a CrossFit shoe, so is versatile for strength training. If you have a trainer, talk to them about what they recommend — if you don’t, hit up a store with a good reputation and talk to the sales associates to get a recommendation.

Then, you’re ready to move on to exercise garb. Sure, you could just wear that tee you got at a conference or your old sweats, but Lau argues you shouldn’t. “Training is about feeling good, so you want to feel good both inside and out; besides being motivated by a cute outfit is sometimes enough to get you to the gym.”

When you’re narrowing down a fit, the only real consideration is what makes you comfortable. “You don’t want to feel self-conscious and you don’t want to restrict any type of movement,” explains Lau. “If you’re wearing a T-shirt that’s too snug, it’s going to pull at your shoulders when you’re doing, say, push-ups so it might be smart to consider a racerback tank top instead.”

The same goes for bottoms: Leggings are a natural starting point since they are versatile and comfortable, but make sure the waistband sits comfortably and doesn’t pinch or gape. You want to be exerting your energy on your circuit training, not hiking up your pants. While many tights are marketed with a specific activity in mind, it’s not necessary for you to heed those labels too closely. Running tights might have a pocket for your keys or credit card, and the material might be a bit lighter, but you’re not going to hurt yourself if you do yoga in them.

Whatever you decide to wear, keep your head high and keep at it. “I think definitely think my confidence has come from experience,” says Lau. “When I train consistently and see improvements in my strength, I definitely feel so much more powerful.”