So here is the point — if you were going swimming, you wouldn’t go in your jeans and tee-shirt, would you?  Of course not!  You’d brave the oh-too-brite ultraviolet lights of the mall store dressing room, and you’d climb into a tummy-tucking, thigh busting, boob lifting piece of black spandex with red, yellow primary color Hawaiian flowers and you’d jump into the pool.  As a swimmer, you wear a swim suit.  So, I’d imagine if you were a fencer, you’d wear a fencing suit (with lots of padding near the heart , please!)  and as a runner — you’ve gotta get some running gear.   Look, no need to splurge here.  Just one moisture-wicking T-shirt, a pair of running shorts, and a supportive pair of running shoes, and you are off and , well…..running! 🙂

Dressing for your sport makes a difference.  It so does!  There is something motivating about putting on your exercise clothes, or your running clothes that helps shape your expectations of yourself.  As if you are donning an energy suit that is helping you morph into this new person who has the drive, the power, and the capability to run the mile, swim the lap, walk the track, ride the bike, climb the stair master….etc.  Have you ever been at the gym and seen that person who is “working out’ in their long sleeve dress shirt and jeans.  I mean, come on.  Exactly how hard are they trying?  If you look close, he’s going through the motions, doing the moves, but not really “workin’ it”.  How can you when you are dressed for the movies or a trip to the Home Depot?  Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a judgment thing.  This isn’t about wearing the sleekest or sheikest work out clothes.  It’s simply about “dressing for your expectations.”  When I put on my running gear, I’m dressed to sweat.  I’ve created the level of my expectation for myself — and as I step out the door, I get to work fulfilling it as best I can.

I had a terrific boss a few years ago.  He was the consummate professional.  Always dressed so well in his suit and tie.  Well groomed, well spoken, well-respected.  Our firm was newly embracing a “remote work policy” which afforded us some opportunities to work from home periodically.  My boss was usually the first one in the office around 630am and too often the last one out at night.  We do alot of business with european clients, so we have early morning hours pretty often.  One year at the Christmas Party he was telling us a funny story about how he was working remotely one day, and had to do this important business call.  Unlike most of us, he could not work from home in casual dress.  He described to us how he could not be comfortable, confident, assertive unless he was dressed in his suit, buttoned-up shirt and tie.  He had to “suit up” into his business attire to get his head in the game for serious business.  Sounds funny, maybe even a little weird, I get it.  But think about it —- he was donning his Power Suit so as to become the Power House he was at work.   He couldn’t be a Power House wearing the shirt and shorts he wears to mow the lawn.  It made total sense.

So when you are suiting up for your exercise, reach for that workout outfit, and those sneakers.  Start to look at them as your Power Suit.  Associate them with the increased energy level you feel when you run or work out.  Don’t wear them to go shopping, or to lounge around.  Put them on when you are ready to work out like your Power House.  Visualize yourself as the stronger self you are becoming as you work out in them.  If you try this for a while, you may just find that you reach for these clothes more often, and with a more positive outlook because you LIKE who you are when you are wearing them.

Last thought for today….This is a tough week for me.  I’m working to “not overeat” this week.  Treat myself, but only 1 serving!  This is a hard lesson for me to learn, and it’s going to take a while.  But that’s ok.  So what did I do today as I dressed for work?  I put on a new dress that has been hanging in my closet for a few weeks.  I put on my Spanx, and then that dress, and….well….I felt down-right skinny.  LOL, I’m not (yet) but I felt like it!  And that is all that mattered.   Yup — on the day when I was struggling not to eat 6 granola bars and the box they came in…..I dressed so I felt like the skinny person I aspire to be.    And it worked.    I spent the day feeling like a million bucks, AND I was far less hungry than on a normal day.  I dressed the part of a thinner, healthier me today and every minute of today reinforced one HUGE message to myself — I LOVE THIS NEW ME.    End result, I managed to end Day 3 of this weight watchers week on target with my points, and I felt very settled with myself.    I’m working this one day at a time.   And today felt great!

Ciao for now…..Diane