It’s a tale as old as time – and no, we’re not talking about Beauty and the Beast. Every year, on 1 January, gyms across the land are flooded with new members who have sworn (and usually not for the first time) to meet their New Year’s resolutions and finally get in the best shape of their lives and achieve the fitness goals that have been on their minds for years. Like clockwork, though, most of those aspiring fitness fanatics will have given up on attending the gym within a couple of months. Developing a positive fitness habit is often framed in terms of “willpower” and “drive.” How about a different angle? Here’s why wearing the right outfit – such as fitted workout clothing from Glow – may help you on your fitness journey.
Clothes we wear have a strong impact on our sense of identity, and a shift in identity is just what you need to make fitness a real part of your life
To begin, when you are trying to “become fit,” you’re not actually just trying to meet a certain numerical benchmark. It’s not really about losing X number of pounds, or being able to do Y number of push-ups. Or at least, it shouldn’t be. In order to become fit and stay fit for life, you need to adjust your core sense of identity. You need to the point where you consider yourself a “fitness enthusiast,” who loves working out. Workout clothing we wear have a powerful impact on our sense of identity. There’s a reason why people tell you to dress for the job you want, not the one you have. So, how about dressing for the type of person you want to be in other areas of your life, too?
Comfortable and stylish workout clothes help to reduce a little bit of your internal resistance to workout in the first place
In his book, “The Power of Habit,” Charles Duhigg points out that there is ample evidence that our habits are largely influenced by relatively minor amounts of resistance in different areas of our lives. In other words, when it’s slightly inconvenient to carry out a negative habit, many people drop that habit. And when it’s slightly more convenient to act out a positive habit, significantly more people will do that. Having comfortable and stylish workout clothing to wear to the gym, makes you feel good about yourself. It also helps to reduce a little bit of your internal resistance to working out in the first place. That, then, makes it more likely that the fitness habit will stick.
The workout clothes themselves can act as a psychological anchor to remind you to exercise
Finally, your workout clothes will automatically serve as a kind of anchor to remind you that you really should be exercising. Every time you see that gym outfit of yours, sitting neglected in a corner of your room, you are likely to feel a pang of guilt. “I paid for this outfit, and I never use it,” and “I really said I was going to be serious about going to the gym…” are two potential reactions. These kinds of everyday reminders can be powerful in terms of keeping you on the right track.
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