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How to Choose the Right Workout Clothes for 2020

CLOTHING CARE TIPS

Many of the New Year’s resolutions made every year are related to health and fitness. If you are one of the many people who made a resolution to get more exercise in the new year, then it’s time to start thinking about your workout clothes. 

Wearing the right workout clothes can help you stay comfortable and even avoid injury while working out, so choosing the right clothes and taking care of them really matters. Take a look at what you need to know about choosing the right workout clothes for 2020.

Know Your Fabrics

Choosing the right fabrics matters for workout clothes. Want to keep cool during a low-intensity workout? Cotton is fine for that – it’s a lightweight fabric that doesn’t hold onto odors as certain synthetic fabrics do. However, if you expect to get very sweaty, you might want to have moisture-wicking fabrics like nylon, spandex, bamboo, and polypropylene on hand for those higher-intensity workouts. They pull moisture away from your skin instead of absorbing it like cotton will. 

Workout fabrics may be treated with certain materials to make them more efficient in some way or another. For example, you can find workout clothes treated with UV-resistant coatings, which may be helpful for outdoor workouts in sunny areas. Or, if you’re worried about the odors that can build up over time in workout clothes that you sweat heavily in, look for clothes coated in silver nanoparticles that prevent the growth and buildup of smelly bacteria. 

Shop for Your Shape

You definitely need to choose clothes that fit well. Clothes that are too tight or too short will be uncomfortable or even painful during a workout. Clothes that are too loose can get caught on things, which could be dangerous. Plus, ill-fitting workout clothes are more prone to wardrobe malfunctions than workout clothes that fit well, and you probably don’t want to have to worry about that when you’re in the gym. 

That means that if you’re particularly petite or plus-sized, you need to shop with that in mind. When it comes to workout clothes, “close enough” is just not good enough. Buying clothes online is convenient, but don’t do it with workout clothes unless you’re absolutely certain of the sizing or you’re willing to wait through a return and replacement if the garment is bigger or smaller than you anticipated. You also need to be careful about how you wash and dry your workout clothes; once they’re stretched out or shrunk, they’re probably not going to be as useful to you. 

Change Colors Based on The Temperature

Colors matter for more than just how well they go with your hair color or skin tone. Dark colors tend to draw in heat, which is great for winter workouts but can raise your body temperature too high during the summer months. Light colors reflect the sun’s rays to keep you cooler, so these are a better choice during the hottest months of the year.