Spandex is a privilege not a right.

Well I've been at this since May 3rd and I'm down to 190lbs from 208lbs. Don't get me wrong, I've actually been at this since 1997. However, the lightbulb lit up over my head on May 3, 2012 when my mind became more clear and my dependence on comfort food stopped.

More and more people are saying to me that I look so much thinner and look so much better. I lose weight in my face first. It's the first thing that gives you away because that's what people focus on when they see you and identify you as someone they know. My face gets thinner, my face clears up, my hair looks better and I lose chins.

It's a great feeling when someone tells you that you look so thin or they say, "there's something different about you. did you lose weight?" It gives you more and more motivation to keep working out and eating right.

I've had to donate half my wardrobe. I've gone down a shirt size and I've done down a waist size. Thank god I didn't get a face to face interview from a job interview I had the other day because both of my suits are way too big. I spent big bucks last year on Michael Kors and Kenneth Cole suits. Thankfully I bought them at Nordstrom and I believe have a free tailoring service for the life of the suit. It's a nice problem to have I guess.

I have another little secret for motivation to work out. It's shopping. No not shopping as an exercise. Shopping for workout clothes. You see I have an addiction. An addiction to Underarmour. If you're not familiar with Underarmour then you haven't worn the most comfortable workout clothes ever. The problem is that it's expensive but it lasts forever. It's very high quality and it was first worn only by NFL players. Now when you watch the NFL combines each year it's all the players wear.

For me, to shop for workout clothes gives me a little bit of a high. As I get thinner and more confident I like to show it off a little bit. I find that if I wear flattering workout clothes that it actually makes me want to workout harder in order to look good in the clothes. That may sound really shallow but if you workout to look good in your regular street clothes, why wouldn't
you want to look good in your workout clothes.

If you are obese or just really out of shape and you go to the gym dressed in really baggy sweatpants and sweatshirts that make you look even worse, you are going to feel worse about yourself.

They now make workout clothes for every shape and size. Target sells great inexpensive gym clothes. Find something that YOU like and wear that to your workouts. As you start to lose weight and see a difference you will look forward to having to buying smaller sizes.

I know this all may sound really absurd but from my experience I have noticed that people at the gym who have lost weight and start to look better start to dress better too. Not only in the gym but they start to dress better outside of the gym as well. It's their self-confidence growing before your eyes.

Now I hate to say this but there is an exception to the rule. There is always that one person who was 300 lbs and now was 200 lbs, they look great, but they start to wear really really tight clothes. They are so proud of their weight loss that they overcompensate. WARNING: There is nothing you can do about this but hope they lose more weight. Let them be and don't kill their high. Tell them they look great and move on!

One more thing. Spandex is a privilege not a right. The only exception being cycling gear for spin class. (I say this because I rock the cycling spandex 5 days a week)

So there is my little secret or addiction whatever you want to call it. If you find something that motivates you to keep working out....USE IT!