You have picked out your shoes and fitness watch. Now what do you wear for clothing? I am glad you asked. You will want to be comfortable, but not too warm or too cold. Although, chances are greater of you being too warm then too cold. There are so many choices on the market, how do you know what to choose and when to wear it? Here is some helpful advice on what to wear when.
1) Dress for a temperature that is 20⁰ warmer than what is on the thermometer. For example, if the temperature is 50⁰ on the thermometer you would dress as though it says 70⁰. You will warm up as you walk. You don’t want to be too warm and overheat.
2) Dress in layers. Have a light weight jacket for when it is chilly or raining to start out and then tie it around your waist after you warm up and quits raining. When in really cold weather, wear a moisture wicking layer against your skin and then thicker, warmer layers on top of it. This goes for when it is raining out also, make sure you have rain gear on that you can take off and carry when the rain clears. Light weight ponchos are great for rain gear and can be easily folded up in a carry bag.
3) Do NOT wear cotton. “Cotton is rotten” is a phrase that you will hear in the running & walking community. When you sweat or get rained on and the cotton gets wet it will keep all that moisture against you. This is especially true with socks. The moisture can give you blisters.
4) Wear moisture wicking material. This will keep the sweat away from your skin. They now make everything out of moisture wicking material: tops, bottoms and socks.
5) When walking in the warmer climates and if your thighs rub together I recommend a longer inseam short with spandex that will stay in place. This will save you the pain of chafing and then having to buy chafing cream.
6) Get a good sports bra! Women, make sure when shopping for a sports bra that you look at the support level. There are three: light, medium and high. You want to have the proper support level so that you aren’t bouncing too much along your walk. For those really hot days make sure you have a nice colorful one that holds everything in and you can wear just your bright colored sports bra.
7) In the winter and you have a lot of ice, be sure to get traction cleats for your shoes. These will keep you walking across the ice instead of slipping across it.
You can buy just a few items and make it through all of the seasons by layering up in the colder season. Watch for sales at your favorite local running & walking shop and you can get quite the clothing collection.
As you go along in your walking career and you lose weight and/or take off those inches and you find yourself with clothes that no longer fit, look for a charity that accepts running and walking clothes.