6 *Very Convincing* Reasons Not to Squeeze into Workout Gear
Health wellness

6 *Very Convincing* Reasons Not to Squeeze into Workout Gear

by BODY COMPLETE RX
Beware Your Favorite (Borderline Shape-wear) Sculpting Yoga Pants Could Be Bad for Your Health

  

So after some reflection, I’ve realized we’ve got to talk about how tight our yoga pants are folks. I’m sorry but it has to be done. Now we both know you are very unlikely to stop wearing yoga pants because you read this article, but I do want to encourage you to rethink the fit of yoga pants or leggings. Having clothing that is too tight is a problem with women's activewear, and believe it or not, it's a controversial topic as well.


Believe me, I love a pair of sculpting pants as much as the next person but here are six *very convincing* reasons not to squeeze into your workout gear…


But first, some indicators that you should size up…


  • When you put your bottoms on and they’re transparent— they’re too tight. A good rule of thumb is they should feel like a comfortable sock or a seatbelt. 
  • If you find zits or rough skin on your bum, your pants probably aren’t letting the skin breathe. This could be a common issue with those who live in their favorite pair of sculpting yoga pants. 
  • You constantly have infected pubes. Yep, you might be able to thank your pants for that.
  • You have poor blood circulation. Whether this is a pre-existing condition or you feel numbness in your super cute matching set- this is an indicator to size up. Tight clothing equals poor circulation.

The problem with tight clothing, especially yoga pants, is that they trap sweat because of the combination of poor materials and fit. But, it is much easier to prevent trapped sweat when the clothing is made from moisture-wicking material. Among the most moisture-wicking fabrics are bamboo, nylon, polyester, and Lycra, so if you're looking for a pair of yoga pants that are going to keep you dry, you'll need to look for fiber blends that contain one or more of these materials.

 

I don't think you have to give up your sculpting yoga pants. They just shouldn't be skin tight and you have to pay attention to the clothing label. 


  1. Tight Workout Pants Yeast Infections
  2. Tight Workout Clothing Can Cause Skin Rashes
  3. Too Tight Leggings can Lead to a UTI 
  4. Tight Yoga Pants can Lower Sperm Count in Men/ Could impact fertility in Women
  5. Hair Follicle Bacterial Infections can be Caused by Tight Clothing
  6. Two Words: Sweat Pimples. Clogged Pores. Acne. Okay, maybe that was five words. 

To expand on reason number two, If you’ve ever experienced red, itchy, or sore skin by the groin then you might have a skin rash called Intertrigo, it’s caused by friction and chafing. I personally call it chub-rub, but in reality, it’s a rash and it’s caused by ill-fitting clothing and it’s completely preventable. 


One final reminder before I let you go. If you suffer from any of the above issues (or just in general) then you shouldn't wear workout bottoms or leggings more than once. Yes, some of us do this, because we're not heavy sweaters, but the problem is that yoga pants already trap moisture in the groin area and cause bacteria to develop. When you put them on for the second time it’s basically inviting an infection. Sure they might not smell but that doesn’t mean there aren’t bacteria already growing on your fav pair of yoga pants.