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Back in February, I bought the domain GabiFit.com; as a body positive blogger, I wanted a place to talk about health and fitness without discussing weight loss. Unfortunately, I never actually got around to updating it because I didn’t realize how difficult starting a new site (while maintaining this one) would be. In the back of my mind, though, it’s still something I’ve been wanting to do, and I tossed around the idea of expanding this blog to include more about health. The thing is, as a plus size blogger, my health is constantly called into question. I can’t remember the last mainstream “fashion” interview I did where the question “but what about your health???” didn’t come up. As I’ve always said, I think you can be healthy at any size, and that health is a personal matter that only concerns you, your doctor, and your close family and friends (if you want it to)!
It’s amazing because my readers are so diverse! Some of you guys are on weight loss journeys, some of you have had weight loss surgery, some of you are Fat Acceptance activists, and many fall somewhere in between. Because I’ve always kept this blog light and about fashion, it’s attracted people all across the plus size community’s spectrum, which I absolutely love, and I don’t want anyone to feel isolated.
That said, I have been having (non-weight related) health issues for a while now, which kickstarted me into making healthier food choices. But when I moved to Chicago from New York, I became less active, and with all the travel I do it’s been hard to keep a consistent workout schedule. As someone who was super active in my childhood and all throughout college (basketball, volleyball, lacrosse and dance), working from home and has made me feel….blah. I’ve had a gym membership at Planet Fitness for years (in Detroit, NYC, and now Chicago–I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a no-frills, non-judgmental place to work out) and so I’m trying to get back in gear and establish a routine that will make me feel good again. Especially now that I’m back from Italy where I was on a week-long diet of pizza, pasta, and gelato (NO REGRETS–BEST FOOD OF MY LIFE).
When the Australian activewear company, Female for Life, emailed me about collaborating on a post, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to talk about health and fitness on this blog. We all know how difficult it can be to find cute clothes to wear to the gym or yoga class, and I’ll be the first to admit that feeling good in my activewear–instead of wearing gross sweatpants and an old tee–makes a huge difference in how I feel while working out.
Since I’d never heard of the brand, I asked them to send me samples before agreeing to post about them, and I was pleasantly surprised with the quality! There’s a definite improvement in the feel and fit from my usual, cheaper choices. I think they’re a great alternative to places like Lululemon, the higher-end activewear company that has recently been called out for discriminating against larger women. Female for Life carries up to size 22 (called “Bella”, which I am wearing below and find fits more like an 18) and offers lots of options that I’d be proud to walk into the gym wearing. Below I have on the Lovely and Loose tee with the Brazilian Funk pants.
Top & Pants-Female for Life/Sports Bra-Enell/Shoes-New Balance/Watch-Timex
This post is sponsored by Female For Life. All opinions my own!
So, how would you guys feel if I started incorporating more health and fitness stuff into GabiFresh? I’ve noticed when I talk about my cleanses and Nutriblast smoothies on social media, I always get tons of feedback and questions. Please note that I will NEVER talk about my weight or weight loss.