Motivation Monday: My Favorite Workout Clothes

I'm going to try to start posting on Mondays more often, and this Motivation Monday series should help with that. In Motivation Monday posts, I will share my motivation behind something or just share some of my favorite motivating words. (Note: I won't necessarily post a Motivation Monday post every Monday.)

For the first installment, I'm sharing what motivates me to work out. While I know the health benefits of exercising and working out, I do admit that it's not easy to always get up and go to the gym when I don't have a lot of time or enough energy.

One thing that really motivates me to get up and do some physical activity is cute workout clothes! I know that I'll have more incentive to go to the gym if I have new clothes I want to wear to the gym. If I don't go to the gym or work out at all, then when will I wear the new athletic clothes I got? I wouldn't want them to go to waste! Here are some of my favorite workout clothes that motivate me to be more active.

Some of these brands are available online, so click on the respective heading to shop them.

Chin Up Apparel

As seen from the name, this brand makes clothes specifically for working out. Their tops are often found in the juniors clothing section at Target with the rest of the graphic tees, and Kohl's also sells them in their juniors section. The tank tops always have fun sayings (and sometimes graphics) on them, like the ones pictured below. 

GK by Nastia

As you may already know, Nastia Liukin is my favorite gymnast, and I love her sense of style, so it makes sense for me to be a fan of her gymnastics clothing line with GK Elite. Gymnastics leotards and other clothes are pretty pricey, but I managed to snag some of her stuff when it was on sale.

While I would have loved to get a leotard, that was out of my price range. But this sports bra and leggings set is just as cute as a leotard, and it's more versatile. I can wear these a lot more often.

I love the mesh on the sports bra and the back, especially the Swarovski crystals. The Sequinz (that's what GK Elite calls their ironed-on sequins) on the side of the leggings are a great touch to add some shine.

This bra and these specific leggings are no longer available online, but her new collection is out.

JC Fits Inc

This isn't a brand I'm familiar with, but I found this muscle tee while browsing through the clearance racks at Nordstrom. It's great for working out because it's a muscle tee, allowing for ventilation from sweat, and the phrase on the front is fun and related. Shopping is most definitely my cardio.

Nike Pro

Who doesn't love Nike? While I'm not crazy about their prices, I am a big fan of their compression shorts. As a former volleyball player, I used to wear these everyday. Now I wear them almost every time I work out and whenever I wear a dress or skirt. (It feels weird without them.) 

I have a few pairs of their compression shorts, including the plain black ones, but I also have these colorful ones that are my favorites.

Here's some advice if you're a girl: if you can fit into the girls' sizes, buy the youth ones. They're cheaper, and they're actually longer than the normal women's ones (but not by too much). I wear a small/medium in women's and can fit into an extra-large in youth. So whenever there's a good deal on the girls' compression shorts, I try to take advantage of it.

RBX

These athletic cropped leggings were featured in my Winter Break Shopping Haul last week. I've already worn them and love them! They're really comfy in addition to being stylish.

The brand as a whole makes great and affordable athletic gear for men, women, and kids. In addition to fun leggings, they sell compression shorts, sports bras, shoes, and more.

Recycled Karma

This brand makes tons of cute graphic tees, including ones for working out. I often find their workout tops at TJ Maxx/Marshalls in the athletic section. They're similar to Chin Up Apparel's with the phrases, and since I find these at TJ Maxx/Marshalls, they're inexpensive. Yes, I actually do like running, and part of it is because I really like dessert.

What motivates you to work out, and what do you like to wear when exercising?