Last week, I wrote about flipping the script when it comes to negative attitudes toward exercise.  You’ve got to think of exercise like paying yourself first, making sure you’ve got a strong body … and mind … that is willing and able to take on any challenge that comes your way.

This past week, I’ve been observing people while they exercise, on the treadmill at the gym or running outside.  I noticed something that might be hindering their progress:  most people were dressed like slobs!

Now, I’m not saying you should wear your cashmere, diamonds and fur to the gym; BUT, at the same time, you still gotta represent yourself with pride! Ladies, toss your husband’s nasty, ol’ stretched-out shirt, and those AKA sweatpants from college that we both know are waaaay too small!  You don’t have to be a perfect size 6 to wear yoga pants, and you can purchase a t-shirt in your size that will cover the bulges and still maintain your pride.

For the voluptuous woman, there’s lots of great retailers online that offer fashionable, flattering and comfortable workout wear specifically for full-figured women. Always For Me has workout clothes, swimwear and coverups, and even lingerie in plus sizes. They’ve got great sports bras in all sizes, including the 100 ENELL sports bra, which Oprah featured on her show. Junonia also produces great sports bras and exercise gear in plus sizes. If you’re a fashion-forward girl, Nelly’s Apple Bottoms got the best tops and bottoms in regular and plus sizes.

Apple Bottoms has fashionable workout tops and bottoms in regular and plus sizes!

Guys, you need to get your closet in shape, too! Men should always have at least one pair of clean, sharp sneakers. Doesn’t matter what game you play: make sure your shoes look good! DSW has great prices on name-brand shoes, and Shoe Pavilion is another good spot if you’re on the West Coast. If you’re a big man, King Size Direct makes great workout clothes for men of all sizes.

King Size Direct has NFL, NBA and college gear in all sizes, all the way up to 8x.

You don’t have a spend a fortune buying new workout clothes. In fact, if you keep up with laundry on the regular, there’s no reason why a few good pieces can’t get you through at least three workouts a week.

And, the bottom line is you’ll feel better about yourself while you’re working out, and you’ll notice other people will react to your new attitude.  You’ll stick with it, and before you know it, you’ll be fit AND fine!

A market research firm released a study last week that confirms what the merchandising people at the NFL already knew: the NFL has millions of female fans. The past few years, the NFL has expanded its female clothing line to include jerseys cut for a woman’s figure, layering tees, slim fit hoodies, jewelry and other feminine ways to show team spirit.

New women’s Alloy Jerseys are styled with totally awesome 80s glam, in black, silver and gold, ignoring traditional team colors. Ladies, trust me, you’ll impress your guy if you pair this jersey with skinny black jeans and silver or gold pumps. Price: $69.99.

Vibrant Jerseys will also go over well with female fans, in complexion-flattering jewel tones like pink, blue, soft yellow and green, or crisp white with colored numbers. Ohio girls, who drew unlucky NFL team colors like brown and orange, can find an orange-pink Chad Johnson or Brady Quinn jersey for $59.99.

www.nflshop.com

As much as I love fine automobiles, you can’t take ‘em with you on planes or into restaurants. But that’s okay, because I’m gonna let you in on a little secret: when you’re making a first impression, people aren’t going to be looking at your car, or your house, or the bills in your wallet. You might not realize it, but your watch lets people quickly determine whether you’re a true player or a wannabe!

Now, we all know first impressions are formed within seconds. In a New York second, you’re bagged and tagged, and if your packaging is shabby, you’ll be relegated to bargain bin status, along with last year’s Holiday cards.

The quickest way to pass the ’scan test’ is to flash your player ID — a watch that makes a statement. No kiddin’! A quality watch will say more about you in a matter of seconds than a resume or sales presentation could even begin to cover.