How to Stretch Underwear

No really! I've been saving this for April Fools Day--but if only you knew how many people have ended up at Flexines looking for ways to stretch their underwear (must be because of my post on how to pick underwear for stretching). Thank you for visiting, Googlers, you searched and it so happens I do have a few tips for you! 

Option one: Wear it and skip the heat

Okay, this is sort of a pain, I know, but the best way to get underwear to stretch out to fit your form is to wear it repeatedly. There are a few other alternatives to try, but let's explore this a bit first. Ideally you should wear it and wash it COLD. We've all heard that heat shrinks clothes but if you usually stick everything in the dryer you'd be surprised how much of a difference it makes to skip the heat. (Aside: If you've ever watched Myth Busters you may remember that experiment to see if jeans in a hot tub could shrink enough to cut off a deadly amount of circulation--and they can't but they shrink down tremendously.) If you need them dry quick, set your dryer to a low setting so the clothes comes out damp and air dry the rest of the way.

Or try: Pillow stretching

If they are too uncomfortable or you need to avoid wedgie pulling, pillows are your friend. Be concious of where you need a little more room--the last thing you need is drapey panties. Ish. I recommend a pillow or balled up towel--hangers and the like will give you a really horrible silhouette. (I have yet to see someone who is shaped like a hanger.) One of our teen boys hangs everything from socks to ties on hangers, or at least he did growing up, and I got a kick out of the funny contortion abilities of his underwear.

Check the tag

Keep in mind that cotton and high-cotton blends will resist stretching so you can be a bit more extreme in your attempts. Those cotton boy briefs lost the silly hanger shape after a wearing; blends with nylon, lycra, or elastane (think Victoria's Secret goodies) will not fare quite as well--be gentle. As a general rule I hate to stick anything non-cotton in the dryer because they air dry very well out of the washer and tend to take a beating from the dryer (the stretchy become the crunchy).

For Flexines readers, I hope you got a good April Fools chuckle. And for Googlers, don't forget to subscribe for inspiration on stretching your body, too!

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When to Splurge on Fitness

This month I've been covering affordable fitness tips, however sometimes you just need to splurge. Certain pieces of fitness equipment are worth the investment and even getting something pretty can be a good reason. Considering a few guidelines can make your splurge feasible and rewarding.

How much does it really cost?

"I found a super cheap, cute pole for $100! I should buy this Peek-a-Boo, right?" If you can afford spending money on a decorative theme item go ahead--as pole dancers we've heard this one more than our fair share. The same applies to fitness clothing. For example, I bought some cute boyshort panties from Victoria's Secret because they were cheap with my reward coupon. If I was only going to wear them for pole it would have been money down the drain because I would have worn them just that first time and never again (they cover nothing, my pole friends would have been scarred for life). Will you get a lot of uses out of it? Think of it as cost per use. If you buy a $20 Walmart sports bra and wear it twice because it's itchy you paid $10 per use. If you buy a $100 brand name bra but wear it every weekend for a year it only costs $.64 per use.

What else do you get out of it?

Say you want a rhinestone yoga outfit that is way more than you normally spend. Can you use it for motivation? Maybe if you can get down to a certain waist measurement or lift 10 pounds more by your birthday you can "earn" it. Your fitness journey is worth a splurge, within reason. Sometimes equipment is useful for more than one activity. A pole is great for strength training, dance, and flexibility. A yoga mat doubles as a good "beach towel" and far less sand sticks to it than a real towel.

Other considerations

Is it a limited time deal? If you know for sure you will use that flexibility DVD and it's on sale for the lowest price you have seen maybe you should get it. Make sure you can cover your other expenses and go for it. Also consider if it is a good company so you know you will be getting a good value and quality. Is the item returnable if it does not work out? Life is not perfect and of course you should splurge just because if you can.

Fitness Shopping: Credit Cards are Your Friends

I get sick of hearing how evil credit cards are. Used wisely, credit cards can help you save money and get you some nice perks, especially when it comes to fitness.

There's my Angel Card, posing with my Xpert

My favorite perk? Freebies! Last month for my birthday Victoria's Secret sent me a $10 coupon to use online or in stores (read: free mini perfumes or dirt cheap panties). Menards gave me a coupon for a neat blade set with an LED light that I plan to use for crafting. VS is constantly sending me free panty coupons which incidentally work great for wearing under pole shorts and are comfortable for stretching.

Then there's special discounting. Stick with cards that give you free shipping and discounts at places you already shop. I always get free shipping on Target.com for using my RedCard plus 5% off. So when I find a good sports bra on clearance I don't have to worry about reaching $50 to get free shipping; I just buy that and whatever else I actually need. My Menards card gives me cash back so when I wanted a magnetic level or a set of mirrors to check my form I got an extra discount on those. If you have a regular cash back card that's a great way to get a discount on items that rarely go on sale, like Lululemon workout clothes.

Basic Money Tips for Fitness Fanatics

I find so much cool fitness swag I cannot afford. Pretty poles, cute workout clothes, and all sorts of fitness gear are out there tempting yet out of reach. This month I am sharing some of my strategies for making fitness work with a limited budget starting with a few basic tips in time for the holiday shopping season.

Do you need it?

Money (c) 401 (K) 2012
CC Attribution 2.0 License

There is always a new thing. There's Taebo, Zumba, the Fly Gym, Pole Sleeves, and so much fitness craze gear. Can you work up a sweat without a Taebo DVD? Sure, if you love running or walking. If you absolutely need Taebo to get you motivated then go for it--your health is certainly worth it. Do you need a Fly Gym to get flexible. Odds are you can get good results from following techniques in a yoga video from the library or YouTube videos. Maybe buying yoga blocks instead would help you more. Consider all your options.

Why your workout should be sexy

Petra's Yoga Poses (c) Lululemon Athletica
CC Attribution 2.0 License

Regardless of whether you pursue fitness to wear a teeny polka dot bikini or to improve your heart health, your workout should be sexy. I'm not talking about necessarily wearing a midriff-bearing sports tank or doing oh-so-sexy hot yoga. For some people their workout includes these things, sometimes mine does, but day one of a fitness routine does not entail great abs and defined legs which makes this tricky. Mine sure didn't!

For people like us feeling great about our bodies while working out makes all the difference. It should not be all about the after picture--no matter where you are at there will always be an after in your future. Your focus needs to be on what you are doing today or you will easily burn out. This is so important to me that when I first started the idea of this blog under a different url I called it "Working out becomes sexy fun." Go ahead, laugh, I still do! Silly as that name is, the "dash of sexy" in Flexines comes from the idea of transforming the idea of working out from a journey to becoming sexy to a journey that is sexy. Don't focus on how hot you will look in your swim suit, focus on how sexy your workout makes you feel. You know that experiment where Pavlov rang a bell when he feed some dogs, then afterward the dogs would salivate at the sound of a bell? Getting ready to workout should make you salivate (not literally lol) rather than be some torturous chore.

How do you make your workout sexy?

Underwear for Stretching: Problems & Solutions

This is one of those areas that I learned by making some uncomfortable choices. Who knew you need to choose underwear for stretching? Sorry men, I don't know much about men's underwear so I'll stick to ladys' options :D I'll also note that while I'm not going to be graphic by any means, remember this is an underwear topic =D

"Pantyart" (c) 2006 by fekaylius
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License

Problem #1: Restricting

I never thought such a small piece of clothing could be so restricting! Especially when I'm wearing a semi-opaque leotard to stretch I tend to err on the side of coverage. I get to stretch with friends but the thought of

Bought Extra Long Legwarmers!

I'm excited, so excited!

I just bought a pair of 36" leg warmers!!!
This is a flexy big deal, no kidding!!!

Who knew it would be so hard to find leg warmers 33" but not 40"+? Seriously, you wouldn't believe how far I dug into Google. My legs are only 33" long (yep, I measured). They're going to be so perfect. ❤ I really needed some stretching gear, and these are going to be so 80's hot on me. Plus I wear a lot of skirts and it is bone-chillingly cold out here in MN so I can wear them ALL the time!