Glasses — in the Gym?

The New Year is almost here and it’s the time of year when thousands of people make that resolution to hit the gym and lose a few pounds.  I teach group fitness classes at a gym and am a self-proclaimed gym rat.  And, there’s one resolution I have when it comes to the gym.  That is, I don’t wear my glasses.

I’ve always been concerned that I’d have to spend time pushing them back up my nose as I bend over to lift free weights or that they’d get steamed up in a hot spinning room.  Worse yet, what if I dropped and broke them? Or what if they make my face sweat more?

But, this week, I had to break my resolution.  I couldn’t get my contacts in because of seasonal allergies and I had to teach my spinning class. So, I had no choice. I put on my brand new designer plastic duotone frames and embarked on a new adventure: exercising in glasses!  It was the first time in probably a decade I had tried it.

And, you know what. It really wasn’t bad at all. I barely noticed a difference.  My new frames were perfect for exercising because they were comfortable and stay in place on my nose without nose pads.  They didn’t steam up and didn’t bother me one bit. Truth is: I felt kind of hip being able to wear them with my gym clothes ensemble.

If you’ve been thinking your glasses were a good excuse to keep you out of the gym, I’m telling you they aren’t anymore!  But, let me also give you a few things to look for if you are getting new glasses that you might also want to wear to the gym.

First, get a frame that fits you!  Although oversized fashion frames are the rage right now, if you know you’ll be working out in glasses, choose a smaller lens’ eye size to be more comfortable.  Then, make sure you get a good adjustment around your ears and a pair that fits the bridge of your nose well, so they don’t slide down when you look or bend down to lift those weights.

Second, get a lightweight frame and lenses!  Polycarbonate are a possibility you should ask your optometrist about. You want hard to break lenses.  I’d also recommend a plastic glasses frame for the sake of durability.  Many metal look frames may also be durable but I personally find them a little heavier and harder to keep up while jumping around.

Here are a few of my favorite frames that I think would look great in your Zumba class or when you are clocking miles on that treadmill.

Commotion Brazen

Cosmopolitan Stylish

Come in to your local America’s Best retailer today to try them on!