One Size Too Small

A Workout Plan That Tells It Like It Is

I've got a brand new, totally exclusive workout plan that no one has seen before.

I should know. I just made it up a few minutes ago.

It all started during an early summer visit to the local sporting goods store. I bought some new swim trunks, a pair of shorts, and a couple of shirts.

I shop like a Neanderthal. Grab the clothes, pay the cashier, then get out of there. No time for dressing rooms. No primping in front of a mirror wondering if the latest swimming gear makes my butt look fat. My philosophy is "see the goods, buy the goods." It works for me.

Except when I get home and find out that the swim trunks are too big and one of the shirts is too small.

Yup, a return visit to the store was in order. But waitaminute, something happened when I put the shirt on.

It was one of those workout shirts with cutoff sleeves. I bought a large, which usually fits. But no two brands are alike. One brand's large might be another brand's medium.

As soon as I put this shirt on I knew I'd made a mistake. It was a nice, snug fit. But I don't want "snug" for my workouts. I prefer loose-fitting gear that allows for more range of motion. This shirt was definitely going back.

And then I looked into the mirror.

Omigod! MAN BOOBS!

Yeccch. You'll never see me in public with this shirt.

Look, I'm 41 years old. I've got some muscle definition on my arms, shoulders, and chest. And I do have pecs. But at the bottom of those pecs, you'll see some man boob. Pec boobs, you might call them. The tighter the shirt, the more obvious.

To make matters worse, a tighter shirt also makes a beer belly more noticeable. I don't have a bona fide hang-over-your-pants beer gut, but there's still a modest paunch. Dammit.

I told you, I'm 41 years old.

My wife snickered and said something along the lines of "I hope you kept the receipt."

Yeah, yeah, whatever. I stared at the mirror in disgust.

And that's when the inspiration hit.

If you're one of those folks who struggle to lose that last ten pounds -- or even worse, if you're one of those people who can't even get started, period -- then you have two choices.

One: Feel sorry for yourself. Then go have a donut.

Two: Get pissed. Then channel your disgust into motivation and do something about it.

Number two sounds good.

"Know what?" I said to my wife. "I'm keeping this shirt."

I kept the shirt on and went through my kettlebell workout, man boobs and all.

The reason I did this was because I knew the shirt would provide honest, look-yourself-in-the-mirror feedback. It fit well enough that I could wear it comfortably, without being loose enough to cover my modest little flaws -- okay, okay, man boobs.

There's no hiding behind a snug-fitting shirt. So I decided to make this shirt my friend.

The way I figured, if I stuck to my workout plan (a mix of kettlebells, interval training, and pushups/pull ups), each week the shirt would fit a little bit better. I put the shirt on a hanger and hung it on my closet door. Right where I would see it every day. It was a daily reality check. It was...

Motivation!

I'm telling you, it worked. In about six weeks there was noticeably less gut. There was also less man boob and more pec. I can actually wear this shirt in public now. Wore it when I went outside to get the mail the other day and didn't freak out the neighbors. This motivational system of sportswear feedback actually helped.

All right. Sometimes truth hurts. But if you've got thick skin and an ability to respond to brutally honest feedback, try the One Size Too Small workout plan.

Go ahead. Buy a shirt that's one size too small and make it your friend. Leave it hanging somewhere where it'll be a constant, nagging (and hopefully motivating) reminder. Wear it each time you workout and enjoy the way your body morphs into its new size.

Yours in health and fitness,

Mark

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