Can wearing makeup to the gym help you lose weight?

November 3, 2017 Ashley 0 Comments

Okay. Obviously not.

Obviously rocking Revlon for your workout doesn’t directly help you shed them el-beez.

(But it does hide the shiners nicely.)

But, much like yoga and meditation and cognitive rehabilitation, what you do to and for your body can indeed have an indirect effect on your fitness. How? By guiding you to alter your fitness decisions for the better. It almost sounds too good to be true. But it isn’t. Changing the way your brain functions by adjusting your habits often serves as the wormhole into a whole lifestyle makeover. So, what’s L’oreal got to do with it? How’s a pretty face make you lose weight?

Well, it’s similar to the way enclothed cognition works. Ever pop on some workout gear after a morning of non-motivation, and suddenly enter Superman mode? That’s enclothed cognition. It’s the psychological phenomena whereby we feel motivated toward a certain activity, based on what we’re wearing. And makeup’s not excluded from that. The only difference? We catch a massive dose o’ shame for wearing makeup when it comes to working out. Why? Because, apparently, we’re trying to go out’ve our way to impress dudes at the gym if we don’t wash our faces off before hitting the elliptical.

Or so memes like these’d have you thinking:

“Bish, I put this on to telework from home all day…”

But here’s the thing:

If makeup’s your comfort zone – if that’s how you’re used to facing the world – that’s a tough thing to give up just because Heather Haterade said you should. Especially when you’re spending the next hour working outside of your comfort zone already. It makes sense, when you think about it. I mean, for some’ve us, going anywhere minus makeup makes us feel straight naked. Yes, even the gym. And if I’m preoccupied thinking about how nude my mug looks, guess what I’m not focusing on? My form. Also, I’ll be anxious and breathing poorly, meaning I’m detracting from my workout overall.

Also, for many of us, feeling like we look our best helps us feel more confident. And, when we’re more confident, guess what? That’s when we tend to take more pride in perfecting form, going harder, and sticking around for longer to push for that extra ten minutes. Likewise, if we feel positive about ourselves inside out, we’re less likely to stress eat after when Baskin Robbins summons us from next door. So, what if it’s half sweated off by the time Muay Thai class ends? Even better.

This is my war paint raining down my face. I effing celebrate it.

Besides, lucky for us, one’ve my favorite drug store brands is bringing a sweat friendly line of makeup to the masses. Yes, like a Christmas elf, E.L.F. is delivering big time this winter. And, while their product won’t be on shelves until February, we can all enjoy their non-melting mug coverage prematurely – by buying it online. (Does anyone really buy anything any other way anymore anyway?) That said, I’m not getting paid by E.L.F., so if you’re not a fan’ve them, there’s a whole list of alternative face paint you can give a go as well.

But for the opposition, I’ll leave ya with this:

If you’re hating on makeup laden gym chicks, maybe ask yourself why. How are their hair down ‘dos or Sephora filled head fronts actually affecting you? Or your workout? I actually asked a few people. And the collective reply is always: “People should be focusing on their workout – not looking pretty”. My reply? Okay. I hear you. But let me ask you this: who’s more focused on her workout? The chick who already painted her face hours ago, forgot about it, and is now in treadmill mode? Or the one sacrificing energy from lifting to lob loathing lathered emotional ammunition her way?

So, if you’re that peeved by people looking like they just emerged from a Mary Kay makeover…

Well, then mayhaps some spiritual lifting at your internal gym’s whatchya really need.