Fitness
‘The highs are extremely high – but the lows are extremely low’: when working out becomes an addiction
At the peak of his adventuring career, Luke Tyburski was a man of extremes. The former pro-footballer, then in his early 30s, had dedicated himself to intense endurance challenges, of the sort that make a marathon look like a fun run. Beginning with the Marathon de Sables (a notorious multistage ultramarathon in the Sahara desert), he then ran the world’s highest ultramarathon at Mount Everest base camp, battled dehydration during a 100km run on a tropical island, and took on the vividly named Double Brutal Extreme Triathlon in north Wales. The endgame in all of this was a self-designed challenge, which saw him swimming from Africa to Europe, cycling through Spain and running to Monaco – 2,000km in total, in just 12 days.
Tyburski was a professional adventurer, financing his pursuits via magazine articles and speaking gigs, and even making a documentary about his quest. His whole raison d’etre was to push past his limitations, showing what a person is capable of when their mindset is strong enough. Yet, privately, he was dealing with depression, related to a loss of identity after the end of his footballing career, which took in Australia, the US and Belgium before he tried out for clubs in the UK. “Training and racing creates an escape, and the highs are extremely high,” says Tyburski. “But when I returned home from an adventure, the lows were extremely low, because I hadn’t addressed what I was running away from.”
He began to spend even more time training. If he was planning on doing a four-hour bike ride on a Saturday morning with friends, and a two-hour run on the Sunday morning – normal enough for a triathlete – he might fit in a secret training session on the Saturday afternoon. He developed crippling insomnia, which he used as a pretext to run what he called “midnight marathons”, and would binge eat between training sessions to prolong the high.
It is possible to take on big endurance challenges without spinning out of control. Indeed, performing at your best requires a balanced approach to rest and fuelling. But in Tyburski’s case, they enabled a self-destructive tendency. All the hallmarks of an addiction were taking root: the secrecy, the persistence through negative consequences, the need for more, the sense of having something to escape. “But nobody suspected anything, because my weight didn’t change, my performance didn’t change, my demeanour didn’t change. I was a very good actor,” he says.
Exercise addiction isn’t officially recognised as a psychiatric disorder. In common with most behavioural addictions, it doesn’t feature in either of the key psychiatric manuals, the DSM-5 or the ICD-10. As a result, there are no standardised criteria for diagnosing it. You’ll often hear people describing themselves as “exercise addicts” – an affliction on a par with “chocoholic” – when rhapsodising about how much they love the gym.
That said, for a subset of regular exercisers, there is clearly something more damaging going on. Studies have suggested that around 0.3-0.5% of the general population may be dependent on exercise, rising to 3-9% of regular exercisers and athletes. Many researchers believe the framework of addiction is fit for purpose here. There is even a growing body of evidence to suggest that behavioural addictions function like substance addictions neurologically, through dysregulating the motivational pathways in the brain. Indeed, the phenomenon of cross-addiction – when a person replaces one damaging substance or behaviour with another – is well documented when it comes to exercise.
“The brain doesn’t necessarily care so much where it gets the spike of dopamine or serotonin from,” says Kanny Sanchez, an addictions therapist supporting patients within the Priory’s Flourish addiction treatment programme. “In all cases, there is the same need for an external source to come inside and regulate the internal turmoil.”
Exercise addictions, he says, generally take the form of an obsession. Rather than being just another part of your day, exercise becomes the centrepiece, often to the detriment of everything else. You may keep training through injuries, and even experience a form of withdrawal when unable to work out. “Exercise in itself is a really good way of handling stress,” says Sanchez. “But if it’s the only tool you have in your arsenal, that’s when it becomes an addiction.”
Micheál Costello, 30, is a PR account manager, writer and triathlete. He was diagnosed with depression and atypical anorexia at the peak of the pandemic. Before Covid, he had been working out a lot and practising intermittent fasting, a combination that provided a focal point for his anxieties but didn’t ring too many alarm bells. As the world went into lockdown, and Costello moved back in with his parents, his behaviours spiralled. “If exercise addiction could be formally diagnosed, I would have been diagnosed with it, is what my psychiatrist said at the time,” he says.
Atypical anorexia is a form of the condition where patients restrict their food intake but are not medically classed as underweight. In common with other eating disorders, it is often accompanied by excessive exercise. One study found that up to 48% of people with eating disorders show symptoms of exercise addiction. This may stem from body dissatisfaction, or compensatory behaviours around food, but there can be an emotional element too. “A lot of the clients I work with use exercise to get rid of unwanted and uncomfortable feelings,” says Stacey Fensome, a sports and exercise psychologist who works with the eating disorder treatment clinic Orri. “Exercise can be a tool to override the nervous system and generate a kind of numbness, as well as produce a release of endorphins.”
In Costello’s case, underfuelling and overtraining went hand in hand. He bought an exercise bike for the house and spent most of the day on it. “I would wake up, go for a walk, have something small to eat, get on the bike for two hours, do half an hour of bodyweight exercises, and an hour and a half of constant skipping,” he recounts. “That would bring me to evening time. I’d go for a 20-minute walk with my mum, and then I’d get back on the bike for up to three hours. It was a relentless existence, but I was also terrified to step out of it.”
It was only after some suicidal thoughts that he admitted to himself he needed help. While that help was not easy to come by – his GP dismissed his concerns as those of a “fine, healthy young lad” – he eventually received some talking therapy and a course of antidepressants. Further down the line, he discovered triathlon, a sport he credits as resetting his relationship with exercise.
“I wanted to do something with all the fitness I had built while I was in the midst of the eating disorder, and to shift my perspective,” he recalls. “I completed my first Ironman in 2023 and was hooked. I’m now training for my fourth one, and have qualified for the Irish triathlon team. I can’t abuse my body in the way that I used to if I want to be able to do those races.”
When you’re talking about these kinds of extremes – Tyburski’s midnight marathons, or Costello’s stints on the exercise bike – it’s obvious that there is something awry. But for many endurance athletes and gymgoers, it can be difficult to know where discipline shades into compulsion, and compulsion into full-blown addiction. For instance, the Exercise Dependence Scale, one of the main screening tools used by clinicians, asks participants how much they agree with the statement: “I continually increase my exercise intensity to achieve the desired effects/benefits.” This reads a lot like the principle of progressive overload – a key prong of any respectable training programme.
Similarly, some compulsive behaviours around exercise look innocuous enough from the outside. Fensome says they can include struggling to rest and have days off; prioritising exercise over other activities; being unable to sit still; choosing to walk everywhere; even using a standing desk. As red flags go, these are subtle ones. “Wanting to take care of our health is wonderful, but what is the intention behind it?” she says. “Is it because being still causes a lot of distress and fear, or is it because we actually want to be physically active?”
A further complication is that exercise is socially validated, in a way that, say, a gambling addiction is not. Your “no rest days” approach may win you plaudits on social media; your body type may fulfil a societal ideal. Very few of the people around you, except those closest, are likely to express concerns. “I worked with one client who was doing extra training sessions and showing up early, and they were put on a pedestal for that,” says Fensome. “But what was actually happening was they couldn’t stop, and if they stopped there was a loss of control over who they were.”
Margo Steines, an Arizona-based author, has dealt with a litany of addictions and eating disorders in her life, but in some ways found recovery from exercise addiction to be the hardest. At the peak of her addiction, during grad school, she was spending seven to nine hours a day in various gyms. “I had a secret trainer who I would see before CrossFit, and then I’d go to CrossFit, and then I’d run, and then go to hot yoga and then martial arts,” she says. “I was neglecting everything else and getting the cascade of athletic injuries. But people would stop me in the store and ask what I did for my workouts. It’s easy to hide dysfunction because you’re not visibly underweight – you’re jacked and juicy and look great.”
As she frames it, there were several layers to her addiction. Most obvious was the cultural layer, about wanting a very specific, idealised body type. There was a personal layer, about the fallout from a traumatic relationship. “Exercise allowed me to not feel how messed up I was from it,” she notes. Then there was the positive reinforcement from those around her, including doctors and therapists, who tended to toe the line that “movement is good”.
Only her partner, a strength and conditioning coach, recognised her issues for what they were. “I got very lucky, because he was my coach at the time,” she says. “He could see the red flags, but also knew how to approach me delicately, like a bunny in the woods.”
Exercise addiction can be just as damaging as other types of addiction; if you are underfuelling at the same time, you may develop overtraining syndrome, a condition characterised by a host of unpleasant mental and physical symptoms. “You can suffer with chronic injuries. You’re probably looking at hormonal disruption, burnout, low energy and low mood. There might be an element of withdrawing socially, like the social battery doesn’t even exist,” says Aaron McCulloch, co-owner and director at Your Personal Training.
Sanchez says there can be psychological, social and even spiritual ramifications too. “The mental toll that it takes, it’s just like a prison in your head,” he says. “The person will have a very external locus of identity, meaning their self-worth will be entirely dictated by how much they’re exercising. Missing the workout causes so much guilt and shame.”
Since the birth of her daughter in 2020, Steines has been living with myalgic encephalomyelitis, formerly known as chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition that leaves her bedbound during flareups and naturally tempers her drive to over-exercise. While she can’t say for sure what caused it, she does believe it’s related to her exercise addiction. “I go in and out between being relatively sedentary and then working out like an average person,” she says. “On the outside, it looks like I’ve recovered. While I would say I’m two-thirds recovered on the mental side, I didn’t do the work to recover. It’s more like the exercise addiction got taken away from me.”
Tyburski, meanwhile, is “unofficially retired” from adventuring after the buildup of injuries and consequent surgeries. “In 2026, I’m paying for the detrimental behaviours of 2013 and 2014,” he says. “It’s taken me a while to accept, but I now have gratitude for the smaller things in life, to be able just to be active and healthy. Will you see me swimming between continents again? No, but when my body is ready to do it, I would love to go into the ocean for half an hour.” These days, he works as a keynote speaker and leadership coach, and says he’s in a good place.
Recovery from exercise addiction can be complex, not least because eliminating exercise altogether – as you would for drug and alcohol addictions – isn’t usually a desirable end goal. Yet however fraught a person’s relationship with movement, there are options available: entering a rehab facility, working with an understanding therapist or even leaning on peer support. Ideally, these could make it easier to spot the signs before the problem has spiralled out of control.
Costello likes to use the analogy of physical injury. “If you were experiencing a niggle in your ankle and you were concerned that it was tipping into something more damaging, you’d talk about it,” he says. “You’d mention it to a friend, and if it got worse you’d see a physio. I feel like we need to do the same with psychological niggles, to just be like, ‘Do you feel you’re getting a bit too anxious if you miss a session?’ You’d be surprised how helpful just talking out loud can be.”
The article below is an excerpt from my newsletter: Well Enough with Harry Bullmore. To get my latest thoughts on fitness and wellbeing pop your email address into the box above to get the newsletter direct to your inbox.
Exercise doesn’t always make a good first impression. Often, the opposite is true.
A recent survey found that unpleasant experiences in PE lessons put 28 per cent of people off exercise “for life”.
In the UK, if you didn’t take to football, rugby, athletics or netball like a duck to water, there’s a high chance you came to believe that sport isn’t for you.
Then, as an adult, someone stresses the importance of exercising for your health, so you do what everyone else seems to be doing and go for a run. That invariably feels horrible because your body isn’t quite ready for it, so you stop.
The thing missing throughout this process is choice. It’s hard to develop a healthy relationship with something you feel forced into. But exercise becomes less of a chore if you can find a form of movement you enjoy and actively choose to do on a regular basis – whether that’s swimming, pickleball, home workouts, qigong, Nordic walking or something else.
That is the theme of this week’s newsletter – making exercise work for you:
This probably isn’t the first time you’ve been told to enjoy exercise. That’s easier said than done – and far harder for some than others. Simply running more or pressuring yourself to go to the gym every day isn’t going to work. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible.
Anne Dockery, a 77-year-old champion runner and triathlete from Bristol, demonstrates this point beautifully. Her bulging medal cabinet would turn any athlete green with envy, yet she only started running at 52.
“I thought running was really boring at first,” she tells me, laughing. “Now I don’t know what I would do without it.”
So what changed? She joined a club.
Anne became part of a diverse group of runners who hit the trails and tarmac every Sunday. They chatted, they ran, and she soon found herself covering up to 18 miles in a day. But it didn’t feel like exercise – by adding a social element, she found a way to make it fun.
There’s a lot more to Anne’s story, including her fight for fitness brands to represent over-45s fairly, which I’ll be diving into in next week’s newsletter.
This is not an isolated case. My uncle joined a volleyball club in his sixties. In the past decade, my mum and several friends have discovered the unbridled joy of Cornish pilot gig rowing. Another friend found a dance class she loves and hasn’t looked back.
Few of these activities feature in school curriculums or exercise guidelines, but they are all forms of movement. And as World Health Organisation guidelines from 2020 state: “Every move counts towards better health.”
I’ve experienced this personally, too. After growing like a weed during my sixteenth summer, I joined a new sixth form as a gangly teen in a foreign-feeling body. I felt awkward and uncomfortable – bulking up in the gym felt like a straightforward solution.
So I went along, lifted a few weights to the best of my ability, then spotted people sniggering at my efforts and promptly left. The gym was clearly not for me.
Fast forward to 2026, and I now write about fitness for a living while teaching people how to lift weights outside of my nine-to-five. What happened in between? I made lifting weights work for me and regained exercise autonomy in the process.
I don’t think anyone enjoys being sniggered at (although I’ve since found most gyms are supportive environments). But what I do love is learning.
So I went to a discount store, picked up a cut-price set of spinlock dumbbells and a barbell, then started inhaling every piece of strength training-related literature I could get my hands on.
I proceeded to pump iron in my garden shed over the coming months. My body changed, my mindset changed, and I grew to love it. Later, I was able to return to the gym with a pep in my step and a self-made exercise plan in my back pocket.
One of the best ways to build confidence is to start exercising with a coach. Once you’ve learned how to perform five to 10 fundamental full-body exercises (think squats, lunges, presses and rows) with good form, you have everything you need to build a robust body.
If the gym environment feels intimidating, accessible home workouts – like the one featured in The Independent’s strength training guide – are a great, time-savvy alternative.
Or you can increase the enjoyment factor by heading outside with sessions like coach Dan John’s favourite kettlebell workout. There are extra health benefits if you can rope in a few friends too – an ongoing 80-plus-year Harvard study has highlighted the importance of strong social connections in living a longer, healthier life.
Of course, these two examples only cover strength training. From all the reading and interviews I’ve done, the optimal exercise mix (on paper) involves regular strength training, challenging your heart and lungs at least a couple of times per week, and a good dose of general movement (ie walking).
But the more important takeaway from this newsletter is that any movement is better than none – and fun is invaluable. Combine the two and you’ll be laughing.
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Fitness
Exercise: Doctor shares a change to how you drink water that can boost energy and performance during exercise
The wellness and fitness market is full of supplements promising health and performance benefits. One that has grown in popularity is electrolytes.
PhD neuroscientist and Phizz co-founder, Dr Paul Anastasiades, spoke exclusively to GB News to explain what these are and how they can be beneficial in both your fitness regime and in everyday life.
What are electrolytes?
Electrolytes are essential minerals that help the body rehydrate, making them an important tool when taken around exercise.
Dr Anastasiades said: “Electrolytes are essential minerals like sodium, potassium and magnesium. They are often associated with exercise due to their critical roles in nerve and muscle function and the fact that fluids and electrolytes are lost through sweat, impacting physical performance.
Electrolytes can give more benefits than just drinking water
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GETTY“Electrolytes are particularly important during exercise, as you lose them when you sweat, so taking electrolyte supplements can help improve both physical performance and recovery. But they aren’t just for athletes, they also matter on a day-to-day basis because hydration underpins your energy, focus and overall mood.
“What is less well known is that electrolytes also support 100s of different biological processes, including immune system function and energy metabolism.
“Importantly, we lose electrolytes throughout the day, not just during sweaty workouts, so we need to keep our electrolyte levels topped up daily to ensure our bodies function optimally.”
Indeed, a study published in MDPI looked at the effects of electrolyte supplements on the body during exercise. It compared electrolyte drinks to plain water and found that electrolyte intake better maintained hydration and physiological balance.
What’s more, the improved fluid retention helped support exercise capacity and recovery compared to drinking water alone, showing their value for endurance and sustained performance.
This is particularly relevant for those training at higher intensities or for longer durations, where sweat loss is greater and hydration needs increase.
Hydrating with electrolytes is not just important when exercising, however, as those who enjoy an active lifestyle could get more out of the supplement than they realise.
Dr Anastasiades continued: “Despite an ever-increasing focus on health and fitness, fast-paced, high-stress, and increasingly active lifestyles lead many people to suffer from tiredness, low energy and reduced focus. What many don’t know is that one of the main causes of these symptoms is dehydration.”
Even mild dehydration can affect Britons in a number of ways. This includes difficulties concentrating, weaker muscle contractions, earlier fatigue during exercise, and distorted hunger signals, among other drawbacks.
Electrolytes can help with performance and recovery around exercise
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GETTYSo how can you combat this? The doctor said: “Combatting dehydration is not just about how much water you drink, but how effectively your body uses it. That’s where electrolytes come in. Certain formulations – like Phizz – use the power of electrolytes to help your body absorb and retain fluids more efficiently.
“Electrolyte-based hydration formulas offer a powerful solution to dehydration. When sodium is paired with a small amount of glucose, it helps increase the speed and efficiency of water absorption in the body. This supports hydration during or immediately after exercise, while also making hydration more effective in everyday life.
“This is why electrolytes are increasingly becoming part of people’s daily routines. By harnessing the power of electrolytes, we can stave off dehydration to improve our energy and focus. Advanced formulas, such as Phizz, also include other vitamins and minerals to provide a great-tasting daily supplement to support overall wellbeing.”
Fitness
This High-Performance, Stylish Activewear Brand Has Topped My List of Workout Clothes for Nearly a Decade
As Women’s Health’s style and reviews writer,, I have drawers filled with activewear, so you can rest assured that I know a thing or two about the best workout clothes for women. And while I try a lot of compression leggings and moisture-wicking underwear that blow me away, I also try some not-so-great stuff that makes their way to the bottom of my dresser or giveaway pile.
Best Workout Clothes for Women
Over the past two years, I’ve tested over 30 activewear brands—from gym staples to runner-friendly picks to stylish options that are more about the look than the workout. Meanwhile, our fashion contributors Lily Wohlner, Kristen Saladino, and Rose Lauture bring 20-plus years of experience testing fashion brands to the table. Together, we teamed up to curate a list of our all-time favorite workout clothes—ones that deliver on style, quality, and durability and are truly worth every dollar.
What to Consider
Materials
The professionals on this list agree: The best workout clothes should be comfortable. But, because sweat does happen while you’re working out, they recommend materials that are moisture-wicking, like nylon or elastane.
- Elastane/Spandex: This is a lightweight, stretchy fabric that will give your clothing that elastic feel. This is especially useful for workouts that require a lot of movement and stretching, like yoga or Pilates.
- Nylon: A soft, stretchy, and durable fabric that’s moisture-wicking—perfect for when you want to stay dry and keep sweat stains at bay during your workout.
- Polyester: This fabric naturally repels water, wicks sweat like a pro, and dries quickly, making it ideal for high-intensity workouts. It’s also lightweight, breathable, and durable—plus, it won’t shrink or wrinkle easily.
Price
I’m gonna be honest—some of the brands on this list can get a little pricey (hi, lululemon and Vuori). But, the pros recommend them because they’re long-lasting, and they feel stretchy and soft rather than heavy and constricting. If you’re looking for something on the more affordable side, check out Amazon’s exclusive workout brands or Adanola, which has many stylish options for less than $100.
Durability
Speaking of long-lasting wear, you want to make sure your workout clothes won’t pill, stretch, or lose their color after a few wears and washes. All the brands on this list have passed that test. Registered dietician Maddie Pasquariello, RDN, has even owned the same pair of leggings from Splits59 for five years and says they’re still good as new.
Besides their ability to stay intact for years, you also want to make sure your workout clothes pass the wear test. Do they allow for movement? Are they see-through while squatting or bending over? Does the waistband slide down? You can get a good sense of whether or not your activewear passes the wear test by trying it on in person before you make a purchase.
How We Chose
For the past two years, Women’s Health editors, including myself and fashion contributors Lily Wohlner, Rose Lauture, and Kristen Saladino, have been testing the bestselling, most popular, and top-rated workout clothes. We used our first-hand experience and consulted other fitness and fashion professionals to narrow down our favorites and determine what to consider when shopping. We rated all the workout clothes on versatility, sizing, clothing options, moisture-wicking abilities, durability, and comfort. The options that got the highest marks are the ones that made it onto this list.
Are you ready to shop our activewear faves? Look no further than this curated list of the best workout clothes for women to shop now.
lululemon Align Hi-Rise Pant
lululemon Wunder Train High-Rise Short
lululemon Chargefeel 3 Workout Shoes
Lululemon’s technical apparel has been the holy grail of activewear since the brand launched its signature buttery-soft leggings and yoga pants, and we’re huge fans. Motivational speaker Denise Vitola, a devoted lulu fan, says the brand stands out for blending endurance, performance, and fashion. But what truly sets lululemon apart is its obsessive attention to detail—from sweat-wicking fabrics that feel like a second skin to precision tailoring that moves with you. Our fashion editors agree: these pieces don’t just last, they become essentials you can’t live without.
One downside of lululemon’s activewear is that it errs on the pricier side, but our editors definitely think it’s worth the investment, since lululemon excels at durability. Founder of Yoga Kawa Echo Wang agrees. “Lululemon’s outfits hold up wash after wash and they feel amazing and so stretchy during yoga practice,” she says.
In terms of the pieces we love, the lululemon Align Leggings can’t go without a shoutout. Our editors love them for their breathability, barely-there feel, and how easy they are to move in thanks to the perfect blend of stretchy elastane and smooth nylon. All of those features extend to its other activewear, like sweat-wicking tops, biker shorts, sports bras, and more.
Another loved product by Vitola and our team? The cult-classic Energy Bra, which is one of our all-time favorite sports bras, is especially great for medium-impact activity like strength training or jogging. “It’s super comfortable on my shoulders and doesn’t give me a uni-boob under my shirts,” she says, adding that she likes that the cross straps take the pressure off your shoulders during wear.
Read More: Best lululemon Items
Most Affordable: Crz Yoga
Crz Yoga Strappy Longline Sports Bra
Crz Yoga Butterluxe Cross Waist Workout Leggings
Crz Yoga Pima Cotton Workout Tank
One brand in particular we love for comfort, durability, and price? Crz Yoga. The affordable brand delivers styles (and quality!) that rival even some of the pricier activewear brands.
Crz Yoga offers all sorts of super cute pieces like flare leggings, cropped tees, and longline sports bras. Founder of iCORE Method Courtney Virden says this is her all-time fave activewear brand because it’s super stylish without breaking the bank. She also adds that the brand is constantly adding new items to its roster, so fresh and fun styles and colors to choose from.
Since Crz Yoga’s prices are more budget-friendly, I was a little skeptical about the quality. But after trying the Butterluxe Workout Leggings, I was surprised—they’re almost as comfortable as our top pick, lululemon. And at half the price, they’re an even easier buy.
Most Comfortable: Vuori
Vuori AllTheFeels Legging
Vuori AllTheFeels Bra
Vuori Restore Half Zip Jacket Hoodie
Vuori is another personal favorite on this list, as its fabric is unbelievably soft without slacking on compression. After trying many pairs of leggings, I found that I felt the most confident at the gym when wearing Vuori’s Daily Legging, because it contours any lumps and bumps and makes my ‘bod look so smooth and snatched, but it doesn’t feel overly compressive or tight.
Vuori not only hugs you in all the right places, but the textures are so soft against your skin (hi, polyester and elastane blend), says personal trainer, Kim Strother, NASM, who also loves the brand’s Daily Collection. “Vuori is really made to move,” she says. “Not all activewear is actually comfortable to work out in, but this brand fits my very active lifestyle.”
Gini Grimsley, MS, director of fitness products at Vasa Fitness, is a big fan of Vuori’s famed Performance Joggers because they allow for a ton of movement without needing to readjust the waistband. As a weight lifter, she never has to adjust her clothing between sets, meaning she has more time to focus on the task at hand. Vuori’s proprietary fabric is so comfy that we’ve even worn its leggings for couch rotting, lounging, errands, and the list goes on.
I did notice that Vuori’s sizing is not as inclusive as other brands on this list, with most of its options only ranging from XXS to 2X (as a reference, Girlfriend Collective’s options go all the way to a 6X!).
Read more:Vuori Review
Best Quality: Athleta
Athleta Interval Bra
Now 18% Off
Athleta Interval High Rise Legging
Athleta Easy Fleece 1/2 Zip Hoodie
Now 44% Off
I’ve been testing activewear for years, but it was only until recently that I gave Athleta a shot, and it has quickly become one of my all-time favorite activewear brands. And, that seems like a common theme—three experts we spoke to praise its fashion-forward styles and comfortable fit. But, the common thread among our team and experts was that the fabrics wear very well and the materials are super high-quality.
Certified personal trainer Rachel Macpherson, CSCS, wears and tests workout clothes daily, and one thing she loves about Athleta is never having to worry about see-through fabric while stretching or squatting. Plus, its materails hold up well after multiple washes. The brand offers six proprietary fabrics, ranging from second-skin softness to cooling technology for intense workouts. The best part? They’re all super stretchy, so you don’t have to worry about rips or tears mid-workout.
Golf instructor Erica Larkin loves Athleta’s layering pieces and outerwear—like its pullovers and jackets—as they keep her dry and warm during every season. Plus, they’re easy to move and swing in. Taryn Toomey, founder and creative director of The Class, agrees. She loves moving in a way that lets her focus on how her body feels, not her clothes—and Athleta’s gear makes that easy.
Freshest Styles: Nike
Nike Swoosh Medium Support Sports Bra
Nike Pro Sculpt High-Waisted 7/8 Leggings
When it comes to activewear, there’s a high chance you have at least one Nike piece in your closet—at least WH editors all do. In our opinion, the brand has the freshest styles, with its pieces ranging from practical gym ‘fits to streetwear staples. We especially like that Nike’s sizing is pretty solid, with pieces ranging from size XS to 3XL. I’m a true medium (typically a size six in clothing), and all of Nike’s medium sizes fit me like a glove, so I can also attest to the brand’s size consistency.
Dani Coleman, director of training and head trainer at Pvolve (and Jennifer Aniston’s personal trainer!), says her all-time favorite activewear brand is Nike because of its athletic styles and practical function. In our opinion, it blends streetwear (hi, bold branding, oversized fits, and trend-driven designs) with performance to make functional pieces that are designed for movement. “No matter what I have on-deck, its styles easily morph into any occasion from being in the studio or out and about.” We’ve even worn some of its clothing to spruce up a GNO.
Coleman specifically loves the Zenvy Legging (I’m also a huge fan of these—they’re lightweight and squat-proof!), the Alate Sports Bra, and her all-time favorite training shoe, the Nike Free Metcon 6. A favorite of mine from the brand is the Nike Swoosh Medium Support Bra, which actually won our best overall spot in our best sports bras roundup for its compressive feel that keeps you locked in during runs, Pilates, walks, yoga, and HIIT. What specifically draws Coleman to Nike is its representation and diversity as a brand and in its products. “It also pushes the envelope on innovation and partners with some of the most talented athletes in the world,” she says.
Splits59 Ella High Waist Airweight 7/8
Splits59 Ella Airweight Tank
Registered dietician Maddie Pasquariello, RDN, has had a longtime obsession with Splits59 because its products hold up better than any others she owns. She says she’s owned one of the brand’s leggings for five years (!!), and they’ve retained their shape, stretch, and color the entire time.
Pasquariello also adds that she prefers matte fabrics over shiny ones, and Splits 59 has many options that are up her alley. Plus, we especially love the colors and patterns the clothes are available in, all options that are easy to mix and match.
While Pasquariello loves everything she’s tried from the brand, she calls out the Ella High Waist Airweight Legging as well as the matching Ella Airweight Bra—they’re made out of moisture-wicking and quick-drying nylon that keep you comfortable during super sweaty workouts. And don’t sleep on the stretchy tanks and tees—the Jackson Rib Turtleneck is so cute and it has thumb holes, which makes it perfect for chillier days, she notes.
Girlfriend Collective Compressive Pocket Legging
Girlfriend Collective Tina Open Back Unitard
Girlfriend Collective Compressive Pocket Run Short
Girlfriend Collective is a great option for activewear, but what makes it stand out is its commitment to size inclusivity. All of its clothing options range from a size XXS to a 6XL, so it caters to so many body types.
Wang loves Girlfriend clothing specifically for yoga, touting the Float line as the fabric is slightly thicker and more compressive for flexible moves like downward dog or child’s pose. While its clothes are slightly more expensive, she says she sees Girlfriend Collective as an investment in quality, comfort, and inclusive sizing. Style coach Liz Wendler is also a fan of the brand, calling out its Compressive Leggings and Paloma Racerback Bra. “This set is incredibly comfortable and sits at the right spot for comfort and movement,” she says.
I do find that its sizing runs a tad bit big, so if you want your workout attire to fit more on the snug side, opt for a size down that what you’d normally go for.
Amazon Essentials Active FormFlex Y-Back Sports Bra
Amazon Essentials Active FormFlex High Waist Biker Shorts
ICYMI, Amazon Essentials—known for its stylish, affordable basics—launched its own line of activewear earlier this summer. The collection is full of super cute pieces starting at just $17, which deals and trends editor Sidney Lee loves for low-impact workouts and daily athleisure wear.
The brand’s signature FormFlex fabric (a blend of smooth nylon and stretchy elastane), which you can find in most of the line, is buttery-soft and breathable with light support. Lee is a fan of the Active FormFlex Y-Back Sports Bra to keep cool and ready to bend during yoga and Pilates, as well as the Active FormFlex High Waist Biker Shorts, which don’t slip while running and don’t show any sweat marks (at least in navy).
Read More: Amazon Essentials Activewear Review
Most Popular: Alo Yoga
Alo Airlift Intrigue Bra
Now 31% Off
Alo Accolade Full Zip Hoodie
Alo HIgh-Waist Airlift Leggings
Alo is always ahead of the curve when it comes to fashion-forward activewear. And, that’s why it’s the most widely worn brand among our editors. The brand is a trendsetter in the fitness world, but it also has fashion-forward styles we feel super chic wearing on the street. We appreciate the brand because the quality of its clothing is consistently top-notch, its sizing is inclusive, and its pieces hold up through all kinds of activities.
Saladino loves that the brand makes a little bit of everything—biker shorts perfect for hot yoga or summer workouts, recovery sneakers, smoothing leggings, and the list goes on. And, we love that it introduces new, fun colors every month so its products never get old and there’s always an option for anyone.
The brand offers three signature fabrics: Airlift (82% polyester, 18% elastane), Airbrush (87% nylon, 13% elastane), and Alosoft (87% polyester, 13% elastane). Each one has a different feel—whether you want high compression, extra softness, or more stretch. This makes shopping at Alo a breeze, and once you find a fabric you love, you can stick with it and grab different styles in the same material.
Read More: Alo Yoga Review
Most Versatile: Adanola
Adanola Ultimate Short Sleeve Zip Up Top
Adanola Ultimate Wrap Over Leggings
Like many of the other brands on this list, Adanola offers a variety of styles that work with different dress codes from the gym to the office. But, we also love that most of its pieces are below $100. And DW, the quality is surprisingly great for the price.
Adanola is a favorite in fitness instructor Aubre Winters-Casiano’s closet. Its apparel is simple yet makes you feel like the coolest and most confident gal in the room, she says. I’ve worn its clothes to the gym, but I also own pieces perfect for lounging around my apartment.
Winter-Casiano’s favorite pieces are the Ultimate Tank Bra, the Ultimate Leggings, and the Ultimate Long Sleeve Longline Top. “The Ultimate Sleeveless Unitard is also so flattering,” she adds. She also calls out that the brand shows its pieces on models of all different body types and shapes, which makes her feel really confident ordering online while pregnant.
Saladino says that its fabric feels thick and super high-quality. For the leggings specifically, the high-waisted band stays securely in place without any need for adjustments during yoga. “I most often reach for its flared leggings—they’re my go-to for barre class, especially when I’m wearing ankle weights.” And, on weekends, she reaches for them just to lounge because they’re just that comfortable. She even ended up buying two more pairs so she always has a clean option in her drawer.
FP Movement Retro Rider Layer
FP Movement Varsity Blues Shorts
Both myself and Lauture are obsessed with the adorable styles from FP Movement. We can confidently say we’ve never felt more stylish—whether we’re working out, hiking, running, or just lounging. The pieces pair effortlessly with anything, but the subtle boho flair and vibrant, versatile colors make them stand out. Plus, its quality is amazing—its workout sets are extremely soft and maintain their quality after multiple washes, Lauture says.
I also love the versatility of FP Movement. In my mind, they’re less of a workout brand and more of a lifestyle label because there are so many clothing options to choose from. I own the extremely soft and stretchy Never Better Full-Length Leggings, but I also have outerwear like the Mountain Top Half Zip Fleece and cozies like the For The Win Sleeveless Sweatshirt and the Let’s Bounce Pant.
If you want ultra high-performance gear, FP Movement might not be your best bet. But if you’re after everyday staples that can take you from the gym to the rest of your day while keeping you effortlessly cute, it’s a solid choice.
Meet the Experts
- Denise Vitola is a fitness instructor, wellness coach, and motivational speaker.
- Liz Wendler is a style coach.
- Echo Wang is the founder of Yoga Kawa.
- Rachel Macpherson, CPT, is a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach.
- Erica Larkin is a golf instructor at Larkin Golf.
- Taryn Toomey is the founder and creative director of The Class.
- Kim Strother, CPT, is a certified personal trainer and yoga instructor.
- Gini Grimsley, MS, is the director of fitness products at Vasa Fitness.
- Aubre Winters-Casiano is the founder of Sweat Sessions Studio.
- Dani Coleman is the director of training and head trainer at Pvolve.
- Maddie Pasquariello, MS, RDN is a registered dietician.
- Kristen Hislop is a certified personal trainer and running coach.
- Courtney Virden is the founder of iCORE Method.
Shop Other Activewear We Love
Best Leggings For Women| Best High-Impact Sports Bras| Best One-Shoulder Sports Bras | Best Compression Socks | Best Long-Line Sports Bras | Best Leggings On Amazon | Best Moisture-Wicking Underwear | Best Athleisure Brands For Women | Best Clothing Brands For Women | Quince Activewear Review| Alo Yoga Brand Review | Best Compression Leggings
Shannen Zitz is the Associate Style & Reviews Editor at Women’s Health, where she covers all-things sneakers and activewear. Previously, she was an assistant editor at Prevention. Shannen graduated from the State University of New York at Cortland with a bachelor’s degree in English. If she’s not reading or writing, you can probably find her frequenting the skincare and makeup forums on Reddit or hogging the squat rack at the gym.
Christian is the Style and Reviews Director at Men’s Health and Women’s Health, where he oversees shopping and style content for both brands. He started his magazine career as an accessories assistant at Vogue, and has since held editorial roles at Tatler Asia and The Manual. When he’s not online shopping, you can find him on long walks with his two corgis.
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