Compression Gear...

So I was tooling around Dillards this weekend in the ladies underwear section while my gilfriend was buying some lingere for a marriage shower.  I saw a product called Spanx.   Upon closer inspection the stuff looks and feels EXACTLY like compression gear.     Typical Under Armor compression gear is 85% nylon / 15% elastine.   Spanx is 87% nylon / 13% elastine.    The difference is Spanx has a 'body shaper' piece of clothing that goes damn near up to the bottom of your ribs.  

After losing 262 pounds I am fortunate to not have much loose skin.   I do have some around my belly that my UnderArmor and Nike Fit gear take care of nicely.   UnderArmor and Nike don't cater to lose skin so their shorts are regular cut.   This Spanx product intrigued me because it could do what UA and Nike products can't.   I think that I could get over my embarrasment of wearing womens panties if this worked to hold everything together better than my current compression gear.   

This link is specifically the item I am referring to.  
http://www.spanx.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2990106

Ladies any knowledge of this product and how well you think it would hold up in training and racing?   $36 isn't much of an investment but before I humiliate myself buying some I'd like to get some input. 

Chad

Hey Bro,

    To you and evry other person that reads this with loose skin on the belly.... I use compression shirts and shorts, but I also wear a neoprene back brace thingy that you can buy at Walmart or Target. I wear it over my compression and underneath my outer layer, if I do not wear it, it really hurts to run, like what I would imagine it feels like to a woman who runs without a bra. Just an fyi, you might give it a try, I would probably be WAY slower if I did not wear my brace thing, it really holds my "Chewed Bubble Gum" in well.....

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Women love Spanx, Chad.

But I have to say I never thought of wearing it while exercising. So I don't know how it holds up to that. But overall it holds up to normal use very well.

I asked my wife, here was her answer

I have heard of Spanx and most of the women I know that wear it, like it.  But they are wearing it as everyday wear so no idea how it would hold up for racing/training.  They do have shapewear for men (not by Spanx that I could find) ant it seems to be pretty expensive but this link has a pair of shorts that look they go up higher on your waist than regular mens shorts.  http://www.legluxe.com/item.php?item=367&cat=223  This stuff is pricey and I'm not sure if it is any better than underarmor

 

Something else to thinks about when buying something made for women... it's going to be cut roomier in the hips, so don't know how much of an issue that would be for guys.

Scott

My wife being the ultimate sensitive person she is, informed me that she would be compelled to tell everyone that I was wearing womens underwear if I were to purchase these.

Like there was ever a doubt that she would.

Scott

After I had my LBL and Thigh Lift I raced a 10k in something very similar to spanx. I trained in it too for a few months. Kept me all in.

I just realized that I have doing some workouts in Spanx. I'd forgotten. But it's not a regular thing for me. So all I can say is: I didn't feel constricted in anyway, so my performance wasn't impacted. (Something I was worried about at the time.)

I just let my pannus flop around with the wind.  I tried to hold it down but it was too uncomfortable for me. 

I was so glad to see this post.
I agree so much-I do love Spanx as I am not able to afford any surgery right now to remove the extra skin.
I don't think I would run in the pieces I have but I would be interested in the waist belt pictured above. I will have to look into that.
I say wear your Spanx with pride if that helps wiith the pain. I can't run without something holding me together.
Jennifer