Keep your New Year's resolution in style by upgrading your workout wardrobe

January is a time for New Year's resolutions, and most of us have probably decided that we want to get fitter this year.

We tend to be full of good intentions, but after a week or two and the excesses of Christmas haven't melted away from our waists as we wished they had, we tend to get a bit downtrodden and give up hope. According to a recent survey from Lifestyle Sports, 85% of us had committed to our New Year's resolutions before Christmas, and over three-quarters asked for workout gear, so you're not going to be on your own out there.

The main reason that we're going to the gym is to look better, whether that be to shed a few pounds or pump up the guns, but turning up in our old smelly t-shirt and ripped tracksuit bottoms doesn't exactly give that impression. Besides, going by that same survey, one in four of us have a gym crush, so you're going to want to look good if you should happen to catch their eye...just don't spend too much time staring at them.

As silly as it sounds, when you look the part, you feel more confident, and wearing the right gear will help you feel right at home. It can be intimidating if this is your first time darkening the door of your gym in a while, or the first time you've ever used your runners to actually go running, so put your best foot forward and look sharp as you take your first steps on the road to fitness.

Shoes

Start from the ground up by getting the right footwear. Not only is support and cushioning incredibly important, but the wrong footwear can affect your form and end up giving you an injury. Thankfully, the days of choosing between something that looks cool and something that actually works are pretty much behind us, with most brands making lightweight and stylish offerings.

When it comes to road running, Run Logic is the place to go for the widest selection as well as the experts who can do a proper gait analysis and determine what you need. It's worth spending some money here as even if you decide that you'll only do a 5km run twice a week, you'll still put in hundreds of kilometres throughout the year, and you'll need decent runners for that. The Mizuno Wave Paradox are lgihtweight, sleek and offer all the support you'll need for all those days and nights pounding the pavement. These New Balance are also soft and breathable, and are another option if you plan on running your way to fitness.

The Nike Zoom Structure is a woven shoe that's also lightweight and suitable for a variety of different exercises, ad comes in a number of cool colours too.

Nike Zoom Structure €110-125

Reebok's deal with CrossFit has meant that their gear is now as much about fashion as function, and in particular their range of footwear will be handy if you plan on doing weights, while Under Armour's range of Speedform shoes are great for running and the gym, whilst also looking great too.

Compression

You don't have to refer to them as tights or baselayer if you don't want, but compression gear is certainly here to stay. From Under Armour to H&M, everyone is doing them, and they come in a range of colours that means that you don't have to stick to just black.

Reebok Crossfit Midweight Compression Top (€36.42) H&M Sports Tights (€19.99), Nike Trail Kiger (about €80), Adidas Infinite Series shorts (€34), Under Armour Superman Alter Ego (€45)

Equally, compression tops are great for cold weather running outdoors to keep you warm, and also to wick sweat away from your body no matter what your workout is. You can even feel like a super hero with a Superman compression top from Under Armour that might give you the steel (sorry) you need to get through a tough workout.

Tops

You should wear some clothes over all those bits of compression gear too, and that means t-shirts in the gym and jackets and tops if you're outdoors. This Nike top is suitable for both, while a similarly-coloured t-shirt will complete the look. Bold patterns will make your workout gear a bit more stylish, too, so this Nike zip-up or Under Armour's Combine training top will do you for most of the next few months, even as the conditions get a bit warmer.

Admiral jacket from Penneys (€16), Nike Miler t-shirt (€31), Nike Printed Trail Kiger Jacket (around €140), Under Armour Combine Jacket (€112.95)

Bottoms

Shorts should be your go to choice here for most exercises, as they make life a whole lot easier and allow you to move a bit more freely. You can opt for something high-vis like these Under Armour Combine shorts if you're going to be outside in the dark, while the H&M shorts have a cotton look but are polyester so that they don't get weighed down by all the sweat you're going to be dripping, 'cause you're feeling the burn.

H&M Sports Shorts (€19.99), Under Armour Combine shorts (€50.19)

Tech

Give your workout or your run a bit of a tech upgrade with the Fitbit, which will keep track of your steps but also monitor the quality and quantity of sleep that you get, which is absolutely vital in terms of recovery between sessions.

Post-workout

If you plan on standing near other humans after your workout but you'd prefer to wait until you're home to shower, then you should have a quick and comfortable change of clothes that will minimise the amount of your bodily odour that you inflict on the general public. Fitted joggers have made their way from the high street to high fashion, and a grey pair will help you channel your inner Rocky, while a decent top that will keep you warm so that you don't end up going from sweating to freezing as you hit the outdoors.

Penneys Performance Jogger (€14), K-Way Claude Classic Camo (€70) Jack & Jones Zipped Hoodie (€44.95) , Nike Varsity Tech jacket (€156.89)

You'll also need a bag to throw everything in to that will allow you to take your gear on the move, whether you're bringing it to work or just getting to the gym. Herschel's canvas duffle and Fred Perry's Scotch grain leather holdall allow you to keep your gear in style, while the Under Armour Contain Storm bag is built tough to withstand everything you can throw at it, and the adidas Messi team bag is a nice combo of both.