Why Christian Women SHOULD Wear Yoga Pants

Christianity Today's Her Menuetics ran a popular web article last week: To The Christian Men and Women Debating Yoga Pants. Having worn yoga pants on a near daily basis since the last millennium, way before yoga pants were popular, I had to laugh. Reverends, Women, Bishops, and people with P.h.D behind their name were actually discussing this on a forum! Unable to control my snark, I suggested that Christian men wear yoga pants for more accountability in this area. I actually had a gentleman, and new blogger friend, Tim Fall, agree with me (more on Tim later).

Being a Christian Yoga Instructor and long time fitness professional, I'm obviously biased on this issue. That said, I do consider yoga pants a very important topic of Christian conversation. Discussing women in yoga pants certainly adds to our Christian body of knowledge and grows our love to change the world; therefore, I share these reasons why Christian women SHOULD wear yoga pants:

1. Yoga Pants Make Better Moms
Raising 4 young children as a stay-at-home mom and part-time fitness instructor, yoga pants proved to be my daily armor in those tumultuous times (or decade to be more accurate). Spandex is a great fabric to brush off the dried grimy hand prints that seemed to appear at thigh level. At the end of the day, being a workoutaholic, I was typically covered in dried sweat from my morning workout, tired and worn down from toddler tantrums but at least I could manage because of yoga pants. This Tim validates my point here, drum roll please....

2. Yoga Pants Equal a Better Probability of Actual Exercise
For years I have told my class that the hardest part of working out is showing up.Most people are very self conscious and self critical of their workouts and negative-talk themselves out of participating in an activity (exercise) that enhances their own health! Though many a woman wears yoga pants without ever having done yoga, if the yoga pants are actually donned that morning, the chances ARE better to actually make the workout!

In the United States, the leading causes of death today are lifestyle related, or lack of adequate diet and exercise, and 7 out of 10 Americans die of preventable chronic disease (1). Sometimes the easiest cure is the most difficult.

3. Yoga Pants Develop Assets
After years (39+ and holding to be exact) of hearing the gospel from a male dominated pulpit, I heard a woman preach to a church full of men and women. Yes, I have heard strong, wonderful women preach, but until last week, this was only to women. Patriarchy is a sin that continues to haunt the church and prevents its growth (See Tim Fall's Blog "Patriarchy--When False Doctrine Runs Amok"). The Bible is peppered with amazing women who decided to take on a role outside of the home and do some amazing things. The Bible is also missing the names of other women who certainly contributed as the Chronicles accredited Deborah's victory to Barak. Other women are just forever forgotten... As I work to train Christian Yoga Instructors and hold Christian Yoga Retreats, I'm wearing yoga pants more frequently than ever and they seem to be developing assets for my business partners and I.

My Law Professor colleague and friend told me about a State Legislator in Montana who submitted legislation that yoga pants be considered indecent exposure. I laughed again because who is going to enforce that? How would the friendly police officer approach the woman without her feeling sexually harassed? How would the respectful male police officer maintain his purity if he's require to monitor women's backsides. If a case actually went to court, how would the court decide what is too tight or thin? This is all starting to sound like Sharia Law to me because Burkas and Hijabs would take care of this entire issue...but so would men wearing yoga pants which is yet another reason why Christian women SHOULD wear yoga pants!

Note to Readers: For the record, in case your blood is boiling about the all important yoga pants issue in the Christian community, please know that I don't wear yoga pants to church and have a variety of longer tunics to cover my assets in the gym as well.

(1) U.S Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General, Disease Prevention, http://surgeongeneral.gov/publichealthpriorities.html#disease, downloaded June 5, 2009.