Gyms & clothing stores in the UK
 

Hello ladies (and men, if there are any here!)

I hope you don't mind me jumping in with a few questions! I'm soon coming to the UK (probably in a month) as a Working Holiday Maker and I have a couple general questions about gyms in the UK and plus size clothing stores. I'm likely going to go to Edinburgh (as I have a cousin there) ... or ... who knows where I may end up... I'm flexible. :)

Anyway, do you have YMCA's or some equivalent 'more affordable' chain of gyms that would be good for just-graduated, ex-students like me? :) I've been working out with weights for the past couple months and I have really been enjoying it, so I'm hoping to be able to continue while I'm in the UK, if possible. What is a typical monthly fee for a gym in the Edinburgh, do you think?

My other question is, do you know of stores or specific lines of clothing that offer "plus sizes" (I'm not sure what 'bigger' clothes are called in the UK) in the Edinburgh area? I'm just trying to get a bit of a head start so that I don't head over there with absolutely no clue at all!

Any input at all would be much appreciated!

Thanks, Julie. :)

Hi Julie :wave: I don't live there anymore but i'm sure you won't have any trouble finding plus size clothing :) have you thought of doing a search for gyms in the area that you are going to? its well worth a try :)

Hi Julie!

Plus size store Evans is good, some department stores like Debenhams or House of Fraser will have other plus size departments too I think.

We don't have an equivalent of the YMCA but a local council run gym will generally be cheaper cos they have government funding, or funding from the council. Some of the big chains like David Lloyd might do introductory sessions for cheap!

Alternatively, why not nip down to Argos and buy yourself some dumbells (around 15 quid) and get working out at home?

Hi there,

A lot of stores have their own 'plus size' section such as Etam, Dorothy Perkins, some Debenhams departments etc so you may be able to find things in there.

Not sure about the gyms as the one I was in last year was ripping me off £40 a month. I stopped going because not only did I not enjoy it but it was too expensive. I'm sure there are cheaper ones around though if you search online as someone has suggested. Also they do better deals at certain times of year so if you're lucky you may drop on to one of those.

Thanks for the names/info everyone!

It definitely helps having an idea of where to start. I know when I lived in the Netherlands and I had to go shopping, I had *no* idea where to start (and the Dutch seemed to all be tall and skinny, which isn't what I'm like! :D). Though I survived with H&M - do you have H&M in the UK? I think there are maybe a *couple* stores here in Canada.

Thanks again, Julie :)

Hi Lekker :wave:
Yes, we have H&M though they struck me as rather Skinny :devil: , and Evans is also good, although I don't know if they are north of the border (I hail from Carlisle). Oops, I see frus has already told you about Evans. Bon Marche is also good but always full of senior citizens :o .
Good Luck

Hey I recognise those clogs :mag: :lol: we've chatted before Julie but I can't remember where :crazy: :wave:

Hey Lekker

This might help http://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/
H&M sizes are small. I think it goes up to 20 but that's only 16 in America.

Dill

Hey Cat90 - yep, you've seen me before - I was over in this forum a few months ago when I was still debating where I was going to go after I finished my degree - so now I'm back - I already sent my application in for the working holiday visa, so I guess I'm going for sure! :)

Dilleight - thanks for the link! It's so helpful. And now that everyone's mentioned that H&M seems like a skinny place, I remember now that when I *did* shop there, I had lost about 50 lbs and was right on the cusp of their sizing! (Well, they won't work for me now!) Then I returned to Canada and regained the 50 lbs fairly promptly, probably plus some. :(

Maybe leaving the Canada again will help me out again for losing weight! We'll see - Holland was certainly good for me. :) Though I suppose I shouldn't blame my issues on my country! It's more like, when I'm away from home, I never want to spend money on public transport or food or anything besides what I need to survive. Being too cheap to spend money is often a great help in losing weight!

Hi Lekker.

My friend goes to Edinburgh shopping a fair bit and they apparently have a good range of stuff that we don't necessarily see downhere in the South, even London. She is a "short arse" and they are catered for better up there she reckons but even if you are not of small stature I think it will still be shopper's paradise for you. Wheere you shop will depend on your size - I hope you know what size to look for as we differ to USA and Canada - and rest of Europe too. Mind you - I bought some trousers that I thought were size 18 (uk size) but when I got em home they were a 16. However they were loose and stretchy so I was able to fit them so don't necessarily go by sizes. Just stay out of Karen Millen, Kookai, morgan etc who only sell to anorexic teenagers.

Of course Evans has been mentioned but also New Look (v. cheap) does a larger range called inspire. Marks & Spencer often get a grilling for being boring but you can often get a few nice pieces there if youlook hard enough. Primark are another cheapie store but really anyone over an english size 20 had better forget it there. Wallis go up to about a 20 I think and sometimes Next does but not all the shops do. THere is also Principles, Laura Ashley does some 18s and I saw a 20 there as well. Most Department stores now have some plus sizes in some of their ranges. Try John Lewis and Debenhams (if they have them in Edinburgh).

Someone has already mentioned Bon Marche and Dorothy Perkins which are both good.

Note: Evans'shoes are all wide fitting. I got some lovely black suede boots there.

HI there!

H&M do have a pluss size dept, but I've only seen it in London in a coupla stores. We were in edinburgh the other week but I can't remember if I saw a store there with plus size in....

Ooh - wide fitting shoes at Evans? Great! I have a heckuva time finding shoes sometimes here that fit properly. Running shoes aren't so bad, because if necessary, I can go to the boys/mens section, however, certain women's dressy shoes? Forget it! My foot will never fit into some of those long, pointy shoes! To be honest, I don't understand how *any* woman's foot would fit into some of those shoes.

Thanks for all the recs, guys, I appreciate it!