MY GYM BAG ESSENTIALS

What are your gym bag essentials is one questions i get asked all the time especially by newbie mums and fitness freshers and i think theres no better time to spill than now plus i have to stick to my blog manifesto 

It’s a new year,  whoop and even though I didn’t meet my goals to lose weight and build muscle last year, I am still working towards that goal. God help me!!

You see it was a lot easier to get back in shape after I had my first son , because I was exercising  a lot more and mentoring a group of friends who had the same goal to lose weight. But since having my second son, things have changed a bit, though i am still exercising, but not as much as I used to as there’s an additional person to care for and the weight has refused to drop, but I am not giving up and hopefully I will get there soon.

One of my goals this year is to eat healthier and hit the gym more than I used to. You will never find me without my well stocked gym bag which  I set out every night so its ready for me in the morning as I head out and to make sure I don’t leave anything essential behind at home… Having said that, here are my gym bag essentials and my top 8 gym bag must-haves:

8 MUST HAVE GYM BAG ESSENTIALS

Headband and Hair-ties: There’s nothing more frustrating than hair getting in the way of a great workout session . Also since hair ties can break anytime, keep a few extra hair ties and headband in your bag to ensure that nothing, not even stray hair slows you down while getting your workout in.

Towel: Towels are a must for having on hand during your sweatiest and messiest workout or for post workout showers. Although some gyms might supply sweat towels, do you really want to use that? I carry two different sizes with me a smaller one for my workouts and a larger one for the shower. Carry one of each to meet your needs.

Deodorant: This is pretty obvious isn’t it?

Heart Rate Monitor: I use the Polar FT7 heart rate monitor which  helps me track my heart rate, how many calories I burn, how long I have been working out and more, it retails for an average of N25000 , although there are other less expensive ones In the market which are equally very good and serves the same purpose .

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Headphones: Music is everything and more, and without my headphones I find it so difficult to workout, especially when I am running outdoor or when I am cycling on a stationary bike. i currently use a Bluetooth headphones so , i don’t have to deal with earphones cable getting in the way of my work out and distracting me.

 

Water Bottle: Staying hydrated at the gym can make or break your workout . The more water I drink, the longer I can go especially with cardio workouts. I use refillable water bottles so I don’t  have to make back and forth trips to the water dispenser.. Need a cute one, check this out

Trainers: What’s a workout without workout shoes? This is  really important as it affects everything from the success of your workout session, to whether you will get injured or not etc… The type of exercise/workout you do is the major factor to consider when choosing the trainers to buy. If you are a runner, you have to choose RUNNING shoes . With the right amount of cushion/padding to serve as shock absorber especially if you run on hard road. For other exercise types a basic workout shoes will do. Since I run outdoor and also use the gym for strength training and sculpting , I  have 2 types of workout shoes which I use: Karrimoor dumas running shoes and a Nike air max for other workout programs.

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Face Wipes: These are really important for removing make up especially if like me, you go to the gym from work . You don’t want to look like an act from a horror movie after working out with your make up on. I also recently learnt that some of the chemicals in some make up product don’t agree well with exercise , and who wants to clog up their pores anyways…

 

There you have it, you dont necessarily need all these things except the ones that pertain to personal hygiene.  You can basically choose what works for you based on the type of activities you do so as  to create your own perfect gym bag essentials.

 

Did I miss anything? Are there items you just recently added to your own gym bag that is not included here? I will love to know..

 

 

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Till next time…..