Feeling a little rusty on what to pack for the gym? Here are six essentials!
Gyms are beginning to reopen! It’s time to pack your bag and get back in there. But what to bring? Below are six essential items to bring to the gym to enhance your workout.
You must always bring a water bottle with you when you go to the gym. If you plan on sweating, then you need to plan on rehydrating as well. Pay your respects to the environment and bring a refillable, BPA-free water bottle with you. Here are my thoughts on BPA-free water bottles and a helpful guide on choosing the right one for you.
If you are packing your bag in the morning for an afterwork gym session, plan to combat any potential hunger pangs with an on-the-go-snack. You may have eaten enough lunch or had a sufficient snack at the office, but if you did not, you will find yourself driving to the gym with an empty stomach, growling for happy hour drinks and apps instead of a sweat sesh. You will not have enough energy for a good workout and will probably hit the wall much earlier than you would with the right snack in your system. So, pack something for some pre-workout energy to keep you full and focused for a good sweat.
You also will want to think about bringing your protein powder with you. Dump it into your blender bottle and toss it into your gym bag so you’ll be ready to add water, shake, and start sipping. It’s important to consume protein within 90 minutes of your workout in order to replenish your muscles and help them grow and tone. If you plan to run errands or head to work after the gym, take your protein with you. If you are heading home to make dinner, great! But a good meal takes time to prepare, so drink your protein as well. Your muscles need it.
A workout without music is… just no fun at all. Keep yourself moving with the tunes you need and don’t forget to pack your headphones. Bluetooth ones make it easy to maneuver with weights or on the treadmill since they are cord-free. But it does not hurt to pack a backup pair of corded headphones just in case you forgot to charge the bluetooth ones after the last workout.
You may also want to think about bringing a portable charger with you in case your phone is running low on battery. Keep your phone charged up so it will continue to play music and charge you up throughout your workout.
Some workouts make you sweat more than others. Plan on it and bring a towel to prevent sweat from dripping into your eyes or down your arms, making you slide out of your perfect plank position. If you don’t need it for yourself, use it to wipe down any machinery before and after use to keep up with proper gym etiquette.
Buy an entire pack of hair ties and store them in your bag. You know how easily you lose them. Getting to the gym and having your hair tie break as you stretch it over for one last pull through or realizing you have no way of restraining your hair from sticking to your neck or falling into your face is the worst! Nobody needs that stress. Pack a bunch and you will always have a backup tie for emergencies.
It never hurts to pack some body wipes. If you have time to shower at the gym after your workout or you are heading home for a home to clean up, then you don’t need these. But, if you plan to head to the grocery store or meet up with some friends, take these helpful shower wipes with you and you can give yourself a quick wipe down to freshen up before heading out.