Ready to go to the gym?
Here are my top 5 gym bag essentials:
A Towel – I always recommend bringing a small towel, so that you can wipe down equipment or as a protector to sit on, in case you don’t trust the guy who was on the bench before you to have cleaned it after use. Especially important during the current climate.
Water – Never forget your water bottle! I always bring water and BCAAs to supplement my workouts. Hydration is so important!
Headphones – Personally I can’t workout without my own music. Mainly because I live in Peru and my local gym plays slow reggaetón hits from 5 years ago. Consider wireless headphones as they eliminate the opportunity to get tangled on machines. Not to mention you won’t need to have your phone tucked into your sports bra or waistband all the time.
Hair ties – Always keep a few in your bag for emergencies. If another girl in the changing room asks if you have a spare, show your sister solidarity and lend her one of yours. I am a huge fan of the spiral plastic style hairbands. I have a lot of hair and they keep my pony tail up so much better than traditional elastic hair ties.
Post workout snack – I rarely leave home without a snack (or 3) in my bag, but it’s especially important to have something on hand post-workout if you don't live close to your gym, or will have a delay before you are able to eat a meal. You can replenish your energy levels enough to get you home for dinner and it’ll stop you swinging by the chippy for a 'light snack'. My homemade (vegan) protein bars are my favourite (recipe can be found here), but you can never go wrong with a banana or protein shake.
More tips on getting started in the gym in the ebook, WALK INTO THE WEIGHTS ROOM LIKE YOU OWN IT
Happy lifting everyone!
P.S. In these times, please check with your gym beforehand what safety measures they have in place so you can make sure you are fully prepared with any extra face masks, hand sanitiser or other requirements.