Recently, I’ve been getting more and more into fitness and spending more time in the gym. I just recently came up with a fitness schedule for November and December (which I will post in my fitness journal whenever I get the page set up). As of right now, I don’t have a gym bag, but as I spend more & more time at the gym, I’m sure I’ll eventually get one. So this post is about what would be in my gym bag if I had one.
- Towels. Most gyms supply towels, but my gym doesn’t. They only supply paper towels to wipe down equipment. If you’re going to the gym, you should be sweating so a towel is great for keeping yourself dry.
- Timer. I just use my iPhone, but you may prefer a stopwatch or some other gadget. I use the Repeat Timer app to time my sets when I’m doing weight training.
- Music/TV device. Again, I use my iPhone. If you’re doing cardio in the gym, it’s good to have something to listen to or to watch so that you don’t get bored on the treadmill/elliptical/bike or whatever. This is especially necessary if you don’t like the music blaring from the speakers in the gym.
- Water. For the moment I’m using a Thermos brand beverage holder thing that keeps drinks hot/cold. I like it because it keeps my water cold the entire time I’m at gym, and I don’t have take time away from my workout to visit the water fountain. I know some people might prefer Gatorade or something similar, but I just like plain water.
- Gym clothes. Right now, I just wear a t-shirt, cotton sweat pants, and an old pair of sneakers. When I’ve made some progress, I plan on treating myself to an actual gym wardrobe.
I go to the gym, do my workout and then head straight home to shower so I don’t think I need to include anything more in my gym bag. However, for those that might be spending extra time at the gym you might want to include some of the following items:
- Snack. If you’re working out for over an hour or doing intense workouts such as HIIT, you might get hungry so a light snack such as a banana or a granola bar would help.
- Deodorant. No explanation needed.
- Extra socks. If you’re doing lots of cardio, your feet can get pretty sweaty. A change of socks would help refresh your feet.
- Toiletries. If you’re leaving the gym to head somewhere else, you may want to freshen up. Most gyms have showers so feel free to bring shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrush, mouthwash, lotion, body wash & any other toiletries you might use when getting clean.
- Hair supplies. You may need a comb or a brush to tidy up your hair after your workout. Some people even bring flat irons/curling irons into the bathroom to do their hair after their workout.
It’s important to have everything you need before, during & after your workout. You don’t want to skip a workout because you forgot something at home. Your gym should have a locker for you to store your stuff anyway.
Until next time.