Dose of Prose
My workout classes are challenging, yet so rewarding, which keeps me coming back each week. I live a busy, stressful lifestyle and fitness has been beneficial for me in so many ways. Not only does working out make me feel good, but also, it serves as a huge stress reliever for me. I love exercise because it holds me accountable; it keeps me motivated to remain persistent and persevere through the ups and downs of life. Movement is medicine. I am not working towards a specific fitness goal, I just want to have a healthy mind and body; I want the same for you, too!
Whether you’re a gym rat fitness junkie who loves group fitness classes or you don’t really workout at all, this post applies to you. I have created a post that shares some of my workout bag essentials and overall general tips on how to make the most of your workout experience, financially, mentally and physically. Friendly reminder: you may not be where you want to be, but you aren’t where you started. Keep going, keep growing. 💪🏾
The Workout Bag Starter Pack
The photo collage below pretty much says it all, but there are 5 must-have items that I bring with me to my workouts. You do not have to use the specific brands that I list, but I’ve had a satisfactory experience with the ones I’ve included in this post, so I would recommend starting off with those and then figuring out what works best for you and your body chemistry.
Replenish – H2O
I could make an entirely separate blog on the importance of hydration and how the type of water your drink is essential to your overall health (Essentia is the best water IMO), but I won’t get into that here. Not all water tastes the same, not all water is made the same, so please do your own research, but I have found that drinking water that has additional hydrogen molecules infused in it, has enhanced my athletic performance during my workouts and accelerated my recovery after my workouts. I typically do fitness classes that are high-intensity, as a result, I lose a ton of electrolytes. The water from HFactor is so pure, clean, delicious, refreshing and helps to replenish those electrolytes. If you ever start to feel faint during your workouts, or if you’re looking to increase your performance overall, this water will do the trick. Bring it with you to your next sweat sesh! This brand offers a variety of hydrogen water flavors and sizes. Oh, and it’s recommended to drink the water within 30 minutes to maximize the benefits of the hydrogen. Thank me later.
Refresh – Wipes
If you sweat buckets like I do, this next gym bag essential will be your saving grace. I know that some fitness centers have showers, but if you’re on-the-go and don’t have time to shower immediately after your workout, using deodorant wipes will keep you feeling fresh until you do. My favorite brand of wipes was discontinued (they had a cooling effect too, which was pretty awesome), but I’ve discovered that the Degree and Dove brands are equally as reputable. They don’t leave any sticky residue and make me smell great, despite me completing an activity that would normally cause some funky smells to emit lol. Even if you’re not working out, but had a long day spending time outside and just need to freshen up, these wipes do the trick.
Similar to the shower situation, some studios may or may not provide face wash in the locker rooms (or they run out if it). Instead of walking around with your face all sweaty and risking acne breakouts, invest in some facial wipes to cleanse your face and rid of all the toxins you just released from your pores. I like these facial pads from Trader Joe’s because I feel like they truly clean and remove impurities from my skin, instead of spreading them around even more (like most makeup remover wipes tend to do). Like the deodorant wipes, there is no sticky residue! Throw these in your bag, especially those who have oily, acne-prone, sensitive skin…trust me, you won’t regret it.
Recover – Cream
One time I did 3 workouts in one day (I know, crazy.) and I could barely move for the following week. Every waking inch of my body was sore and stretching was not enough. I wanted some relief without taking any pills or anything with a bunch of chemicals in it, and I found a winner (thanks to my dad), which is a sore muscle cream! It’s made with all natural essential oils and has this dual heat-cooling effect when you put it on. The smell is strong (similar to Vick’s vapor rub/eucalyptus), but it gives you instant relief. I tend to get extremely sore after my workouts and I massage this cream on afterwards to help reduce inflammation and loosen my tight muscles. If you have any sort of aches or soreness, this balm will be your holy grail. Check it out!
Refuel – Snacks
I’m one of those people who has to eat before I workout. Even if my workout is super early in the morning, I have to eat something, or I’ll pass out! I know some people do fasted workouts, but the beauty of this next gym essential, is that you can eat it before, during or after your workout and it will still yield multiple benefits! The honey stinger waffle tastes great and digests easily (I have a sensitive stomach so I would know). Sometimes my blood sugar will drop after a workout and I’ll start to feel dizzy – this waffle helps me to keep my levels stabilized. This brand has a variety of flavors and other sports snack products in general, but my tried and true is the stinger waffle. If you combine the water I mentioned above with this snack, I promise you will feel energized and will amplify your workout experience overall. Don’t just take my word for it, go to your local grocery store or click the link to the website and make a purchase – seeing is believing!
How to Maximize Your Movement
Now that you have a workout bag stocked with all of the essentials, it’s time to actually workout….but, how do you get started? How do you stay motivated? How do you save money? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I gathered some tips and tricks on how to enhance your fitness journey, whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned professional. Let’s get into it.
To get started – take advantage of your surroundings.
If you don’t want to do something, your brain will come up with an infinite amount of excuses to say no. I challenge you to say yes. If you don’t workout or rarely workout and don’t know how to get started or believe that there are XYZ factors/reasons why you can’t, read my words: YOU CAN. AIN’T NOTHIN TO IT BUT TO DO IT. You have to get creative. You have to utilize your surroundings. If your apartment complex has a gym, pick one day out of the week and go downstairs to it, even if it’s just for 10 minutes. Walk around your neighborhood. Take two full bottles of wine from your fridge and use them as weights. Go up and down the stairs at work. What I’m trying to say is, you can turn anything into a workout if you just take advantage of what’s around you. Movement is movement. If you’re looking for free and convenient fitness activities, they might just be in your own backyard. Take baby steps until you feel comfortable doing more.
To stay motivated and consistent – sign up for group fitness classes instead of a gym membership.
I am a huge advocate for group fitness classes because they’re fun, engaging and cost effective. When I was in school, I had to do my homework in the library instead of my room because it helped me to focus more by being surrounded by others who were also working. The same applies for group fitness classes. When you enter a group fitness class, you automatically become a part of a community of people who all are working towards the same goal – to be a better version of themselves. Now if that isn’t motivation, I don’t know what is. Also, just in case you weren’t aware, fitness classes aren’t free and typically you have to pay for the class in advance (unless they accept walk-ins). If you’ve already paid for the class, that should motivate you to go workout even more (there’s usually a no-show fee if you don’t show up) and it’s more economical to pay for a pack of fitness classes instead of individually, so paying for multiple classes at once should help to keep you consistent in attending classes as well. I have nothing against gym memberships, but for me personally, I think fitness classes are better because you have someone there to instruct you, correct your form, it’s not too crowded and it helps to keep you more accountable.
To save money and avoid germs – bring a friend + your own equipment.
Most fitness studios will offer some sort of discount if you bring a friend with you to workout, so if you don’t want to workout alone and you want to do so at a lower rate, bring a friend, and tell that friend to bring a friend! Also, as clean as we would like to think that these studios are (I’ve worked in more than one fitness studio before so I can tell you first hand), they aren’t. Bring your own yoga mats, cycling shoes, grip socks, towels, water, etc. Not only do fitness studios charge for these things, but also, they’re used! Gross! Save your money and immune system – bring your friends and your own gear.
To build your network – form relationships with your fitness instructors.
I personally like to build rapport with my fitness instructors so that they know my name. In general, if you develop a relationship with someone who is a teaching/mentoring/coaching you, they will be more inclined to help you, look out for you and favor you. Most of the fitness instructors out here in LA are ambassadors for big name fitness brands and can hook you up with either some free gear or invite you to exclusive fitness events. Some instructors will also have “guest passes” and you can workout with them for free! At the end of the day folks, you never know who people know, so I believe it’s important to create a bond between you and your instructor, especially if you like their teaching style/music/personality. Doing so will not only result in some perks, but also, you’ll gain a life long friendship that could positively impact your wellbeing in ways you never thought possible!
To have fun – change your mindset.
Exercise should be a celebration of what you can do, not a punishment for what you ate.
You won’t enjoy your workouts if you don’t have the right mindset. I am human, of course I have bad days. There are times where I don’t feel like working out. During my workouts sometimes I feel like giving up on the exercise and I think to myself, I can’t do it…but somehow I push through. I know what I came there to do, and I finish strong. A factor that separates people is their will to do things. It’s about the will, not the skill. Achieving success (whatever that means for you) truly is dependent upon your ability to be disciplined and resilient in everything that you do. This is the approach that I have in my workouts and in my daily life. If you want to have fun while working out, switch up your perspective. Lastly, try adding a smile next time you exercise. I promise, it makes the workout better!
I hope this post was insightful for you. Fitness truly holds a special place in my heart and I jump at any opportunity to share how it has positively impacted my life and how it can do the same for you. I’m always looking for workout buddies so if you’re in the LA area and want to take some fitness classes with me, shoot me a DM on Instagram! Otherwise, leave a comment and let me know some workout essentials you absolutely cannot live without. I’d love to know. I’ll see you in my next post.
-Kaamilah
