A Peek Inside My Gym Bag

I’m not sure I will ever be one of those people who LOVES exercising or going to the gym.

Of course it makes me feel better afterward, so I do it for health, to feel strong and to feel my best but if we’re being honest, I’d much rather take a nap! To each their own. There are a small handful of days each month when I sort of feel excited to workout and those days are when I have extra energy I need to expend before the anxious feelings set in. Otherwise, I could think of a million other things I’d rather be doing than trekking to the gym in these frigid temperatures… but I do it and I’ve never regretted a workout, ha.

I think I just get so bored of going!! I’ve thought about buying an additional membership to a yoga/pilates studio… until I see the pricing and then decide no thanks. Buying new workout clothes helps to motivate me though, which I do way too often. Doing home workouts on YouTube are a nice change of pace too. What else has been motivating me lately is this new workout plan made specifically for the gym, and new workout gear/tools that I’m sharing with you today!

Terry and I recently joined a new gym closer to our new house and we’re still getting used to the new setup. Our new gym is nicer but doesn’t have all the tools our old gym had, so I turned to Amazon to find some goodies for the gym and now I’m that person who walks around the gym with a gym bag… ugh I know.

Sometimes we need extra motivation, and different things motivate different people, so maybe these tools will help to motivate some of you!

A PEEK INSIDE MY GYM BAG:

Padded Ankle Strap

This FitGirl Ankle Strap is perfect for glute kickbacks on the cable machine! I prefer this exercise to using the actual glute kickback machine, which I feel doesn’t target the areas I want to target. I really feel it in my whole glute area when I use an ankle strap! You can also use it for cable hip abductions too. Plus, I like knowing I’m the only one using this strap, for sanitary reasons.

If your gym doesn’t have a ankle strap, I highly recommend this strap, if you’re trying to grow the booty like me!

Booty Bands

Resistance bands for the booty! Whitney Simmons got me hooked on these booty bands. If you haven’t seen her videos, you are missing out! She’s my gym inspo and gives me so many new ideas. I especially love using these bands to warm up my legs and glutes (by doing squats, jump squats and lateral side walks, with the band above your knees) and then at the end of my workout for extra toning to really burn out the muscles (glute bridges with a dumbbell, one leg raised glute bridges and more). These bands are essential! I also love using them for this TIU video with Lorna Jane, which I do 2-3x through after a workout and it feels so good!

Sliders

These are great for mountain climbers, plank squat jacks, curtsy lunges, side lunges and so much more! Sliders add a fun element to any workout and if you’ve never used them before, then owww – the burn!! I love using them while doing this TIU video too. It’s a different kind of burn that’s SO GOOD. The ones I bought are currently sold out but these are basically the same!

Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds

Picked these SkullCandy earbuds up at Target over the summer and I still love them! The only con is having to remember to charge their battery… but other than that, they work great, never fall out of my ear, the sound quality is good and they don’t get in the way of my workouts! What are your favorite earbuds for workouts?!

Protein & Snack Bars

In case of hunger emergencies – I always have snacks on hand. I recently picked up the 22 Days Nutrition Protein Bars from Target (the Fudge Brownie) flavor… and they’re SO GOOD. They only have 4 grams of sugar, plus 15 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber! They’re not a candy bar, but they sure do taste like it. Mmm! I also like the Health Warrior Chia Bars but they’re so darn small and are gone in two bites, ugh. I wish they were a little bigger but then again, they’re great for a mini (super mini) snack before or after the gym.

Alkaline Water

Normally I would recommend a reusable glass water bottle as it’s more eco-friendly but mine froze and broke while in my car… so until I get a new one, I’ve been loving the Hawaiian Volcanic Bottled Water from Waikea! It tastes super crisp and is filled with natural electrolytes. Not to mention, I feel extra cool drinking alkaline volcanic water. In all seriousness, get a glass water bottle you guys! I just ordered this super cute one.

Nike Flex Supreme TR5 Training Shoes

These are the BEST training shoes I’ve found. My feet would slide around in my old shoes and I can’t even tell you how big a difference shoes make when your feet are snug and have a good grip, especially while doing squats with the bar – you want your feet firmly planted! So the Nike Flex Supreme training shoes are comfortable and super supportive with a nice cushion – I could wear them all day. They’re also on major sale right now for under $60!

Small Adidas Gym Duffle Bag

Not too big and not too small, its the perfect size duffle bag! Since its winter, I usually wear my snow boots to the gym and bring my gym shoes in my gym bag. They fit perfectly in there, along with my other essentials! I love the plain black but they have tons of cute color combinations. To help my brain be more organized, having one bag for all my gym stuff has seriously helped. I used to switch everything between two different purses and now I can put everything in one bag and always know where my headphones/lock are. I highly recommend getting a gym bag!