As any fellow fitness enthusiast will know, having a few essentials will add to the best workout. Your must-haves will reflect your fitness goals and personality, making them unique to you and it is important to ensure these essentials will benefit your workouts. Being prepared is part of success, so make sure you have those items in check before each workout to help with that end goal you have in sight.
Whether you are a gym newbie or have been running the grind for years take a look at some of my gym essentials which might help you on your journey; they could help push your success further.
1. A Good Breakfast – The right breakfast will give the energy required for a great workout and better results. I believe in the power of food, especially when it comes to fitness and fat loss. Whether you are an early bird and workout in the morning, afternoon or evening, you need to be fueled properly in order to benefit from the workout. I am not a promoter of fasted exercise and believe that food will help to fuel you better rather than an empty stomach. That fuel will push you through the workout better and help to get you on track for those desired results. You want to be eating 1 to 2 hours before the activity, so if you are short on time make sure you have a smaller snack as opposed to a big meal just before you hit the gym. Breakfast should be at the top of everyone’s gym list.
2. The Right Workout Programme – We all know that being active is crucial for health, fitness and fat loss, but knowing what to do can be quite overwhelming. It all comes down to your goals, what results do you want, how much time do you have, how many days per week can you commit to and what do you actually enjoy. These factors are crucial to address in order to get the right workout programme for you. By understanding the answers to these factors the best workout can be picked for you. Just because one friend likes running, another lifts weights and another does spinning classes and yoga; it does not mean that you have to follow their plan. If you are completely lost on what to do, experiment with a few types of activities to see what you enjoy and then a plan can be put together to suit your tastes, goal and time available.
3. Workout Gear – I am a big believer in wearing the right workout attire. Most importantly the clothing needs to fit right and suit the type of activity you are doing. Choose fit over fashion! It is great to wear the latest trends and feel great in colourful clothing, however make sure it is well-fitted especially when it comes to doing those squats! Also, make sure your trainers support your feet and ankles and do not rub, pinch or hurt at any point during a workout. You might want a pair of weight lifting gloves to avoid calluses!
4. Water – This is absolutely essential! During a workout you will be getting sweaty, burning calories and using lots of energy, therefore it is important to keep hydrated. You will be surprised what taking a sip of water can do for the extra burst of motivation and energy during a tough workout. Remember to keep drinking the water after the workout too!
5. Towel – For most of us, sweating will happen during a workout, this is normal, however others do not want to be sitting in your sweat. When you have used equipment and know that you have been sweating, make sure you give it a wipe afterwards. Plus, use the towel to wipe your sweat away!
6. Music – Good music will keep you pumped throughout a workout! Most of us find it incredibly motivating; however we all have personal preference. If you are not a fan of the gym music be sure to take your own music player and headphones to get in the zone, have a great workout and a cheeky little dance!
What are your gym essentials?
Rebecca Duckworth is a freelance writer, trainer and coach on a mission. She helps women to enjoy working out, love food without guilt and to relish life.
