Since I’ve switched up my routine and started going to the gym before work rather than afterwards, I have to be super organised with packing my gym bag the night before. It was pretty easy to just throw my gym kit in when I knew I was going when I finished work, but now it has to contain everything I need whilst at the gym, and then to be ready for the office immediately afterwards. Luckily I’ve got into a real routine now with packing my bag the night before – but I love having a nose at what’s inside other people’s gym bags (in blog posts, I don’t go through the lockers at the gym, that would be weird and illegal) so I thought I’d share mine! I keep a list of things I need to take in the Notes section of my iPhone and then the night before I just throw everything in and I’m ready for that early alarm!
I have a membership at the Pure Gym that’s just across the road from my work. It’s actually about 40 minutes from where I live but it suits me better to be able to go the gym just before or after work – then at the weekends when I’m not near the gym I try and fit in something like a long walk, a run or a kettle bell routine in the garden. (Plus the gym membership is about £16 a month so if I only go a couple of times a week it’s still totally worth it).
Holdall, Hype at Get The Label, £14.99
This holdall is perfect for the gym as it’s just the right size to cram in all my work clothes and other bits, as well as being soft so it can be crammed into a locker. The one I had previously was way too rigid and I always used to burn about 100 calories just trying to fit it in the tiny lockers at PureGym!
Gym gloves – Decathlon, £7.99
I wear a pair of gloves when I’m using any of the weights, whether it’s free weights like bars and dumbbells or the weights machines. It just stops you from getting blisters and the weights from slipping (which you don’t want when you’re throwing kettlebells around!)
Small toiletries bag with shampoo, conditioner and shower gel
Lush The Comforter (£4.95), Rehab Shampoo (£5.75), American Cream (£4.95)
I buy the Lush 100g bottles for the gym as they’re perfect for stashing in my gym bag, plus I can just keep them in the bag rather than having to dig around for a shower gel when I’m packing my bag. I keep these in a little bag that I can take in the shower with me at the gym, along with a beach towel (not a big fluffy one as it takes up too much space in my bag!)
Wireless Headphones, Panasonic, £99.99*
When I’m at the gym doing a workout I either listen to music, or I’ve just started a trial of the Skyfit app, which has routines that it walks you through that you can do whilst at the gym. These Panasonic headphones are wireless so you don’t have to battle with dangling cords (anyone else constantly panic they’ll somehow get caught on the treadmill?) They’re also sweat proof and waterproof so you can even run in the rain if, you know, that’s your thing (fair-weather runner right here).
The sound on these is amazing so when I’m not using the Skyfit app I’m usually listening to my favourite gym playlists on Spotify on my phone, or on my iPod. They also charge in 15 minutes, so if I only remember to charge them just as I’m getting ready in the morning, there’s still enough time to whack them on charge and not have to be music-less at the gym (the absolute worst).
GHD Air Dryer, £74
The gym hair dryers are those awful little ones with the button you have to permanently press down – they take about an hour to dry my hair so I always pack my GHD hairdryer, it dries my hair so quickly and makes it feel really nice (it always looks much nicer than when I just get ready at home!) I also take my GHD straighteners with me – unfortunately my hair is much too thick to be able to just blow dry it so I have to tidy it up with straighteners afterwards. I feel a bit over-enthusiastic getting a whole hairdresser’s worth of tools out at the gym but it’s worth it to not have to worry about my hair looking awful all day.
Jewellery Pouch – Gypsy Warrior – {similar pouch, $12.80}
The one thing I constantly forget when I’m packing a change of clothes for the next day is jewellery – but I feel naked if I’m not wearing a watch, so I pack my watch and other jewellery in this pouch so that I can wear all my usual bits to work. I like separating everything in little pouches and bags, would hate to just throw in my necklaces and watch in with my shower gels and stuff, is that weird?
Smart Shaker, £5.95
I always have either something small to eat (like a Nakd bar or Quest bar) on the way to the gym, and then a protein shake afterwards (I’ve learned my lesson from when I went to a Personal Trainer appointment on an empty stomach and nearly fell over doing lunges). The Smart Shaker has different compartments so I can put the milk in the main bit and the protein powder in the screw on bit in the bottom (which you can’t see as I’ve screwed it off already!) and then make up the protein shake whenever you like.
iPod Nano, £129*
The iPod Nano is the perfect size for throwing in your gym shorts and not having to worry about carrying your phone around. This was a gift from the lovely people at Panasonic – they kindly had it engraved with a motivational phrase for me to help keep me going when I’m flagging on the treadmill!
Are you a pre-work or post-work gym-goer? What are your gym bag essentials? Ooh, and if you’re considering taking out a gym membership but are new to fitness you might enjoy a post I wrote for the Get The Label blog – Tips for first time gym-goers. Enjoy!
*Headphones gifted by Panasonic, all opinions my own