1.22.22

For someone who goes to the gym as much as I do for as long as I have, you’d think I’d have shared more of my must-haves on here over the years. But, here we are, so let’s just chalk the last 10+ years up to research.

  1. My partner turned me on to Ciele running hats, and they’re such a fun way to add a an extra layer to your gym ‘fit. It’s also perfect to have on hand for those hot, sunny summer walks.

  2. I’ve had the same Athleta muscle tanks on repeat for over a year now, and wanted a change of pace. I found these Lululemon tanks on sale for $29-39. They sell out fast, but if you’re persistent enough (by keeping the window open and hitting “refresh” throughout the day) you just might get lucky.

  3. The Elation Ultra-High Rise leggings from Athleta (or even the regular Elation) are my holy grail leggings. The waist is nice and high, compression is medium, and the fabric is buttery soft. The only downside is that the color selection is limited and admittedly not as exciting as Lululemon.

  4. I’m on my second pair of wireless earbuds from Encafire. The right bud from my first pair (RIP) is lying somewhere on the Jay Street Metrotech F track. But, for only $45, dropping it didn’t ruin my day.

  5. These Nike socks are the perfect height to wear with leggings. I find the calf-length version to be unflattering on me, but these are still long enough to keep my ankles covered on my frigid morning walk to the gym.

  6. I’ve been considering getting proper weightlifting shoes for a while now, but couldn’t get myself to pull the trigger on anything over $50. The flat sole on these Nike trainers is supposed to prevent injury and help engage leg muscles during squats and lunges. At $60 and in this cute color combo, I’m going to give them a try.

  7. This gym tote from Rains is waterproof and easy to throw in the wash (when you remember). It easily fits my gym journal, phone, a towel, and water bottle. There’s even room for a few Trader Joe’s essentials on the way home.

  8. I got this Garmin watch for my birthday two years ago, when I thought I’d work on my relationship with running during quarantine. Turns out, we hate each other and I’ve since fell hard for weightlifting. But I still wear it daily to track my steps, workouts, and heart rate.

  9. Having a good podcast to look forward to in the morning helps motivate me to hit the gym. I like to get my news fix first thing, so you’ll find me tuning into Start Here, Pod Save America, The Daily, and Political Gabfest on the regular.