3 Reasons I’m not going back to the gym

I did it guys. I got vaccinated! (Well, I got the first dose). I’m a front line worker, in a pharmacy, so we’re now witnessing a huge roll out on COVID-19 vaccinations and life has gotten CRAZY (why this blog is late, sorry about that!) Anyway, now that I’m a little more protected, I can feel my anxiety beginnig to decrease and I feel a little more comfortable about the world around me. That being said, I don’t think I’m going to be rushing back to the gym any time soon and it’s kind of crazy for me to be typing that right now because I always thought I needed a treadmill to get a good workout. Turns out I don’t, and I’m not even sure I’ll be returning to the gym. Today, I want to tell you guys why I think home workouts are just as great as gym workouts.

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It’s way more convenient

I was NEVER a morning workout person. That was until I started doing home workouts and my gym became a place right across from my bedroom. Now, I wake up at 6am almost every day and get my workout in first thing in the morning before doing anything else. Why? It’s just so convienent. I don’t have to pack a gym bag, I don’t have to drive anywhere, I just roll out of bed, get dressed, and get it done right then and there. It’s made working out every day easy and convneient and I think that has become a large motivator in getting things done.

I learned in psychology that one of the best things to do to motivate people to workout is make their ability to do so easy, put equipment in an easy to see/access area, and make it so there are less excuses. Having my gym in my office is just what I needed to motivate myself to get it done.

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I’ve Learned about Variety

If you look back on the contents of this blog in years past you’ll notice that almost all my workout content had to do with running. And running is great and I still love it as my first passion, but I’ve also learned that there is a lot more variety out there and I don’t need a treadmill to get that variety. I have learned to love biking, cardio kickboxing, and even weight lifting now that I haven’t been to the gym. And for now, I am able to happily do all those things from home. I’ve slowly been adding to the weights and equipment I have at home (and honestly it’s more cost effective to do that than pay for a gym membership).

Plus, I get to try new things all the time. With there being so many different trainers on youtube, I am always trying something new to see if it’s something I like or something that gives me a good workout. And I get to report back here with my findings, which is always so much fun! Variety works out the body and the mind and so far, I’m really getting to mix it up.

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There are no people!

If you guys don’t know this about me, I don’t like people. Especially when I am trying to workout. When I’m running or working out, I’m there to get in my head space, maybe watch a movie if I’m running, and just get it done. I HATE WHEN PEOPLE TRY TO TALK TO ME AT THE GYM. I just want to get it done and do the thing in my quiet space. Plus, it ruins my flow if you interupt me. So not having people around is great.

Plus, not having guys around to watch me workout (for whatever reason they do it) is so much more comfortable than having to be aware that they are there. There’s nothing worse than that.

And of course, it let’s you focus on you and you alone. I know when I was running, I used to try to run faster and longer than the person nearest me and it really got to me after awhile. I was working out to show off more than I was working out for me. It became toxic and I don’t really want to rush back into that.

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All in all, I think this working out from home thing has really made me fall back in love with working out for the sake of improving myself and myself alone and to be fair, I’m not ready to jump back into a potentially toxic environment again. I like what I have going on here and while it is working for me, I think I am going to continue to work with it. The only reason I might go back to the gym is to start putting long miles back in for half marathon training, but spring is right around the corner, so I might not even need to!

What do you guys like about home workouts? Have you been back to the gym? Are you excited to get back to the gym? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Thanks for you patience on this week’s late blog. School and work have both been insane this term and I’m having a hard time keeping track of time!

Until next time,

Kat

What’s in My Gym Bag? Summer 2019

This is something vloggers usually do: it in front of their camera and record themselves pulling things out of their bag and showing it off. Well, I definitely want to share with you guys some of the things I think are essential to summer running season, but I definitely don’t want to sit awkwardly in front of a camera, so I figured I would do a blog post and show you guys that way what is in my gym bag that I take to the gym, races, and even on night trips.

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My gym bag

It shouldn’t be surprising if you know me that I adore Underarmour gear so of course, I have an Underarmour gym back. But, no, I did not buy it directly from Underarmour. I bought it on sale, on amazon. Technically it was a birthday gift awhile back, so honestly, I don’t remember the exact measurements or how much it was, but if you want to buy the same bag here is a link, I think I got it in small, but don’t quote me.

Anyway, I love this bag. Of course, I got it in pink (the running joke is that all my running gear is either pink or purple, which is actually mostly true. I don’t even like pink that much, it’s just sort of a thing now). This bag is great because there is so much room in it! It has a side pocket and a front pocket along with a huge side panel for shoes to fit in. Everything fits so perfectly in this bag with room to spare. I even can use it to go on trips and it’s the perfect carry-on size for traveling! I love this bag, I highly recommend it.

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So what’s in my gym bag?

I carry a lot in this bag because I use it for both running at the gym and races on the weekend, so I have to make sure it has all my gear in it!

• The essentials- I always make sure I always have all the essentials I need for any run. That includes my knee compression sock, my calf compression socks, my back brace (I haven’t needed that in a while), but I always make sure I have those things in my bag along with a change of clothes and my shoes!
• The outdoor essentials- As a racer, I always have to make sure I have those things that are needed for an outdoor run with me. These are the things that can make or break a race morning if they aren’t ready. I always have to make sure to have my phone band in my bag, and if I don’t keep it in my bag, I will lose it no doubt (it’s happened). The number 2 thing I make sure to always have is sunscreen. I burn easily, so I always make sure to apply sunscreen, even on shady days! I also keep a pair of sunglasses in my bag as well because you never know when you’ll need them. These ones aren’t expensive, in fact, they were free, but they are really nice quality, are durable, and don’t give me a headache.  Finally, I always make sure to have electrolytes on me. Especially during a really hot day, it’s nice to be able to replenish electrolytes lost in sweat!

• The Clean-Up: Just as important as it is to have the essentials needed for a good run, it’s important to have the right things to help make you feel refreshed after. Deodorant, especially one meant for activity, and dry shampoo are a must. The image below shows what I am using right now, but this changes (Especially the dry shampoo) depending on what I grab at the store. I always make sure to have a sweat towel with me as well. I don’t use one very often, but it is nice to have the option to wipe off after a workout, especially HIIT training. That and the towels work great if it’s rainy and you need to dry off.  Clean up wipes are another essential. I love these things, especially if I don’t have a ton of time after a workout to shower before I have to be somewhere. It gives a great alternative.

• Snacks- Yupp, I always make sure to have snacks in my gym bag! Just in case I am super hungry after a race or before a workout, I want to have the option to eat! I also usually have a tiny bottle of Gatorade in my bag as well, just in case.
• The Just in cases- When it comes to outdoor running, I live in a pretty rainy place, so I always make sure to have my rain jacket in my bag, a change of socks and a pair of flip flops in case my shoes are abosolutely soaked after a run in the rain. I also always make sure to have a spare pair of headphones in my bag. I usually always use Bluetooth wireless headphones when I run, but sometimes things can be unpredictable and things happen, so just in case they break or aren’t charged or don’t turn on, I always want a secondary option for music.

• The odds and ends- I always make sure to have feminine care supplies in my bag, because life is unpredictable. I also in the same area always have extra hair ties. I keep Advil in my bag as well because I always take a couple the morning of a race (it’s an ETAP thing).

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That’s about everything that’s in my bag for the summer months. In the winter it’s a little different (cleats and layers and all that) but for the most part, it stays the same generally. Every once in a while they’ll be some odds and ends added in that don’t last long or aren’t even meant to be in there, but for the most part, I try to keep it organized and tidy!

So what’s in your gym bag? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time,

Kat

Gym Bag Essentials

I’ve spent a lot of time at the gym over the past few years, and although I’m not there every single day anymore (there once was a time when my schedule allowed me to be), I still sort of consider myself a gym rat.  And as a gym rat, I’ve come to know what I need to carry with me to the gym with me.  Some of it is stuff I use all the time and other things are just things I have for a back up in case I were to need them.

Today, I want to share with you my gym bag essentials just in case you need some ideas on what to pack in yours.

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Change of clothes

Depending on whether I am going to the gym before or after work, I always make sure to have clothing in my gym bag.  I not only carry my work out clothing in my bag, but also change of clothing, just in case I have to change at the gym to go somewhere.  You don’t want to go out with friends or to run errands in your sweating gym clothing after all!

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Cleansing wipes

I don’t like to shower at the gym and I don’t always have time to run home and take a shower after I work out.  That’s why I like to have full body cleansing wipes in my bag.  They don’t require water and they scrub away the sweat and grim after a workout without leaving my skin feeling dry or leaving a residue.

I’ve been using T.N. Dickson’s witchhazel cleansing wipes, which I picked up at my local pharmacy near the first aid isle.  These do a wonderful job at cleansing the skin and the witchhazel smells clean without any harsh alcohol irritants. Plus the wipes also contain aloe so my skin feels soothed and moisturized!

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Dry Shampoo

I have hair nearly down to my butt, so it’s safe to say that sweating while I run leaves my hair feeling damp and smelly.  That’s why I like to always have a dry shampoo bottle on hand because there is nothing worse than smelly hair!

I don’t like to wash my hair more than a couple times a month, so having dry shampoo handy is a quick way to absorb the sweat and the smell out of my hair and leave me feeling like I just washed it in the shower.  Plus, if I have to run errands right after working out, you wouldn’t know that I didn’t wash my hair right after!

I have dark hair so I do struggle to find a dry shampoo that doesn’t leave white residue in my hair.  I love Bastile dry shampoo because it smells so fresh and clean, but I find it really only works well on my tips and not the roots of my hair.  So it’s great for removing the smell from the tips of my hair that get gross from touching my back, but I can’t use it for my roots.

For my roots, I used a chia seed based dry shampoo.  It doesn’t leave white residue in my hair and it smells decently fresh (though not as fresh as the Bastile if I’m being honest).

Plus, it’s volumizing, so it adds some extra voom to my hair.

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Extra headphones

I am a very forgetful person, so I have a tendency to forget to charge my wireless bluetooth headphones.  That’s why I like to always have a spare set of headphones in my gym bag in case I ever forget mine or in case I ever hear the dreaded “battery low” on my bluetooth headphones. This has saved my workout numerous times.

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Charging Cable

The beautiful thing about treadmills now is that you can charge your phone from them!  So instead of letting a low cell phone battery cut my work out short or make me have to take a later workout time than planned, I just carry a charging cable with me so I can plug in while I work out!  Also, this has saved me numerous times!

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Electrolyte tabs

I am a heavy sweater at the gym, and with my ETAP mixed in with that, I always like to make sure I have emergency hydration tools with me.  There’s nothing worse than starting a run and realizing part way through how insanely dehydrated you are.  (If you’ve never experienced this you are so lucky, but for those of you who have, you know the exact feeling I’m talking about.  You just know something isn’t right).

So instead of letting my body face the pain until it passes, I try to help along with adding extra sodium and electrolytes to aid in the hydration process.

Thankfully sport drinks aren’t the only option to this situation and you can actually buy easy to carry around electrolyte tablets that dissolve in water and act the same way a lot of sports drinks do!

And they’re not hard to come by! Nunn Electrolyte Tablets cost around $6 at Target for a container of ten of them and they come in a ton of flavors!  Other pharmacies also carry other brands of electrolyte tablets, so they aren’t difficult to come by and are easy to carry around in a gym bag!

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Extra hair ties and hair bands

For every girl who goes to the gym, having extra hair accessories in the bag is a must.  There is no worse feeling than getting to the gym and realizing you have nothing to pull your hair back with!  Always carry an extra package of hair bands in your gym bag and never feel like you’ll be without!

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That’s the gist of what’s in my gym bag.  But the real question now is, what’s in yours?  Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time,

Kat