Friday, October 2, 2015

The Workout Necessities

As I mentioned yesterday, I've recently got my groove back when it comes to working out and one of my main goals this month is to keep that momentum going. Throughout my fitness journey I've come to the realization that there is a short list of things required to get my butt in the gym and have a good workout.


1. Get it done in the AM: Yes you will have to wake up an hour earlier. Yes its fall and it's dark at 5am and yes your bed is so very warm and comfy. But will you actually go to the gym after a long day at work?...No.

I like morning workouts for a few of reasons. 1) I end up feeling accomplished all day 2) its super easy to slide out of bed, throw your hair up and get into workout clothes. Much easier in fact than packing a gym bag, taking off your make-up and hoping you remembered to throw deodorant in your purse and 3) the other people working out with you in the morning are there to work out too, nobody, I repeat NOBODY is at the gym at 6am to pick you up with cheesy lines or stare at your ass while you do mountain climbers,


2. Taking a Pre-workout and eating a Banana: I'm not a huge supporter of supplements. I've witnessed people lose weight and gain muscle in healthy and unhealthy ways and those who did it the healthy way look better and have been able to maintain their fitness. I do however, believe in the benefits of taking a pre-workout. It really does give you a little extra oomph and gets you too that next level of sweat. I personally like the Vega Sport Pre-Workout Energizer. It does it's job and I don't feel jittery and shakey at all.

Because I usually work out in the morning I don't typically eat breakfast before. My body responds well to fasted cardio and I rarely feel lightheaded during my workouts. BUT if I know that I want to push extra hard or have a metabolic style workout planned, then I'll eat a banana before just to have some extra energy. I always eat a breakfast afterwards and usually have a protein shake too.


3. Being comfortable in my Workout Gear: This is a big one for me. I like to feel put together when I'm working out in the sense that I want my clothes to fit properly and look half decent. I don't want my boobs popping out or feel like I need to keep pulling up my pants. It just shouldn't be something I need to worry about. I like working out in tight capris, racer back style tanks and supportive sports bras. This line-up makes me feel secure and confident and is cute enough to grab groceries or a coffee with a friend post work out. My favourite place to shop for workout gear is Old Navy, they have a great selection and are reasonably priced!


4. Having a pre-planned workout: I've never been super structured in this department but i know that I've had more success when I walked into the gym already knowing what I wanted to do. Even if it's as simple as "leg day", "arm day" or "cardio". I like to find different interval workouts or circuits to follow since it takes your head out of the equation. All you have to do is follow along and most of the time you'll be surprised that its already been 30 minutes or that you've done 3 rounds. There are thousands of routines online to pick through on-line. I like Tone It Up, Alexa Jean Fitness and Pinterest for different options.


5. Music, Music, Music!: I'm the girl lipsyncing to Mariah Carey, Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande on the treadmill and moving her hips to Zac Brown Band, Avicii and Christina Aguilera while doing biceps. Whatever gets you grooving is going to make your workout better, guaranteed! I love listening to my favourite songs while doing cardio because even if they're heartfelt ballads it still distracts me from what I'm really doing since I'm too busy imagining myself belting the song out on stage at MSG haha




What are your workout necessities?
Anything I should be giving a try?
Linking up with Amanda for favourites!

2 comments:

  1. support. i used to do a Pre but then i ran out and just never bothered to get more! Vega is the best pre, BTW. also, having a plan when working out is a must - you maximize your time there and get the most out of your workout!

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  2. You're like my workout soul sister! I am definitely a morning workout girl too. It just makes it easier to cross it off the list and know it's done rather than make excuses for why and how I got so busy that I ended up not going at the end of the day. Bananas are my favorite pre-workout snack too and for some odd reason, I've actually never tried a pre-workout drink!

    AND AMEN to dressing properly. I mean, really, I don't want to see your boobs or the underside of your butt cheek, so please proper attire would be great ;) Have you looked up the BBG guides from Kayla Itsines? I was doing her workouts before I found out I was expecting, but they are GREAT also (go stalk her instagram if you get a moment - you'll see what I mean)!

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