It’s easy to come up with a million plus one reasons to skip the gym — but when your gym bag is stocked full of fun products, why would you want to ditch?
These goodies go out of their way to ensure your biggest workout annoyances are solved, so you have absolutely no excuse not to get your butt to the gym.
1. Everything Fits gym bag
The name pretty much says it all here. Everything really does fit in this gym bag. Not only does it have straps to carry your yoga mat, but also a vented pocket to air out your gym shoes and lots of internal pockets to keep you organized. (Gaiam, $60)
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2. yurbuds
There’s nothing like a good track to keep your workout at a butt-kicking pace, but earbuds can be a pain — literally. Most earbuds are too big, and become painful after wearing them for a while. The yurbuds Inspire 100 for Women were made just for you. They’re designed for smaller ears and lock into place so they won’t fall out once you hit your stride on the treadmill. (yurbuds, $20)
3. SmartShake shaker cup
Be ready to mix up your pre- and post-workout drinks with SmartShake shaker cups. The three compartments easily store supplements and drink mixes, so they can be premeasured and ready to go when you toss it in your bag. (Bodybuilding.com, $8)
4. Gear Beast dual-pocket running belt
Arm bands used to cut it when we were using an iPod shuffle to carry all our tunes — but now that smartphones are roughly the size of an iPad, it’s just not feasible to strap them on our bicep anymore. Enter the Gear Beast dual-pocket running belt. It expands enough to fit your phone and a couple of other necessities, but it’s not so cumbersome that you look like you’re going to an amusement park in 1991 wearing a fanny pack. (Walmart, $10)
5. Towel with a pocket
Speaking of carrying stuff around, if a running belt isn’t your thing, a towel with a zipper pouch will totally do the trick. Instead of bobbling your keys, phone and a towel — why not just whip a towel over your shoulder with all your essentials safely tucked inside? (Target, $17)
6. Hanging toiletry bags
Can we agree that the showers at the gym are just gross? Even when they look clean, you just know that they’re not. You tiptoe in with your feet covered in flip-flops, but then you set your shower products right down on the shower floor. Eww. This fabulous invention lets you hang your products from the shower rod, right in the bag you packed them in. (GearX.com, $35)
7. Collapsible water bottle
Water is essential to your workout, but lugging around empty water bottles in your gym bag is not. HydraPak’s Stash water bottle supplies you with hydration during your gym time while lightening your load after you’re done. (HydraPak, $23)
8. Cleansing wipes
Cleaning up after a workout is a must, but taking a shower isn’t always an option. Pacifica’s coconut water cleansing wipes get rid of sweat and dripping makeup in an instant — and they smell great. Also be on the lookout for the brand’s Berry Happy wipes, which promise to help fight fatigue. (Pacifica, $6)
9. Sanitizer spray
Get rid of gym germs with The Honest Co. hand sanitizer spray. The tiny bottles travel well and come in handy at grimy places. They’re made for hands, but you can use them on your yoga mat, exercise equipment and anywhere else you think might need a little spritz. (The Honest Co., $6)
Soft hair ties
You actually managed to make your way through a workout without turning your hair into a sweaty mess, and you still have to wash it just to get the kinks out from those ponytail holders and headbands. Not true if you use soft hair ties, like these bright ties from Mane Message. (Mane Message, $7)
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Before you go, check out our slideshow below.
Originally published October 2014. Updated March 2017.
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