Gym Bag Essentials

mbaker566 · January 2016

I'm sure this has been done to death but my turn.

What do you have in your gym bag that you feel is essential? hair ties? your own towel? sandals for the shower?
I've been exercising but ice is bringing me indoors and I've never been a gym person before. I really have no idea what to bring

some days I'll be going in the morning before work and other days I'll be heading over after work. My skin is prone to eczema and my hair is prone to grease.

AdrianChr92 · January 2016

Lifting shoes, t-shirt, shorts, towel, underwear and socks for after shower, shampoo and soap, deodorant, notepad for logging progress, phone+ear buds, a pencil and a comb

mbaker566 · January 2016

thanks

sanfromny · January 2016

Gloves (for working with weights), extra headphones, towel, inhaler(I have asthma), hair brush and extra twisty , extra t-shirt, so i don't walk out wearing a wet t-shirt when it's cold out, heart rate monitor and water bottle

mbaker566 · January 2016

good stuff. i forgot about a brush

kshama2001 · January 2016

Here's a recent thread on the topic: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10310341/whats-in-your-gym-bag

OyGeeBiv · January 2016

Will you be going to work straight from the gym on the days you work out in the morning? If so, you'll need shower stuff: soap, shampoo, conditioner. Maybe skin cream? Deodorant, powder, makeup, jewelry, toothbrush, toothpaste.... Of course, bring your work clothes including shoes and socks/stockings. A refillable water bottle.

Bring some sort of snack to have on your way to work - many people want protein after a workout. I like yogurt with some nuts thrown in.

If you'll be doing anything in the water, bring a large zip lock for your wet bathing suit (and towel, if the gym doesn't provide them). If your workout clothes are stinky, bring a zip lock for them, too.

Don't forget a lock for your locker!

mbaker566 · January 2016

thanks

I'm afraid I'll forget my work clothes :P or work shoes. i wouldn't want to pack them the night before-all wrinkly.

whmscll · January 2016

Hair ties/clips because I hate working out with my hair on my neck. Lock. Towel. Light jacket for after the gym, when I'm sweaty and get chilled. Water bottle. iPod/ear buds.

OyGeeBiv · January 2016

moyer566 wrote: »

thanks
I'm afraid I'll forget my work clothes :P or work shoes. i wouldn't want to pack them the night before-all wrinkly.

Clip your car keys to the hanger that has your work clothes, so you can't drive away without it. Pack everything else in your bag the night before.

mbaker566 · January 2016

hair ties, never enough. i generally wear buffs since i have those more readily available but hair ties(since i'm transitioning from outdoor running)

oh smart key trick

jacksonpt · January 2016

The only thing I really need is a proper change of clothes. Beyond that, I don't really need anything. I'm coordinated enough to be able to run and carry my phone/keys if needed, and while music is nice when I lift, it doesn't have any direct impact on my workout.

I typically keep my garmin & chest strap in my bag. During the winter I keep a thin hat/skull cap in there. I used to keep a few bucks in a zipper pocket just in case, but I used it to raid the vending machine at work one day and haven't ever replaced it.

mbaker566 · January 2016

cool

amgreenwell · January 2016

pad lock, towel, earbuds, lip balm, armband phone holder, goggles, hair ties, extra socks, extra sports bra

ryanbrowning115 · January 2016

Iphone with a great playlist-lots of crazy music, headphones, lifting gloves and belt, towel, lock and my Liporidex PRE/T pre-workout with a shaker and 2 scoops of Optimal Nutrition Extreme Chocolate Protein and 1oz of almonds so I get it in right after workout. I shower/change at home, gym showers are not my favorite..

99clmsntgr · January 2016

I work out at lunch using my company's gym (better than a hotel gym, but not near an established chain gym). It's nice, but doesn't have a lot of the amenities that a chain has (no towel service, things like that)

In rotation:
Workout clothes appropriate for whatever I'm doing that day
Clean post-shower towel
Washcloth

In the bag always:
Soap for said shower (I'm picky)
Deodorant
Cologne
Hair gunk
Random bandaids and other first-aid type stuff
Lifting gloves
Lacrosse ball (for working out the kinks)
Emergency socks (sometimes I forget to pack them)
Yurbuds
Strap for heart rate monitor
Arm pocket for iPod
Jump Rope (I have it tied up to the length I like, rather than taking that risk of getting the right one in the gym itself)
Sunglasses for running or other outside workouts

Ohwhynot · January 2016

I have exactly 1 hr to change, workout, and get back to my desk so I don't have time for a full shower (which is gross some days)... My essentials: hair ties, dry shampoo, deodorant, and some sort of wipe (baby wipe, etc). If I did have time to shower, I would bring some sort of flip flop or shoe to wear in those nasty showers.

mbaker566 · January 2016

all good stuff.

Working2BLean · January 2016

Put your lock on your gym bag as a habit.

Lock it to your zipper or something as soon as you unlock your locker

It will keep you from leaving it at the gym. I have forgetting my lock!!

VeryKatie · January 2016

How big is your bag and what does your gym provide? Do you think you'll have to shower afterward?

I'd say:
Shoes and socks
Shirt
Shorts
Sports bra
Notepad/phone
Music if you want
Maybe a watch

And for getting ready after:
Change of clothes incl. undies, bra, shrit, pants, shoes, socks - If you wear to the gym in the morning either your workout stuff or the stuff you'll wear at work, you only really need to remember the right underwear and socks.
shower sandals
2 in 1 shampoo/bodywash + body puff or cloth
face cleanser
hair brush
hair drier (unless your gym has this)
towel for shower (unless gym provides it)
Deodorant
Makeup as wanted

It's pretty similar to going to the beach actually. So replace the swim suit with workout clothes and skip the sun screen and you should have what you need. Go after work on your first time so that if you miss something, you're heading home, not to work where it will be a big deal.

tracefan · January 2016

TOWEL, water, hair brush, deodorant, mints. headphones... I shower at home

TaraTall · January 2016

Depending on your workout or time constraints, I am a huge advocate of dry shampoo!

MostlyWater · January 2016

I keep this list in the computer since it's discussed so often here .....

You need a lock; either the kind with a combination or a key. If it's a key, rubberband it onto your water bottle or wear it, even while in the shower.

Bring a water bottle; the kind that doesn't spill. You can fill it there. If you tend to have senior moments, stick the combination to your locker on the bottom of your soap container AND your water bottle, because one will always be out with you.

If there is towel service, on the way in, get one to stand on when you dress/undress. If you shower there, bring shower shoes and a shower cap if you want one; soap and shampoo too. I got a mesh bag to keep them in so they don't mold when they are wet.

Use 2 towels when you shower, for your top and bottom separately, and so they don't fall off and flash everyone, keep them on with large banana hair clips.

It's very handy to keep separate make up wipes, lip gloss, extra moisturizer, etc in your gym bag, so you aren't transferring things back and forth a lot. Bring extra underwear too. Make a list if you think it will help - certain clothes for spinning, weight gloves when you lift, etc. You don't want to carry 10 tons of things around unless you need them.

Be nice to the cleaning people and the desk people & tip them at holiday times. Learn their names if you can.

Don't use your cell phone in the locker room, it's against gym etiquette. If you have an outside pocket of your gym bag, keep your id and lock in there so you are easy in, easy out.

In the wintertime, if you are freaked out about your coat walking away, get a 2nd lock and stick things in a 2nd locker. Try to be unobtrusive about it.

Cahgetsfit · January 2016

mine has:

lifting shoes
posing heels
shower towel
little towel for use on machines
underpants
deodorant
a little baggy with feminine hygiene products and a hair tie
my workout clothes
long socks
normal socks
my workout plan printout
my posing routine printout with notes to remind myself what to do
weight training gloves

I think that is all.

Capt_Apollo · January 2016

Lock
flip flops for shower
towel
fresh socks and underwear (two pairs of each)
clean workout clothes
spare head phones
toothpaste and brush
deodorant and travel size shampoo and soap
clean post-gym clothes
spare sneakers
water bottle
plastic bags for soiled clothing

Capt_Apollo · January 2016

moyer566 wrote: »

thanks
I'm afraid I'll forget my work clothes :P or work shoes. i wouldn't want to pack them the night before-all wrinkly.

a guy at my gym comes in in his full business suit at 6am for that reason. he hangs them in the locker and changes.

callsitlikeiseeit · January 2016

towel, clothes and toiletry bag with shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, comb, hair ties and deodorant

if you wear make up, i guess that (i dont lol)

peleroja · January 2016

I carry quite a bit of stuff:

Medium towel/body wash/flip flops
Small towel (for covering the treadmill screen so I don't stare at the numbers ticking by)
Headband/hair ties/hairpins/brush
Swimsuit/goggles/swim cap
Face cleansing wipes/deodorant/dry shampoo/rollerball perfume
Tinted moisturizer/mascara
Headphones/tablet (in case I want to read on the treadmill)
Water bottle
Work clothes + extra socks and underwear in case I forget to put them in my bag the night before with my work clothes, which has happened one and I had to wear my sweaty sports bra at work.
Gym clothes/running shoes

I just keep all that stuff in there all the time so that I can swim or shower if I want/need to and can make myself presentable for work. It comes home with me twice a week for clean clothes/towels.

mbaker566 · January 2016

thanks everyone, i put together an amazon list for stuff i'll need.

Kimmotion5783 · April 2019

Thank you for asking this, mbaker. I'm switching to morning workouts before work and have also been wondering what to bring in terms of a pre-work workout. Everyone's responses are really appreciated, it helps give me a comprehensive idea of what to pack. Thanks, all!

thatjodiegirl · April 2019

I used to use regular flip-flops in the shower at the gym, but that got gross putting wet flip-flops (with all of that shower funk on them) in a bag. Then, there was taking them home and washing them and allowing them to dry, then remembering to repack them.

My solution? I went on Amazon and ordered disposable pedicure slippers. They come in packs of 12. I keep a pack in my bag at all times. When I'm through showering, I just throw them away. The more you order, the cheaper they are per pair. I ordered a pack of 400, and I think that came to 7 cents per pair.

Gym Bag Essentials

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