My Workout Must Haves

by | Aug 21, 2018 | Blog

I really enjoy working out. It’s a high point in my day, every day. I’ll be honest with you though, I almost never want to workout beforehand. Prior to the workout, I don’t want to do it. I don’t want to work hard. I don’t want to sweat. But, I remind myself of how great I’ll feel afterwards and that gets me moving. I’ve noticed that I’ve never once regretted a workout. Moving my body is a big part of how I take great care of myself. It’s a magical mood & energy booster.

Today I thought I’d share a few of my workout staples with you. I don’t have much equipment at home (I go to a traditional CrossFit box) but there are a few things I use regularly for stretching & mobility or for those days when I can’t or don’t get to the gym.

Lacrosse Ball

Lacrosse balls give you the ability to get a massage any time. I have three. I keep one in my gym bag, one stays at home and the other travels with me. I roll it against my back and traps prior to every workout. If I’m watching television at home, I’m often simultaneously rolling out my feet, glutes, hamstrings or lats with a lacrosse ball. You can get great pressure against a wall or the floor. They’re smaller and harder than a foam roller, which allows you to get right on top of a muscular knot and work it out. I just find a tight spot and just let the ball do the work.

Kettlebell

I have two kettlebells. One is 35 pounds and the other is 55 pounds, but you can get them at any weight that is appropriate from you.

You can get in a full workout with kettlebells or you can take 60 seconds and do as many swings or squats as possible to just get your blood flowing and increase your energy.

When I worked in an traditional office setting, I had a 35 lb kettlebell in my office and when I got tired or was having trouble focusing, I’d do 10 kettlebell swings or a 5 minute EMOM. It was a great way to energize myself and work in some movement.

Foam roller

This isn’t a part of working out, but, like the lacrosse balls, foam rolling is a big part of recovery, stretching and mobility. I want to take great care of my body because it’s the only one I have! Rolling out my back, legs and lats feels so good and keeps me healthy! Especially since most of my work has me sitting at my computer, rolling out is a great way to reduce stiffness and tightness. Plus, it just feels really good.

Jump rope

With your own body weight, a kettlebell and a jump rope, you have the ingredients for countless incredible workouts! I travel with my jump rope and will do a quick at home workout on my deck when I need to boost my energy.

My workout today is exclusively jump rope, in fact. I won’t make it to the CrossFit gym today, but I’ll do 1 minute on, 1 minute off for 20 minutes. If jump rope is new to you, you can start with 15-20 seconds on and then rest until you’re recovered and go again.

Clothes

If you listened to episode 511 of the podcast, you know that one of the ways I get excited to workout is with my workout clothes. I don’t want to feel frumpy & dumpy heading into a workout – that’s not even remotely motivating. On the flip side, if my clothes fit me well and I look forward to wearing them, I have much better energy going into the workout.

But, cute is NOT the only criteria. It’s not even the most important criteria. They have to fit well. There is nothing more distracting than working out in an outfit that doesn’t allow you to move well. If your pants are falling down or your boobs are popping out, you won’t get in a good workout. I can’t stand yanking at my leggings or pulling up my bra. I want to be able to jump and run comfortably, without my boobs bouncing around or reaching back to make sure my underwear isn’t showing.

The other factor that really matter is price. I won’t lie: I’ve spent over $100 on a pair of leggings before. Many times before, actually. I don’t think that’s necessary. I’ve also spent very little on workout clothes only to find that the quality sucks and they fall apart after a wash or wear.

When Fabletics reached out to me to provide an exclusive deal for the Primal Potential audience, I was SO excited. I’ve been a customer since mid-2014 and feel like their offerings are super cute, very high quality and way more affordable than brand names like Lululemon, Nike and Reebok.

What they offered to Primal Potential fans is TWO pairs of leggings for $24! That’s a seriously insane deal. And, their leggings are legit. They’re strong and sturdy. I wear them regularly in high intensity CrossFit workouts and the quality stands up. Remember how I told you that I’ve easily spent over $100 on ONE pair? Lululemon and Spanx will easily be near or over the $100 mark per pair. Nike and Reebok will run you around and over $50 for one pair. Fabletics: 2 pair for $24! You can get that crazy bargain when you register through the URL they created for Primal Potential readers/listeners: fabletics.com/primalpotential/.

If you’re on the fence, I’ll show you some of the pieces that I’m really loving. I love the style AND the fit. The bras are super cute AND very supportive. The leggings are affordable AND they fit well and last. (I’ve bought bargain gear at big box stores and they inevitably fall apart in weeks!)

How cute are THESE?  I love them for workouts and also just every day casual wear!

Clare Midi Sports Bra

Clare Midi Sports Bra

Aubrey Tank

Aubrey Tank

 

Marcia Sports Bra

Marcia Sports Bra

Salar Solidhold Legging

Salar Solidhold Legging

 

Lavinia Tank

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you guys like seeing my personal picks? If you do, I’ll keep sharing them either here or on Instagram.

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