It all begins the moment we close the dresser drawer that contains our short shorts, summer dressers, and our itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny bikinis, that our motivation to sport a hot bod dies down. After we feel the hint of a chill, we hide ourselves underneath cozy sweaters and scarves and then travel home to devour our delicious, oversized, holiday meals. In all the craziness, it’s easy for a few unwanted lbs. to fall onto our plates as well. However, that doesn’t need to be that case every year.
NO! I am not going to tell you to avoid eating the meals your moms and grandmas slaved over nor I am telling you to avoid wearing bulky clothing (staying warm means staying healthy)! I am simply going to tell you all to…drum roll please! EXERCISE! It may be hard to want to workout when it’s 39° outside, but when you have the right tools, workouts are a breeze.
Gym necessity #1: The Tennis Shoe
A terrific workout starts with the right shoe, and the right shoes depends on your workout. You want to have a shoe that fits comfortably with socks on and that support and cushion your foot properly. Having the right shoe can lessen the impact exerted on your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and back. And don’t use your friend’s shoes. After a while, the soles and cushioning of the shoes conforms to its regular wearer. Wearing someone else’s shoes will increase discomfort and the risk of injury during your work out.
Gym necessity #2: The Water Bottle
Everyone knows staying hydrated is a crucial part of working out and of life in general. But making sure that you are hydrated will ensure that you perform to your best during your workout, which, in turn, will better your results. Bring a water bottle to Lilly to help you stay hydrated throughout your workout. Drank all your water? No worries! The water bottle filler right down the hallway from the weight room is always refreshingly cool and there makes it easy to refill water bottles. Bonus: Drinking coffee an hour or so before your workout may enhance performance. Just don’t drink to much of it and continue to stay hydrated!
Gym necessity #3: The iPod
Who works out without a sweet, heart-pumping playlist? Not I! For a good, long workout, I must have my iPod handy. When I’m gearing up for an hour long date with the elliptical, I put on a movie. (NOTE: If you laugh while watching a comedy, people may look at you funny. Ignore it, and resume your workout and your entertainment.) While running or using free weights, I pump up the tunes! Try to make a playlist of songs whose beats go along with your running pace. Some ideas for your upbeat playlist include Yeah 3X by Chris Brown, We Speak No Americano by Yolanda Be Cool & Dcup, Creator by Santigold, All I Ever Wanted by BassHunters, and Like a G6 by Far East Movement.
Gym necessity #4: B.Y.O.T. (Bring Your Own Towel)
We all sweat. It’s a good sign too. And if you’re not sweating, your workout is obviously not hard enough. So when heading off to the gym, don’t think twice about bringing a hand towel. The towels provided in Lilly’s weight room may be clean, but they are not soft and can easily irritate you skin. Use Lilly’s towels to sanitize and wipe off equipment, and use your own towel to dap the beads of sweat of your forehead.
Gym necessity #5: The Friend
Grabbing a pal and heading to the gym will make your workouts 10x more fun. However, picking the right friend is half the battle. Pick a friend who actually goes to the gym. You don’t want to have to drag your workout buddy to the gym. Secondly, pick a friend that plans on doing similar exercises. Third, discuss your workout and set a time. Having a friend will help you stay motivated. On the days that your not up for the gym, perhaps she will be. You’ll have to go then. Believe me, you’ll thank her in the end.
Lilly is open 6am to 11pm on weekdays and 8am to 11pm on the weekends. The swimming pool’s hours are posted on e-services and in the Lilly Center.
Happy workouts everyone!