Fitness Favorites for 2019

Did you set a New Years resolution to get fit? I suspect almost all of us did. 😉 I really hope you are hanging in there with your program or maybe making some little tweaks to make your program work better for you.

I thought I’d round up some fitness favorites for you just in case you need a little extra motivation or maybe a reward for sticking with your goals.

I used to belong to a pricey gym and late last year I finally cancelled my membership.  I loved the atmosphere but when I really did the math, I just wasn’t using enough of the amenities to justify the price.  So this year I have been changing things up and doing basic track running and some at home strength training.  An app that is totally free and I am really enjoying right now is the Open Gym app.  It is a daily 15-20 minute workout that requires zero equipment.  No excuses my friends. On the days that my girls don’t have soccer practice or games, they join me to do this workout.  It really is very simple and effective.

Here are some of my fitness favorites for this year.  I’d love it if you left a comment below too with any items you swear by to stay strong in 2019.

New Water Bottle.  I bet almost all of us could stand to hydrate more and a gorgeous new water bottle makes me so happy.  I drag mine around everywhere so I have to remind myself its ok to pay a little more for a really good one.  I certainly use it enough to justify spending a little money.

Fitbit Tracker.  I resisted Fitbits for many years. I still don’t have a Fitbit (I actually Apple Watch late last year) but I use my apple watch so frequently now.  I can’t imagine not having one or the other.  I love keeping track of how far I run, the quality of my sleep, having the timer function and more.  And by the way, your rest is every bit as important as your exercise so I really find the sleep app fascinating.  (Spoiler alert: I get enough hours in bed but not nearly the quality rest I need.  Working on it…)

Plantronics Earbuds.  Good headphones are a purchase you won’t regret.  I actually prefer my giant Bose Around Ear headphones but I am really considering something smaller and more compact this year.  The cords on my headphones make me crazy so I might make this change to these wireless earbuds soon.

Invisible Hair Bands. Good hair bands are another investment that you won’t regret.  My hair is so heavy and I absolutely can not take a step without having my hair pulled back.  I haven’t tried these yet but I have heard great things about them and they don’t leave a big dorky crimp in your hair.  #winning

New Sneakers.Is there anything better than a new set of kicks?   I love a super cushiony pair and these Adidas ones are so cute- I love the blush pink for Spring.

Running Belt.  Yes I know.  This is a fanny pack.  I know.  But if you walk, hike, jog, run, chase kids or dogs at the park you are going to love these things.  I have a black one that is super slim that I can toss my phone and keys into.  It lays completely flat so I don’t look super dorky and my hands are totally free.

Foam Roller.  If you haven’t tried a foam roller they are pretty amazing.  It hurts but really digs into your muscles to keep them long and lean and is a must for after a hard workout. I bought a shorter one this year and now I regret it.  These long ones are much easier to balance on.  I do a weekly workout with my daughter’s running coach and we often workout next to serious college athletes.  I am always so surprised to see giant football guys or baseball guys rolling out their muscles before and after workouts with these foam rollers.

Yoga Mat. I just bought a thinner version of this mat and now I wish I had grabbed the thicker mat.  I use mine daily with the foam roller and with quick at home workouts. You have no excuse when you have a mat and a tiny bit of space.  Get down and plank, do crunches, squats.  There are so many things you can do in just 10 minutes.

Epsom Salts.  Did you overdo it?  A relaxing soak with epsom salts is a great way to work out some of the aches and pains.  Our running coach always recommends epsom salt bathes after tough workouts or when my girls have a super intense sports weekend. (I use Young Living essential oils with these epsom salts, the Deep Relief roller ball and Cool Azul Sports cream.

Face Wash.  I just started using this face scrub a few months ago and I really like it.  Not too harsh and I keep it in the shower to use on my face and my back and chest after workouts.

Dry Shampoo.  A total must because I try hard not to wash my hair more than a few times a week.  My hair gets crazy oily and I use dry shampoo all the time to try and keep it healthy.  The less expensive dry shampoos tend to make me itchy and sometimes feel gross to me.  I have been using Living Proof for awhile now but I have heard great things about drybar and Oribe too.  I think I am going to try this Moroccan Oil dry shampoo next.  I like that they have a dark hair version and light hair version.

Cute Pouch.  I love this cute little pouch to remind me to drink more water. I prefer clear pouches so I can see exactly what I have and also it forces me to be tidy and neat.