Fitness Product Recommendations
With a truly insane amount of fitness products floating around the internet, it can be difficult to find out what works without wasting your time and money. The truth is that you can simply show up to the gym with nothing but yourself and you would be perfectly fine, but some products really are worth the purchase. Especially if you are just starting out on your fitness and nutrition journey, a few tools to make your life a little easier will help keep you on track to reach your goals. I’ve put together a list of products that I believe are well worth the money along with a brief explanation of why I believe they are helpful. Although some of these are affiliate links, meaning I would get a small percentage if you purchased through my link, none of these products are sponsoring me and these recommendations are all products I have personally used and loved.
Exercise Products
#1 Walking Treadmill Pad - https://amzn.to/4d5Y6Gv
I started seeing these gain a lot of popularity on the internet a few months ago and immediately remembered my dad’s office when I was a kid. He had a whole treadmill in the corner of his office that he would balance his laptop on so he could walk while working. Sitting for hours while working, whether you’re in office or working from home, can be truly detrimental to your joint health, posture, circulation, and much more. This little walking pad can fit right under your desk to get your steps in while working, you can use it while watching tv, or you can simply take advantage of having a treadmill available at home, so you don’t have to go outside in bad weather or make the drive to the gym just for some steps. Walking really is the most underrated way to drop body fat, especially if you are starting from a mainly sedentary lifestyle. This product makes getting your steps in so much easier!
#2 Gym Duffle Bag - https://amzn.to/3TvV5Zn
Like I said, you don’t need to have anything with you when you show up at the gym. But the more you go, the more stuff you’ll realize you wish you had with you just in case. A good gym bag can carry some deodorant, a hair tie, a water bottle, headphones, a towel, and your personal gym equipment. It really makes life significantly easier. They say better safe than sorry for a reason!
#3 Beginner Dumbbell Set - https://amzn.to/47pUgXy
This is a worthwhile purchase if you plan to work out from home a lot. If you’re not quite comfortable in the gym or if your schedule requires the convenience of being able to do a quick workout at home, purchasing some dumbbells will allow you to increase your training intensity in the comfort of your home. Honestly, dumbbells are not cheap, and they get more expensive the heavier they are. I linked a good option from Amazon, but you have to prepare to drop some money if you’re looking into a home gym setup.
#4 Squat Bar / Hip Thrust Pad - https://amzn.to/4eoUpwJ
This is not a necessary purchase!! Most gyms have these available at squat racks! However, it is more convenient to have personal gym equipment to ensure that no one else will be using it when you need it and for sanitary reasons. If you’re a regular hip-thruster, I really think this is a good addition to your gym bag.
#5 Resistance Bands - https://amzn.to/4efXkIk
Resistance bands are super useful for people who work out at home, who are just starting with resistance training, or who utilize their benefits in their training at the gym. I use them a lot in my warmup and cool down exercises. They can also be a great tool for mind-to-muscle connection in certain exercises. I think these are a great addition to your gym bag. I show myself using them in my workout program videos which are available to purchase in the shop tab of this website!
#6 Ankle Straps - https://amzn.to/4dZX404
This is a more necessary purchase than the hip thrust pad in my opinion. Every single gym I’ve been to, with the exception of one Planet Fitness that had just opened, has had hip thrust pads available, but one a few have had ankle straps. These are used for cable kickbacks which are game changing for glute growth. Cable kickbacks are an isolation exercise which allow you to activate a different muscle within the glute depending on angles and foot positions.
#7 Squat Belt - https://amzn.to/3XKVvgI
I’ including this for my fellow girls with back problems. I had a spinal fusion surgery in my teen years which fused a large portion of my lower back. This means that area of my spine cannot move at all which has led to muscle atrophy over the years. My spine has metal rods and screws in it that I really don’t want to mess up, so I am very careful with movements that can strain the lower back. A lot of leg exercises can have risk potential. A squat best provides a lot of support for your lower back in movements like squats, RDLs, deadlifts, and more. If you are prone to lower back issues, this might be worth looking into the avoid injury.
Nutrition Products
#1 Planner - https://amzn.to/47qBpvA
Everyone can benefit from a planner! Especially if you are like me and prefer to have a physical planner. It is super easy and convenient to make a to-do list in your notes app, but I find it much more effective to write a real list with pen and paper. Keep track of your daily tasks, your meal plan, and your workouts with a planner to make sure you’re accomplishing your goals on a daily basis and progressing properly in your training. Although, for tracking your workouts, you can also purchase my workout programs which include a pre-made workout plan with weekly charts to track your progress with weights and reps! Shameless plug.
#2 Food Scale - https://amzn.to/4d5KbjU
This is actually 100% necessary for your health and fitness progress. Investing in a food scale means that you can accurately track your caloric intake and keep track of your macronutrients. Using cups and tablespoons is decent, but being able to measure your portion sizes to the gram or the ounce is so important! We often under or overestimate the amount of food we are consuming which completely throws off our nutrition tracking. There are some super fancy food scales on the market, but simple is superior in this case!
#3 Rice Cooker - https://amzn.to/3MJ6RvF
This is really great for the rice lovers. Even outside of fitness and nutrition, if you eat a lot of rice, you definitely need a rice cooker!
#4 Air Fryer - https://amzn.to/3XrbPSz
The air fryer is truly one of the best inventions for dieting! You can make so much delicious food in the air fryer with little to no oil necessary. Honestly, the food is not Michelin star quality, but it is truly so convenient for people trying to cut out the extra calories and fat from cooking food. I make chicken in the air fryer all the time! Put that thing at 380 degrees for 20-22 minutes and it is delicious and juicy. Air fryers truly have endless potential, my brother used it to make macaroni and cheese when he was living in a dorm.
#5 Meal Prep Tupperware - https://amzn.to/4d5YpRF
Oh, these will truly change your life. When you start following a strict meal plan, you will absolutely need some good containers to carry with you everywhere you go. Pack your food for work, for road trips, for daily activities. Meal plans are not terribly hard to follow if you are willing to carry containers of food with you at almost all times.
