My Workout Essentials [+ Why I Always Keep a Water Bottle Handy!]

This post is sponsored by my friends over at FIJI Water, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own, as always!

Happy Monday Friends!

This past weekend was packed with lots of birthday celebrating, moving out of my apartment, and hiking. It was definitely busy, but an incredibly productive and fun weekend! I don’t know if you’re in the LA area, but we’re supposed to be experiencing a heat wave starting tomorrow and I’m not exactly looking forward to it…extreme heat makes me want to sit on the couch in my underwear eating frozen grapes, aka the opposite of getting a workout in! I think what a lot of people forget too, is how important it is to drink extra water during hot days since we’re sweating so much more. I know I do!

If you know me at all, you know I always have water with me. It’s actually kind of a savior when I’m just sitting at my desk because it helps keep me from mindlessly eating, and even more so when I’m at the gym. I grew up not drinking very much of the stuff, and my mom doesn’t actually have water with her when she works out, but I could literally drink 2 giant bottles during my hour workout!

As much as I love (and use) my reusable water bottle, I don’t always have access to clean water or a purifying filter. For this reason, I love having bottle of water in the fridge for when I know I won’t be near fresh water (like on a hike!). Lately, I’ve been looooving FIJI Water. I don’t know what it is about it, but I swear this stuff tastes smoother than anything else. Do you know what I mean? It’s so hard to describe, but it’s crisp and soft, which makes it extra refreshing in the summer.

So with that, here’s what I always keep in my gym bag always for a workout sesh…and I think we can all guess what’s #1 😉

1. Water bottle: Not only is staying hydrated important for healthy skin, faster metabolism, and better digestion, it also makes sure your body is working at its optimal level and is essential for your health. I’m absolutely loving FIJI Water lately since it is has 100% naturally-occurring electrolytes too, which helps replenish those lost during sweaty workouts!

2. Cute (and supportive!) workout gear: I honestly can’t think of anything more motivating that a good freakin’ piece of workout gear. I love cute activewear pieces just as much as the next person, but what’s really important is having gear that isn’t going to be uncomfortable or distract you from your workout. Pulling up saggy leggings or pulling down a sports bra that likes to sneak up is pretty much the worst #amirite?

3. Preworkout snack: I know they say fasting before a workout can help burn fat, but homegirl over here isn’t going to make it 10 minutes into my cardio without my stomach growling if I don’t eat before I leave the house. I love to snack on something small but packed with protein to keep me going as long as I need to like a banana with peanut butter (those little to-go packs are great to keep in your bag!) or a bar that has 5g or less of sugar and minimal ingredients! Anything you can’t pronounce is a no go, duhhhhh.

4. Charged phone + headphones: Music while working out is a MUST. I swear the best workouts I’ve had were because I was listening to motivating music that kept me going. Sometimes it even makes me want to workout longer just so I can keep listening, and audiobooks or podcasts make great hiking companions, too!

5. Backpack: I swear by those little backpacks that have the drawstrings because they’re small enough to stash next to whatever machine you’re working out on, but big enough to hold all my stuff. If you’re hiking, they’re perfect too since they’re out of your way without weighing you down!

With FIJI’s home delivery service (available in the continental U.S.) I never have to worry about not having water on hand, especially since it can be extra heavy to carry cases of water from the store up to my apartment! You can choose from 5 different sizes too (I went with 500mL because it fits easily in my gym backpack!) and even create a subscription so you don’t have to think about re-ordering before or when you run out! Convenient AF.

If you’d like to learn more about FIJI Water (which is filtered by volcanic rock – how COOL is that?!) and their home delivery service, you can visit their website here. Now tell me – what do you keep in your gym bag?!

xo Jordan