Gym-goers before work...

[cransplash]

I changed gyms to be closer to work (30-min drive to work/gym). I hate shuttling around all this crap but if I want to work out, I know I need to do it first thing in the morning before work.

1. What bag do you have to carry all your stuff (work clothes, towel, shower stuff, etc)?

2. Can you review my list and see if I am missing anything (or what I can do to pare down this list?)

Gym bag:
- work top
- work bottom
- belt?
- jewelry?
- bra, undies, shoes

- shower shoes
- body towel, turbie twist
- loofah, body wash, shampoo & conditioner
- face wash, SPF, antioxidant serum, eye cream, moisturizer
- wide tooth comb, hair brush
- tweezers
- dry shampoo
- body lotion
- deodorant, body spray

- headphones, shuffle or iPhone
- eyeglass retainer
- bobby pins
- lock

[tuggyruns]

I use my speedo backpack since most of my work clothes are hanging. Also, another tip- hang your towel up in your car. It dries quicker and is less smelly- even though still kind of so.

Other than that, I buy small "travel size" shampoo, conditioner, soap etc to take to the gym. However, I only go to the gym at work like once a week.

[ebeth]

I'd just buy doubles of all toiletries and keep them in the car in a gym bag. then all you have to do is replace clothes.

do you really need tweezers? can you just tweeze in the PM at home? do you need dry shampoo AND regular? can you get by with face wash and spf on gym days? or buy a combo spf/moisturizer and do the serum/eye cream at night?

[Brit]

Consider buying backpacking towels. I have extra large ones. I use one for my hair and another for my body. The XL one is long enough to cover my rear end when I wrap it around me. They take up almost no space, are super absorbant, and dry very quickly.

[bluelikejazz]

I bought "small" shampoo/conditioner bottles at target - they are 8 oz each, so smaller then the bottles you have at home, but still large enough to last for a few weeks without needing to be refilled.

Buy doubles of things. I have 2 hairbrushes and 2 deodorants so I don't need to move them back and forth every day - one for my gym bag and one for the bathroom (ideally you could do this with makeup/lotion/etc also). You are less likely to forget something.

Pack an emergency pair of undies!

[Brit]

I have two of these in XXL (not XL): www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0075JJ8AC/ref=aw_d_var_pri_sporting-goods?ca=B005I6UKR4&vid=5

[pixy0stix]

You have to provide your own towels?

I'm probably gross, but I don't wear shower shoes. I just rinse my hair, and use the body wash provided by the gym that I just apply with my hands.

I bring all my clothes for the day, plus shoes. I have a small make-up bag that I put the make-up that I'm going to use for the day into. I finger comb my hair into a style and air dry, so no comb. Deodorant. I carry in my bag at all times, lifting gloves, extra barrettes and headbands, extra undies, and sunscreen. I'm not sure how the sunscreen got in there, but it's come in useful. Basically I followed the KISS (keep it simple stupid) model, cause lord knows if I make it complicated I'm going to forget something.

[Brit]

More feedback from me now that I'm at a real keyboard. I have duplicates of my shampoo, conditioner, make-up, soap, deoderant, brush, and hair dryer that I keep in my gym backpack. It was expensive to buy the duplicates, but it was all consumables that I would have to buy more of eventually anyway. Even my fancy hair dryer would have died eventually, I just saw it as buying the replacement early and extending the life of the "at home" one.

I second the "keep an extra pair of underwear in there at all times"; I also get a bit more specific with that requirement and recommend that it be a nude colored thong because that will work under nearly any outfit. It sucks when your outfit is slim fitting light colored pants and you realize that your emergency underwear is red granny panties or something.

[ckinla]

I'm lucky, because my gym provides towels, shampoo, conditioner, body wash (I just rub in on with my hands - bringing a loofah seems like overkill), q-tips, lotion (all Bliss products!), blow dryer, etc. and even plastic bags for my sweaty clothes. So the only thing I bring is a small bag with makeup, deodorant (the gym has spray stuff, which I hate), moisturizer and comb. I keep my clothes for work (which I can wear jeans to, making it easier) in an LL Bean Boat and Tote and just throw my shoes in there as well (plus flip flops for the shower). I use my bag as a clothing rack to drape my wet clothes over while I'm in work (and crack the windows in my car slightly, which helps with the smell) so they don't get all mildewy. I crack the windows overnight too, and it smells fine by morning. I don't have an emergency pair of undies, but it's always my biggest fear - so I think I just may have to keep some in there.

[cransplash]

These are great ideas- thank you!

I like running outdoors, and will (for now) just be going to the gym to do circuit training and lifting. Those days, I don't sweat as much so I will most likely just use dry shampoo if needed (no shampoo/conditioner). Definitely still need to shower though.

I'll look into the backpack towels- I hate lugging those around b/c they are so bulky and heavy otherwise.

[spunkypenguin]

I have a reebok gym duffle bag - I got it for Christmas, but I think it came from Target.  My gym provides towels, shampoo and body wash.  I keep deodorant, lotion, my pouf, q-tips, hairbrush, travel conditioner and a sample size run guard I got for free in one compartment.  I have hair ties, my garmin and chapstick in the small compartment.  Extra tampons for emergencies tucked in an inside pocket.  I keep my shower shoes (old navy cheapie flip flops) and my makeup bag in the other side compartment.  Each night, I pick out my shoes and clothes and throw them in the bag (I have occasionally forgotten underwear and had to go commando for the day...thankfully my bra always makes it in!).  After I'm done, I throw my sneakers and workout clothes into the bag - my gym has plastic bags to put sweaty stuff in, so I usually fold it all up and put it in one of those first.

I don't have a lot of extra toiletries.  Are there any of those that you can cut back on?  I'm pretty bare bones on my routine when I'm getting ready at the gym.

[psyri]

I just use a regular old backpack. In the backpack, I have: work clothes, undies, shoes, travel/trial size bottles of my toiletries in a mesh bag, brush, flip-flops, and towel. I don't need a hairdryer since there is one at the gym. Makeup is in my tote bag that I carry every day.

Also, I plan my work food so that I bring anything that needs to be refrigerated the day or two beforehand. Theoretically, I could go to my office first, but the gym is in another building and that would cut into my workout time.

Good idea about a backpacking towel. My towel is always the thing that takes up the most space.