Exercise Equipment: What I recommend…
If you’re new to fitness or trying to improve your diet, it’s pretty overwhelming to figure what you’ll need to be successful in your journey. Not to mention, with how high inflation is right now, it’s quite the “investment” to purchase said equipment. I’ll break everything down into sections so you can skip ahead on what applies to you personally (yes, I too hate long blogs lol). I’ll also add my Amazon list of equipment I recommend personally, but again you don’t necessarily need any of these items. Do what works best for you and your budget!
GYM EQUIPMENT:
Pros: Most gyms have all the equipment you need. You really just need you, some water, and that’s it! You also don’t have any equipment to take up space in your home.
Cons: Be prepared to share equipment with others and sometimes not as sanitary as you are! Not to mention some gym memberships are expensive.
Here is a list of what I personally bring to the gym with me:
Ankle Straps: Some gyms have these already and some don’t. I like using these for cable kickbacks though!
Wrist straps: These help me with my deadlifts since my forearms can only carry so much.
Wrist wraps: These are used for various exercises like bench press to help support your wrists.
Preworkout: I am someone who is always tired (I have hypothyroidism), and so a little caffeine goes a long way for me. I personally use the Transparent Labs Lean Preworkout.
Notepad: I carry a small notepad (yes, I know it’s old school but I’ll eventually become a digital tech person) to write down my exercises, weights, reps, and sets to track my progress.
Headphones: I NEED music. Music is a huge motivator in my book and so this is a must have for me!
Glute resistance bands: These are slowly making their way into gyms, but I personally enjoy these more than the rubber resistance bands. (They always fold on me and pull my hair)
AT HOME GYM EQUIPMENT:
Pros: You can workout whenever you want! Not to mention you don’t really have to worry about someone hogging the squat rack or machine!
Cons: Can be expensive buying equipment for a better resistance workout. This one requires a lot of up-front costs. Another point is that it may not be as safe - especially if you live or workout alone- if you don’t have a spotter on exercises like bench press or squats.
Here are some cheaper recommendations I personally like or have used (especially when all the gyms shut down during Covid):
Cheaper Equipment:
Glute resistance bands: You’ll feel the burn a lot more with these than those spandex/rubber mini resistance bands
Foam roller: Great to have for rolling out those knots and sore muscles!
Gliding Discs: These can be great for core exercises along with lunges or hamstring curls!
Exercise Ball: This can be used for a wide variety of purposes, like sitting with better posture, or increasing the intensity by doing a push-up from it!
Dumbbells & Kettlebells: There is so much you can do with dumbbells! They are very versatile, but buying a large set can rack up some cash quick
Resistance band set with Anchor Strap: You can do some great workouts with these! It’s like an at home TRX band, but your door just anchors the bands down!
Retractable Tape Measurer: While everyone likes to measure their progress with a bathroom scale, I also recommend tracking your measurements. We don’t really know much with the bathroom scale on whether we are gaining muscle, fat, water weight, etc.! But tracking your measurements along with it, can be another method!
More expensive, but worth it equipment:
Barbell: I’d get a powerlifting bar, but that’s because I do powerlifts. There are a variety of bars, so do your research before you buy!
Barbell Bumper Plates: You’ll need plates for that barbell!
Squat Rack: Be sure to purchase a squat rack to place the barbell on, along with safeties! This is to keep you safe, especially if by yourself (I’d recommend lifting with a spotter whenever possible!)
Cable Machine: I love cables, because it’s one of those machines you can do so many exercises with and get a great stretch in! I’d recommend one with a lat pulldown and rows with it if possible!
Pull-Up Tower: These are great because they can be used for pull-ups, and some are designed for even leg raises and dips!
Bench: There are benches that go from flat to an incline! These are a great way to work different muscle groups, but also use it for bench press etc.
KITCHEN EQUIPMENT:
There is a reason they say abs are made in the kitchen! So you may want to buy some appliances along with food containers to help you stay on track with your diet!
Appliances:
Kitchen Scale: I personally recommend to do a food journal and track what you’re eating. I personally track my macronutrients (macronutrients are your fats, proteins, and carbs). (However, if you feel like you’re becoming too obsessed with tracking, or think you may have an eating disorder, I don’t encourage using it.)
Pressure Cooker: Whether it be an Instant Pot or a slow cooker, I love them all! These are a LIFE SAVER! As there are quick easy meals you throw into the pot, hit a button and poof! It’s done within a few hours! (This is great for those who don’t have a lot of time to cook!)
Air Fryer: If you’re trying to cut down on greasy foods, this is a great option! I like it, as often times it provides a better crunch (especially with leftovers)
Bento boxes / Food Containers: I personally meal prep our food into these Bentgo boxes, and it’s been great! Do I hate mealprepping? 1000% yes. But future Brynne thanks her later for the rest of the week as there are portioned meals ready to eat! Not to mention this is great for portion control as well!
If you are interested, click the button below to my Amazon list to find most of the equipment stated above!
