10 Things Every Woman Needs in Her Closet

There are some key pieces that every woman should have in her closet, and I'm not talking about that little black dress. I'm talking about the most critical elements to your fitness wardrobe.

As a Mom, you sometimes find that you have only 30 minutes to do an in-home workout while the kiddos are napping. Or Grandma swings by for a visit and you have a few hours to go to the gym and the grocery store (what a treat!) I find that I need the right things on hand so that my workouts are as successful as possible.

Ok, so here's the list:

1)     Two pairs of training shoes – Training shoes can easily and comfortably take you from the lateral movements and athletic bursts of boot camp (like Nike Training Club) to the twists and shimmies of Zumba. They are light-weight, have great traction on the bottom and are designed for multiple fitness formats. Plus they are just cute. My favorites right now are the Nike Free TR Twist shoes.

 

They are just beyond in my opinion. You can buy them here.

Ok and why two pairs? Well, shoes get sweaty. And it's best to let them breathe in between workouts. If you alternate pairs, they won't wear out as quickly and won't be stinky. Ugh. Nothing is worse than stinky gym shoes. And why men like to leave their gym shoes IN the gym bag IN the car so that it stinks to high heaven, I will never know.

2) Hand weights
I talk extensively about the importance of adding resistance workouts to your routine. The more muscle you have, the more efficiently you burn fat. And having these little fitness gems on hand at all times makes working in the workout much easier. Hmmm...I like that. Work in the Workout. Ok, anyway. I have light and medium hand weights under my bed (5 pounds and 8 pounds sets). If they are in your house, there is no excuse to take 30 minutes before bed or first thing in the morning to do some reps of curls, squats, overhead presses, lunges, etc. You can buy some cute ones here.

3) Yoga mat
Whether you are a Yogi or not, a Yoga mat is a must. Roll it out and do abs exercises at home. I have loads of awesome exercises on a previous post here about ab exercises. Take it to the gym and use it instead of the...ahem...well-loved mats. Plus it sort of makes you cooler to have a Yoga mat. You never know when you might decide to take a Bikram yoga class. I haven't ever taken one, but hear they are amazing. It's on my fitness bucket list. After baby arrives, I might have to give it a go. You can buy a super cute yoga mat here.

4) Flattering workout pants
You gotta find pants that hold it in and make you feel confident when you hit the gym. The Nike Legend pants are probably the BEST pants that have ever covered my (now amply pregnant bottom). They make your butt look cute with this V-shaped stitching,  plus they don't push up your love handles. I mean not that you have any... They come in various lengths and colors. You can buy them here.

5) A super supportive sports bra
I talk about sports bras in a previous post. Check it out here. I'm normally not a girl who has large boobs to hold tight, but pregnancy (and then nursing) makes them large. Your workout will be more comfortable (and thus you'll be more successful at reaching your goals) if the girls are held tightly!

6) Black and white ankle socks
Now this is just a fashion must! Most importantly ankle socks are the ONLY way to go at the gym. The only exception is if you are wearing funky tall socks (up to your knees). I've been known to wear cool striped socks or retro tall gym socks (circa 1970). But the 1980's mid-calf slouch socks are O-U-T! Please don't wear them. If you could see me, I'm making a grimace and have my hands on my hips.

Ok, now that this point is clear, match your socks to your shoe color. If your shoes are black (which are wildly cool, here's a pic of some of my black shoes)

then your socks should be black.

If they are mostly colored or white-based

then white socks are appropriate.

7) A few funky accessories
You dress the part when it comes to the gym. If you dress in old, grubby T-shirts with holes or dirty, grass-stained kicks, then you certainly can't feel like the amazing, fit, hot athlete that you are! I love to have a few funky, fun accessories to spruce up any workout outfit. My faves include a funky hat like this one (P.S. I'm 5 months preggo here)...

Fun socks

Crazy gel bracelets

Belly chain (ahem…definitely sported this pre-baby #2)

Grafitti top (courtesy of Feelgoodstyle.com)

You get the idea. It makes you feel all fashion-ey even at the gym.

8) Various solid colored workout tops
I love to wear all black because of it’s obvious slimming effect, but I also love bright bold colors to keep me upbeat and rockin’ my workout.

9) A heart rate monitor/calorie counter
You can’t know how many calories you burn unless they are accurately tracked via a heart rate monitor. The machines at the gym are far from accurate and they don’t take into account your individual stats and heart rate. I talk about this more in this blog post, click here. Or here. I SO want a Nike+ FuelBand (hint hint Nike!)

10) A really awesome exercise DVD
There are oodles and oodles of these from Turbo Jam to P90X. It’s like having a trainer in your home. If you find yourself in a pinch and unable to get to the gym, pop in a DVD and get rockin’. Plus the kids will think it’s fun to watch you wiggle around.

If you don't have these items in your closet (or drawer or cabinets), then you must run out and purchase them immediately. Your fitness success depends on it! Plus it's a great excuse to go shopping.

Nakedly Yours,
M