I’ll be the first to admit, I put on the lockdown pounds, which isn’t a bad thing. It was a tough time and I found solace in sweet treats, but I had a personal fitness goal. So here I am, at the end of a six-week challenge, stronger and healthier than before.
The fitness challenge was a mix of four days of reformer pilates, which became a favourite. Now, I can’t imagine a day when I don’t start it on a reformer bed. I also mixed in some running, a personal goal of mine to improve my running and cardio endurance, and weight lifting. During this challenge, I didn’t focus on the kilos, instead, I judged my progress by the way I felt — less bloated and sluggish. I also noticed my favourite pair of jeans were no longer snug on my hips. It’s important not to pay too much attention to the scales, as when you’re working out, you’re building muscle, which will impact what the scales read. There are also a lot of other factors that affect the scales including water weight, time of day, and more, but the takeaway is to work toward a healthier you, whether it be newfound energy to get through the day, or noticing the changes of your mood and physical body.
When I embarked on this fitness challenge, it was important to have the right gear with me to track progress and keep me motivated. So if you’re taking on a personal fitness challenge, too, here’s everything I used to keep me on track.
LSKD Gym Clothes
Before starting my fitness challenge, I realised I needed a serious gym wardrobe update. I’ve had most of my gym clothes since college, so apart from everything being too tight, it was also not proper attire. This was the perfect opportunity to join the rest of the world, sporting matching gym sets, bike shorts, and tights. While I’ve seen the ads for Gymshark, and know of Rockwear, I decided to try LSKD, another Instagram ad that worked its magic. The rep bike shorts were top of my list. They’re known for their buttery soft fabric, and that is exactly how I would describe their tights and shorts — buttery soft. Everything stayed in place, even while sprawled out on a reformer bed, straps around ankles, and legs flailing over my head. The brand is also super affordable and suits everyone from beginners to advanced gym junkies. For my first real gym clothes experience, I can’t fault it.
Samsung Galaxy Watch4
Okay, so I already had this watch, but the fitness capabilities are beyond everything you need, You can track how many calories you burn, steps of the day, and more. My favourite part: you can choose to track a workout, from circuit training to golf. Simply choose an icon that fits your workout and when you’re finished it will show you your average heart rate. As an added bonus, you can see for how many minutes, you were at maximum, anaerobic, aerobic, and low-intensity rate. This helped me to understand how hard I had to work to burn more calories, or as I like to call it — ” how long I can stay in the red zone” — which is maximum heart rate.
Wave Roller
Growing up, I played every sport under the sun, from basketball to soccer. I was an active kid, but from ages 11 to 18, I was dedicated to soccer, until I suffered a knee injury, which stopped me in my tracks. Now, several years later, I still suffer from joint injuries, which is why recovery is an important aspect of my fitness journey. Recovering after a workout could mean stretching, or a foam roll is always a great way to loosen tight muscles. I live by my Theragun, but then I found this wave roller from Therabody, which acts as a foam roller with vibrations. Think of it as a deep tissue massage. My boyfriend, who is a golfer, also used it for recovery after his training days, and it’s changed his post-workout routine. We’ve had to fight over it a couple of times, but for me, I use it particularly on my thighs, which are tight after any workout. My ITB band is strong, which causes problems with the alignment of my knee cap. It’s all complicated medical jargon, but the gist is, the wave roller, targets large muscle groups. It’s also Bluetooth enabled, so you can connect to the Therabody app for personalised recovery routines.
Lululemon Socks
This might seem like an oversight, but socks are important. Having the right socks on your feet while you’re running, jumping, and even partaking in reformer pilates is important. If they’re too thin, you end up with blisters, or worse foot problems later. Sometimes you get socks that don’t fit right, so they slide up and down during a workout. I’ve had this problem, and always end up with lines on the spine of my ankle. When I started my fitness challenge, I decided to go to Lululemon for a fresh new set of socks. The power stride tab socks are specifically designed for running and training. The tab on the back also keeps them firmly in place. You can get white or black and they come in a three-pack. I also picked up a pair of studio grip socks, because, as I mentioned before, I discovered my love of reformer pilates. I did a class daily, and for those who have done reformer pilates before, you know you need good grip socks. You don’t want to slip in the middle of a pilates split. Some prefer a longer grip sock, but I love the low ankle sock. Keeps me cooler, when I’m working out too.
Nike
You can’t go past Nike for a good, affordable shoe. They make shoes specifically for running and training. I always find they have a soft comfortable footbed, which is great if you have any issues with your knees, hips, or feet. Yes, it all works together, hence the importance of a good shoe. The supportive arc is great for balance and ensuring your foot is supported and tracking in the right direction. This Nike Renew is a simple, black and white shoe, that will work with every outfit and is specifically made for running, jumping, bending, and any other workout you find yourself in.
