My 7 On-The-Go Summer Gym Bag Essentials

Disclaimer: The following post is sponsored by adidas. As always, all opinions expressed are genuinely my own. 

Summer summer summertime! We’re in the midst of that time of the year when the beaches are packed, the sun is hot, and the social plans are plentiful. It may be tempting to kick back and chill during all of your free time, but there are so many ways to take advantage of the season and stay active outdoors… I say take advantage of them!  Today I’m sharing what’s in my summer gym bag as I’ve been on-the-go locally and road tripping around the northeast to places like Massachusetts and Vermont.

This week my husband and I are at the Jersey shore enjoying some downtime at my family’s beach house. While we’ve taken a few trips during my pregnancy, this one seems to be the real “babymoon” as I enter the homestretch before our baby girl makes her debut into the world in around a month. It’s wild to think that this is probably the last time we’ll be out of town before Baby C arrives! It also seems fitting that this road trip is to a place near and dear to my heart that I grew up spending my summers at.

It’s important to me to consistently stay active, and throughout pregnancy, it’s been no different. I’m proud to say that I’ve rocked a healthy lifestyle throughout this journey. Even on days when I’ve felt exhausted and not so awesome, I’ve made the effort to do some healthy movement for my body – whether that wound up being a kickass sweaty workout, or just a light yoga and stretch session. I live by the exercise motto that something is always better than nothing!

Sometimes it’s tough to get workouts in when you’re out of your usual environment, but I enjoy finding ways to stay active when I’m out of town. It gets my endorphins flowing and sets the tone for the day, and I think the key is being flexible and making it a priority. This week I plan to stay active by logging in lots of steps with my hubby and pup, doing beach yoga, getting in a canoeing excursion or two, and maybe checking out a class at a boutique studio.

Making active living a priority on-the-go means being prepared! While I enjoy having gadgets like my sport watch with me to track my movements and my music to jam out to, when it boils down to it, I only really need a couple of things to ensure that workouts can happen. Here are my summer active living must-haves!

1.) A reusable water bottle. It’s so important to hydrate, especially during hot summery months. I adore how good reusable water bottles keep my H20 cold all day long, which definitely makes me drink more (not to mention, they’re better for the planet!). Anyone that knows me well knows that I bring water wherever I go, and I have a few reusable bottles that I always have handy to bring with me on-the-go – whether that means just going for a short hike, or leaving town for the week.

2.) Comfy leggings. I find it most comfortable to workout in leggings, and my go-to brand throughout my pregnancy has been adidas. I have these high-rise tights in a few colors, and have been wearing them just about every week. Forget maternity clothes, these leggings have continued giving me the freedom to move through my third trimester! I also like that they have breathable mesh panels to keep me cool. The high-rise aspect of the leggings allow me to wear the tights high-waisted without being too high over my bump, as some maternity clothes often are (I’ve found that to be sort of suffocating and like to let my bump breathe a bit!).

3.) Sneakers. Sneaks that fit well are a must in my gym bag! They keep my feet comfortable with all of the walks I go on. I’m finding that the right footwear is especially important these days, since my calves and feet seem to be especially tight and sensitive in these last few months of carrying my little one.

4.) Sporty sandals. My other footwear requirement is sporty thong sandals that I can wear wherever I’m heading out to to do yoga, Pilates, barre, or whatever other workout opportunity presents itself.

5.) Breathable tank tops. Now that we’ve covered all of my lower body attire, we’re onto what I pack in my gym bag for my upper torso… and tanks that fit well are a definite must! They’ve got to be comfortable and mostly stay in place during my movements. I’m loving the above pictured adidas wanderlust graphic tank top – and the shirt is very fitting for me since I’m constantly dreaming about my next travels (and I’d love to make it to a Wanderlust yoga festival at some point!).

6.) Comfy, supportive sports bras. …because ladies, we’ve got to protect our tatas during our workouts with bras that are cute yet are also built to be supportive and comfortable to throw on and wear all day long.

7.) Healthy snacks. The last must-have in my summer gym bag? Healthy snacks to refuel after a workout of course! I always have protein bars or cookies on hand for when hunger strikes. Nourishing your body with some protein after workouts is essential in keeping those muscles strong and helping to build them even stronger.

During pregnancy, it’s been especially important for me to have snacks available – in my gym bag, car, purse, and just about anywhere else that you can think of! It seems that in pregnancy my body has needed a steady stream of carbs throughout the day, so I’ll pack something like the above peanut butter crackers in my bag for when I need a little snack.

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Tell me.. What’s a gym bag essential of yours? What’s been your favorite way to stay active this summer?