Summer is coming and let’s face it, we are all going to hit the gym hoping to be the best physical version of ourselves. It is « i’m going to the gym and i’m gonna look good for myself » trend again in our heads.And again and again.
Living in Lebanon means you are gonna live most of summer butt out, at the beach or trying to escape the heat in the shortest and lightest clothes you can find. It usually suits the guys, they have it easy, but us girls live under the tight pressure of the perfect body.
To us, it is not about being skinny, it is about being healthy, taking care of yourself, and feeling good in your own skin. Whatever the reason is, gym is gonna get packed and you might not know yet what are the essentials.
Here is what any debutant will need:
- First of all: gym clothes. Of course. No matter how much you try to go in your usual baggy clothes, it just won’t work. They will clog to your body, sweat will give you allergies and it will get stinky very fast. Too fast. Gym clothes give you many advantages. First of all, they regulate the heat and perspiration. You will sweat yes, but the clothes will retain it, avoiding allergies and that horrible dirty feeling on your skin.This will allow your skin to breathe. Moreover, it will retain the odor. Last advantage is investing in gym clothes will motivate you to use them.
Our favorites are Nike Pro Dry Fit capris (a classic) ,gap shorts (that offer great support and lightness) and Oysho tank top + sports bra.
- Second of all: sports shoes. You have a broad selection of sports shoes waiting for you out there so it is a bit hard to choose one pair. First rule: go with the classics. We all know about Nike, Adidas and Reebok sport shoes, it is for a reason.Second step, in every shop, they will classify the shoes in function of your activity: intense activity, medium, walking,running,… There are great guidelines to know where you are headed. Then it is just about style. Our favorites and what we have been using for MMA, treadmill, running and HIIT are the Nike Flex 2013 Run.
- If you intend to sweat and get that workout on, you will need a towel. It is a life saver. You will need it for your face as sweating opens the pores and let the bacteries in. Towel will help you get rid of those bacteries. As an extra precaution against break out, we use a face wash directly after gym to get rid of everything. Our current favorite is the Nivea Gentle Face Wash:
- What you also need is motivation and a good playlist provides just that. Do not forget your phone and headphones when heading to the gym. Music stimulates your brain, thus your muscles. We recommend Woodkid for the treadmill.
- Finally, and most importantly, water. Water is the most important composant of a workout. You will loose water when you exercise, weither you sweat or not. Water regulates blood and gives you energy, helps your muscles work more effectively and help regulate your body temperature. Benefits of water are unlimited. An extra touch is fruit infused water. Fruit infused water adds freshness and benefits depending on the fruits. However our favorite is lemon infused water. All you need is water and lemon. Lemon purifies the water and helps with digestion.
What we do at loveletterfrombeirut is cut 2 to 3 thin slices of lemon and put it in the water:
Just put your bottle in the freezer for a few hours before you hit the gym and you are done!
loveletterfrombeirut 