I’m excited to be partnering with Mom it Forward to bring you this blog post and a sneak peek at Meaning of Life, Kelly Clarkson’s new album! As always, my opinions are 100% my own!
I’ve been in somewhat of a workout rut lately. The Seattle rain has started up for the season, work has been busy, little Declan keeps me busy …. the list of excuses could go on and on. You know the feeling?
Hearing my alarm go off early in the morning while it’s still so dark outside leaves little motivation to get up and work out.
Too many times I’ve gotten up and headed to the gym only to realize I forgot a hair tie (I’ve NEVER been able to work out without my hair in a pony tail) or headphones (I absolutely cannot workout without music!)
Anyway, when it comes to the gym- I’m all about excuses. The days that I prep my gym bag the night before allowing me to simply wakeup and head directly to the gym, I end up actually going to the gym (as opposed to hitting snooze a couple more times on my phone).
So the game plan for this winter is to conquer any excuse before it even comes up by…being prepared (and motivated)!
Organized Gym Bag
The first step was to pull out all the items that I need in order to have a successful workout. Since I like to go to the gym first thing in the morning, my preference is to shower at the gym. If I don’t, the day will go by with me still in my workout clothes sans shower. So, I bring the bare bone shower essentials with me: change of clothes, towel & toiletries.
I keep a set of ‘gym toiletries’ in a pouch stored in my gym bag at all times: small size of shampoo, conditioner and shower gel along with a shower puff and deodorant. Then throw in a brush and a lot of extra hair ties. I skip the toothbrush and toothpaste since I brush my teeth before I leave in the morning.
The night before, I pack a change of clothes. Like I said, if I don’t shower & change at the gym, there’s an embarrassingly good chance it won’t happen until the evening. I use a clear travel bag to put my clothes and shoes in. So, I also roll up a towel and add some flip flops (aka shower shoes)!
Even with everything organized and ready, one of my biggest problems is just not being motivated to workout.
One thing that gets me in the mindset to exercise is having some great music available. Some people can watch TV or read a magazine while working out, but I can’t. So, I always make sure I have some fun tunes downloaded on my phone to get me inspired.
Kelly Clarkson’s new album, ‘Meaning of Life’, is exactly the motivation I need. I’m a huge fan of hers and have followed her since her American Idol days. She’s got a really great positive attitude and overall just an awesome role model. Grab a copy of her album here.
One of my favorite songs is Love So Soft, perfect upbeat song to get me motivated to hit the gym. It’s also got a really awesome message. This is one of her tracks that’s out on the radio already, so you may have heard it before! It definitely should be one of the first of your workout songs!
Another favorite of mine from the album is Heat. It’s another really fun pop hit with awesome lyrics! Perfect music to get you through a tough run on the treadmill.
If you’re looking for an album to get you through life … or a workout, this is your album!
Way too often I fixate on things I can’t do or things that are going wrong. This is a great album to remind me that there’s so much to be thankful for and that each of us truly owns our own destiny. Such good vibes!
Now that I have an organized gym bag and an iPhone with great tunes to keep me motivated, getting to the gym in the morning is a whole lot easier (and WAY more enjoyable). Crank up the music and ENJOY a morning workout stress free!
Gone are the days where I had NO motivation to work out in the morning. Motivating music and an organized gym bag is what gets me out the door each morning!
Not only is the album super upbeat and perfect to get you motivated to workout, the songs are really beautifully written with a great message …. #meaningoflife!
Check out Kelly Clarkson’s social media pages:
Kim says
Great post! It’s inspired me to get my gym bag sorted and get my butt back to the gym again.