What's In My Gym Bag? 8 Gym Bag Essentials

I’m not really sure how I made it through my first few years of training at the gym without having a dedicated gym bag. If you know me, I loved carrying my Fjallraven Kanken Mini as my everyday bag but it didn’t occur to me that my everyday bag could also double as my gym bag.

Well, I recently I purchased a new bag by Jazmin Gonzalez, @jazminsus, on Instagram that I love even more than my Fjallraven Kanken Mini. I bought it a few months ago and I couldn’t be happier. And even though it looks slightly smaller on the outside it has so much room in it for me to bring all of the essentials that I need for the gym.

The best part about it is that I can carry everything I need with me around the gym and I don’t have to carry a large bag around or put it in a locker.

If you’ve been considering getting a gym bag, stop considering it and just get one. It doesn’t need to be anything super big, and having one is definitely worth it. And if you’re not sure what to put in it, take a look at my own gym bag essentials for some inspiration.

What’s in my Gym Bag? 8 Gym Bag Essentials

(This post may contain affiliate links to products that I truly recommend, at no extra costs to you, if you decide you’re interested in anything mentioned. Feel free to check out the disclosure for more info.)

A Resistance Band

I take my resistance band with me wherever I go. And I know that might sound crazy but sometimes I don’t know when or if I’m going to be working out that day. So I prefer to be prepared by always having it with me. I love using my band for warming up during leg days and it fits nicely at the bottom of my gym bag. The one I’m currently using is the heavy khaki band from b_nd store. I love the colors that they offer and the quality of the bands are amazing.

Workout Gloves

For years I told myself that I didn’t need workout gloves and that I just need to build up my grip strength in my hands so that I can lift heavier. And to a certain extent I was right. But if I didn’t want to ruin the way my hands looked by having calluses I was better off buying a pair of gloves. And wow, they make such a difference.

I can hold onto bars much better which means I don’t have to stop in the middle of my lifts to readjust my grip. And not having to stop helps me stay focused on what I’m doing. It also helps me lift heavier without having to worry about my hands slipping. I don’t always use them, but when I do it’s usually when I’m working on my back or when I’m doing deadlifts.

Deodorant & Lotion

These things are highly overlooked until you need them. Even though a lot of people in the gym smell during their workout, I don’t want to be one of those people if I can avoid it. I always keep a mini deodorant, usually by Dove or Degree, and a mini lotion from Bath and Body Works just because I like the smell and thickness of it. It also helps me keep my legs from looking dry if I’m wearing shorts.

Oh and I can’t forget hand sanitizer for after the gym if I forget to wash my hands.

Make Up

I rarely ever have a full face of make up on. I prefer to take really good care of my skin and then go with the “no makeup” make up look. Especially at the gym. So I keep the basics in my bag to put on just in case I take a shower at the gym. I like to have a brown and light brown concealer, an eyebrow pencil, mascara, and lip balm/gloss. Just enough to look put together without taking up too much space in my bag.

Extra Clothes

Since the bag is small I’m definitely not going to be bringing a whole outfit. But I do bring what’s important. For me that’s underwear and some type of shirt or top. My favorite tops to have in my bag are the on the fly tanks by Musesonly. They’re super comfortable, have a built in bra, and look like any other tank top you would wear out on a regular day.

I also like to keep an extra pair of socks, a hair tie, and removable bra pads in my bag just in case the sports bra that I’m wearing isn’t padded.

Headphones

If I go into the gym without my headphones I might as well just go back home.

Okay that’s an exaggeration but it does feel that way. I always keep my headphones, my phone, and my apple watch with me when I go to the gym. And to make sure I never forget my headphones I keep them in my bag.

The music that plays at the gym usually isn’t that good. So I like having my headphones to tune out everything that’s going on around me and really focus on working out. My headphones of choice are apple airpods since they’re small and charge super fast.

A Water Bottle

And lastly, if I really want to feel complete, I pack a water bottle with me. Not too long ago I bought a Que bottle because I needed a water bottle that could fit in my small bag. It’s compact when you need it to be small and expands when you want it to be a normal size. So it’s pretty perfect actually.

And that’s it! I know it seems like a lot but they all fit in my bag very nicely. Seriously, if you don’t have a gym bag I highly recommend it. And if you do I would love to know, what’s in your gym bag?

Also a big thanks to Musesonly for the beautiful leggings and top!

What’s In My Gym Bag? 8 Gym Bag Essentials