Do you want to know the REAL reason why you’re not sticking to your commitment of living a healthy lifestyle?
Or the reason why you give up on your health and fitness goals BEFORE you actually see results?
It comes down to one thing:
Convenience!
Here’s the thing: we all know that when it comes to weight loss, there are no shortcuts.
And we’re painfully aware that results, as much as we’d like them to, don’t just show up overnight.
But the one thing we tend to forget is that when we have the right tools, the job of improving our health can become a heck of a lot easier.
In case you didn’t know: you don’t have to chase your fitness goals while feeling frustrated, overwhelmed + exhausted…
In fact, fitness CAN be simple. As I’ve said many times before on this blog, the right fitness plan should always compliment your life- not complicate it!
That’s why in this blog post, I’m sharing my favorite health & fitness ‘tools‘ that make sticking to my healthy routines feel sustainable for the long haul.
Just to be clear: in order for a fitness gadget to make it on my list, it has to save me either time or money (and preferably both!).
If a product doesn’t help me streamline my fitness routine, it’s not helpful and it’s just adding to the work of trying to live healthier.
So here you have it: my favorite fitness product recommendations that make sticking to my healthy habits more manageable (and even more enjoyable!).
This post may contain affiliate links, for more information, see my disclosures here.
Kitchen Essentials
Instant Pot Duo:
I hate to admit it, but I received my Instant Pot as a Christmas gift one year and it took me nearly 6 months to actually open the box + use it.
Truthfully, I thought the Instant Pot was just an over-hyped crockpot. And I was hesitant to add yet another small appliance to my already full kitchen. But here’s why I’m now such a fan of this great product:
It has completely replaced many of the small appliances I onced used. Since using the Instant Pot, I have gotten rid of my rice cooker, veggie steamer, and my slow cooker.
Making dinner is a snap with this thing- it’s so versatile, I feel like I could cook almost anything with my Instant Pot!
RELATED: How I Quickly (and Easily) Plan Healthy Meals for the Week!
Plus, the pressure-cooker option is great for making food FAST. With this handy tool, I’m less likely to opt for take-out, which means I save money by eating more meals at home.
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DASH Compact Electric Air Fryer:
I used to be the queen of meal prep! On any given day, you could find a mountain of perfectly prepared tupperware containers in my refrigerator- all filled with pre-cooked healthy meals.
I LOVED how much time I saved each week by preparing my meals ahead of time. But the one thing I HATED about the process was reheating my food in the microwave.
Reheated, soggy food is fine every now and then, but after a while I got tired of it all.
On a whim, I bought an airfryer, and once I realized that you could use an air fryer for more than just reheating frozen foods- I was hooked!
I got back into my my meal prep groove. Using my air fryer to heat my meal prepped meals means that my food comes out tasting great! My food has texture again!
This $40 Dash Compact Air Fryer from Amazon is the same one I’ve been using for years. I love how it’s not super clunky and doesn’t take up much space on my counter. Plus it comes it some pretty great color options.
If you’re cooking for a crowd, I recommend you bump up to their family-sized option (which is still super affordable!).
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Digital Food Scale:
Most women don’t realize this, but you don’t always have to follow a fancy meal plan to see experience great weight loss results.
In fact, simply cutting back on the foods you’re already eating is one of the easiest ways to improve your health.
I’m a big fan of portion control but I hate sorting through my collection of measuring cups. I can never seem to find the measurement I’m looking for!
I’ve since transitioned to using this food scale and I love how easy it is to create a properly-portioned dinner plate for myself.
I simply place my plate on the scale and ‘zero’ each time I add more food onto the plate.
RELATED: 5 Ways a Macro-Based Diet Can Help You Achieve Lasting Weight Loss
Since using this food scale, I’ve gotten so much better at eyeballing portion sizes. I’m way less likely to overeat!
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Hydro Flask Water Bottle:
With my busy lifestyle, I’m always on-the-go. And I’ve never been great at getting in enough water throughout the day.
In my effort to become more intentional with how much water I was drinking, I started searching for a great insulated water bottle that was easy to carry and had a great design to it.
What I found was this Hydro Flask water bottle checked all the boxes.
My water stays cold during the day. It holds 40 oz. at a time so I’m not constantly refilling my water bottle. Plus, the large size actually encourages me to drink more (bonus!).
I was pleasantly surprised to find that this water bottle easily fits into my car cup holders, so I never have an excuse not to have it with me.
I can’t stress enough how much I LOVE my Hydro Flask. This water bottle has held up better than all of my previous water bottles and I feel confident that it will continue to help me stay hydrated for years to come.
Bathroom Favorites
Smart Bluetooth Body Weight Scale:
I know not everyone has a healthy relationship with their bathroom scale. And this is why many women choose to not even have a bathroom scale in their house.
But here’s my take on the situation:
Your body weight is simply a measurement. And as long as you don’t attach meaning to your bodyweight (like thinking your weight is a measure of self-worth), then a bathroom scale can be a quick, convenient way to measure your progress on your fitness journey.
RELATED: How To Decide on the Perfect Fitness Goal When You’re Unsure of What You Want
What I love about this scale, in particular, (other than the budget friendly price) is that it measures a wide variety of metrics. Even when I’m not making progress with my weight I can still notice trends with other metrics which ultimately gives me the motivation to keep going.
Now like every other bathroom scale I don’t take the information and use it as a 100% accurate but it’s close enough to give me a good illustration of what’s really going on with my health and fitness journey
And it’s handy having the app connected to the scale because it keeps track of all my measurements without me having to write down and record anything.
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Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Face Cleanser:
Okay, this may not be a ‘fitness’ product, but I feel like I have to share it with you because it’s been a life-changing product for me (and I don’t use that term often!).
Here’s the thing: I’ve struggled with acne and acne scars for a long time. I think my acne was actually worse in my 20’s than it was in my teen years.
I’ve tried so many products- all of which claimed they could get rid of even the most troublesome blemishes- that I began to lose hope of ever getting rid of my acne.
A friend of mine recommended this face wash. And in full disclosure, I was a little skeptical- especially because of its low price point (I’ve always thought great skin care products had to be SUPER expensive!).
Much to my surprise, this facial cleanser lived up to all the hype. I am now on my third bottle and will continue to use this product because it has completely cleared up my skin- to the point where I don’t even wear make-up most days!
Workout Gear & Exercise Equipment
Back in college, I used to love going to the gym.
Nowadays, it feels harder and harder to find the time in my schedule to actually get to the gym and workout…
But the good news is that it’s possible to get a great workout in even at home.
And with a few budget-friendly pieces of equipment, you can really stretch what you’re able to accomplish at home!
Below are my favorite pieces of equipment for my at-home gym. In my opinion, these products are great starting points because they are super versatile (meaning you’ll get great bang for your buck) and they are easy to store.
Dumbbells:
There’s just so much that you can do with a pair of dumbbells that it would be wrong of me to exclude them from my list of must-have workout equipment.
You can get a full body workout in at home just by including the following movements into your workout:
- Dumbbell Deadlift
- Dumbbell Squat
- Dumbbell Swing
- Dumbbell Thrusters
- Etc.
Plus, there’s so many great isolated movements you can add into the mix, things like:
- Bicep Curls
- Tricep Extension
- Bent-Over Rows
- Weight Sit-ups
- Etc.
It’s truly incredible how much variety you can get out of one piece of equipment!
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Resistance Bands:
Similar to dumbbells, resistance bands allow you so much versatility in how you workout.
I’ve been using this resistance band kit for years, and it comes with different levels of resistance so I can be sure that I’m always challenging my muscles!
I also love how portable resistance bands are. When I’m traveling, it’s super convenient to just throw my bands in my suitcase with me (I don’t ever have to worry whether a hotel has an actual gym or not!).
Check out the video below to see just how many different workouts you can do with this one resistance band kit!
Gym Mat:
In the summer I love working out in my garage, but the concrete isn’t the most comfortable thing to exercise on.
And in the winter, when I move my at-home workouts into my office, I’m always nervous of tearing up the floor with either my shoes or equipment…
So I finally broke down and bought a gym floor mat. Had I realized how many great, inexpensive options were available, I would have bought one much sooner!
This floor mat has great coverage. The textured tiles are non-slip, and most importantly, it’s so much more comfortable to exercise on than my bare floor! This is a must-have no matter what your gym set up is.
Fitness may not be easy, but with the right tools, it CAN be simple.
Now I want to hear from you! What tools help you to simplify your healthy lifestyle? Let me know in the comments below!
Here to Support YOU!
XO- Britney (@ms.fit.farmer)
