In My Gym Bag: Spring Edition

While my schedule differs every week, there’s a consistent common denominator that remains from day-to-day…

… That is to say: I get by on the contents of my gym bag.

My everyday tote has become a bag of mixed tricks, as a result — clean clothes, beauty basics, healthy snacks and so on.

Sharing the contents is always a great way to give you some insights into my daily schedule (and diet!), so here’s a few of the sweaty-to-ready essentials you’ll find in my gym bag this month:

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// WHAT: Yogurt.

// WHY: What you eat before and after your workout can make a huge difference in building muscle, losing weight and speeding up recovery.

In order to fuel up the right way, I always have simple, healthy snacks in-tow. Post-workout eats are a vital part of your fitness regime — and remember, you just can’t out-exercise a bad diet.

After I teach or work out, I typically reach for Greek yogurt — as you might have seen on Snapchat today. (Find me here or by searching ‘coralsncognacs.’)

Greek yogurt is a perfect balance of healthy carbs and high-protein that replenishes your energy and helps your muscles repair themselves.

More specifically, Chobani sent me a handful of their latest and greatest to test-drive, as shown above. The new Chobani Simply 100 is a light yogurt featuring only natural ingredients — and it’s actually the only 100-calorie Greek yogurt on the market without a trace of artificial sweeteners or artificial preservatives.

Yogurt in general is a great food fix, but on its own, it can leave something to be desired. Are you the type of person who needs a little texture, too?

These fit the bill (all-natural ingredients and just the right amount of crunch). They pack well and come in super innovative flavors, too — Blueberry Cookie Crumble, Strawberry Chocolate Truffle and Mango Cone Crisp (pictured here).

All three flavors are delicious, but I’ve since made a few trips back to the grocery store to buy the Blueberry Cookie Crumble in particular. Sweet-meets-savory is my kinda jam! (No pun intended.)

… Moving on, but you can click here to read more about Chobani’s Simply 100 flavors.

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// WHAT: Lacrosse ball.

// WHY: I use it to self-massage any pressure points in the body when I’m on-the-go and don’t have time to stretch or access to a foam roller.

Seriously, though, you should get one. Try sitting on it to release tension in your glutes, or roll your fool around on it while you’re at the office. (There’s another one under my desk right now, too!)

You can also lay on the ground and place it under any knots in your shoulder… Read more about how to use a lacrosse ball for tension release here.

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// WHAT: Dry shampoo and other beauty must-haves.

// WHY: I mean, duh.

I’ve been singing the praises of Living Proof’s Perfect hair Day (PhD) collection, and their new dry shampoo is no exception. I used to only be able to use powder-based dry shampoos (as my hair gets suuuper oily), but PhD gets the job done. It actually adds body and dries out my roots. The result is a seriously good, textured looking ‘do.

After I’ve washed my face and applied a moisturizer, I’ll use a beauty blender sponge to even out my skin with bareMinerals Complexion Rescue foundation (in ‘Natural’).

I keep my daytime face fairly low-maintenance, finishing the look with a swipe of Birchbox’s color-enhancing lip balm (from their line of lightweight make-up, ARROW).

If you haven’t yet checked out ARROW, it’s awesome. I’ve talked about it on Instagram, but you can also read more on Birchbox’s site.

And of course, when all else fails, a hat and pair of sunglasses is a fool-proof, post-workout alternative. All-black sunnies are always in heavy rotation!

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Lastly, a bit about the bag: It’s Rebecca Minkoff’s leather MAB backpack and I carry it ev-ry-where. This particular style is on sale, but it also comes in black neoprene and navy nylon.

If you’re in the market, Shopbop has some super chic-looking, splurge-worthy gym bag options (under $200). Athleta also has affordable gym bag styles.

What essentials have been in your gym bag this month?

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Iron & Honey Photography

Thanks to Chobani for partnering on this post.