How to Look and Feel Great in the Gym

I’ve always been envious of the gym bunnies I see running past me in their Nike’s and their Adidas tights – I have never met my inner work-out freak and I doubt I ever will, however I recently made the decision to join my local gym. I don’t know whether I’m just still excited to try new things in 2015, or if I’ve genuinely gone crazy but I decided it was definitely time I started doing something to be more healthy. (Because trust me, if there’s anyone out there who thinks they eat lots of cakes, they haven’t met me!)

I’ve quickly realised that looking and feeling great in the gym is important to me. I’m not skinny, I’m not naturally tanned with luscious long hair and I definitely don’t have a picture-perfect face, so walking into the gym for the first time left me feeling slightly out of place. Of course, a full face of make-up and stilettos aren’t going to get you far, but there’s a few easy tricks to help you feel a little bit more confident in the gym. Here’s what I do:

1. Style yourself sporty by investing in quality gym wear 

I’m on a mission to find two or three stylish gym outfits that I can alternate between gym sessions to help me look the part whilst feeling stylish and supported. Nike and Adidas are famous for their responsive tights and leggings and they’re as performance-enhancing as they are flattering. I love the Stella McCartney for Adidas StellaSport range (above) and all of the pieces are available online at adidas or Topshop.

2. Cheat your way to the fresh-faced look with minimal make-up

Although it’s a better idea to hit the gym with a freshly-washed face, it’s not always that easy for everybody – baring your skin can be quite daunting! I’ve curated a little make-up collection to use whilst I’m in the gym and I always feel more confident. The products I use are light enough to allow your skin to shine through, but cover up blemishes and dark circles too.

I  always use the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser to prime my face first as it dramatically reduces shine, prevents your make-up from slipping and hides unwelcome pores. I’ll then use the Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream in Medium as it’s light and feels like a tinted moisturizer on the skin. MAC Cosmetics Eye Shadow in Charcoal Brown finishes the look for me, as I can fill in my brows quickly and easily. A light coat of waterproof mascara can be applied too.

3. Add the perfect accessories for a fuss-free workout

There’s nothing worse than feeling unprepared before your workout, so treat yourself to some fun new accessories to take with you. It’s undeniable that you’re going to need water-bottle as hydration is vital, so invest in one that will last – I love the Nike Water Bottles like this one from Urban Outfitters for just £10. If you’re going to the gym without a friend, then I definitely advise investing in a pair of quality earphones – there’s nothing worse than obsessing over the machine’s stats! The Urban Ears In-Ear Headphones are on a BOGOF offer at the moment, so you can get two stylish pairs for the price of one – I will be buying the lilac ones! Pretty hair accessories can finish the look too, and add something pretty to an otherwise unattractive look! I like this PU Scrunchie from Topshop and have lots of the ‘cat-ear’ scrunchies too.

Do you have any tricks you use to look and feel better in the gym? Let me know!