My Top Four Workout Essentials + VOORAY Giveaway
If you've been keeping up with my latest Instastories, you'll know that I've been on the grind when it comes to hitting the gym several times per week! Ultimately, my fitness goal is to gain more muscle mass all the while shredding off unnecessary body fat. Since joining the luxurious Lifetime approximately 1.5 months ago, I've been experiencing good progress, but still have many ways to go and I can't stop here!
Since I have become a bit of a fitness enthusiast as of lately, I wanted to share with you guys my top FOUR workout essentials of all time. At the end of this blog post, I'll be hosting a sweet little giveaway to gift one lucky winner their very own WORKOUT TOTE - and that's my gift to you if you promise me that you'll train hard on reaching your fitness goals as well ;)
1. A trustworthy, durable gym bag.
You can laugh at me - I'm one of those people who carried around a beat-up, ol' drawstring bag that you get for free at your local conventions. For years, I've always wanted the ideal duffel bag, but I never found one that that never had the three features I was looking for - COMFORTABLE STRAP, SPACIOUS, and CUTE AF. The gym bags that slightly caught my interest...I couldn't justify the price because I just wasn't entirely sold on its features. For me, I can't spend a lot on an item that I'm not entirely convinced on.
HOWEVER, as soon as I discovered the brand VOORAY, I knew I had to have one of their bags! Just last month, I disposed of my embarrassing drawstring bag and welcomed home my new baby - the Aria Tote from VOORAY. I am obsessed with EVERYTHING about this tote - from the adorable and feminine cherry blossoms pattern to the roomy space I can utilize to store extra clothes and shoes inside of the tote. Also, I have to say that $60.00 is relatively inexpensive for such a functional gym tote - usually I've seen way pricier bags that offered less features and I was like no thanks! The Aria Tote comes in a variety of colors - please share with me in the comments section which color is your favorite, I'd love to know! :)
Whether you're hitting the gym, cardio class, or yoga class, I would highly recommend VOORAY's Aria Tote over any overhyped duffel bag or drawstring bag that you see on the market. Not only have I been sold on all of the Aria Tote's exceptional features, but this is a tote that I can imagine using for years to come.
2. An enviromentally friendly, reusable, & refillable water bottle.
Similarly to the situation above, I never discovered a reusable and refillable water bottle brand that I LOVED until I discovered Contigo. Every other water bottle brand that I used was either too heavy, too ugly, too inconvenient to wash, or made the water taste like metal - bleah!
Months ago, I've partnered up with Contigo on a video collaboration and fell in love with this water bottle brand upon first use. Unfortunately, I did lose my first Contigo water bottle recently, so I purchased a new one - and yes, it had to be teal ;) Although I currently own the Contigo AUTOSPOUT Straw Ashland Glass Water Bottle in Scuba (20 oz.), I honestly recommend the first water bottle I owned - the Contigo AUTOSPOUT Straw Ashland Infuser Water Bottle (26 oz). Not only is the infuser bottle more lightweight and can hold more water, but you can also add chopped fruits in the infuser if you prefer to add a kick to your average taste of water! Regardless, Contigo makes me a happy camper and I will be carrying this bottle conmigo everywhere ;)
3. Comfortable and cute AF workout clothes.
I noticed that the more often I wear cute workout clothes, the more motivated I happen to feel towards that particular day's workout. Does the same thing happen to you?
For example, if I dressed like a bum while walking the dogs, it's been statistically proven (through undergoing multiple personal experiences and observations) that I walk them for a shorter amount of time as opposed to when I'm all dressed up in the latest workout gear.
Personally, I find that fashionable and comfortable workout clothes allow one to feel more confident both inside and out, which almost always leads to a more pumped up workout!
Currently, my favorite workout apparel brand is Marika Clothing & Ellie Activewear. Not only do they have the trendiest pieces with the cutest cut-outs (I LOVE CUTOUTS!), but they are super comfortable and breathable to get me through my workout without feeling like I'm going to faint from exhaustion. Definitely check these two brands out if you're looking to shop for new workout apparel!
4. Athletic footwear that is supportive, comfortable, and on trend.
When I was younger, the only athletic kicks that I swore I'd wear were Nikes. Chic and trendy - what's not to love about Nike? Although Nike remains one of my favorite athletic footwear brands, I decided to open up my knowledge by trying out other footwear brands - this includes Adidas, Ryka, and ASICS.
All of the aforementioned athletic footwear brands, I love and support wholeheartedly. However, I will say that every footwear made by the brand fits and looks different on each individual, so when shoe shopping, you have the find the right fit for YOU.
I wanted to share TWO specific athletic shoes that I've been loving as of recently. One is called the adidas Pureboost Xpose and I love how this style made me feel like I was running on a fluffy cloud! Not only did they offer a lot of support for jumping and running, but I felt a lightweight spring in my step every time that I took off in these.
Since my Adidas pair has gone through some wear and tear, I recently received a new pair for my birthday that I am infatuated with called the HyperGEL-KENZEN by ASICS. By pure luck and chance, I discovered this specific style through an Instagram advertisement by SIX:02 and yes, I fell for an advertisement once again, LOL. Additionally, the website advises going half a size up if you were to order this pair. Since I am typically a Size 7.5 US in Women's Shoes, I ordered a Size 8 US in Begonia Pink/Seashell and it fits perfectly! Upon trying them out for the first time, the shoes will feel a bit snug/tight, but this feeling is accurate due to the fact that you need a tight fit when your athletic shoes don't come with laces. Honestly, I opted for this pair more for the girly AF pinkstagram + polka dot design, but I am thankful that these are super comfortable and supportive. From my friends, I've heard of a lot of good reviews on ASICS shoes so I'm glad that I get to try this brand out for the very first time! In fact, my best friend, Marisa, fell in love with my new shoes upon first glance so she might end up getting them as well ;)
And now it's time for a giveaway! Because I have top four workout essentials that keep me on my fitness game, I wanted to help y'all out by gifting you one out of four of these essentials - your very own ARIA Tote bag from VOORAY! Be sure to follow ALL of the rules below in order for your entry to qualify and good luck! :)
VOORAY GIVEAWAY RULES:
1. Follow @vooray on Instagram and @missmisschelle on Instagram.
2. Like my last three Instagram photos on @missmisschelle.
3. Tag 3 friends on my Instagram post here who would also like to enter the giveaway!
4. Comment on this blog post WHY you need a new workout tote (or specifically, the Aria Tote by VOORAY) in your life! Don't forget to include your FULL NAME, INSTAGRAM HANDLE, and EMAIL ADDRESS.
[For 5 extra entries] Like Michelle's Facebook page here.
[For 5 extra entries] Follow my photography Instagram page, @michellesunphotography.
[For 5 extra entries] Like Michelle Sun Photography's Facebook page here.
And that's all the rules to enter this awesome giveaway! I cannot wait to see your entries and the reasons behind why you want to win the ARIA Tote - tbh, I love mine so much and can't wait for one of you to own the very same bag ;)