Top 10 Favorite Fitness Things

Over the years, I have collected lots of fitness related gear.  The following are my 10 favorites (in no particular order):

1. Vibram Five Fingers - These shoes are amazing for all sorts of things. For instance, if you live in an apartment building and find that home workouts in clunky sneakers do not go over so well with your downstairs neighbors, these shoes should lighten your load and keep the neighbors from banging on your door. If you are looking for shoes that are amphibious, these are without a doubt the way to go. Last year, my friend used these to hike to Angel Falls in Venezuela and then jumped in the water under the falls upon arrival. I had not yet bought my five fingers and had zero traction with my bare feet...slipped on a rock and the current dragged me to the other end of the pool - face to face with a dead snake - yuck! If you are looking to increase your balance and flexiblity, five fingers are fantastic. Click here for a Yoga Journal article that explains what I am talking about. I could probably write a blog entirely on Five Fingers, but I think that you get the point. Bottom line: yes, these shoes are hideous, but they are also awesome.

2. Mizuno Women's Wave Ascend Running Shoes - lightweight and comfortable.  Easy as that.

3. Manduka Mat  - This mat is heavy and thus not the best for traveling, but beyond that, I have no complaints. Unfortunately, my boyfriend got ahold of it for his p90x workouts and has no plans to let me have it back.

4. P90X - Speak of the devil. I hate it, but I love it...

5. Shiva Rea, Fluid Power DVD  - The yoga matrix allows you to mix and match asanas, so this is the one yoga DVD that does not get boring and let's me match my practice to my energy level/focus on specific areas.

6. Lululemon - Until recently, you could not buy Lululemon Athletica attire online. I only just found out that you now can when adding the link to their sight to my blog. While pricey, their stuff lasts forever and is extremely high-quality. I tend to favor their yoga attire over their running attire.

7. iPOD Nano - I can't run alone without it.

8. Kor ONE Hydration Vessel - Depending on the color you choose, your purchase will go toward a global water crisis, ocean protection, watershed protection, or container recycling program. I personally love these bottles because you can see how much you drank. Sigg bottles are great too but I tend to stay hydrated when I can watch my progress. Also KOR ONE bottles are BPA free.

9. Nike Women's fit dry Tempo running shorts -  I have 5 pair for the warmer months (yes, this is probably a sign that I need to clean out my closet).

10. SPI Belt - Keys, money, ID, phone...once I bought a running pouch, I never went out for a run without it.