I recently went to one of those house parties where you feel very obligated to buy something. This one was Stella & Dot & luckily I was in desperate need of a new, large purse. It was a definitely splurge for me, but it met all my needs & it's the perfect size for weekdays & weekends since I rarely tote around a diaper bag these days.
Since I wear scrubs to work, rolling my outfit & putting it in my purse is easy. Just make sure you don't ever forget underwear... I'm telling you this from experience! I go to sleep in my workout clothes, sports bra & all, so I get out of bed ten minutes before I have to leave the house. The coffee pot is set to brew at 5am & I'm out the door by 5:10 & to the gym by 5:30. If your gym doesn't have TVs on every cardio machine like mine, use Netflix on your smart phone & pick a TV show series to watch. I've gotten through Orange is the New Black & I'm back into Grey's Anatomy after a five year hiatus.
The true reason of how my straight to work after the workout routine is working is: 1) There are totally private showers (I do not do the shared-space, look at my boobs while I change in front of you thing..)
2) They supply towels... this is HUGE for me. This means I don't have to cart a towel to the gym & cart a wet towel from the gym, adding to my nightly laundry routine. They also supply lotion, deodorant & Q-tips. These are bulky items I don't have to worry about schlepping with me.
3) They supply a good blow dryer; another bulky item I don't have to think about. So, what items DO I have to concern myself with?
Think all things MINI! The under eye concealer is great for masking the signs of that early morning wake up call! That & the blush stick are Elf brand & were a dollar each at Target. I have a mini brush & hairspray & I use BB cream which acts as a moisturizer & concealer in one. Get yourself everything you need so you don't have to remember to put things in your purse & take them out on gym & non-gym days. The less thinking you have to do once you've got the routine down, the more likely you'll stick with it.
I picked up a mini perfume for $5 at Bath & Body Works & the Maybelline cream gel shadow works awesome. Fun fact, did you know that Maybelline got it's name after the founder saw his sister Mabel applying a mixture of coal dust & Vaseline to her eye lashes? Learn something new every day! I also use Biosilk serum, so I picked up a travel container, filled it & use it before I blow dry my hair.
Last but not least, I picked up this $20 mini straightener with case at Target to get all the disgusting waves out of my bangs. Bonus to having all the things in my purse at all times is that I no longer have to pack makeup when I go out of town or overnight & I can put my makeup on in my car when I'm in a hurry like I did on my way to church Sunday!
So, this routine has been working great for me, other than me literally cursing my alarm clock three mornings a week & having the urge to weep on my bathroom floor, wishing I could just sleep a little longer because I'm so darn tired. Give me ten minutes, a little coffee & I'm good to go! I recently read a quote on Pinterest, "It's easier to wake up early & workout than it is to look in the mirror each day & not like what you see." I've always been into fitness, wellness & nutrition, hence choosing to become a registered dietitian, but fitness is just awesome because you feel powerful & have more energy after you're done with a workout. If I can do it, you can too!
