Let's Get Physical
My favorite fitness finds of the year
Taking stock of the year 2022, I can see a few themes: comfort, for one — both in the form of shows I loved to binge and the clothes and accessories I loved to wear. But also fun and escapism. Life is hard. Sometimes it’s fun to just watch trash tv and eat sugar.
But as we near the end of the year, I wanted to share only the best things I ate/saw/watched/bought in 2022, thinking this could serve as something of a best-of gift guide, or inspire your holiday meal-planning/time off binge-watching.
I’ve divided the list into categories, and I’ll release them piecemeal, starting with this week’s roundup: a selection of the best fitness-related stuff I bought in 2022.
These are all things I use, love and am happy to vouch for.
The Nike Air Zooms I bought in 2022 were my third pair, so you know it’s true love. If you do any sort of HIIT exercise (I have been a devoted OrangeTheory practitioner for more than six years), you will love these. I don’t run long distances in these (the average OTF workout yields about two miles for me) but they easily hold up for a year’s worth of 3-5 times per week workouts.
Gen Z doesn’t do no-show ankle socks and I have to say, I kind of agree with them. There is nothing more nails-on-a-chalkboard for me than when your ankle sock slips to the mid-part of your foot while you’re wearing sneakers. Shudder. I am a proud tube sock Millennial. I love the tie dye version by Nike, for workouts or just padding around the house (or slipped inside your Birkenstock clogs).
PE Nation makes my all-time-favorite workout pants and I’ve tried them all. These are the perfect rise (they don’t fall down your waist while you run) and they have an inner pocket which is so great when you go for a run and need a place to put your keys.
The Bala weights are wildly popular for a reason. You can wear them like a bracelet or an anklet, turning even a walk around the neighborhood into a workout. They aren’t cumbersome and they are so much easier to store than a pair of free weights.
I have been a big fan of Stella Mccartney’s workout range for Adidas for many years, but I will admit some of the pieces are more fashion than function (the sneakers, for instance, are useless if you actually want to get in a workout, IMO). But her sports bras are great. I have at least half a dozen and find that I opt for them over the others in my drawer, as they are so much more comfortable.
Ursa Major’s face wipes are so handy post-workout. Just swipe them across your face, neck, back — anywhere you’re prone to breakouts — and you’ll feel instantly refreshed. Bonus points if you stash them in the fridge.
And I’ll leave you with this…