The good feeling a solid sweat leaves you with is a gift in itself, but if you spend your free time pounding the pavement, tearing it up in spin class, or loading up a barbell, chances are your wish list is chock-full of gear, supplements, and goodies to make your workouts feel even better. After all, living a fit lifestyle is about much more than just the time we spend moving.
Here are the products we trust to help us work hard, restore our bodies, and feel fitter and stronger than ever. Treat your gym buddy—or yourself!—to a routine upgrade or two, and power into the New Year on your a-game!
1. Cellucor Cherry Limeade C4 Ripped, $39.99 for 30 servings
You probably know that your workout routine starts before you even step foot into the weight room—about a half-hour before, to be exact. Cellucor’s C4 Ripped preworkout formula boosts your workouts and your efforts to get shredded with ingredients to support energy and weight management, like caffeine (150 milligrams), B vitamins, green coffee bean extract, and cayenne extract. Consider it classic C4’s shredded twin.
2. Optimum Nutrition Fruit Punch Gold Standard Pre-Workout, $29.99 for 30 servings
This tried-and-true preworkout is perfect for the gym-goer looking to build muscle. Optimum Nutrition’s formula packs 175 milligrams of caffeine, three grams of creatine, and 1.5 grams of beta alanine. A scoop also offers a slew of B vitamins, plus citrulline for a little extra pump. Your workouts—and muscle gains—will thank you.
3. Classic Black 28 Oz Blender Bottle, $9.99
If you’re still using a smelly shaker cup from three years ago or trying to pour your supplements into plastic water bottle without making a mess, consider this your invitation to cut that out. Treat yourself to a new Blender Bottle for easier shakes than ever, wherever you are. C’mon, a 28-ounce bottle is BPA-free and fits in your cup holder.
4. Optimum Nutrition Vanilla Ice Cream Gold Standard 100% Whey, $29.99 for 32 servings
Whether you mix it up plain with water, blend it into a smoothie, or stir it into your oatmeal, whey protein is practically its own food group for fitness lovers. With 24 grams of protein, 5.5 grams of branched-chain amino acids, and just three grams of carbs, Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard whey is an absolute staple. A 32-serving tub ($29.99) helps keep your stomach satisfied and your muscles growing—and the vanilla ice cream flavor is as versatile as it gets.
5. BodyTech Rich Chocolate WheyTech Pro 24, $49.99 for 74 servings
If chocolate protein is more your speed (who doesn’t love chocolate milk, after all?), BodyTech’s WheyTech Pro 24 is a fan favorite. The rich, chocolate-y whey packs 24 grams of protein, just three grams of carbs, and costs only 67 cents a serving! We love baking it into protein cookies, rolling it into truffles, or mixing it into fudge.
6. Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bar, $24.99 for 12
Ultra-portable and available in flavors that taste like dessert, protein bars come in handy when you’re on the go, at work, in the car, or just don’t feel like whipping up a snack. Quest’s chocolate chip cookie dough bar is low-carb (just four grams of net carbs), low-sugar (less than a gram), and high protein (21 grams). Plus, with 14 grams of fiber, it’ll keep you feeling satisfied until your next chow-down. We stash them everywhere from the office to our gym bag.
8. Lenny & Larry’s Double Chocolate Complete Cookie, $19.99 for 12
Treat yourself and load up on protein at the same time with one of Lenny & Larry’s best. These vegan cookies contain nothing artificial and pack eight grams of protein and three grams of fiber per serving, so you can satisfy your sweet tooth guilt-free. So why not make your desserts do double duty? These will make all your chocolatey dreams come true.
8. Scivation Strawberry Kiwi Xtend BCAAs, $23.99 for 30 servings
If you down your preworkout before the gym and shake up your protein after but don’t give much thought to what you’re sipping during your workout, you might be missing an opportunity to level up your fitness. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) support your muscles and boost recovery. Scivation’s Xtend BCAAs contain seven grams of the good stuff per serving, at the ideal muscle-building ratio of 2:1:1, leucine to isoleucine to valine. And, as a bonus, this supp also includes an electrolyte blend for hydration and performance, along with citrulline for pump.
9. True Athlete ZMA With Theanine, $29.99 for 180 capsules
Sure, your workouts are huge for growing stronger and fitter and seeing your body change—but in order to see those results, your body has to recover. True Athlete’s ZMA supplement combines zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6, and theanine to support rest and recovery—all while you snooze.
10. Universal Animal Pak, $31.99 for 44 packets
When you’re hardcore about the gym, you need a hardcore supplement regimen to support your training. Universal’s Animal Pak is basically your supplemental foundation, and covers all of your bases—from key vitamins and minerals to important amino acids to adaptogenic herbs to antioxidants to digestive enzymes. This training supplement is the go-to of heavy-lifters and bodybuilders alike.
11. 6 Pack Fitness Innovator 300 Stealth Meal Bag, $79.99
Solid nutrition ensures all your hard work in the gym pays off—but keeping your eats consistent and tune into your goals can be tricky, especially when you’re busy or traveling. That’s where this cooler-than-a-lunchbox meal bag comes in. Stash a full day’s-worth of meals, snacks, and supplements in this bag and you’ll have quick access to healthy meals no matter where you are.
12. Accufitness MyoTape, $6.92
Whether your goal is to bulk up or slim down, taking body measurements is a reliable way to track your progress over time. Accufitness’ looped measuring tape adjusts to fit around any body part you want to measure—whether your waist, biceps, chest, or thighs—for accurate measurements. At $6.92, it’s much cheaper—and more helpful—than a scale!