January 20, 2020

5 Tips for a Plastic-Free Workout

It’s the start of a new year and a fresh opportunity to become your best self! Exercising more is one of the most common New Year’s Resolutions. But like most activities in life, exercising can come with a lot of plastic waste.

Plastic water bottles, plastic wrapped energy bars, and even plastic in your workout clothes. To avoid all this plastic here are my 5 tips for a plastic-free workout:

Choose Natural Fiber Clothing
Use Plastic-Free Deodorant
Bring a Reusable Water Bottle
Get Energy Snacks in the Bulk Section
Recycle Old Gear

Let’s jump in, shall we?

1. Choose Natural Fiber Clothing

When choosing workout clothes there are several reasons to opt for natural fibers. Performance-wise, natural fibers are more breathable and are naturally odor resistant.

Synthetic fibers are oftentimes derived from oil and essentially plastic. When all clothes are washed, they shed tiny microfibers which can’t be caught in waste treatment plants and thus flow out into the ocean. For natural materials, those fibers will biodegrade over time. But for synthetic materials like polyester, acrylic, and nylon, those microfibers are essentially microplastic and create the same harm as all plastics.

Synthetic fibers are also advertised as moisture wicking or breathable but if you think about how “breathable” a plastic bag is you start to realize why your gym clothes stink so bad.

So, when looking for workout clothes, choose natural fibers like:

cotton (preferably organic)
wool
silk
linen
hemp
rayon
viscose
bamboo
lyocell
modal

Cotton is one of the most chemical intensive crops. When choosing cotton, it’s important to choose organic cotton to avoid the copious amounts of pesticides used in traditional cotton.

We think of our skin as a barrier but it can also absorb chemicals especially when our pores are open from sweating. You don’t want to be absorbing pesticides in your skin through non-organic cotton clothing.

My favorite brand of organic cotton clothing is Pact Organic. All my undershirts, sports bras, leggings, and even socks are from Pact.

2. Use Plastic-Free Deodorant

The average person probably goes through four or five deodorant sticks a year depending on how often they work out. Over a lifetime, that’s a lot of plastic deodorant sticks!

I covered “Plastic-Free Deodorant” last year but as a quick refresher, there are several types: package-free deodorant bars, deodorant in paper tubes, metal tins, and glass jars. There are also DIY sprays which I covered in the post.

Olivia for the Ocean - Plastic-Free Living

My favorite option has been the T’eo deodorant bar from LUSH. I get it package-free from their stores and the floral smell is light but wonderful.

3. Bring a Reusable Water Bottle

Hopefully by now this one is obvious. If you’re a Rockstar this year (and I know you will be), you’ll work out four days a week. If you use a plastic water bottle for each work out, that’s 1,460 in just one year!

When working out I love an insulated water bottle that keeps my water cold! This Klean Kanteen version is my favorite because the cap is stainless steel and bamboo so the entire bottle is plastic-free!

If you tend to forget a reusable water bottle when going to work out, keep one in your gym bag and one in your car as a back-up. You want to set yourself up for success by having a backup plan and making it easy for yourself.

4. Get Energy Snacks in the Bulk Section

I’ve recently noticed more and more energy bite options in the bulk section in Whole Foods and other grocery stores.

If your bulk section doesn’t have these options, you can always make some energy bars.

I make this basic granola bar recipe which you can substitute the chocolate chips with 2 – 3 Tablespoons of nut butter to add some protein.

1 cup dry quick oats
1/2 cup rice krispies
3 Tablespoons dried cranberries
3 Tablespoons chopped almonds
2 Tablespoons chocolate chips
1 1/2 Tablespoons coconut oil
2 Tablespoons honey
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 t vanilla

Line 9 x 9 pan with parchment paper

Mix dry ingredients.

Over medium-heat melt coconut oil, honey and brown sugar. When it starts to bubble add vanilla and cook for 1 more minute.

Mix all ingredients and press into pan. Let cool before cutting. Put in fridge for a firmer texture.

For other energy bar recipes, check out this post on Runner’s World.

5. Recycle Old Gear

You spent all last year training for a triathlon (you’re so awesome) and you’re left with a pair of hole-y sneakers. Don’t toss them in the trash! Make sure you recycle them.

Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program takes old athletic sneakers and turns them into sports flooring. Just drop them off at any Nike store.

For workout clothes, you can drop them off for textile recycling them at H&M. You also get a coupon for 15% off your next purchase!

What do you think? Can you commit to working out without plastic this year? What are your favorite ways to get some exercise? Tell me in the comments!

For related and random posts, check out: