Staying Healthy At the Gym

By Delaina Dixon

You’ve committed to hitting the gym at least three times of week to keep yourself in shape. But some issues can arise at the gym that could derail your workout — and even make you ill — if you don’t take some precautions. Here are five great tips to keep your health in check when you’re about to sweat.

Wipe Down Before Your Workout. In a perfect world, all gym enthusiasts would hop off the treadmill/bike/workout bench and give it a nice wipe down. But let’s be real. There’s always that one guy who leaves a pool of sweat just to prove how hard he hit the weights. Good for him, but not so good for you as you plop yourself into a wet spot. So make sure to wipe down equipment and that exercise mat with a disinfecting wipe before you start your workout to eliminate dirt and germs. You can rest assured that you’re starting your routine on sanitized equipment, because you did it yourself.

Wash Your Water Bottle. You’re saving the world with your portable water bottle and getting hydrated in the process. But it’s all for naught if your water bottle starts harboring bacteria that could make you sick. It’s important to clean your bottle regularly. Rinse it in soapy warm water and let it air-dry overnight. Want to really clean out its crevices? Try OXO Good Grips® Water Bottle Cleaning 3-Piece Set to tackle tough areas like your water bottle’s spout. Click here to find out more.

Slip On Your Flips. Just one look into most gym showers may scare you from stepping into one. But if you must, make sure you put on your shower flip flops before you clean up to avoid exposure to fungi that can cause tinea pedis, better known as athlete’s foot. Make sure that you keep your shower sandals clean as well. Let them air-dry between uses and wipe them down with disinfectant periodically.

Change That Gear. Vaginal yeast infections can still occur after 50. If you’ve had a good and sweaty workout, you can’t spend the rest of the day in your wet workout pants. Change out of your soiled clothes as soon as possible. A World of Wipes disposable washcloths are bigger than a baby wipe and easily travel in your gym bag for a quick, refreshing wipe down. (Click here to order.) Then slip into something dry, preferably made of cotton.  

Celebrity reporter Delaina Dixon delivers it with sass and class every weekday morning on VH1’s celebrity entertainment news show The Gossip Table on VH1. She is co-founder and editor-in-chief of DivaGalsDaily.com. An avid enthusiast of fitness at every age, she is a certified group fitness instructor with the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America.