What You Need.

Here's what I bring to the gym with me when I workout:

Weight-lifting day - towel, water bottle.

Cardio day - towel, water bottle, MP3 player.

That's it. You don't need anything else. As the heavy weeks get heavier I'll probably introduce a weight-belt down the line, but that's about it. If you want to keep your hands to the level that Fairy Liquid has helped maintain then you should consider gloves. They can help with your grip to an extent but by not using them you'll toughen your hands up (calices, and what have you) and actually improve your grip, as well as your forearm strength.

What you definitely don't need is any kind of sports drink - they're a waste of time anyway but consider the logic of busting your ass for 20 minutes or so only to lose that from the 120 calories you'll ingest from a bottle of Powerade? There is something to be said for half a can of Coca Cola before and after a workout, alongside your half banana, and if you feel you need that extra bit of sugar, go ahead. But only drink water during the workout. You're not doing an Ironman here. Believe me, your electrolytes are just fine.

I drink 1-2 litres of water every workout, basically just having a sip after every set and every couple of minutes on the treadmill. Not great gulps - a sip. The old adage about how when your mind tells you you're thirsty it's already too late is absolutely true - nothing hits performance harder (and faster) than dehydration, even on a very moderate basis. Keep sipping that water.