My Outdoor Yoga Must Haves (+ A Cottonelle Stylist Kit GIVEAWAY!)

Yesterday I told you guys about my clean eating plan for the month of May, and I mentioned that I was also working out six days a week as part of it. I'm not going to pretend I'm some fitness queen who lives to exercise. I'm not even going to tell you I enjoy it, because aside from the wonderful endorphins that follow a workout, there is little I detest more than killing my butt and abs for a half hour straight, or, even worse, subjecting myself to cardio. There is one exception, however - and that is yoga. I've been doing yoga on and off since I was a teenager, and while I admittedly have had many periods of time where I've abandoned it, I've always genuinely liked it. And summertime is my very favorite time to practice, because I can do it outside. Now most of the time, even in the summer, when I'm doing yoga it's in my living room. (I have two very small children. It's much easier to contain them while I'm working out when it's not in the middle of a field.) But those times when I can get outside and do it, whether by myself or in a class, are absolutely blissful.

I've shared some of my yoga gear essentials here in the past, but outdoor yoga requires a few changes. So today I thought I'd share my yoga must-haves for practicing outside during the warmer months.

1. A Thicker Yoga Mat. When you're practicing yoga outside, it's usually on the grass. Even if you're on the flattest of surfaces, it's usually still not designed for yoga practice like inside a studio. I've found that a thicker yoga mat works best for me outside. A regular mat is 3mm. I use a 5mm mat for outdoor practice.

2. Cropped Yoga Pants and a Sports Bra. I don't have much in the way of fancy or expensive yoga clothing. When I'm practicing inside, I usually wear leggings and a fitted tee. When I'm outside and I know I'm going to get hot more easily, I tend to go for cropped leggings and a sports bra or cropped tank. It works perfectly for me and it's really all I need.

3. Hair Ties. If I'm going to be doing yoga outside, I put my hair up in a top knot and I also bring several extra hair ties with me just in case. Nothing feels worse to me when I'm trying to stay focused than sticky hair on my neck. Nope.

3. A Reusable Water Bottle. Maybe having a water bottle on hand while you're doing yoga or working out seems like a given, but it's even more important to stay hydrated if you're going to be outside in the sun. Most parks have drinking fountains where you can keep them filled during your practice.

5.  Cottonelle® CleanRipple Products. While practicing yoga outside can be such an incredible experience, the downside is the you tend to get sweatier than usual. And by sweatier, I mean pretty much everywhere, bum area not excluded. In an effort to remedy this, I take some extra steps to stay clean and fresh, including my personal favorite, Cottonelle® CleanRipple Fresh Care wipes and bathroom tissue. Cottonelle® has CleanRipple Texture designed to clean better, so you’re clean enough to Go Commando. (Yes, commando!) The wipes are also bonus to help stay extra fresh, especially when you're working out under the summer sun. And Cottonelle CleanRipple Texture bathroom tissue is designed to clean better per sheet versus the leading national value brand.

6. Sunscreen. I am admittedly terrible about applying sunscreen, but I always apply it before I'm going to do outdoor yoga. It's amazing how quickly you can burn when you're working out outside, and if you're in the flow, you likely won't notice until it's too late.

7. A Fitness Towel. It makes a world of difference in how I feel when I'm able to wipe the sweat off my face and neck during and after an outdoor yoga session. The towel doesn't have to be anything fancy. Mine was given to my husband in a gift bag for one of the marathons he ran. Any lightweight hand towel will work fine.


While we're on the subject of outdoor yoga, did any of you attend Wanderlust 108 here in Chicago this past weekend? I wasn't able to make it this year, but it's such a sensational event. I love how it's evolved past just focusing on yoga too - they actually call it "The World's Only Mindful Triathlon" because it includes a 5k, yoga, and meditation. That, my friends, is my kind of triathlon. I'm all about a massive fitness-focused outdoor event that's about community over competition. If you went, I'd love to hear about how you liked it. And if you'd like a chance to win an all-inclusive trip to Wanderlust 108 Festival in Miami on October 22 (yes please!), you can enter the Cottonelle® Miami Wanderlust sweepstakes right here!

And now, onto the giveaway! Enter below to win a Cottonelle® Stylist Kit ($50 ARV) as seen in the image above. It contains a selection of fabulous yoga/fitness must haves - Cottonelle® Flushable Cleansing Cloths, Benefit mascara (I love this stuff so much), Dose of Colors lip gloss, Klorane dry shampoo (also a favorite), Emi Jay hair ties, and a plain black baseball cap.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This Cottonelle® "Come Clean" Reader Giveaway runs though 11:59 PM this Sunday, May 22, 2016. There will be 40 winners total from several blogs. Good luck!

Who else loves practicing yoga outside? What are your outdoor yoga essentials?

Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Bubby and Bean possible. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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