The ultimate fitness starter kit for 2026. Here’s everything you need to crush your New Year’s resolution

Happy New Year!

As always, this time of year is when everyone is scrambling to think of a good New Year’s Resolution. If you’re like me, your goal is to get your shit together and look good while doing it. That might mean you’re hitting the gym, taking a Pilates class or increasing your step goal. 10,000 steps, here you come!

If you’re on a fitness journey for 2026, here’s everything you need to achieve those goals, from headphones to sneakers to matching sets and everything in between.

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Sneakers to meet your step goals

Let’s start off on the right foot! You’re going to want a trusty pair of sneakers to crush all of your workouts.

HOKA Bondi 9

I’ll probably be talking about the HOKA Bondi 9 from beyond the grave, that is how much I love this sneaker. It is my favorite shoe for walking around Disney World, especially on days when I do 30,000+ steps in the parks. The Bondi 9 is also the perfect shoe for all of my workouts. This shoe really provides the cushiony support and balance my feet need during any workout, whether it is cardio-focused or strength training. You can read my full review of this HOKA sneaker here.

ALLSWIFIT Women’s Slip-On Walking Shoes

Now, not everyone wants to start 2026 by spending $175 on sneakers (even though HOKAs are worth it!). You can get a top-rated pair of sneakers on Amazon for under $50 right now. These ALLSWIFIT sneakers are said to be a HOKA dupe, have 4.4 stars on Amazon and nearly 4,000 reviews.

Matching sets to look your best

In 2025, I adopted the “look your best, feel your best” mentality when working out. There is something about putting on a matching set that just makes working out easier.

Alo Yoga Airbrush High-Waist Heart Throb Legging and Sports Bra

Alo Yoga has some of the best matching sets on the market, including the Heart Throb matching set, which comes in red, black, white, and winter frost. The Airbrush leggings are $134 and the Heart Throb Bra is $88.

YPB studioFLEX Cami Sports Bra and 7/8-Length Legging

Don’t sleep on Abercrombie! The brand has some of the cutest matching sets and they’re not going to break the bank. You can get a complete set for under $100. The YPB studioFLEX Cami Sports Bra ($30, instead of $35) and 7/8-Length Legging ($55, on sale from $65) come in six to eight colors, including fun colors like red, dark blue, red wine and brown houndstooth.

Headphones you need to crank your workout playlist

Listen up, you’re going to want to get some good headphones so you can listen to your workout playlist as loud as possible at the gym.

Beats Studio Pro – Premium Wireless Over-Ear Headphones

These are my personal favorite headphones and they go on sale all the time. We saw them for $200 off just this past Black Friday. The battery life on them is unreal. I go weeks without having to charge them, and I wear them all the time on walks around my neighborhood and while I’m cleaning the house. These Beats headphones have really soft on-ear cushions that are still breathable, so they won’t get all gross with sweat during a workout.

JBL Vibe Beam – True Wireless JBL Deep Bass Sound Earbuds

If you’re on the market for cheaper, in-ear headphones, these JBL Earbuds are under $50. Over 10,000 Amazon shoppers have bought these little earbuds in the last month, and it comes as no surprise, since they have 4.2 stars and over 30,000 positive reviews.

The perfect gym bag to carry all your essentials

Whether you’re carrying a yoga mat + block, a water bottle or your pickleball racket, there’s a gym bag for pretty much every fitness individual.

BAGSMART Gym Bag

This BAGSMART bag has tons of pockets to hold all of your gym essentials, including everything you’d need to shower after a good workout. It comes in 15 colors, including this really cute cherry print pattern. If you’re looking for something smaller, BAGSMART has a huge range of bags, like tote bags and tennis bags. BAGSMART bags are machine washable, which is ideal for gym bags, in the event you toss stinky sneakers inside or you don’t remember to wash the smoothie out of your Blender Bottle before putting it in your bag. I highly recommend this brand because I have the BAGSMART shoulder bag and use it every day; it is one of my favorite recent purchases.

Sporty 20″ Duffel – All In Motion™

Target has begun to take over the gym world with the All In Motion brand, particularly this Sporty Duffel. Over 1,000 Target shoppers have bought it in the last month! It is water-repellent, is large enough to fit your gym clothes and sneakers, plus it has a zipper pocket on the exterior (perfect for storing your phone) and a water bottle pocket.

Water bottles to meet your hydration goals

A fitness goal should always go hand in hand with a hydration goal! If you’re looking to work out more, you should also make sure you’re drinking more water. These water bottles will help you hit those goals!

Owala’s FreeSipSway

The FreeSip^® Sway is Owala’s new take on their most popular bottle, which includes a much-needed handle for gym goers. You can either drink from the straw or use the chug feature on this water bottle and it is so easy to carry by the sway handle. Plus, it is leakproof and will keep your water ice cold for up to 24 hours. This is also cupholder-friendly!

Stanley 40 oz H2.0 FlowState Quencher Tumbler

If you love a good trend, you can never go wrong with the Stanley H2.0 FlowState Quencher Tumbler. It is big but popular for a reason!

The gym essentials you might not know you need

There’s always a handful of “essentials” you don’t even think about until you’re at the gym, mid-workout and reaching for something you don’t have.

A smartwatch or fitness tracker

You can get a really basic fitness tracker to count steps and track your workouts for under $30 on Amazon, or you can upgrade a bit to get one of the simpler Fitbit models like the Charge 6 or the Inspire 3 (both under $100). Or, go all out and get an Apple Watch 11 or Garmin vívoactive® 6 for the latest and greatest smartwatches.

Hand weights, like Bala Bars

If you’re attending a Pilates class or a yoga mat class, you might need to bring your own hand weights. Bala Bars are the Pilates girlies’ current favorites, but you can also find similar styles on Amazon for under $20.

A good, quality yoga mat

Get a thick yoga mat and make sure it comes with a strap, so you’re not awkwardly folding up and carrying it out of the gym post-workout. If you’re going to yoga, also check to see if you need a yoga block! You can find them for under $20 on Amazon.

Post-workout snacks

Don’t let hunger get you! Just toss a few of these post-workout snacks in your gym bag to stay prepared. These TRUBAR Vegan protein bars are a tasty way to hit your macros! simplyFUEL Protein Balls and Crisp Power Protein Pretzels are some other great post-workout snacks to keep handy!