Health

What’s in My Gym Bag: Vida Fitness General Manager Nancy Burnham

Photograph courtesy Nancy Burnham.

Who: Nancy Burnham
Does: General manager for Vida Fitness
Approach to fitness: My personal motto is ‘consistency is the key to success’. Regardless of what I’m doing, I make sure I’m enjoying it, so I do it often and do it well. Due to my slightly competitive nature, I’ve always loved working out with people in a team setting. In the 16 years I’ve been working in the fitness industry, I’ve learned there isn’t one specific exercise that will lead to a successful fitness outcome. It’s the combination of support, consistency, and variety.”

The Bag 

Burnham loves hiking backpacks. She’s currently using one by Timbuk2, but her favorite is an Osprey travel pack. She loves both because of the back support and all the compartments for sweaty gym clothes, electronics, and baby gear. An added bonus: “In the city where you need your Metro card and house keys easily accessible, both have waistline compartments to keep them safe, secure, and close by,” she says.

Osprey Porter 46 Travel Pack; $140; REI

Footwear

Burnham plans all of her outfits based on how well they match her trusty Vans. “Also, I can’t stress how important it is to have the right pair of socks,” she says of her Bombas no-shows. “No blisters for this gal!”

Vans Slip-On Core Classics; $50; Zappos
Bombas Women’s Lightweight No-Shows Four-Pack; $40; Bombas

Skin Care

A drawstring cosmetic bag makes it easy for Burnham to lug around all the beauty essentials she needs. “This bag keeps everything together and allows you to lay everything out on the counter and quickly scoop it up,” she says. Inside, you’ll find GM Collin face wash and mist, which she likes for her dry and sensitive skin.

Drawstring cosmetic bag; $10; Poshmark
Hydramucine Cleansing Milk
; $35; GM Collin
Hydramucine Treating Mist; $39; GM Collin

Dry Shampoo

“On the rare occasion that I can’t get away with a quick dry or messy bun, I like to use dry shampoo to cover up oily hair,” says Burnham. “This product is specifically for fine hair and it is colorless and odorless. It helps me get that fresh look in-between washes.”

Jet Lag Invisible Dry Shampoo; $27; IGK Hair

Gadgets

No matter what kind of workout she’s doing, Burnham always has her MyZone heart rate monitor. And for races, she likes to wear her Timex watch, which is lightweight and water-resistant.

Heart rate monitor; prices vary; MyZone
Ironman Classic 30 Mid-Size Resin Strap Watch; $39; Timex

Mimi Montgomery Washingtonian
Home & Features Editor

Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She’s written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.