December 2021 Fitness & Lifestyle Favorites

Here are my fitness faves and lifestyle favorites that I wanted to share to kick off the year! I spend most of my time outside of work and testing beauty products training for powerlifting competitions (see my last competition recap here) and am very into fitness and health. As always, thank you so much for being here, and it would mean so much to me if you subscribe here or on Instagram @liftbakelove for new posts!

Friction Labs Secret Stuff Liquid Chalk – I’ve tried a few different styles of wraps and types of chalk, and while nothing compares to actual chalk, this is my favorite so far. I can’t use chalk in the commercial gym I workout in but need some help with my grip on my heavier deadlifts (usually above 225lbs), and this stuff is great. It dries pretty quickly and works so well for deadlift grip. It also lasts through multiple sets without rubbing off and doesn’t dry out my hands like other chalks do. It’s $19 but I’ve used this a bunch and the bottle still feels full and hasn’t dried out at all.

A7 Black Cone Knee Sleeves – I feel a huge difference while squatting with these verses without them. I use knee sleeves knee warmth, compression, and rebound for heavy lifts (for me, above 195lbs on squats which is almost all workouts now). I love how easy these are to get on vs my SBD ones which I always struggle with no matter what I do because the SBDs are so stiff. They still provide all of the support I’m looking for even with how easy they are to get on. Plus, they’re easy to adjust if I don’t get them on right the first time.  It’s approved for USAPL meets, so you’ll see them on me in any of my meet recaps, and it’s the only pair of sleeves I’d trust on meet day to help me lift the heaviest I can. They feel brand new from having used them every time I squat for about 2 years now (obviously on and off because pandemic gym closures, but I’m still very happy with their durability).

Built Bar Candy Cane Brownie Stix  – Important context for this one is that I know it’s not everyone’s thing, but I’m a big fan of peppermint and chocolate together. It’s one of my favorite holiday flavor combos, and I absolutely love things like Thin Mints, Peppermint Patties, etc.. I was so excited when these candy candy brownie stix came out that I bought two boxes of them, and I have no regrets. It honestly tastes exactly like a mint brownie, except they are only 80 calories and have 9 grams of protein. This has been the perfect snack for me that’s just as good as “the real thing” but helps me hit my daily protein target. These were seasonal, but Built has bites in different brownie flavors if you’re looking for something similarly small.

Adidas Powerlift 4 Weightlifting Shoes – I decided not to pack my squat shoes on a recent trip home and immediately regretted it. I really missed having the extra stability and hard soles that keep me firmly planted and supported when squatting. I hadn’t realized how much of a difference these shoes made until I didn’t have them, and I’m so happy I have them back in my life. I also started using these for benching and have noticed a big improvement in my leg drive because of being able to really push into the floor with my feet. They only come in men’s sizing, but I found a size that fits my feet perfectly.

Alphalete Surface Pocket Leggings – I picked up a few things from Alphalete’s Black Friday sale because I’ve been wanting to try their activewear out for awhile now and knew it would be better to wait for one of their sales. While I got and do really like the famous Amplify leggings, the Surface Leggings really pleasantly surprised me. They have no front seam and deep side pockets. They fit incredibly well without being too tight and are really flattering. They’re pretty high rise (in a good way) and supportive. The thing that stood out to me was the performance material – they’re cool to the touch, light-weight, and stretchy. I love these especially for squat and leg days when I need to be able to move around and move heavy weights without overheating.

What would you like to see next on LiftBakeLove? Let me know in the comments below, and thanks as always for being here! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.