Let's face it, a sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyle isn't always how it looks on social media. You're not always eating an acai smoothie bowl with a bamboo spoon or getting a latte in your reusable mug. Day-to-day life contains a lot of challenges for those just starting to live more sustainably, and one of those challenges is making your workout routine less wasteful. From workout clothes to the gym you belong to, a lot of waste can happen over time. Here are a few tips for making your fitness routine a little more sustainable.

1. Switch Brands

While your first action should always be maintaining the clothing you already own, workout clothes do wear down a lot more quickly than your average pair of jeans. Most workout junkies will have to buy at least two new articles of clothing per year, whether it's a sports bra or a pair of sneakers. So while you shouldn't throw out your old workout gear right away, you should plan ahead for where you'll shop the next time you need to. 

Thankfully, more and more brands are making workout clothing that is sustainably sourced and ethically manufactured. They can be a little more pricey than what you'd find at the Nike store, but they're usually higher quality material and will survive longer than cheaper clothes. Investing in quality pieces is a huge part of living sustainably, so start saving now to afford those items down the line.

2. Getting In Your Greens 

So you want your morning green superfood smoothie to taste good.That's understandable - no one wants a bland, boring smoothie for breakfast. That’s why there’s superfood powders you can mix into your smoothie that won’t ruin the smoothie’s flavor. Just make sure you’re buying from a company that cares about the environment. 

3. Reusable Equipment

Most workout fanatics will already carry a water bottle with them to the gym or trail, but will still occasionally have to get that plastic Dasani in emergencies. Of course, you shouldn't deprive yourself of water in an emergency, but avoiding the plastic bottle completely is something you can absolutely do. A technique many find effective is keeping water bottles in several places, like the car or at your office. That way, even if you forget your go-to bottle, you'll still have a way to avoid buying plastic. 

4. Downsize Responsibly

Many people when embracing a new sustainable lifestyle will start weeding out their old junk in order to become more minimal. Living minimally has a lot of benefits, so it's good to relieve your home of unnecessary weight. But ditching all your old workout clothes can have a poor impact on the environment.

If your clothing is still in good shape, consider donating or swapping through neighborhood groups. Some areas will have clothing recycling programs you can use. And old clothes can always be used around the house as dust rags. Of course, sometimes there's just no way to avoid sending your items to a landfill. But thinking through the options will help you understand the impact of throwing something away and take future purchases more seriously. 

6. Shorter Showers

Those who work out a lot also take lots of showers. This is just an unavoidable part of sweating as part of your daily routine. But you can drastically lessen the amount of water you're using just by timing your showers every day. Just by setting a timer and jumping out when you've hit the limit you'll be shaving gallons off your monthly water bill.

7. Get Outside

Gyms can be incredibly wasteful, so if your favorite form of exercise is one you can do in nature or at home, that's something to consider. Whether you're running, biking, or swimming, doing your workouts outside has the added benefit of giving you some much-needed vitamin D. And if you spend all day in front of a screen, that little bit of time in nature can really reset your mind and remind you why you committed to a sustainable lifestyle in the first place.