Starting to go to the gym can be intimidating. I’m going to tell you 4 truths followed by personal stories that might make you laugh (good!), and some tips that WILL work so you can take your next steps at getting comfortable and confident in the gym.
1. Nobody’s looking at you!
I promise. nobody is going to the gym, to watch you. Everyone at the gym is thinking about their workout, and getting in the zone. They are not looking your way! I remember some of my first trips to the gym I saw a friend from school who played sports, did cross-fit, and was in amazing shape, and I thought she had been looking at my form, my workout, and overall I was getting anxious that maybe I didn’t belong in the gym to begin with! I took a moment to reflect before I laughed out loud, and waived hello! She didn’t waive back BECAUSE she was focused on her workout with her headphones on, and was counting her reps. Once she did look at me SHE later told me that she thought I was watching HER form!
2. Reach out and connect to people in the fitness community!
Always, always, always greet and say hello to the front desk when you walk in to scan your membership. The people at the front desk can help you at a time of need (they have band-aids). There should be a personal trainer and staff on duty who will make you feel welcome and help you to learn how to use machines properly or to give you advice on your workouts! Make friends with your gym community that cheer you on! It only takes less than a minute to waive and say hi. I wish somebody had given me this advice sooner; you can learn so much so fast; from meal planning to workouts, and pretty soon you will get to know the community around you, and feel at home when you enter the gym! This will make you feel more comfortable, and help to push you to try new equipment in the gym.
3. Research your workouts, stretches & form.
Try it all. Get to know every machine and go for it! Again, nobody is watching you. Create a plan, and come in with a fresh mind and a set of headphones or earbuds to keep you in gain mode. Looking at what others are doing in the gym, will help to inspire you and get momentum when you are doing everything you want to do, and doing it right. Some apps I recommend for gym inspiration are YouTube [reels], Pinterest, and Lemon8. I remember I used to try to get through training my abs when I first started in the gym. I had been doing the same routine I learned from my former dance studio over 9 years ago (which was effective but as you can imagine wasn’t very excited anymore). When I set out to do some of my own research, I tried pilates, medicine balls, dumbbells, and deep-core exercises and that changed the whole game! *Always stretch before weight training to promote mobility in your workout and prevent injury! There are some fun stretches and mobility exercises you can find online with a band or body-weight but I highly recommend you incorporate them into your routine so you can optimize your workout/ recovery.
4. Wear what makes sense!
If you are wearing something that makes you feel good, you will feel good! Do your hair for the occasion if you want to! - sometimes you want to be comfy! I love a good old jogging pants and sweatshirt combo for a warm-up. an all-grey sweats moment (grout-fit) as the kids like to say. When I first started my fitness journey I was all about the cute outfits, it kept me motivated to go and allowed me to dress cute (which I love). I bought a set that I wore maybe two times. tip #1 always check reviews, and never buy light teal sets- you will indeed sweat through them. It was cardio day and I ran a 2 miler, you could see the sweat marks on my shirt and to top it off it was arm day, and my underarms were drenched in sweat- so I went home! Don’t cut your workout short! Wear what you’re comfortable in. You don’t need to have a cute set every time you go to the gym; if you’re throwing on some shorts and a hand-me-down shirt from your mom’s closet you’re not alone! Wear what you can move in and go get active!
What if I told you that the reason I was able to lose 40 pounds was consistency? The GREATEST niche in health, wellness, and fitness are these quick fixes that will "transform your body in 30 days" or food and supplements that will instantaneously change our body in a small amount of time. As consumers this sounds pretty great! I fell into the trap of believing these fads at the beginning of my journey and I want you to understand that this is a ploy- slow and steady will show you results. Let's dive into the world of health/wellness. The goal is to continuously become healthier to sustain your body and improve mobility, stamina, and energy (whatever your personal goals are) mentally and physically. Some of the most successful people say everything worth having takes time to accomplish, and with health and wellness, it is a lifelong walk uphill! I was trying different diets; cutting out too much and working out WITHOUT a plan and for too long until I realized that a pla...
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