The gym. Everyone wants to go and get in shape, lose weight, or just go to stay fit and see friends. The only problem is going. Excuses are easy to come up with, "I'll go tomorrow, I'm too tired today", "I'm too swamped with my work, I'll start after next week when I get caught up" or the most popular one I've come across (and have used myself) "what if people stare at and judge me?" These are all valid excuses but they are just that; excuses. Here are the five things I've learned at the gym.
No one is staring you.
No one cares about what you're doing during your workout, unless it's a trainer at the gym that is going to give you some advice. People are there to do their workouts, and honestly are too focused on that to stare and judge you. There are pictures out there of people body shaming other gym goers during their workout, and if this is something that you worry about, there are gyms out there that do have policies against this and can terminate that person’s membership. So, if this is a concern find a gym that you like and feel comfortable going to.
Trainers are there to help, not make fun of you.
Trainers are professionally hired by the facility, and won't judge you or make fun of you because you aren't able to do an exercise at first. They know what you need to do to reach your goals, and will work with you every step if something isn't working. Some gyms like Planet Fitness come with trainers in the membership, so utilize their services. They know more about what you need to do then you even do. They know how the machines work, what would work best for your goal, and overall care about you making this goal attainable.
Stretching is important.
When I say, this is important, what I'm honestly saying is "do this or feel like you're dying the next day". Stretching is one of those tedious annoyances at the gym that you should not skip. This is a way for your body to prepare for your workout, and to also help after your workout. Yes, you should stretch twice. Once before and once after any workout. Doing this is a great way to feel good during and not be so miserable the next day, especially when first starting at the gym.
Give yourself accountability and credit.
Starting something like this takes a toll not only physically, but also emotionally. This is normally the hardest part for most people starting out at the gym, and unfortunately it is also the reason most people stop going. Talking to friends and family about what you're doing, and how your workouts are coming along is a great way to keep yourself motivated to go. This is something that is not easy, but is well worth the effort. Remind yourself how well you're doing, and keep moving forward in your goal. Being hard on yourself is only discouraging, and does exactly the opposite of what you are trying to accomplish. Let yourself be proud of what you are doing, and let that push you harder to move forward.
Make the gym somewhere you enjoy going.
This sounds crazy, trust me I know, but this is the best way to stop hating this part of the day. When you start to enjoy your workouts, think positively, the gym can become a place that you want to go to. Take classes, bring a friend occasionally, and try new things while you're there. This breaks up the monotony that workouts can bring, and makes going less dreadful.
The gym is something everyone can enjoy. You just need to find the right gym, feel confident in yourself, and do this for you and no one else.
