Feeling embarrassed in the gym? Try these steps to help you be more comfortable and confident in getting moving!
Anxiety around heading into the gym isn't something new espeically when its an area you don't know much about - I want to help you overcome this fear and get moving to help you improve physically and mentally!
Unfortunately, the gym has been built up to be a space of judgement and competition over the years, especially with the boom of video content on social media that shares "wrong use of equipment", "gym creeps" and "wtf moments". All for likes when in reality its nothing like this, people don't give a f***.
Firstly, I would like to reassure you that many gyms are not like this at all and many influencers are fighting to tackle the stigma in the gym that everyone is out judging one aother, there is always a fear that people will be staring at you and judging your every move. Many of us will experience some kind of gym anxiety throughout our training and this often will be the reason why training stops.
When you’re battling your self-esteem issues and niggling thoughts of body shame then having someone say no one cares in the gym isn’t going to snap you out of the gym-xiety! Feeling as if you’re being stared at and judged or anxious & embarrassed never ends and a leading cause of people stopping getting moving before the goodness has even started. The goodness is the feel-good hormones that we crave! Statistics have shown that getting moving makes you feel good and releases good hormones such as endorphins which is why taking part in exercise is good for your mental health!
How I started
Now Let me tell you. I hated the gym atmosphere when I started, and I couldn’t even last a
full workout without leaving in a puddle of my insecurities. I felt sick at the thought of doing something wrong and being laughed at. I didn’t want to try anything new and often left feeling worse than when I went in (which seems crazy to say when my mental health was already in the toilet) Unfortunately like many people in our society poor body image was a massive part of getting my body moving, I struggled with gaining weight and have consistently been told I’m too skinny and to eat more throughout my entire life. To the point I'd feel nauseous on trying to get the calories in, knocking my progress further back because I was eating the wrong things.
The reason I wanted to train and work on finding things that would ease my anxiety was purely due to the fact I hated myself and knew I needed a change ( I know hate sounds so dramatic but trust me I was.) I had tried eating to gain weight and it wasn’t happening, I tried therapy to help me love myself even just a smidge enough to function and this was the last option. As I girl who avoided PE at school and milked a back injury from the ages of 13 til I left, I was shocked at how much it has completely changed my life (still as dramatic as ever.)
Many people getting into exercise, comes from a goal whether its gaining muscle, losing fat or being healthier there's a starting point for everyone and it's not easy. I have 5 tips on how to lower your gym anxiety to try and help you feel more comfortable in the gym as you deserve to be there and take up the space! No matter how beginner you are.
4 ways to lower your gym anxiety
Start on something simple – As a beginner, I hear you say, simple what the fuck is simple. Head in and choose something like the bike or treadmill that gives you the space to have a look around and get to grips with your surroundings. See the people in the gym and watch as most people are minding their own business and all there for similar reasons – to make a change in themselves. This will also give you the opportunity to see what machines you’ve seen before (know how to use) and check out the layout.
Listen to music - Get the headphones out and turn on your favourite playlist. There’s something that hits differently and gives you such confidence when you're blasting your favourite songs to get into the gym and move some weight! For me specifically, it is a game changer and one that powers me through my entire workout, I’m able to lift massively different!
Take someone with you - Getting yourself a gym buddy will keep you motivated, accountable, having fun, and feeling less anxious with someone else working together. This will also keep you and your gym buddy training together and keeping motivated. go
Have a plan! - The best way to feel ok in the gym is to have a plan, and know exactly what you are doing when you get there so you are not overwhelmed and panicked when you walk through the door. These plans should be personalised to your goals, whatever they may be. If you have the means, getting a coach would be the best way to get a plan that will work best for achieving your goals.
I hope these can help you get into the gym and be the most confident version of yourself. Using exercise to fight your mental health issues is an amazing feeling and I can’t wait to see all the progress you will make. Feel like working together to tackle anxiety with weightlifting and become the best version of yourself – let's get together!
Message me for more information on how I can help you hit your goals, get more confidence and be the strongest version of you.
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