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Gym anxiety is a real thing. And it prevents so many people from starting their health and fitness journey. I get it, I let gym anxiety (and just anxiety in general) stop me from reaching my goals many times.
I have a very long history of anxiety at the gym. All stemming from the time when my parents thought it would be a good idea to force a sixteen-year-old to get a gym membership and a personal trainer. We won’t even get into that at the moment but I’m sure you can guess where the anxiety comes from.
I stilled joined many gyms over the years. Always going a few times before quitting altogether. Because at the end of the day, I always let my insecurities get the better of me.
Eventually, I learned how to move past my gym insecurities. Now, I find the gym to be a place where I can relax and simply workout. But it took a change in mindset and that’s what I’m going to share with you.
Overcoming Gym Insecurities
Do you struggle with endless worries at the gym? Worrying about things other than your workout is only going to sabotage your health and fitness efforts. So, it’s important to learn how to let go of those anxieties so that you can focus on your goals.
Worrying About What You’re Wearing
Especially with Instagram culture, it’s easy to get caught up in what we look like and what we’re wearing. Worrying about what our clothing looks like, how it’s fitting on our body and is it on-trend can completely ruin a workout. What is important is to be wearing something that is comfortable for you. Not comfortable wearing a crop top? Who cares if that’s what everyone else is wearing. Wear what you feel comfortable wearing. If that means a pair of leggings and an oversized top, go for it. Not a fan of bright colors? Dress all in black. The more comfortable you are the more likely you are to enjoy your workout.
Worrying About What Your Body Looks Like
If you’re spending your time at the gym worrying about how your body looks when it moves, chances are you’re not going to be returning to the gym very often. It’s impossible to enjoy a class if you’re thinking about every wiggle and jiggle your body makes. But remember that every single body, no matter how fit, wiggles, and jiggles. Even if it’s just a little bit.
Firstly, remember that every person at the gym is there to work on their health and body. So if you think you’re the only person who is self-conscious about their body, let me tell you, you’re not alone. There are always other people at the gym who are there pushing past their insecurities with you.
If you have areas of your body that move in a way you don’t love, athletic clothing, like the pants below, hold in areas you’re not comfortable with so you can feel free to move without feeling self-conscious.
Worrying If You’re “Doing Things Correctly”
If you’re new to the gym, it can be easy to get intimidated by all the machines, weights and fitness classes. Especially, when it feels like everyone else around you knows exactly what they’re doing. Worrying if you’re doing things correctly, or a fear that you’ll do something wrong can hold you back from trying something new or from working your hardest.
The easiest way to bring confidence to the gym is to go with a friend. I often talk about the value of a fit friend or accountability partner here on the blog. Learning how to lift weights, follow a class or use a machine is so much easier (and more fun!) when you’re with a friend.
Don’t have someone who will go to the gym with you? Check out youtube videos prior to the gym to learn how to use the machines or to learn how to do certain exercises. Having an idea of how things work beforehand will ease gym anxiety and make you feel much more confident.
Worrying If You’re Sweating “Too Much”
I used to be one of those people who was always concerned about how much they were sweating. I would think that if I sweat “too much” people would think I was gross or really out of shape. But the truth is, you’re supposed to sweat at the gym!
Sweating is a healthy thing to do. It helps regulate your body temperature and helps your body get rid of toxic materials. So, if you’re sweating it is a sign that your body is functioning properly.
You may think that only overweight people sweat a lot but this could not be further from the truth. Really fit people sweat a lot as well (just check out any of my post-workout selfies). Generally speaking, sweating is a sign of exertion and when you’re working out you want to be exerting yourself. So go ahead and work up a sweat! Don’t be embarrassed, be proud of how hard you’re working instead. #sweatyselfie
Worrying If People Are Watching You
A common gym anxiety is to be worried that people are watching you workout. We’ve all be there: worried about what we’re wearing, not sure what we’re doing, and now we’re confident that every person in the gym is watching us being a total newbie.
But here’s the truth. Not a single person cares about what you’re doing.
Now there may be a small chance that you signed up at a really snobby gym. I’ve accidentally done that before. But that’s why most gyms have trial memberships. If you find that the gym has a bad atmosphere, cancel and move along to a new place.
But 99.9% of the time, no one is looking in your direction.
This is one of those areas where you simply need to get over yourself, push past the selfish idea that all eyes are on you, and get your workout done.
Worrying About Body Comparison
Here’s the thing. Similar to the point that no one is watching you, chances are the only person comparing your body to anyone else, is you. Trust me when I say that every person at the gym is just happy to see other people at the gym getting healthy and fit. It’s a camaraderie, not a competition. And, again, on the off chance that you are at one of those weird gyms, cancel your trial and get out of there.
Worrying About Looking Silly
Worrying about how you look during a zumba class, running on the treadmill or trying out some free weights will stop you from returning to the gym. If you’re afraid of how your face looks, whether you’re red, and what’s moving around, you won’t be able to get into the fitness zone.
Recognize that everyone makes faces and noises when they workout. It’s part of exerting yourself and giving your best effort. I’m sure my face looks ridiculous most times when I’m exercising but guess how much I care? Zero.
Get over the idea that you have to look good when working out. If anything embrace the opposite, the worse you look afterward, the better the workout!
It’s easy to get caught up in gym anxieties and little worries. But at the end of that day, you simply need to focus on yourself and your goals. Forget about who and what is around you. Forget about what other people are doing and what their goals are. When you focus on yourself, the anxieties fade to the background.
What’s your biggest gym insecurity? Share with me in the comments.
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Great advice! I avoided going to the gym for years because I didn’t know what to do and was afraid people would judge me. I’m slowly overcoming this, and something that has really helped is having a gym near me that offers completely private workout rooms. This helps me focus on learning the proper form to exercise while not worrying about people watching me.