I know that the gym can be a scary, intimidating place. Especially if it is filled with people that you know. These are the tips that have helped me feel more confident when I am at the gym!
1. Put your headphones in and put your music UP. Make a gym playlist with your favorite pump up songs. Listening to motivating music always helps me push through a workout. You can listen to my Spotify gym playlist here, which I update regularly!
2. Plan your workout ahead of time. Nothing is worse than not knowing which exercise you're going to do next. Write your workout down on your phone or a piece of paper so it's easy to look at. Also, try to keep all of the exercises that use the same equipment after one another so that you aren't walking back and forth across the gym.
3. Wear an outfit that you feel comfortable in. This one is so important! If you look good, you'll feel good, and you will be more confident. If you aren't confident with your legs then wear tights instead of shorts. If you don't want people looking at your butt then tie a long sleeve shirt or sweatshirt around your waist. Wear a loose shirt or a tight shirt. Whatever makes YOU feel your best.
4. Know that if you look cute during your workout then you're probably not working hard enough. Don't be embarrassed if you're sweating or breathing heavy. I have heard too many friends say that they don't want people they know to see them working out. Exercising should not be embarrassing! If someone makes fun of you for it, then they suck and you don't need to impress them. You are there to better yourself. You are killing it! You should be sweaty. I look like a wet tomato after working out. OWN IT!
5. Don't look around or make eye contact with people. Yes, this might seem a little extreme. But I really do this all the time. You don't need to look at what anyone else is doing. Just focus on yourself and on your workout. And on the same note, don't be intimated by people there that are more fit than you. Everyone started somewhere. When I first started lifting weights all I could do was 5 or 7 pounds! Now I can do much more than that. Just start and focus on YOU!
6. Keep going back to the gym! I have found that I am way more comfortable when I know where all of the equipment is! That way you aren't walking around aimlessly! This is helpful when planning your workouts because if one machine is upstairs and everything else is downstairs, you don't want to put that in the middle of your workout! Also, if you go to the gym for a week and then take a month break, you are never going to make progress. Commit to making yourself healthier and more fit!
Follow these tips the next time you go to the gym and have a great workout!!
