Intimidated by the gym????

Gym Intimidation

So, I don't know about you but there are so many times when I feel intimidated by the thought of the gym. 

Thoughts run through my head such as, people are gonna laugh at me because i'm so out of shape, people will look and think she hasn't got a clue what she's doing, someone will want to use the machine i'm on and get annoyed, It can literally be an endless list.

Recently, I have just got back into a regular routine of going to the gym, and i'm glad because it's only been a coupe of weeks but i'm already starting to see the changes :)!!

However, one of the big hurdles was getting back the confidence I apparently lost, i'm not 100% there yet but definitely feeling more comfortable.

It sounds ridiculous doesn't it, being intimidated by the gym, but I have begun to realise lately that it's more common than I thought. This makes me a little sad because it will mean some people will just not go and therefore not feel the amazing benefits due to this intimidation. So I thought i'd write a post to share my thoughts and how i'm managing to overcome them.

I used to work out a lot about 5 years ago and was in pretty good physical shape. I never felt intimidated in the gym (except for that first day when I met the instructor and he put my mind at ease) I always felt like it was ok to be there and that I was just doing my own thing, in my own little world I guess. This lasted about a year, and then for some life reason I fell out of love with the gym and evidently lost a lot of the physique and fitness I had gained.

Several (failed) attempts at getting back into the gym followed over the years. Each time I noticed I became more and more intimidated by going to the gym, the equipment, my form, what exercises I should be doing, I've got fat and look silly, you don't know what your doing, your so unfit its just pointless even trying, etc, etc, etc!

In reality, I do know what i'm doing. I have the knowledge I gained from working out in the past with an instructor and the training programmes he used to write for me. I know they work, I just need to find the confidence to stick to them...because I can do anything I put my mind to.

That's when it dawned on me, the more I allow the gym to intimidate me the more all these thoughts will become true and nothing will change.

Each time I go I have to go through the same thought process...you will only get fitter, healthier, better, more confident if you go to the gym. 

What I had to do was just dig deep and walk through those gym doors and think you can do this. 

And, if I am unsure of how to do something I just have to ask someone, the instructors are really nice and helpful- after all its what they are there for!!

If i'm honest, no-one else there cares anyway, they are there doing there own thing and probably not paying any attention to me anyway. And even if they are, who cares? This is My journey, My fitness, My health, I'm here for me not what anyone else thinks of me!

So, just go in there and own that place. The more often you go, the more comfortable you will become. The fitter you will get, the better you will get, the more confident you will become.

Remeber. It's Your Mind, Your Body, Your Choice!!