1. You don’t need to go to the gym to get in the best shape of your life.
All you need is a resistance band. Seriously. This and your body weight in your living room and you can get in the best shape of your life. You do not need to go to the gym.
2. No one’s looking at you.
Seriously. No one is looking at you. They’re all looking at themselves in the mirror. That is what everyone’s doing at the gym. They won’t even notice. You can walk in in a gorilla costume. No one’s looking at you, because everyone is so self involved. Think about it. Even in conversations with your friends you can say something like, “Ah, I really need to get new shoes.” And how often will they say something like, “Oh, I know. Look at my shoes. My shoes are so awful.” People always make it about them. So, seriously no one is looking at you.
3. You Can Survive The Worst
What if someone is looking at you? What if the very worst happens?
You will survive. And I’m telling you that because it happened to me. When I was a new exerciser, I was at the gym, and I was out of shape, so awkward, sweaty and self conscious. And I saw there was like this hottie dude personal trainer with his hottie client and she’s doing abs or whatever and they were looking at me and then he went, “That is why you got a personal trainer.” And she was like, “Oh, my God. I know, right?” And I heard it and inside I’m like shredded ’cause I was so self-conscious anyway.
But here’s the thing. The worst happened and I survived and here I am 20 years later or whatever and now I walk through the gym and I’m like, “Step aside.”
Seriously, you’ll survive. It’s no big deal. Even today I was working on choreography for a new glute routine that we’re going to do to Gangnam Style. I’m going to show you the move. You’d better start practicing, ’cause we’re gonna do this. All right? I was down on the ground and you know when it says, “Hey, sexy ladies.” This is the move we’re doing (see video). I’m doing this at the gym and the custodian went by who was female and she looked down at me and she started giggling and then I started giggling.
And really it was a lovely moment.
It doesn’t have to make you feel bad. No one can make you feel intimidated unless you let them. Don’t give them that power.
There’s no one who should make you intimidated by moving your body in a way that feels good to you because it’s about feeling good right now no matter what weight you’re at, no matter how out of shape you are, no matter how much you don’t know what to do at the gym.
Have you ever felt intimidated at the gym? Leave a comment below!
Even this past week…there was a half dozen college kids half my age and I wanted to do incline sit ups but they were around the equipment and I am super new to the exercise. So I changed my workout and left the gym early and have regretted it ever since. They didn’t psych me out, I did
I’d just like to add a fourth reason not to be intimidated that is relevant to my gym at least. The gym is full of non judgemental people who observe gym etiquette and keep to themselves.
Can’t ever set foot in a gym. Reminds me too much of long ago of traumatic high school phys-ed classes!
I am terrified to go to a gym. Period.