Don’t Sweat It: Overcoming gym anxiety
I cannot even fathom the number of people that want to go to the gym but don’t due to their insecurities. This was me for a long time! If this is you, you’re definitely not alone.
WHAT GYM ANXIETY FEELS LIKE
Low Self-Confidence
A major reason people don’t step into the gym is because they lack self-confidence. They don’t feel good in their body. Which is ironic given that people are typically going to the gym to work on their body. Honestly, you may have a fear of being judged.
“I don’t feel good about myself.”
“None of my workout clothes fit me.”
“I’m going to look stupid.”
Any of these thoughts or similar can cross your mind when you start considering going to the gym again. It’s natural to have doubts and insecurities as you open up the idea of starting a new habit, especially one that is so public.
Overwhelmed with Preparation
There are a lot of things that go into preparing for the gym. Especially when you’re just starting out. You have to get your workout outfit ready, your water bottle or sports drink, your supplements and snacks, your fitbit or other sports watch, your workout plan, your hairstyle, your playlist, your headphones, and a few other “minor” details. That can be completely overwhelming. Coming up with this grand list took a few seconds so I know there must be more items I failed to mention. Because there’s just somehow always more things to pack or prepare. Time is perhaps the greatest factor to prepare for.
“Am I going to workout in the morning before work or in the evening when I get home from work?”
“Can I dedicate a full hour or do I only have 20 minutes in my schedule?”
Oh and let’s not forget if you have children. What are you going to do with your little humans - partner watches them, send them to grandma’s, find a gym with a daycare? There’s a myriad of things to consider when planning to start a gym routine. This is not easy and could overload anyone. Preparation is key. Yes, there are a lot of questions to answer, but they’ll be worth it if it means getting yourself healthy.
Uncertainty
Perhaps you fear not knowing what to do once you get in the gym. Great, you made it past the membership help desk and now you’re officially on the gym floor, but what next? The gym machines, people who are focused and doing their own thing, as well as the large layout can be intimidating for newbies. Thoughts like, “I don’t know what I’m doing,” feelings like nervousness, and body sensations like sweaty palms and increased heart rate (before you even start working out) are all symptoms of gym anxiety. They each can be caused by feeling uncertain about what type of protein shake to chug beforehand, what sports bra will work best for you, and what muscle group you should focus on first. It can feel like you know nothing so why bother.
Paralyzing Comparison
You look around the gym and you swear that every other person is better at gym-ing than you. They are more fit; they know exactly what exercise to do; they know how to work all the machines; they appear confident. Cue anxious music. You’re left dumbfounded by their impressive routines. Everyone else just looks like they know what they’re doing! How is it that every single gym go-er (except me, of course) appears to be in their own zone with the perfect meal plan, the perfect sport drink, the perfect workout gear, and the perfect workout plan? They just get it. And I just don’t.
THE IMPACT OF GYM ANXIETY RULING YOU
Self Deprecation
When you let your fears stop you from achieving what you desire, it doesn;t feel good. And you may even be hard AKA mean to yourself. You might be feeling mad at yourself for not sticking to the gym. That anger could be in addition to emotions such as:
1) guilt for not trying harder to get in shape
2) hopeless that you’ll ever get in shape
3) defeated that you couldn’t be stronger to face your fears
4) and weak both physically & mentally
Essentially, you feel like shit and you may even talk shit to yourself about yourself. It’s an awful mental space to be in. And you deserve better.
Stagnation
This one sucks, and you might be feeling bad without realizing why you feel bad. When you never push yourself out of your comfort zone, life can be mundane and boring. Google defines stagnation as lack of activity, growth, or development. Does that sound healthy to you? Speaking of health, holding incomplete personal health goals can also lead to feeling stuck or frozen. You can use movement to literally and figuratively get you out of that state.
Fear of Missing Out
Like Elle Woods said in Legally Blonde, “exercise gives you endorphins and endorphins make you happy.” You’re missing out on all the wonderful endorphins by not moving your body and getting a good gym workout. More importantly, you miss out on all the gym selfies you could be taking showing off your gains.
STRATEGIES TO FEEL BETTER IN THE GYM
We need to figure out your options and see what works best for you. Let’s review the possibilities:
If you have the extra cash, you can hire a personal trainer to guide you, motivate you, and help keep you accountable on your workout journey. They can train you in the gym or even at home.
Use an online gym plan to follow if you’re not sure what exercise to do or what machines to use. Let someone else do the work for you. You just get the app or print out the plan and follow along.
Follow positive social media influencers of your body type or preferred technique to, you know, influence your healthy habits. There are fantastic “body positive” and “body neutral” accounts out there worth following. They can talk to you about treadmill tips, strength training, powerlifting, rest, and nutrition.
Still not convinced about going at it alone? No problem; go with a buddy.. Find someone you know and like enough to share a gym schedule with. It could be way more comfortable just having someone you know there with you - to talk to, to laugh with, to walk around with, to remind you to set your alarm.
If you want to blend in at the gym, go during busy hours. If you’re trying to avoid the crowds, go during quiet hours. You can ask the staff or check on google for those hours so you can prepare. You might surprise yourself - sometimes having people int he gym can be motivating - okay they’re working hard; I want to work hard too.
Don’t do the regular gym thing. Join a workout class like Zumba, yoga, pilates, cycling - whatever. As long as you get your heart rate up, right?
Get out of the typical gym all together. Create your gym in your garage, outside, at the park, at the rec center, at a friend’s house. Work out where you want to work out.
A helpful note: people are usually more focused on themselves. They’re looking at themselves in the mirror. They’re trying to decide what weight they want to go for. They’re finding space for their set. They’re texting back their person. They’re choosing their music. They are not paying attention to you - not like you’re afraid they will.
Lastly and most significantly, go easy on yourself. Know you’re going to stumble at first and that’s okay. Practice laughing off your missteps. You might trip on your shoes, drop a weight, or feel nervous. Forgive yourself for every “mistake.” It’s all okay, and you will make it through every single moment.
BENEFITS OF GOING TO THE GYM
Just to really cement this in, let’s examine the pros of getting yourself to the gym.
Working out will inevitably make you feel good about yourself and your health. You will feel challenged as you work towards a goal. You will feel stronger in your body and stronger in your capabilities. Of course, there’s the perk of working through your anxiety. Optimistically, you will gain confidence in yourself. Furthermore, you will improve your relationship with yourself.
SUMMARY
Gym anxiety is normal. It happens to most of us. It might stop you from achieving your objective. But you can find the bravery needed to push through those uncomfortable feelings and move forward. You can try different approaches (such as getting a gym buddy or researching gym plans) until you find the one that gets you to your goals. Be creative in your gym environment; a gym is what you make it. You are capable! You are worthy of feeling healthy!
If you’d like more therapeutic support as you venture into the gym world, schedule a session with me to talk through it all. I’m here to support you through all the feelings, brainstorm all the tactics, and cheer you on through each level of progress. You got this.