I recently saw the photo that appears every time I scan my gym membership ID, and I guffawed: I looked unrecognizable, even though the picture was taken only a year and a half ago. The fear in my eyes is primal, and I’ve got that tight, thin-lipped smile that screams I have no idea what I’m doing here. If you feel like an imposter at the gym like me, I’d like to help with some quick tips and tricks so that maybe one day, you’ll look back at your terror and have a laugh, too.
Identify Mental Blocks
As obvious as it sounds, we need to acknowledge that our fear of going to the gym/getting a membership is purely mental. But what specific mental barrier is holding you back? For me, it was a combination of different fears: having no clue what I was doing, feeling like everyone was staring at me, and comparing myself to everybody (especially other women). As someone who felt like they didn’t belong in the gym, I had to do some mental exercise first (too cheesy? Sorry). Whenever I felt guilty for taking up space, I always reminded myself that I’m paying for a membership, just like everyone else. That guilt washes away fairly quickly when I see the numbers on my bank account getting smaller and smaller
Fake It ‘Til You Make It
There will be many moments in your life where you’ll need to fake it ‘til you make it, and the gym is going to be one of them. At the beginning of my fitness journey, there was so much faux confidence I emulated that I had no choice but to actually grow my confidence. It started to become more natural to me. Instead of resisting it, I embraced it and carried that confidence into my workouts. I also quickly learned that no one is looking at me, primarily because everyone else at the gym is too worried about themselves to even notice you—trust me.
Buy New Workout Clothes
Give yourself a reason to be excited for the gym! Look for something in particular that brings you immediate joy to wear. For me, new workout clothes helped grow my confidence in myself and my body. The gym is a very vulnerable place (at least, for us shy girls), so it’s important that you feel comfortable and content in your own skin. I had a rule that anything I bought for the gym had to be worn. So, before you get a new workout set, ask yourself: “Am I going to wear this the next time I go to the gym?” If the answer is no, then keep searching.
Buy a Water Bottle/Decorate Your Water Bottle
If you’re all set on exercise clothes, then I’d highly recommend getting a water bottle and dedicating it to your workouts. I made sure to get a pricey one, so I’d feel guilty if I didn’t take it to the gym. That may sound a bit extreme, but it worked! Something else that got me excited was the customization; I covered it with waterproof stickers that aligned with my hobbies or interests, and boom: my new emotional-support water bottle.
Ask For Help
Asking for help is okay…in some cases, it’s even encouraged! When I first started working out, I convinced myself that there was some sort of hierarchical situation going on. I never asked anyone for help, guidance, or assistance. That didn’t get me anywhere, obviously. Instead of letting the fear of inferiority take over, I realized that everyone at the gym is my equal. I’ve talked to people much bigger and stronger than me as a peer, rather than someone to be intimidated by; that intimidation is what caused my fear of the gym in the first place. Almost everyone is very sweet and friendly…the hardest part is just approaching them.
The most crucial takeaway from this should be to keep showing up! Sometimes, our mental strength is harder to maintain than our physical strength. It’s already a huge accomplishment to simply get through the gym’s threshold. Truthfully, a lot of this advice will not manifest overnight. I required exposure therapy—showing up again, and again, and again, when it was the last thing I wanted to do. And you can do it, too. Keep in mind that you’re stronger than you think!