The gym isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress, and here’s how to actually start.As someone who’s been going to the gym for roughly 4 years, I understand why starting your gym journey can be very daunting. There is so much information online and available to you that it can be overwhelming to find a place to start. So I’m here to share some things I wish I had known sooner, as a very passionate but anxious gym girly!
The biggest thing to remember and keep in mind is that everyone around you is there to achieve a goal somewhat similar to yours. No one is there to judge you, your form, or your skill level. Everyone is far more concerned with themselves and their form than focusing on yours, trust me. You’ll also find that the more you lean into gym culture, the more accepting you find it to be. Once you overcome the battle of approaching others to ask for help or advice, you’ll see how willing most people are to offer up help when prompted. One of my favorite parts about going to my gym back home is the people there, as I have developed a variety of relationships with the people there that I did not know outside of the gym.
Something else to keep in mind as you start is that it will take time to see progress and changes. It is important to stay consistent in whatever workout routine you build, regardless of visible progress. Slow progress is still progress! Remember that.
Always always do cardio after your workouts! It is more beneficial for you to do so after your workouts as opposed to before. This is great for muscle growth, as well as cool-downs post-workout. My personal favorite form of cardio is an incline walk. As someone who’s petrified of the stair master or running on treadmills, I have found incline walking incredibly beneficial for me.
I am sure you hear this, or will begin to hear this a lot, as you progress on your gym journey, but your biggest priority should be your diet. Regardless of your end goal, if you are constantly exercising, you should aim to eat .8-1.2x of your body weight in protein. Outside of that, making sure you can eat as clean and healthy as possible will help you see those results sooner. Eating poorly or not enough can heavily interfere with and delay you reaching your gym goals. Personally, I have found that meal prepping when I can has helped me a lot. Finding easy, healthy meals is super easy to do, and I always refer to Pinterest when I do so! You can check out my food Pinterest board for a place to start!
Do not be afraid to try experimenting with new workouts or ways of working out. Exercising at the gym does not always have to look like lifting weights, and there are a variety of ways you can get in a good workout without weight lifting. There are a lot of different ways to get in shape, and looking at classes at your local gym can be really helpful. As CU Boulder students, you get access to the Be Fit Pass, where a one-time purchase gives you access to almost every class offered at the Rec. As someone who has purchased the pass, I found that going to classes when I get bored with lifting weights has severely increased my motivation and desire to go to the gym. If you are looking to lift weights, remember not to push yourself too hard or compare yourself to those around you. Working with lower weights with higher reps can be just as effective as lifting really heavy weights. Take your time, and increase your weight when you are comfortable and ready.
My last bit of advice for you is to stretch! Stretching before and after your workouts is key to ensuring you are not damaging your muscles while trying to build them. Stretching not only warms you up before exercising, but is a good cooldown, and minimizes soreness afterwards. There are two kinds of stretches, dynamic and static. Dynamic stretches should be done before a workout, and static stretches should be done afterwards. Depending on what you are working on that day, looking online for dynamic and status stretches best suited for your workout will go a long way.
At the end of the day, your gym journey is all about progress, not perfection. The gym can be very intimidating at first, but once you get past those initial fears, it opens the door to a space full of growth. Everybody starts somewhere, so stay consistent, be patient with yourself, and let yourself enjoy this process. Whether you’re lifting, doing cardio, or testing out new classes, what matters most is that you show up for yourself.