5 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Weightlifting

Eventually, like any habit, the gym will simply become a part of your routine. Not going will become harder than going. While this comes with the many pros of getting daily movement and sticking to good habits, sometimes you may feel guilty for not going. It may get harder for you to take rest days, and if you do—you might just feel super lazy. Remember that it’s okay to rest.

Some days that weight that you warmed up with last week will feel like the heaviest thing on the planet today. Some days are just not good lift days, but it makes you appreciate the good ones. Getting up and trying, despite whether it was an arguably good session or not, still means that you showed up for yourself. That’s what matters in the end.

That person that is years into their fitness journey is not going to look like you. The person that gets paid to work out and eat well is not going to look like you. That person with the shredded abs and a three time olympic bodybuilding champion title is not going to look like you. And that is okay. While many fitness influencers out there provide inspiration and educational content, it is unfair to compare your fitness journey to theirs.

You will start to be more mindful of exactly what type of food you’re putting into your body. This comes with pros and cons. You’ll try to treat your body better with nourishing food and lots of water, however, sometimes your mind will play tricks with you. Body consciousness and body image issues may be more prevalent after staying consistent in the gym. In the gym community—there is a notion that we must be constantly, obsessively improving. You look at your body in the mirrors of the gym every day, and you see that nothing has changed, it can be hard.

Remember that change doesn’t happen overnight.

This one is subjective on how much of a shopaholic you are. However, I am a firm believer in the “look good, feel good, lift good.” Eventually, I had to start splurging on clothes when I started spending two plus hours in the gym every day. You’ll probably become more familiar with cult name brands and clothing in the gym community. Many of them are worth it.