Last month, I decided to do something Iâve never done before: Get fit.Â
Iâve always been sickly and weak as a child, and my poor immunity was carried into my adulthood. Seeing all my friends get stronger over the years as I got weaker didnât feel good, so I decided to start hitting the gym to #getripped, (just kidding, I wanted to get off the couch after feeling guilty for binging NetflixâŠ)
My friends had given me the usual advice like, “drink lots of water,” “eat nutritious food,” and, “wear something comfortable”, but I wasnât sure if I would stick it out in the end, so I started to note down things I did that worked and got me coming back.
So, here are some tips for all of you who want to #getactive but are still afraid to #getstarted.
1. Set Goals
The biggest challenge in hitting the gym is to actually go to the gym. Set a goal to hit the gym at least once a week, for starters. It always feels great when you âaccidentallyâ go twice a week.
2. Tell Your Friends About It
It helps if you tell your friends about your goal. You can trust them to shoot you a deathly glare while saying, “Arenât you supposed to hit the gym today?” whenever you miss a goal. That being said, itâs also totally fine to keep this to yourself. But I recommend keeping a journal or something, just to hold yourself accountable.
3. Start Small
Set small goals like, âbrisk walk for a mileâ or âcycle side to side without stoppingâ. Itâs okay to start with small exercises and work yourself up to greater challenges as you get stronger. Donât push yourself too hard in the first try or you might start avoiding the gym because of the pain itâs causing you.
4. Donât Be Afraid To Ask For Help
Donât know how to start the stationary bike? Not sure how to adjust the seat height? Ask another gym-goer for help. They wonât judge you for not knowing what to do; after all, everyone has to start somewhere, and they might even admire you for committing yourself to hitting the gym.
5. Get a Gym Buddy
While I personally prefer to work out alone, (because I donât want to embarrass myself as a rookie), you can also invite a friend to the gym to work out with you if you prefer the company. That being said, try not to invite that one friend whoâs #ripped or âlikes a challengeâ at the gym. You might end up feeling worse than you initially did about hitting the gym.
6. Plug In and Play
Listen to some music or watch a movie while youâre running on the treadmill or cycling on the stationary bike. Distracting yourself may help you become less aware of the physical exercise youâre doing and stop you from demeaning yourself. I find that I often start off okay when I try to run on the treadmill, but an inner voice would say things like, “You canât do it,” or “Youâre too tired, just stop.” Itâs super tempting to just give in, but I try not to listen to those voices and instead just focus on the music. It blocks out the inner voice and even gets me feeling more motivated to continue!
7. Get Yourself In Your Activewear
We tend to want to delay our trip to the gym, or we might feel lazy even though weâve promised ourselves that weâre going to hit the gym today. In those times, I find that getting into your activewear helps a lot. Changing into your workout clothes is such a simple and quick thing to do, and when youâre in your gym clothes, youâre already halfway to the gym. Itâs worked for me Every. Single. Time.Â
8. Celebrate Small Achievements
Ran a mile 30 seconds faster? Added on a few pounds in weightlifting today? Increased the difficulty on the stationary bike? Time to pop the champagne and celebrate your victories! Always aim for improvements and celebrate every one of them to help motivate yourself! That way, the next time you think of the gym, you will associate it with victories and happiness instead of failure and dread. Every improvement is a victory!
If a couch-potato like me can do it, you can do it too!
Iâm well into my second month of hitting the gym regularly, and Iâve been going twice a week for the past two weeks now. Iâve definitely felt stronger, fitter, and healthier the more I exercised. I even hiked âAâ Mountain last week!Â
Tell us what keeps you going, and share your gym experiences with us!