Wanting to head back to the gym but the thought alone makes you feel all kind of uneasy? We feel you babe.
Whether you’re a long time gym goer or more of a newbie, going back to the gym after a long period of time can defo cause feelings of anxiety and are completely normal!
If being in a room full of strangers at different levels of fitness after working out from the comfort of your own home for a year doesn’t make you feel a bit anxious, then doll we salute you.
But if you’re the latter and the thought of walking back into a gym seems like an absolute no-go, then this post is for you.
If the thought of going to the gym is worrying you more than the actual working out, peep below some of our top tips to help ease your return to the gym.
Do Your Research
Which way do I go in? Which floor has the equipment I want to be using? Do I have to reserve a treadmill?
A tip for reducing those first day back jitters is doing a lil bit of research about your gym of choice.
Get online and look at some images of the gym layout so you don’t feel overwhelmed not knowing where to go on your first session back. You could even pop in ahead of time and have a walk around to get yourself familiar with the space!
It may seem small, but this is such a fab first step in helping reduce your gym anxiety, especially before your first time back.
Cute Gym Gear
Nothing builds up confidence like a cute outfit you feel comfortable in, so why would that stop with your gym ‘fit?!
No matter if you’re buying a new set or something you already own, a cute gym look is guaranteed to perk you up and reduce those gym-fears.
Perhaps you want a chic all black moment or a pop of colour with some statement trainers, check out our activewear HERE for some inspo!
She’s cute, she’s a fitness queen and she looks unreal – where’s the elliptical hun x
Off-Peak Times
If the thought of going into a gym full of people that seem to be fitness pros has got you feeling anxious – why not start off by going during off-peak times!
Thanks to Miss Rona, the thought of being in a large group of strangers seems bizarre to us, so heading back to the gym during quieter hours is a big mood.
The middle of the day is a super quiet time to get your fitness on as most people will be at work – but if you’re also busy during that time than a late evening gym sesh could be the one for you.
Whether 2pm is your new go-to or this is just to ease you back in, heading to the gym during off-peak times can help reduce your social anxiety massively.
Headphones Headphones Headphones!
This may seem obvious, but headphones are a life saver in helping to distract yourself from those anxious thoughts whilst at the gym.
Put on a killer playlist, listen to a podcast or even a few eps of your fave TV show!
Headphones really help to not only distract from any anxious thoughts, but give you something fun to concentrate on during your workout which could help you workout for even longer!
25 mins on the treadmill doesn’t feel too long when you’re re-living Chuck & Blair’s whirlwind romance for the millionth time.
Small Triumphs
A main cause of gym-anxiety is expecting yourself to be at the same level of fitness as Mark the PT who has more abs than he knows what to do with.
Instead of comparing yourself, flip those thoughts and celebrate yourself!
No matter if you head back to the gym once a week, decide to try a new piece of equipment or even just walk around to get yourself familiar then leave, small triumphs are crucial building blocks to up your confidence and in the long term will have amazing results.
Be proud of yourself babe, we all are x
