Starting a fitness regiment, especially when you’re new to fitness or totally out of practice, can be intimidating. We often procrastinate getting started because committing to a change means fully acknowledging the reality of where we are today. Preparing for feelings of disappointment, low self-esteem, or concern for our health can provoke anxiety, which is why many people choose to continue putting the task off.
While fear is a completely rational and normal response to trying something new, it shouldn’t stand in the way of you becoming a better version of yourself.
The first day in the gym is probably not going to be your favorite day. Accepting that fact and setting other reasonable expectations is what’s going to get you to commit to not just Day 1, but Day 2, Month 3, and beyond.
Here are my tips for facing your first day (back) at the gym.
1. Leave the judgment at the door. Focus on measurement.
Instead of focusing on how your body looks, how much you’re sweating, or how little you’re lifting compared to the guy/gal next to you, focus on simply getting a proper gauge of where you are today.
Hop on the scale and write down your weight. Use measuring tape to note your waist, hip, thigh, bust, shoulder, and bicep width. See how many pushups, pull ups, squats, lunges, and sit ups you can do. See how long you can hold a plank position. Try out some stretches and note how far you are away from your toes.
You may or may not like some (if not all) of the numbers you record this day, but recording these numbers is not about determining whether you’re “good enough” or not. These numbers are simply facts, and keeping track of how your body changes as you continue to work out is what’s going to keep you motivated down the line.
2. Take it slow.
Don’t hop on the treadmill first thing and try to match your high school mile. You’re just going to end up feeling sick and discouraged.
For every exercise you measure, complete each motion slowly and with perfect form. Don’t pound through 50 push-ups with your low back slumping towards the ground and your neck tweaked to the side. Your body should be in a perfect line from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Lower down as far as you can, hold for 1 second, and push up. Do as many as you can before you start to lose that straight line in your body. Record that number, not the one where you’re shaking so much you’re only going 1/4 of the way down.
3. Don’t compare yourself.
The first thing most people do when they walk into a gym and look around at their fellow gym goers. People worry if they fit in, if they look like they “belong” there, and if others are looking at them.
There will inevitably be people at the gym more in shape than you. There may also being people in worse shape than you. Your fitness level doesn’t determine your right to be at the gym or your belonging. If you want to work out and improve your health, you’re in the exact right place.
If you really have to compare yourself to someone, compare yourself to all the people decided to keep putting off their health. You’re at the beginning of a huge positive change in your life, and you deserve a self pat on the back for that.
4. Set goals.
After realizing you can only do 2 perfect pushups, maybe set a three month goal of reaching 10. If you’re able to hold a plank for 30 seconds, aim to hit a minute by the end of month 1.
If you know what you’re striving for, and you’re measuring it along the way, your workouts will be more focused and effective.
Just make sure your goals are realistic. If you’re struggling to get through 10 curls with a 20 lb weight, bench-pressing 300 lbs by week 3 might be a bit much.
5. Rest up.
After putting your body through more strain than it’s used to, its bound to be tired. Incorporate more protein into your diet to help your muscles properly heal. Go to bed early to allow yourself a bit more sleep.
The first few weeks, you’re likely to feel a bit more tired than usually. Luckily, one of the many benefits of physical fitness is an eventual increase in energy. Push through the initial lag, and you’ll actually start feeling pumped for your next workout.
Final Thoughts
Getting started is often the hardest part, but there’s no better time to refocus on your health than now. This of it this way: if you had made this decision 6 months ago, where would you be today?