ISSUE : Motivation
"I just don’t feel up to it today, maybe I'll go... tomorrow."
Solutions:
- Grab a workout partner, make a gym buddy, or sign up for a personal trainer to establish accountability
- Introduce yourself to new people at the gym each time to build a community
Your New Mantra:
"My buddy shows up for me. I show up for my community. I show up for myself."
ISSUE: Self-Doubt / Intimidation
"Everyone at the gym knows more / has bigger muscles / can lift more etc. than me."
SOLUTIONS:
- Realize that most of people at the gym are self-conscious in some way whether it’s because of vanity, shyness, inexperience, etc.
- Buy a health and fitness book to help brush up or check out some exercise you-tube videos
- Ask someone you admire to share their tips with you, turning that intimidation to inspiration
YOUR NEW MANTRA:
"My workout is my own."
ISSUE: Perfectionism
"Why do it at all if I can't do it perfectly?"
SOLUTIONS:
- Do what you *can* do really well and challenge yourself to slowly build new skills until you master them
- Realize that there is no such thing as a perfect workout, regardless of how much you plan your exercise routine
- Take a class and treat it like school: learn from the ground up
YOUR NEW MANTRA:
"Anything is better than nothing."
ISSUE: Time Constraints
"Where in my schedule could I possibly find the time?"
SOLUTIONS:
- Develop a routine that prioritizes a workout
- Exercise in the morning to boost energy for the rest of your busy day
YOUR NEW MANTRA:
"Even a quick workout is worth it. Every minute counts."
ISSUE: slight variant of perfectionism
"I can’t work out, I have a recent injury."
SOLUTIONS:
-Sure, you probably won’t be able to train exactly the way that you’d like with an injury, but there are often ways to exercise in limited ways to keep momentum instead of using your injury to give yourself permission to not do anything physical.
- Exercise around your injury if you can, but check with your doctor if you’re unsure. For example, if you have an ankle injury use an upper body ergometer (UBE), also known as an arm bicycle for cardio; if you have an upper body injury, workout mostly legs until you heal up. Try to do anything that you can to stay active, keeping momentum is crucial to any successful training program. Starting from scratch after a prolonged hiatus is difficult for the most seasoned exercise enthusiasts or athletes
YOUR NEW MANTRA:
"If I can’t run, walk or crawl—at least for the time being."
-WRAP UP-
A trainer can help with all of these! They can be a strong source of accountability, teach you new skills so you can be confident in the gym, help you master your workout, and work with you to find ways to maximize your limited gym time. So, let your action meet your intention and keep it up. You got this.