Blog by Averi Brayton
When trying to get to the gym, there are so many things that can get in the way of getting yourself there to stick to your workout routine. One of my main issues when trying to motivate myself for the gym especially when I first started going to the gym to lift weights is confidence. Which I feel is completely normal. Walking into a new gym or a gym for the first time ever you feel like everyone around you knows what they are doing. You think that everyone is so much more experienced than you and when you don’t know how to use the machines the gym can be intimidating.
Although I am here to say, fake it till you make it. Also, there are so many other aspects of the gym that you can control that keep you confident in yourself inside and outside the gym. My favorite is of course quality gym sets. When you find a gym set that fits you in a way that makes you feel comfortable and confident then it feels like you can go anywhere and own the day. Finding a good quality gym set is easy once you find a brand tha you trust and love.
My favorite go-to brand right now is navano appparel. This brand not only creates flattering sophisticated gym looks but also has a variety of different colors and designs for every mood you are feeling. Navano has a mission statement that speaks to me as well, sophistication, quality, and strength. All of these words make me feel empowered to go to the gym and keep my confidence high when walking into the gym.
Another aspect of keeping confidence in the gym is music. Try to keep a playlist or a series of songs that make you feel strong and confident so when you listen to them you can feel like you can do anything in that gym. Any music will work for this but I always prefer a good beat and uplifting lyrics that motivate me to work out and work hard.
Finally, when maintaining confidence in the gym you need to keep a positive mindset and keep realistic goals. When I first started going to the gym I wanted to lose weight fast, and when I didn't see results as fast as I wanted I would get discouraged and not want to work out. That is when working out becomes a chore. If you create realistic goals like wanting to work out three times a week, walking uphill for thirty minutes, or maybe doing a certain amount of push-ups, you can progressively feel yourself get stronger or build up endurance.
A way that helped me create the gym into a fun part of my routine was to go with friends. My roommates and I would always push each other to go to the gym together. When one of us wanted to go the other two would want to come to make it fun. We use the gym now as a place to see each other every day. We have so much fun pushing each other and feeling the improvements each one of us feels. Our most recent endeavor is the challenge of doing cardio after every workout. We can keep each other accountable now so it feels like we aren’t going through this challenge alone.
In my personal opinion, when you learn to love to go to the gym and genuinely enjoy the time you spend there you tend to want to work out longer and harder and see changes in yourself more rapidly. So all in all learn to love the process of going to the gym to make your experiences better!