Besides the fact that the gym and I trauma bonded towards the end of the pandemic, consistency in the gym transformed me mentally and physically. I am by no means a gym guru as I still believe that any gym you walk into is the men’s club but, I have found ways to tune out distractions that got me to be the stallion that writes here before you.
No this is not a beginner-friendly guide. No this is not a guide to getting the perfect abs. No this is not a way to get a bigger ass. These insights that I gained from frequenting the gym changed the way I look at myself when going into this male-dominated space. Setting a goal for myself allowed me to stay focused and with time I saw my body physically change as my reward.
SET YOUR INTENTION
-Today I’m going to run on the treadmill for 30 minutes. Today I will attempt to hold a plank for an entire minute. Take your phone, open the notes app and jot down small but attainable goals you can do in your first few visits to the gym. When you go into the gym blindly I find that being around all the equipment can be overwhelming. Even if you set the intention to run on the treadmill for 30 minutes and you complete that task, anything else should be viewed as an added bonus! Setting your intention also forces you to pace yourself. Sit down, set realistic goals for yourself, and build.
FOCUS ON YOURSELF
-True maturity flourishes in the gym when you realize everyone is there to better themselves. Sure you’ll run into people who walk around with an air of arrogance because they’ve been putting in the work. AS THEY SHOULD. Know that your biggest critic is yourself and once you set your intention and disregard any feeling of judgment, I PROMISE YOU that results start showing themselves quicker than you think. This leads me to my next point which is
CURATE A POPPIN PLAYLIST
-You know the playlist you use when you’re home alone cleaning? Or the playlist you put on in the shower to singing your heart out? A skinless playlist is the best guarantee for the best workout and I’ll tell you why. You wouldn’t have time to worry about if someone is looking at you because you’ll be too busy singing the chorus of Alexander O’neal and Cherrelle’s Saturday love. You wouldn’t concern yourself about how “silly” you might look because Whitney is telling you that she wants to dance with somebody! That feeling of cringe I got when I wasn’t able to adjust a particular machine or almost fell off the treadmill because I didn’t pace myself went away because I was in my zone. This leads me to my last and final insight about the gym.
WEAR PRACTICAL AND COMFORTABLE CLOTHING
-Gorgeous gorgeous girls don’t gatekeep and who would I be if I didn’t share the most comfortable, cost-effective leggings. When I read reviews on these leggings I came across a lot of “Lululemon align dupes.” Non-relatable content because I’ve never spent over $30 for leggings and $98 for some Lululemon leggings seemed illegal to me. These Colorful Koala leggings are smooth like butter, squat proof, extremely flattering, and best of all, they won’t break the bank! For $30 it was honestly a no-brainer. I have roughly about 6 pairs of Colorful Koala leggings and shorts that are in rotation. To top things off I am OBSESSED with Old Navy sports bras. Good price, a range of support, cute patterns, and easily accessible. Finding these bras in Old Navy saved me the hassle of researching online. Added bonus! Old Navy loves a good sale so the majority of the time these bras are as low as $15!
When I started seeing results in the gym I realized that I subconsciously made all of these adjustments and began to flourish. When I have my headphones on, my favorite workout set, and my favorite treadmill available I feel invincible. I feel like no one else is in the gym and I can truly zone in and focus on myself.
The hardest part is getting started. Talk to your inner roommate (negative self-talk) and let them know a new lifestyle is ahead of you.
Thank you for reading and ENJOY!