Keep going

srv524

Hey newbie. I see you at the gym, looking lost but determined. You think people will make fun of you, the skinny/overweight/obese person who doesn't know the difference between a kettlebell and a dumbbell. You're trying some workout program you saw on Pinterest or muscle mag, hoping you'll see quick changes as you're bound to improve your life. You're pressured by the gym staff to sign up for personal trainers since "they can help you achieve your goals". You've got a lot riding on your commitment but above all, you mustn't back down.

You think people are laughing at you because you can't run for more than 5 minutes without getting tired; we're not.

You think people will make fun of you for doing an exercise wrong or using too light of a weight; we won't.

If anything, we (most of us) are proud that you're starting your way to a new you.

It means dedication. Commitment. Courage. It means no more fatty foods, giant desserts or late night binge sessions. It means that you've taken the first step towards achieving your goals. You set a plan, adjusted your mindset, and now you're hoping to see quick gains before deeming yourself a failure. So you attend a few classes, feel out of place and lost. You look around you watching muscleheads or Crossfitters performing rep after rep of some insane exercise that you couldn't even attempt. You see a girl squatting more than you and a woman in her 40s sprinting on the treadmill.

You feel hopeless because you're not seeing progress the way that the magazine said you would. You're eating lightly (too lightly. You're going to the gym 4-5 days a week, killing yourself, muscles sore, and willing yourself into the gym more and more everyday. After awhile, you don't see progress so you give up.

....or do you?

Most of us at the gym are happy to help others, no matter who you may be. I don't look at you as a fat girl who's eaten too much cake. I see you as someone who, for one reason or another, is not where he or she wants to be in life and is making a change.

So don't give up hope just because some article or website says you can drop 10 lbs in 10 days with some easy formula. Or your friend did some diet and dropped a lot of weight. Or because you're eating exactly 247 less calories a day and still aren't seeing results.

Everybody is different. Try new routines. Try working out at different times. Try different weights/machines/styles/classes. Log everything. Log your diet. Log the time you get up, eat, sleep, mood, bedtime, alcohol consumption, everything. Find a pattern and start eliminating things while introducing new things into your life. Do you really need that extra donut or bowl of Lucky Charms? How about some fruit or oatmeal instead?

Ask people in the gym, do research, ask friends, anyone. Gather information, try new things and above all, don't give up.

The girl in the corner who weighs 130 lbs but is squatting 180? Chances are she wasn't born with legs to squat that much. She worked at it; diet, exercise, determination. She's done her due at the gym, put in long hours, had her willpower tested many times, and kept pushing until she became strong. And once she became strong, she loved it.

She loves the way her muscles look, her figure, and above all, her mental attitude. Working out increases her dopamines so she's happier. Eating cleaner means less crap in her body so she feels more energetic, less tired, and happier than ever. She's able to do more things and enjoy life more because of the emotional boost that working out and eating healthier has given her.

So if you feel lost or helpless, don't give up; ask for help and keep trying. The only thing worse than thinking you failed is realizing you failed before you even began.

ElizaRoche

I like this
I say I won't go to gym till I lose more ... I think everybody look at me the way I look myself....

srv524

But when will it become enough? You're operating at 50% capacity, the gym would give you the full 100% you need. Screw the others.