How Did you go from Gym Avoider to Gym Regular

VeronicaA76

I would just force myself to show up. At first I had no plan so I just walked on the treadmill. After a while going to the gym just became part of my daily routine.

WanderingRivers

I'm still a gym avoider. Between cost and a horror or being seen exercising by other humans, I can't see myself stepping into a gym ever.

cenafan

I actually like my gym time. It's my no thinking time. I go to yoga 4 days a week, bodypump 2-3. I don't use machines in the spring/summer/fall because I'd much rather be outside walking/hiking.

GemstoneofHeart

I don't go to the gym but maybe the principle still applies.

I used to never ever want to go for a run outside because I was embarrassed by how slow and jiggly I was. So I worked out at home but that just didn't work for me. Too boring and not enough room.

So I had my husband take a bunch of pictures of me, which I now use as my "before" pictures.

That sure did whip me into gear! I rarely have a day that I don't go out for a jog. The jiggling went away too after losing 30 lbs.

azulvioleta6

I was never a gym avoider--I was too ill to exercise for several years. However, some of the things that I did might be helpful for you.

1. I started with the easiest thing and the thing that I enjoyed the most. For me, that was swimming. Bonus: it is low impact, so injury is unlikely and you don't even have to feel sweaty.
2. I rewarded myself for going to the gym, especially when it was really physically difficult to get myself there. At first, I rewarded myself with espresso drinks. Later, I rewarded myself with nail polish...the reward could be anything that you like, but obviously non-food rewards are the best. At first, I needed the caffeine!
3. I am very motivated by music, so I started buying music *specifically* to get myself going at the gym.
4. I continually set new, small, attainable goals.
5. I challenged myself to new things. Zumba, for example, was a BIG challenge when I started, even though I had been a serious Latin dancer in my youth.
6. Buy yourself gym clothes that make you feel good. These don't have to be expensive (my favorite workout shirts are from the corner Mexican store: $5 each!), but wear something that is a fun color, comfortable or motivating for you in some way.
7. Go at a time that works for you. I was always told that you HAD to go to the gym in the morning for weight loss, but that just does not work for my body rhythms. Going right after work (directly: before going home) is the right solution for me. Do whatever works for you in terms of timing--all movement is a good thing.
8. Make an appointment with yourself. I like to print out weekly schedules (odd and variable work schedule) and then I make an appointment each day for the particular exercise that I am going to do. I post this in a place where I can see it and pre-track my exercise here.
9. Think about setting larger goals of things that you can do outside of the gym that are tied to fitness. This will get you motivated to work out. For me, I wanted to be fit and healthy enough to go to a Salsa Congress--basically three days of dancing with people half my age, doing workshops all day and social dancing all night. It took me several years to reach this goal.
10. If you have choices (I did not at first) shop around and try different gyms--some are much better than others, and some will be a better fit for you than others.
11. Make friends! The gym was a huge social outlet for me for a long time, and that helped me to get there often.

Brabo_Grip

Started at a non traditional gym. If my only option was a traditional gym, I would still be avoiding it. (They bore me to tears.)

rsamuelsgold

Before I joined a gym I did blogilates at home. I started working out and stretching then I signed up at a gym in my office building and went during lunch. I lost weight. Then plateaued and stopped gaming but kept doing blogilates at home.

I recently started again. How? I pack my gym bag every day and go to the gym. AND I love it. It's my alone time.

I also dance at a dance school so even if life happens and I don't get to gym I still have at least a 90 minute dance class twice a week.

Mostly I just showed up. Going to the gym is easy now I like feeling my body do stuff be it running or stretching or suspension training.

I even have a punching bag now... at home.

beefley

I eventually loved the way I felt when I was fit and that motivated me to keep going to the gym (you have to just stick at it for a while until it becomes a habit), but I got married, moved and ended up with a long commute to work (up to 2 hours driving each way) which meant realistically I was never going to use the gym regularly again (it just didn't fit with my schedule/meal times,etc). But then I hated feeling unfit. One day I was sitting in my car stuck in traffic and saw a guy running on a treadmill in his garage. Luckily we had room, but for less than the cost of a year's membership I bought a treadmill which I use at home at least 4x a week and haven't looked back since. We have added weights and a cross trainer and rowing machine and I am probably the fittest I have been in my life (at 49 and perimenopausal