How to be Confident in the gym
There’s no doubt that the gym can be an intimidating place. I used to workout alone, in the corner, when I first started. Comfort comes with time and a bit of faking it.
Here are my tips to feel confident in the gym:
1. Wear what you feel confident in! Choose happy, bright colours, fun patterns and soothing textures. It's called dopamine dressing - your mood can literally change based on what you’re wearing. Boost your dopamine, a happy hormone, with your outfit! I also recommend comfortable attire that doesn’t chafe, fall down or bunch up, if you’re constantly worried about your appearance or adjusting your clothes you won’t be focused on what you went to the gym to do.
2. Plan ahead and do what you said you were going to do. Sticking to your guns and following through proves you are in control of your own life. A training program helps with this, you’ll know exactly what comes next and where you’re going. A personalized program from a Registered Kinesiologist or Certified personal trainer would help with this.
3. Choose music that makes you feel like a badass! The right tunes set the tone for a great workout, boost your mood and improve focus. Block everyone out and do your thing! Here’s my Spotify, with so many different playlists for your next workout.
4. Positive self talk! Be your own hype-person. Talk yourself up & slap your own ass! Haha! Positive self talk (whether you believe it or not, yet) has been proven to reduce anxiety, improve performance and improve self esteem. “I am strong”, “I am confident”, “I can do hard things”, “I can try new things and be successful”, “failing is okay, I will learn from it”. ‘Fake it until you make it’ is real. If you lie to yourself, or pretend you’re in a play, it’s scientifically proven to rub off on you, to change your mood. It’s definitely worth a shot.
5. Do something, an exercise or circuit, that you've done before, that you know you’re good at and have fun doing. You will feel authentic when you’re having fun doing something you’re comfortable with. When you feel authentically you, you will feel confident and your self esteem will sky rocket. Practice an exercise at home, do a squat holding your cat, then when you’re at the gym you know how to move through the exercise and you’ll be reminded of the fun you had with your cat!
6. Find your ‘why’. Internal validation and intrinsic values can be strong motivators for exercise. Do a movement, because you want to get better at it, because improving your health is something that you want to accomplish, not because others will like it or think it’s cool. Doing something for the joy of it is something that you can control, having control brings confidence and stability. The opinions of others are ever-changing and uncontrollable. Your values around training being self-centered will help you forget about the opinions of others.
Remember, everyone starts out as a beginner and everyone has felt out of place at some point. You’re not alone, and you can be successful with fitness! If you ever need help, don’t hesitate to reach out, whether through DM, email or if you’d like a personalized program!
