Being at the beginning of your fitness journey when your confidence is on the floor is the worst! I cannot tell you how many times I have heard it from my clients and even felt it myself so if this sounds like you, you are not alone.
What is made even worse is social media is crammed full of overwhelming advice from super fit people which just floods your brain and convinces you to not even try.
But my passion is all about changing these stigmas and making sure everyone gets to workout and feel stunning in the process.
Right now you may think that is such a stretch. Like if you are in the absolute pits of self hatred right now you probably cannot imagine ever A, liking exercise or B, liking yourself!
Whenever you've tried anything you may have felt really self-conscious and quickly felt gross with all the icky things that come from exercising like being out of breath or when your face goes bright pink.
These are all normal reactions to exercise but they can be really intimidating or embarrassing if you're already feeling out of your depth or just uncomfortable in your own skin let alone during a workout.
All over social media there is so many experts who are telling you what the best exercise is for people. Sure there is some scientific backing to these claims, like to build muscle you will need to do some kind of resistance training and to be able to run a marathon you'll need to do some cardio. But at the very beginning of your fitness journey I would argue that all that doesn't matter.
The first step of your fitness journey is all about finding some really important things, these things are going to keep you from just abandoning yourself at the first hurdle.
Here is your checklist:
A type of exercise you enjoy
A workout outfit you feel comfortable in
A support system
A fitness space you don't hate
Lets talk through these points
Exercise you enjoy
I know what you're thinking "but all exercise is the worst!" so how are you supposed to find one that you enjoy?
This is completely personal to you and in my experience this will probably change over your life too.
Firstly try not to over think it. You do not have to go straight into burpees and running 10k every day to be working out. You can, however, start with walking, dancing in your kitchen or climbing the stairs at work instead of taking the lift. These are just quick and easy ways to boost your fitness without having to stress about your workout environments.
If you are craving a bit more than that you can start looking at other options, fitness classes are often a nice little way into the fitness world. I remember after having my kids starting at the back of pilates and zumba classes.
If they still do not feel right its time to up the effort. Try weightlifting! There is so many different ways to start but I'm a big fan of dumbbells and kettlebells. If you already have a gym membership and the free weights section still looks a little scary then strut your butt over to the leg press machine and lets start there! Experiment with the machines seeing just what you are capable of, follow the instructions on them and aim for doing each exercise 10 times before having a rest (then do that two more times).
A workout outfit you feel comfortable in
I wore the same sports bra for years because it was legit the comfiest thing I have ever owned so this is a judgment free space.
Some workout girlies feel comfortable and confident in those cute matching sets and if looking put together is what helps you then absolutely do that! You can find so many cute sets at different price ranges (if money is tight lets not get into trouble over this) and you can style your way through your workout.
Some workout girlies love an over sized top and some comfy black leggings and go for the less noticeable approach (I am her).
Its super important to play into which ever one brings you joy at the beginning because there is nothing worse than putting on an outfit that you do not like and then going into a situation that you do not feel confident in. Its going to amplify the thoughts in your head that do not make you feel cute and you are going to want to get out of the gym ASAP.
Find your happy fit and don't let your clothes get between you and the fab workout you are capable of.
A support system
This ones my favourite.
This support system could be any friend who also wants to get their fitness in check. Heading out to a class or a gym sesh with a friend is awesome! You can distract each other and it makes it a million percent more fun. But sometimes tagging a friend in feels too vulnerable or you might want to keep this to yourself for a while.
That's where I come in. As a personal trainer (in person and online) I am here to support my clients every step of the way, whether that is creating plans that they enjoy and find manageable around their day to day lives or helping them work through the mental blocks when working out gets hard. My clients are more consistent when working with me because they know someone is watching and wanting them to do well. Its a win win win win and will boost you towards your personal goals so much faster than trying it alone.
If you're not ready for that yet you can try things like starting your own community on insta and logging your process or even just creating a reward chart to document your consistency but you will need to use these things to keep you accountable even when you really do not want to!
A fitness space you don't hate!
Okay last one. When I created my personal training studio I wanted it to be a safe haven for Queens that had felt out of place in generic gyms. It became a super feminine pink room that distracts from things that may have been intimidating in more edgy masculine spaces. And when I say that plan worked I mean it! Watching the relief on my clients faces when they walk in has always been a joy.
If you cant get to me but you still want to find a space that you enjoy you can look at a few different criteria, here are some I would look at
Space, does it feel like there is enough space to move without feeling like I am in someone's way?
General clientele, who does that gym market themselves to? Are they people I would feel safe and confident around?
Bonuses, are there any additional selling features that would motivate me to go to the gym? Like spa access, swimming pools, classes, favourite equipment etc.
Ask for gym tours before you join up or if friends already are members they may be able to get you in for cheaper.
Once you have found your space you are ready to explore and start building the version of you that you are proud of!
Drop me a message if you want to chat through getting started on your fitness journey or if you would like to get my support start with "support"
And don't forget to follow me on instagram @the_barbelle_club for more!
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