If you keep up with fitness and health trends, you’ve probably heard countless perceptions on how to lose weight. With how intimidating weight loss can be and how much light is shed on many diet fads, it’s easy to fall into traps. To help you prevent this, here are some warning signs to be mindful of.
4 REASONS TO JOIN A GYM
With the new year in full swing, now is the prime time to get a gym membership. Whether your goal is to lose weight and gain muscle or improve your endurance, there are plenty of reasons to give in. Here are some reasons to join a gym.
4 Reasons to Join a Gym Today
1. HELPS WITH CONSISTENCY
No matter what your fitness goals entail, consistency is key to reaching them and in order to maintain consistency, we need structure, which is exactly what a gym provides. When all of the equipment you could ever need is conveniently in one place, you’re more likely to stick with your goals, and more importantly, reach them.
2. OFFERS VARIETY
The beauty of a fitness club is that there is a little something for everyone and a variety of ways to use equipment. From free weights to cardio machines to swimming and Zumba classes, gyms offer members variety, which is crucial for maintaining motivation and preventing stale workouts. With an abundance of equipment, you’re always able to mix up your routine so you’re never bored, and you actually enjoy working out.
3. PERSONALIZED SUPPORT & POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT
Personal trainers and class instructors are there to help you reach your fitness goals by offering expert advice and hands-on guidance to ensure proper form and a healthy diet. It’s especially important for those who feel intimidated by the gym and are insecure about what they’re doing.
Group classes and training are also effective for reaching your goals and receiving extra help. A group setting might seem intimidating initially, but rather than focusing on how you look to other people, confide in other attendees as well as your instructors to learn new exercises and expand your fitness knowledge.
4. MEMBERSHIP & MERCHANDISE DEALS
The beginning of a new year is a peak time for receiving special discounts on memberships along with various fitness items like water bottles, protein powder, workout gear and even deals on personal training, so take advantage of any and all deals your gym might be offering. These offers will be kind to your wallet and your health.
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THE DOS AND DON’TS OF GYM ETIQUETTE
The gym is a place of community, which means all members should feel welcomed and comfortable. Most gyms and fitness clubs typically have specific rules, however there are unspoken guidelines members should be aware of. Here are some dos and don’ts of gym etiquette.
Here’s the Dos and Don’ts of Gym Etiquette
DO: PUT WEIGHTS BACK
Once you’re finished using free weights, always remember to put them back for safety and courtesy purposes. It’s not only dangerous to have heavy weights lying around but leaving them out implies that they are still in use. Be courteous and put weights back so other members can use the equipment. This applies especially during busy hours when members might have to take turns and wait for equipment.
DON’T: BLOCK SOMEONE’S VIEW OF THE MIRROR
Mirrors are definitely a hot spot in most gyms and can quickly become overcrowded, so although it might be difficult not to accidently block someone’s view during peak hours, try to avoid doing this at all. If this section of your gym is too crowded, exercise somewhere else and then come back to the mirror when space frees up.
DO: WIPE DOWN EQUIPMENT
How many of us enjoy working out in someone else’s sweat? No one, and gyms are not shy of germs. Although it’s not technically required and not a member’s responsibility to keep their gym clean, most gyms and fitness clubs have stations with cleaner and paper towels because it’s common courtesy to clean equipment. Remember to wipe down anything you touch. This includes treadmills, ellipticals, machine weights, free weights, even mats and foam rollers. Once you learn more about gyms and germs, you won’t think twice about wiping stuff down.
DON’T: SPEND HOURS ON ONE MACHINE
Unless you hit the gym when its dead, don’t spend hours on one machine. This is especially pertinent during peak hours when people might have to wait for machines. A good rule of thumb for cardio equipment is to spend no more than 30 minutes on these machines. When it comes to machine weights, don’t just sit and hang out on them. Do your reps, take small rests and then move onto the next thing.
This same concept applies to free weights as well. As we’ve reiterated before, use the weights you need and then put them back so someone else can use them. Spending hours on one machine also means that you aren’t exercising multiple muscle groups, which isn’t an effective workout anyway.
DON’T: MAKE WEIRD NOISES
There’s always one person at the gym who grunts during every rep. Don’t be that guy. It’s unnecessary and disrupts other people’s workouts. If you feel the need to scream, the weight is probably too heavy, and you might need to take it down a notch.
DO: HAVE GOOD HYGIENE
The gym is a place where most of us break a sweat and even though it doesn’t have to be the best-smelling place, nothing disrupts a workout like dreaded body odor. Do yourself and everyone else a favor by keeping up with good hygiene.
DON’T: SHOW OFF
Although you might be proud of your six pack and that you can bench press mass amounts of weight, other gym-goers don’t need or care to know. Every person at the gym is there to better themselves, no matter their size or how fast they can run. There’s a big difference between celebrating victories and showing off. Be proud of your own accomplishments, remember to do your own thing and also build up those around you.
DO: RESPECT OTHERS’ SPACE
This applies to really anywhere in your gym, but especially in hot spots like where there are mirrors, free weights, mats and stretching zones. It seems like common sense to mind your own space, but it can be difficult when the gym is crowded, so do as best as you can.
DON’T: DROP DUMBBELLS
Not only is this dangerous and can seriously hurt you or someone else, but it’s also disrespectful to your club’s equipment and is disruptive to other members. Just like with grunting and screaming at the gym, if you find yourself needing to drop dumbbells, the weight is too heavy. Drop the weight, not the dumbbells.
DON’T: LEAVE A GROUP CLASS EARLY
Unless you have a pressing emergency or legitimate reason to leave a group class early, it’s typically advised not to. Leaving a class early not only throws off other members in the class, but it’s inconsiderate to the instructor. Plus, if you paid for the class, it’d be a waste to not get your money’s worth.
DON’T: USE THE GYM AS YOUR PERSONAL PHOTO STUDIO
We are all familiar with the classic gym selfie, and although there’s nothing wrong with posting your workouts and fitness victories, the gym is not your personal photo studio. There’s nothing worse than someone hogging the mirror to snap selfies as other members are actually trying to use it during their workout. Take one, be done and move along with your workout.
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5 WAYS TO OVERCOME GYM FRIGHT
Whether you’ve just joined a gym or you’re a major athlete, at some point, it is very daunting. Most of the equipment looks completely foreign, you don’t know how to use it, and when you decide to give it a try, you’re afraid of being judged by everyone else who seems to know what they’re doing. Or maybe you’re running on a treadmill next to that super muscular person when all of a sudden, you become self-conscious about how much you’re sweating, panting and how your body is bouncing around. Sometimes this fear even prevents you from stepping foot in your gym. If this sounds familiar to you, then here are some ways to help you conquer your gym fright.
Here’s How to Overcome Gym Fright
1. STUDY THE GYM FIRST
People tour their gyms so they can familiarize themselves with a new environment to prevent being clueless come time for their first workout. During your tour, grab your mental pen and paper and scope out the facility. Study where certain machines are, where the locker rooms are, and any other areas that spark your interest. Ask about classes, personal training, how to use certain equipment, or simply take mental notes of how people are using complex machines. The more informed you are prior to your first workout in the facility, the less intimidating the experience will be.
2. REALIZE THAT YOU’RE NOT ALONE
You are not the only person in the facility who feels self-conscious or has felt this way. No one likes not knowing what to do, but chances are, a lot of other people feel the same way you do. Once you realize that, you’ll be more comfortable, and lifting your 10-pound weights compared to the person lifting 50 pounds won’t be a big deal anymore.
3. WORK OUT WITH A BUDDY
Working out with someone is already motivating, but it’s even more effective for people who have gym fright. If you continuously feel discouraged, exercise with a buddy for a better support system. Not only will you feel more at ease being there with someone you know who has similar fitness goals, but you will be more willing to try new machines that you probably wouldn’t have tried if you went alone. To top it off, having someone by your side at first is excellent leeway into eventually being comfortable going to the gym on your own. This will ultimately lead to more confidence, better workouts and quality usage of your membership. If your workout buddy doesn’t have the same membership as you, ask your club about guest passes.
4. HAVE A WORKOUT PLAN
On top of initial intimidation, there is nothing worse than walking into a gym with no agenda, especially on a busy day when you have to wait for your turn to use a machine and other people have to wait on you. Before stepping foot in your gym, write out a workout plan on your phone so that you have it with you in case you forget. Decide what days of the week you are going to hit the gym and organize your routine based on whatever you want to work on each day. On Monday, you might choose to do a spin class while Tuesday you choose to do arms and core strengthening. Have other machine-less activities in mind like push-ups and planks that you can do in case you have to wait for a machine to open up, that way you don’t feel awkward standing around wasting your time. The more efficient you are, the faster you will acclimate to the gym and the other members in it.
5. FORGET ABOUT YOUR SURROUNDINGS
At first this is easier said than done, especially because you feel like everyone is staring at you, but in reality, everyone is so focused on themselves to even care about how much weight you’re lifting or what you look like while doing a squat. It doesn’t matter if you can barely do a push-up while the person next to you is lifting 100 pounds because you’re both at the gym to better yourselves. By keeping that in mind, you’ll naturally find yourself drifting away from what other people are doing and be more in tune with your own to-do list, which is where your focus should be.