
January 28, 2020 at 10:00AM by CWC
In the age of āif you didnāt Instagram your workout, did it really count?ā fitness can feel like an all-or-nothing propositionābut it shouldnāt. Together withĀ Michelob ULTRAāthe next-level light beer that wants to take the stress out of staying fitāweāre exploring ways to be active that youāll actually enjoy. Because being healthy doesnāt require fitness to be your whole life, just one (fun) part of it.Ā
Stop us if any of these thoughts sound familiar: I swear that mammoth at the squat rack is staring at me again. These leggings are definitely see-through. Iām sure my workout looks so stupid to the trainers here. Please, please, please, nobody talk to me.
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If your inner monologue on the gym floor is more āhelp meā than āhell yes,ā youāre not alone. Among its endless other benefits, working out is supposed to be empoweringāand yet research (and most likely personal experience) shows that the stress of exercising in an uncomfortable environment can cancel out any of the goodness that your gym sesh has to offer.
Luckily for those who would rather take an Uber with their ex than lift weights in public, there are plenty of ways to sweeten your relationship with the gym. To help, we teamed up with with Michelob ULTRA to get pro-level tips on reducing gym anxiety from Joanna Castro, certified personal trainer and coach at Body Space Fitnessābecause working out is supposed to make you feelĀ good, not completely stress you out.
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Keep reading for 3 tips on overcoming gym anxiety, so you can add a dose of confidence to your workouts.
Lighten the mood
If youāre having company over, you pop on a great playlist to set the mood, right? Since we often lean on music to manipulate a situation’s atmosphere, Castro says we should do the same for our time at the gym.
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āCreate a playlist thatāll set the tone for your workout,ā she says. āWhen we listen to things we enjoy, weāre naturally in a better mood. I personally like to start my playlist with a mellow song that picks up. Iām currently enjoying āThese Eyesā by Tora.ā
Get your roll on
Before you jump right into your workout, take a second to tune into your own body and clear your head (AKA tell any self-doubting thoughts to get lost). The easiest way to do that? Castro suggests foam rolling.
āGrab a foam roller and begin to roll out your muscles,ā she says. āBreathe into the tender spots by inhaling deeply through your nose and exhaling out of your mouth. This helps with the discomfort of foam rolling and also […] allows more oxygen to your brain, which, in turn, promotes calmness.ā
Sweat loves company
Everything is more enjoyable when you have a friend by your side, and that includes going to the gym. āWeāre social creatures by nature,ā Castro says. āSo having the support of a gym buddy will definitely help you start your workout in higher spirits.ā
The other benefit of working out with a friend? They double as an “accountabilibuddy”āyou know, the person whose job it is to make sure you don’t skip your evening spin class (and to grab a beer with you afterward to celebrate a sweat well done).
āHaving an accountability partner helps a ton,ā Castro says. āWhether theyāre physically present or not, the agreement you made to that person will double your chances of sticking to your commitment.ā
Big picture: You know your body best
If after all that going to the gym still feels more anxiety-inducing than a root canal on your birthday, donāt force yourself to pay a membership fee to your own personal hell. Besides, studies show that extroverts and introverts respond differently to stimuli, so if going to a gym or group workout is truly not for you, there are plenty of other ways to move that wonāt stress you out, like quick, at-home workouts or outdoor run-walks.
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Anya Hindmarch - I AM A PLASTIC BAGAbove all, remember: Working out is for you. You donāt owe it to anyone else to look or perform a certain way in the gym, so take the opportunity to be selfish with your time and focus on improving number one. At the end of the day, youāll be stronger for it.
Sponsored by Michelob ULTRA
Photos: Michelob ULTRA
Author Well+Good Editors | Well and Good
Selected by CWC