If you’ve never stepped foot inside a gym before (or even if you have, but it’s been years), your first day of working out can be intense, and intimidating. But, when you follow the advice our pros have laid out for you (keep reading to get all the details!), you can easily bypass insecurity or uncertainty, and feel like you’re a pro, yourself! Here’s how to do just that.
Pick a Mantra (to Beat Insecurity in the Weight Room)
Whether it’s squats you need to push your way through, or a presentation at work that you need to nail, one thing is universal: your mind doesn’t follow your body; your body follows your mind. In other words, the more you can hype yourself up with positive thoughts, and intention for each and every workout, the greater of a chance you’ll be able to push through those squats, lunges and cross fit training sessions with gusto!
A mantra is a great way to boost your confidence—which is just what you need on your first day back at the gym. A good one to get you started? “I am strong enough. I am capable enough. Quitting is not an option.” Take any of the following mantras (as mentioned below) to help you hit day one feeling like your most confident self, and you’ll wondered what kept you away for so long:
- “I sweat like a pig, to look like a fox.”
- “Today in this workout, I strive for progress, not perfection.”
- “Clear your mind of can’t.”
- “Run from your needs, run from your wants, run from this, run from that, BUT run, run, run, run, run!”
- “I’m doing this for me.”
Know Your Peak Performance Time at the Gym (and Stick to It!)
As you start a new workout regime at your neighborhood gym, it’s important to learn which time of the day (or night) works best for you. Are you a morning person (with energy to burn and alertness to spare), or are you most active and energetic at night? Whatever it may be, knowing your ‘peak performance’ workout time is ideal, so stick to it, and lose more weight faster while gaining a whole new lifestyle you’ll love.
Plan Ahead and Keep It Simple 
Successfully implementing a workout routine in your life—especially if you’ve never done it before—is just like anything else. If you’re starting to cook home cooked meals instead of dining out, you wouldn’t attempt to create complex, gourmet meals right off the bat. Instead, you’d keep it simple—and a workout routine works the same way. Work up to more complicated exercise plans once you’ve improved your fitness level to match the endurance needed for cross fit, or high intensity interval training (HIIT). Begin training simply by walking at an incline, riding a bike, or starting a running program. Enlist the help of a knowledgeable friend who can get you started on a weight training program, or hire a personal trainer for five sessions (or more) to give you an educated kick-start in order to properly work out from head to toe.
No matter if you’re brand new to the work out world, or just out of practice, the bravest step you’ll ever take is showing up. By applying a mantra, knowing the most productive time to work out, and keeping your workouts simple, you’ll become a pro in no time—and with a body that will turn heads!
