Six Small Things You Can Do That Will Make You Feel Confident At The Gym
You know that old saying, “Fake it ’til you make it?”
The idea that if you just keep going at something with the intention that you know what you’re doing, you’ll eventually figure it out and actually get good at what you’re doing?
You may hear it a lot in the workplace. But it’s actually pretty relevant in other aspects of your life as well.
Take, for example, going to the gym.
I know, I know. There are probably several people reading this who are rolling their eyes and saying things like, “Who the f*** cares what other people think?! YOU DO YOU.”
Which is all fine and well.
But, speaking from experience, that feeling of self-consciousness doesn’t just go away because someone tells you that you shouldn’t give a damn about other people. That uncomfortable feeling – when you walk into a gym and see regular gym-goers with their LuLuLemon apparel and ponytails bobbing on the treadmill – doesn’t just switch on and off with ease.
Unfortunately, like with most things in life, confidence comes with time. With repetition. And with practice.
How to Feel Confident at Gym
Take what you want from this post. You can love it or leave it. But it’s coming from a girl who was once the timid one at the gym. The one who would walk in and feel so uncomfortable that she’d walk right back out and try to do a workout online in the privacy of her house.
Here are six things I do to help me feel more confident at the gym. And this, in turn, helps me have a better workout.
1) Wear clothes that fit you and you feel GOOD in.
Up until a few months ago, I was wearing workout apparel from six or seven years ago. I was in denial. I didn’t want to spend money on new clothes because I was determined to fit into the clothes I already had. But, I didn’t realize that by wearing clothes that I felt uncomfortable in, I was actually sabotaging my workout. I was so self-conscious about making sure my shorts didn’t ride up when I was running on the treadmill. Or I’d keep pulling at my shirt so it wouldn’t get stuck between my belly rolls. (<—That’s cute when you’re 10 months old. I think it’s less cute when you’re 30). By investing a little money in clothes that were slightly bigger and more my current size, I was focusing more on my workout and less on trying to make myself look presentable.
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2) Don’t work out in front of a mirror.
There have been a number of times that I’ve stopped mid-set while looking into a mirror because I was so focused on how my arms were jiggling or how my fat spilled over my sports bra. I know it’s superficial, but our mind is so quick to jump to negative feelings. My focus should be on my lifting. My workout. By placing myself in front of a mirror, I am more likely to be critical of the way I look and less focused on pushing through a set and feeling really strong.
3) Blast the music. 
It’s much easier to focus on what I’m doing when I’m not listening to the gym-bros grunting at the squat rack or the easy, breezy conversations of the girls on their yoga mats as they contort their bodies into different shapes that would leave me breathless. And probably broken. Spotify has this really cool feature called, “Behind The Music.” When you turn on one of their playlists, it will display the lyrics, but in between the lyrics, they have 1-2 lines explaining a little bit about where the artist drew their inspiration from. It’s pretty motivating to have those pop up in your face as you’re pushing yourself on one of the cardio machines. It just makes you want to push THAT much harder. Also, it’s pretty hard to care about what people think of you when you’ve got Beyoncé in your ears telling you that you run the world.
4) Close your eyes
If you’ve got good balance and can handle this safely without toppling over, closing your eyes is a great way to ignore the stimulation of the gym environment and turn inward. You can focus on your posture, your form, your breathing, your music. Not only does it activate your other senses and make you more aware of your body, but it forces you to shut out the other people around you. Which means even if they’re NOT looking at you and judging your every move (which, trust me, they’re not), you won’t even be able to perceive it that way because you can’t see anything but your inner eyelids. Focus on your body, not your surroundings.
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5) Make a plan of attack.
I schedule out my workouts on Sunday to avoid the whole “wandering aimlessly and scared” bit. There are so many workouts available on Pinterest, videos on YouTube, and apps you can download. I filled out a quick questionnaire on BodyBuilding.com to determine what types of workouts would be best for my body type. From there, I built out a schedule for the month. By knowing exactly what I am going to do at the gym before I walk in, I am much more successful. When you’ve mapped out your workout, you’re more likely to exude confidence because you know exactly what you need to be doing the entire time you’re in there.
6) Go at the same time every day.
When you go at a consistent time each day, you’re likely to run into the same faces over and over again. I’ve been going to the gym every morning before work and I see the same 3-4 people there. Though we haven’t talked to one another, we’re all a part of the AM club. And I feel so much more comfortable going in to workout when I know these people have seen me there time and time again. There’s something comforting about building these unspoken connections.
Related Article: Setting Short Term Goals for Weight Loss
Questions of the Day:
- Where do you do most of your workouts? Gym? Home? Park?
- Do you listen to music while working out?
In the gym … at yoga … IN LIFE 🙂 I follow the close your eyes notion all the damn time.
When my eyes are closed I can be whomever I want to be.
I love your comment. All the damn time…love it 🙂
I can’t workout without awesome music blasting through my earbuds! It’s a MUST! Proper fitting clothes are so important, too!
All great tips!! I used to love going to the gym and seeing the same people. Since I went super early, a group of us always had to wait outside for them to actually open the place. It was nice seeing them all the time. And word to music!
I love these tips. I always have the music up loud when I work out because it helps drown out that negative voice in my head, but I think not looking in a mirror would also help. 🙂
These are all such great suggestions! I totally agree about wearing clothes that make you feel good. And good tunes are a MUST. I also agree about the mirror, I definitely feel self conscious if I can see myself!
This post is essential for majority of the first timers to the gym. I had undergone humiliating times.
These are some great tips! I currently don’t use the gym at the moment (because I’m too self conscious) I prefer to work out at home but using these tips I might actually pluck up the courage to go.
Absolutely TRUE!!! I would add that a great place to get some awesome apparel is consignment stores. New work out gear could be very expensive, and turn people away from the point of buying it. However, I have found some awesome workout pieces for a fraction of the cost at consignment stores.
Thrifting Diva
http://www.thriftingdiva.com
These really are great tips. And I totally agree with your #1 of having exercise clothes you feel good in!!!
I need to work on having a plan of attack! That’s the one thing that keeps me wasting the most time when I go to the gym! Great list!!
I love this! I like the idea of closing your eyes if it’s safe to do so with whatever you’re doing. I have listened to music while working out – when I used to belong to a gym, I’d do that on the treadmill. Nowadays I just try and walk outside so I’ve been listening to a podcast. I’m glad that going to the gym isn’t as nerve-wracking as it used to be! I agree that being comfortable in what you’re wearing is definitely a plus!
All such great tips to boost confidence! I totally agree with #1, I think that’s the most important!
I totally get the mirror comment, though I truthfully like to place myself there as it helps me focus on my form. I think a big thing to feel confident in the gym is to go with an experienced friend or grab a session with a personal trainer so they can help show you how to use some of the equipment or machines that may be causing the stress.
Girl, I feel like mirrors at the gym should be BANNED. lol. No one likes to look at themselves!
Great ideas for people who go to the gym. I personally get my exercise chasing my two young kids around — literally!
I love this! I mostly workout at home but when I did start attending workout studios, I did fake it until I made it. The confidence slowly came but my clothing definitely helped me keep my cool. Music definitely keeps me in the groove when I run so I love different spotify playlists!
These are great tips! I have never worked out in a gym, but these are great tips for those who do.
Blasting the music and wearing nice clothes are my go-to as well!!
Fantastic tips! I’m definitely intimidated to go to the gym and need all the help I can get.
Being comfortable at the gym starts in the mind. Wearing the right size clothes also helps a great deal
I blast music for everything -not just my workouts 🙂 Great tips!
these are all great tips – i also found going at the same time every day very helpful – the routine is key & i started getting to know the people & becoming more used to them – which made it so much easier
I love your tips! A big one for me was having a very specific plan on what i was going to do. when i tried to wing it, i just felt awkward.
Those are great tips! I can’t seem to stop myself from looking in the mirror…I’d be so much less self conscious if I would, though.
YES! Sometimes I feel so awkward at the gym. And I’m like, WHY am I doing this to myself?! Lol, closing my eyes actually does help quite a bit. I just sing along silently to my music and do what needs to be done 🙂
#3 all the way! Good music makes so much difference when you’re working out.
I hear you wearing the correct clothes is very important as well as to have the perfect tunes to hear while exercising =)
These are all great tips to stay confident at the gym. However, i do not work out, I walk. That is my exercise. I don’t blast music while I do my walking around the neighborhood. I like my senses to be alert and attuned to anything unusual in my surroundings.
I’ve always been really self-conscious when I go to the gym. Blasting on music has always helped me focus on the task and not worry about people looking at me.
Great tips! I always feel so conscious at the gym, I hate it honestly!
What a wonderful list, I really agree with not looking at the mirror. I think I actually stopped working out one day because of the mirror! *gasp*
Wearing clothes that you feel comfortable and good in is a must. I always wear loose, comfy clothes when I go to the gym.
I have a hard time working out at the gym nowadays. I am about 15 pounds heavier than I was a few years back when I was a gym rat. I was so confident back then. Now I just feel like everyone is watching me.. (they have better things to do than watch me, I know. ) UGH
Whenever I want/need a motivational boost for gym time, I shop for new workout clothes cos you’re so right – it makes a huge difference in just making you feel better about going!
Coming Up Roses
Thank you for these tips. They are so great. I have been scared to go to a gym for such a long time because of what I look like (I’m a rather large girl), I love the blast the music tip!