Exercising is something that at first feelings gruelling. You’re running, jumping, and feeling the burn. Your body eventually becomes covered in sweat, you’re out of breath, you just want some cold water, and a nap. But after all of that, you start feeling good about working out and you feel accomplished, right? While exercising can be a pain, we all know how beneficial it is. It helps keep you in shape, you get to fight off diseases, you stay healthy overall, and your brain releases endorphins during the workout. All of this is great, but it takes some time before exercising feels natural.
One reason why plenty of people skips out on exercising is the fact that there is a lack of confidence. A lack of confidence is not knowing where to begin, a lack of confidence of not knowing what to do, and how to do it, plus being new to something and going into an environment with “pros” can be so intimidating.
It’s completely natural to have a mix of emotions such as excitement and anxiety when first starting out. Even if you’re not planning on going to the gym, but just working out at home, there can be some confidence issues. While it just takes time and getting used to, there are other ways to get started on building confidence in your exercise regimen, here’s how.
Begin by feeling confident in what you’re wearing
You want to dress comfortably before you begin working out, but it may also help to dress nice. Chances are, you’re not going to feel too confident if you’re wearing an oversized shirt and baggy shorts. Why not opt into something that’s more slim-fitting? Something that nicely hugs the body? Why not shop leggings? You can then mix and match these with some cute sports bras or other tops. It may not seem like much, but you’ll feel so much better getting to wear something that highlights your body rather than covering it up.
You don’t need to work out at a gym
When it comes to exercising, just know that you don’t have to visit a gym in order to get a good workout. You can have a good workout regimen at home that can be just as effective as going to the gym. You don’t have to have the equipment, you really don’t. There are plenty of at-home workouts you should try out but you can even look into signing up for some programs such as on-demand programs or even check out some free Youtube videos too.
There are more than enough options that you can try out, just allow yourself the chance to work out at home. Maybe once you have enough confidence at home, you can then expand to visiting the gym if you like.
Plan your workout ahead of time
Even if you just plan to work out at home and have nobody else see you, you can still have confidence issues because you know whether or not you’re doing an exercise right or wrong. It’s best to just plan out your workouts ahead of time. You’ll feel less confused, and then you can just dive right into beginning the workout. You can tell yourself “I’m doing Y and Z today for 30 minutes and I’ll do A and B tomorrow for an hour”.
Just having the confidence to know what you’re going to do will give you the confidence to do it right. Plus, planning a workout routine ahead of time will help you push yourself to create regular exercise habits. So get to planning so you can build long and strong habits for exercising!
Don’t sweat it
“Don’t sweat it” is a pretty old saying, which means to not worry. Worrying and confidence go hand in hand, don’t they? If something goes wrong, don’t worry about it. If you fumble, fall, or can’t complete a workout, don’t worry about it. The journey to exercising is a long one. It’s filled with many obstacles, but the obstacles are the beauty of the journey itself. Nobody does perfect the first time around, especially when it comes to exercising.
The more you do, the better you get which then means you can push yourself further. So it’s best to not get caught up in little mistakes. They happen, it’s a part of what makes you human. Just get back up and keep pushing yourself. It’s going to be a lot better, and this is a great way to build your confidence as well.
Grab a friend
Sometimes, the biggest confidence booster you can find is going to be a workout buddy. This can include your partner, child, friend, or even your furry friend! But having someone there while you workout can make you feel like you’re having the time of your life. The company is always good, and it’s better if it’s someone you like. Exercising can be a great time to have quality time together, you can chit chat, boost each other up, and help each other out.
Even if you don’t have anyone to join you in exercising, there are plenty of communities online where you can find a workout buddy to help you out
Think about getting a personal trainer
Even if you want to skip out on the gym entirely, you can still get a personal trainer. While most personal trainer services are available at gyms, you can actually connect with some outside of the gym. Some can come to your house, while others can be strictly online, meaning no one comes to your home and no need to go to a gym. Even personal trainers from a distance can still help. They’ll be able to help give you advice on your form and give you that needed boost of encouragement as well.
Be confident in what you’re doing
Just fake it until you make it! You’ll eventually believe the confidence if you fake it enough. If you know what you’re doing, and you’re doing it regularly (especially if it works), then congrats! You’re doing a great job and you should feel confident!
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