Every year, the large majority of Americans participate in one of the most failure-ridden rituals of our culture: the New Year’s resolution. There is no question that many people avoid the gym, due to reasons ranging from “it’s raining outside” to “I just can’t miss this episode of "The Bachelorette.”"
But in my opinion, the most toxic excuse is a larger underlying problem: being too embarrassed to exercise.
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I get it. We’ve all been there. Huffing and puffing on the treadmill when you’re out of shape doesn’t feel too great when a bodybuilder on the machine next to you is striding through a six-minute mile. But the real problem is when we let this fear of being embarrassed keep us from doing the workout we want to do, or even keep us out of the gym completely.
Research has shown that 85 percent of Americans do not participate in vigorous, regular physical activity. Many people attribute avoidance of the gym to embarrassment, with women feeling twice as embarrassed as men to go to the gym. Additionally, women particularly fear lifting weights and the free weights area of the gym, feeling especially embarrassed when wondering if they are doing an exercise with the proper form.
In fact, women feeling embarrassed to stray from the treadmill has become a well-known trend. And when women do dare to be a "brave free weights female" (a term coined in one of the Buff Dudes' Youtube videos, "Gym Wildlife"), they are often scared away quickly by the more intimidating gym-goers. I can speak to this phenomenon from personal experience; as someone who took years to get to a point where almost every workout involves weight lifting, I had to regularly hype myself up to leave the safety and comfort of the elliptical - if I got to the gym at all.
But sooner or later, we have to get over this fear, brave new territory, and embrace putting ourselves out there. I eventually grew sick of "gymtimidation," and decided that I wouldn't let my personal health and exercise goals be affected by the possibility that someone might look at me with contempt or ridicule. A recent study on exercise has shown that even if people do not lose weight or see noticeable physical differences, regular exercise improves how people feel about their bodies. Overcoming the fear of the gym and being confident enough to not give in to intimidation likely boosts self-esteem, too.
At the end of the day, overcoming "gymtimidation" is not about the number of pounds you may gain or lose by working out. It's not about how much you will be able to bench press in six months. It's about having the self-confidence to realize that your own well-being is your priority, and is infinitely more important than what a gym bro might think of your 10 pound dumbbells. It's about proving to yourself that you can achieve your goals, whether that means running a mile or running a marathon. So do yourself a favor. Invest in yourself. Stop caring what people might think. I promise you that you are worth it.
