3 Steps to Get Over Those First Weeks At The Gym

by Troop Atomic Mommy

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Man running on a treadmill at the gym. — Photo by **William Choquette** from **Pexels**

Working out at the gym can seem like a difficult task, especially going back after such a long hiatus. Some of us look at working out as a way to get healthy and for others, it is a way to get ready for a big sports event like bodybuilding, a 5K or 10K, and even for Olympic games. Then there are those of us who dread going back because of the arduous pressures it puts on our bodies, personal image and confidence.

That said, despite our positive intentions (such as starting at the gym in the new year, hoping to stick with it this time), sometimes it can be hard to overcome those first few weeks where our body reluctantly has to get used to exercise again. Throwing in the towel is not uncommon at this point, because most of us would accept that exercise doesn’t feel that great, until it does.

Thankfully, there are ways around this, even if you’ve failed to keep up a good exercise routine up to this point. In this post, we’ll discuss a few methods you can use for getting over those difficult first few weeks while also enjoying your fitness journey more than you were expecting. Without further ado, let’s consider:

#1 Keep It Consistent

It’s essential to keep consistent in your practice when managing your time at the gym. This might sound obvious, but you’ll find that this becomes less of a difficult decision to make each day, as your consistency is maintained.

Each day, you’ll feel as though you’ve made a great decision to keep on top of your daily health. Maintain this consistent habit of “going to the gym” for around six weeks, then it will become much easier and more enjoyable to handle.

#2 Find The Right Gym

Sometimes it’s not you, it’s the gym. That could be because of workouts that do not match your fitness style or because their equipment isn’t updated or worse, they’re not maintained. When this happens, it’s important to know that you can create your very own home gym that is in line with what you want out of your exercise regimen. This is why using an excellent service like Hoist Fitness can be so useful, as it emphasizes the need for accessibility and great equipment.

#3 Focus On Recovery

It’s important to focus on recovery, no matter how long you’ve been working out. During the first few months of your workout plan, your body will be adapting to a new normal, and will need enough time to recover. Remember that working out doesn’t make you stronger, it breaks your body down. But the stimulus-response given as part of that, with good nutrition, good protein, and most of all great sleep, will help you continue on to the next time. Space out your workouts with at least a day’s full rest between them. This way, you can make sure that you don’t overtrain and instead, you are fighting fit for each and every time you train.

The Takeaway

Getting back into a groove at the gym or even starting up for the very first time, could feel impossible and fill you with hopelessness. But, if you use the above 3 steps to help your mindset, those first few weeks at the gym will be more than doable. You may even find yourself enjoying the workouts.