Everything will be fine.
Jenna Rizzo, a women’s weight loss coach from Georgia, shares four easy ways to overcome your fears about going to the gym.
“I know that I need to go to the gym because my body doesn’t just get built,” Lizzo told her 82,500 TikTok followers last week.
“I know how hard it can be to walk into a gym and immediately feel like all eyes are on you,” Lizzo confesses in the 82-second video. “I used to be so paralyzed by fear that I would just run on the treadmill and then run home.”
Nearly 90% of Americans worry about how others perceive them at the gym, and 27% experience “extreme” anxiety, according to a 2022 survey. “Gym fear” appears to be most prevalent in Oregon, Kansas, and Massachusetts, according to the poll.
To calm your fears, Rizzo recommends going to the gym when there are fewer people around, finding a friend to go with you, making a plan, and not worrying about what others think.
Choose the right date and time
A recent study found that Tuesday 5pm is the peak time for gym-going, followed by Monday 5pm and Tuesday 6pm.
Meanwhile, Sundays between 10pm and 11pm have been identified as quiet hours.
“Going at a less busy time will help you become more familiar with the gym,” Rizzo says. “You’ll feel a little more comfortable, and before you know it, you’ll be more confident going during the busier times.”
Bring your friends
“That’s an old go-to,” Rizzo said, “Even if you don’t know much about gyms, find someone to go with you, and it really breaks the ice.”
Make a plan
“Walking around aimlessly and just thinking about what you need to do can be very anxiety-inducing. Don’t get into that situation,” advises Rizzo. “If you have a plan, you’ll be able to move confidently from exercise to exercise in the gym, and you’ll get much better results this way.”
Don’t worry about other people
“Remember, we are self-centered creatures. When you go to work out, you might think all eyes are on you, but nine times out of 10, that’s not the case,” Rizzo says. “Most people who work out are so self-absorbed that they’re staring at themselves in the mirror.”
Dr. Daniel Amen, a dual-board certified psychiatrist and brain-imaging researcher in California, advocates for the 18-40-60 rule for anxiety, which can also be applied to the gym.
“When you’re 18, you worry about what people think of you,” Amen explains, “and when you’re 40, you don’t care what people think of you. And then when you’re 60, you realize no one thought about you at all.”
