What's something you wish you started doing sooner/knew earlier in your fitness journey?

[lavern7h]

@ronit Thiiiis. I swear, I get more done in 32 hours when I’m rested than I can in 40 when the insomnia strikes.

 

[ramin]

@colwyn That working out for how it makes me feel (calmer and like a strong badass) is a lot more productive than working out for how it makes me look (no longer trying to be skinny). It’s also way more fun!

 

[shardul007]

@colwyn REST DAYS.

I used to work out every single day because I saw all these people online boasting about having no “zero days” or something. As a result, I’m plagued with minor but chronic injuries.

 

[jjsu1991]

@colwyn I went from working out twice a day as a teenager (high performance athlete) to barely doing anything throughout uni, other than walking to campus. I was on campus for nearly the entire day almost every day for a number of years and I regret that I only went into the gym a few times after I "retired" from my sport. I just had no idea how to workout just to workout. It would have been a great way to break up days on campus just to have a break at the gym.

 

[inneedofhim]

@jjsu1991 Definitely experienced this, and it got worse when I got a 9-5 desk job after college so there wasn’t even walking around campus! It’s hard to figure out how to workout on its own when it’s not tied to a sport you’re passionate about, and I still feel like I’ll never be as passionate about lifting as I was with my sport

 

[jjsu1991]

@inneedofhim It definitely took some time! I found when I started my 9-5 I had a much more stable routine that I was able to know when my exact "practice" times could be, plus it helped that we have a gym at work so I started going there at lunch! In uni, I think my problem was just lack of structure, with classes over the place and then any moment not in class, I spent in the library doing class work or my thesis. Thankfully, a few years later and I'm in a good groce but man I wish I would have learned earlier how to structure my time.

 

[cec]

@colwyn There’s a lot more to life than working out. This is supposed to be a fun hobby, not your full time job. You don’t need to spend 2+ hours a day in the gym. You don’t have to skip out on meals and drinks with friends, going to bed at 10 pm sharp isn’t always necessary. You might feel great, strong and fit but it’s no fun if you’re alone all the time.

 

[kabriana]

@cec

but it’s no fun if you’re alone all the time

Cries in quarantine On a serious note this is going to be a major adjustment for me! It’s SO EASY to workout everyday and eat healthy when I’m home all day every day with LITERALLY nothing better to do. I truly had no more excuses and I’ve stuck to a routine!! Balancing the anticipated insanity of freedom with keeping this up is going to be really difficult!

 

[anxietyreliefsuccess]

@kabriana Same. It was so much easier I found when we were in full total lockdown.

 

[aaron7kh77]

@cec This took me until covid to figure out. I’m kind of a workaholic so pre-covid I wouldn’t head down to the office gym some nights til 7:30, and then I wouldn’t be done til 9/9:30 depending on the workout. Getting home at 10pm gave me no time with my husband and I was pretty selfishly putting my work and workouts ahead of spending time with him. Now we’ve been home together for a whole year and have steadily been adding to our basement gym. I love heading down to the basement for a (shorter, these days!) workout and then hanging out with him for the rest of the night. Such a better work/workout/life balance!

 

[marthomartho]

@aaron7kh77 since i have no life/work to balance anymore, 2h daily workouts are my only reason for getting out of bed now.

 

[aaron7kh77]

@marthomartho That’s fair! I absolutely lived for my 2hr workouts when I hated the apartment I shared with roommates and would rather be anywhere but home, but life situations and priorities change over time!

 

[dawn16]

@colwyn That working out is for me and me alone. If someone has issues with what I'm doing, that's on them, and I don't need to justify anything to anyone. Hell, if it's easier, it's totally okay to pretend I don't work out at all.

Basically, just go lift, and don't bother arguing when your mom goes "but why" and your sister says "you know lifting is one of those Not Like The Other Girls things" and your aunt says "you're going to get too big" and your nephew says "you're taking up space in the guys' section of the gym." Just go "mhm" and move on.

 

[hopeful23]

@dawn16 Struggling with “boys side of the gym” currently. It’s not that anyone is saying it to me, it’s that I’m saying it to myself. In my head the weights area is male dominated, so my female overweight ass would not only not fit in, but stand out and look weird. Idk why it’s so hard for me to get over the fact that it’s a gym and we’re all there to work out smh

 

[dawn16]

@hopeful23 realise that you are all paying the same price for access, you aren't getting the 'overweight woman's discount' so you should have exactly the same access as the men!

also maybe look up some fitness vloggers with your body type, (though i know that can be a challenge) one i know of is bethyred on insta, and watching her kick ass has helped my confidence (even though gyms here are still closed grr)

 

[godsgraciousgift]

@hopeful23 I used to have the exact same mindset and honestly, what helped me was ignoring these thoughts and just keep going to that section. At some point I got so used to the environment that I didn't even notice being surrounded by bulky men anymore. Also, music helps because it makes you focus on your own movements and makes you feel like you're in your own little world

 

[dawn16]

@hopeful23 I think it's a totally normal reaction! Something I've noticed at my gym is that the weights area actually becomes female-dominated around 8 PM and stays that way until closing, and I doubt it's unique to my gym (though I have no idea what causes it) so maybe try going at different times of the day and see what the demographics look like.

 

[johnnys1983]

@dawn16 I second this. Using the weight area right before close built up my confidence to go during much busier times!

 

[supersenior]

@colwyn Rest days. Sleeping enough and eating enough. Seriously, 2 years of battling hypothalamic amenorrhea while gaining 20 lbs speak for themselves. Take a breath ladies, and don't use weightlifting solely as a stress outlet.

 

[livinginhislight]

@colwyn Doing at least 10 minutes of cardio after strength training. It is quick, painless and my recovery between sets has improved so much.

I fractured my big toe and had to lay off running for 4ish weeks and I am feeling it SO MUCH.

So yeah, people. Do your cardio regardless of what activity you are pursuing. 10 minutes of running is all it took me to feel the difference (and I am a super slow runner).