- Don’t Be Ashamed. If you’re afraid of going to the gym because you think other people will judge you, personal trainer Joe Edmonds has a message for you. “Generally speaking, other people don’t care [because] they’re doing their own thing.” And if you want to conquer that fear, Edmonds says you simply have to commit to going to the gym for two to three weeks. That’s when he says people start feeling comfortable.
- Find Your Personal Incentive. If multiple years of wanting your dream bod haven’t motivated you to exercise, you’re probably in need of a new incentive. For example, personal trainer Zahir Akram reminds clients that there are people who rely on them and they need them to be strong.” Anytime you’re going to skip a workout, remember you’ve got someone that needs you to be there for them.
- Don’t Overdo It. Take your time getting back into things. Personal trainer Hannah Lewin reminds the folks that she works with that “it’s super-tempting when you are in a down phase to amp it up to the max, but it’s not realistic.” Your goal should be consistency and that will be tough to do if you hurt yourself pretending you’re The Rock.