So You Want to Go to the Gym

By Ruthie Cordia

Step 1:

            Find a local gym near you. To start, go onto google and simply search gyms near me. Most (not all) gyms allow you to tour their facility and always try to before going to one. If you don’t feel safe going alone to the gym then find a gym that some of your friends go to.

            Option two is to not go to the gym. If you don’t have enough money to pay it every month or if you don’t own your own car you can always buy equipment. I know what you’re thinking, “equipment is expensive.” It’s not always expensive, especially when you check resell sites such as Mercari or go to stores like five below to get some of the basic equipment. It doesn’t have to be name brand stuff. Also if you cannot get equipment you can research at home workouts with no equipment on youtube.

Step 2:

            Find a routine. I say this but at the same time i’ve been going to the gym since January and still do not have a set routine. This is because sometimes homework or work interfere with my weeks and I don’t always go when I intend to. That is okay! I cannot stress this enough. Yes you want to have a routine to follow that can strengthen all parts of your body but if you do not have a lot of time then just go do what feels right for the day. Any movement is good movement and exercise.

            DO NOT OVERWORK YOURSELF THE FIRST FEW WEEKS. I’ve had people tell me how they had to go to the hospital because the first couple of weeks they went to the gym everyday. Build up to this. Your body needs rest days; it cannot go everyday when you are just starting off.

Step 3:

            This one sounds stupid but it is so true. Eat enough food for the amount of time you are spending at the gym. It doesn’t entirely matter if your diet is healthy or not (not saying that it’s not bad to not have a healthy diet) you must eat enough so that your body has enough nutrition. You can always research something like this on google just to get an idea on how much food you should be eating. I remember my first couple weeks at the gym I went all the time and absolutely destroyed my body. I always went after work and was always told it was bad to eat food after 9 at night. So when I got home at 11 I would just go to bed. Now however if I go to the gym after work when I get home I like to eat some cereal or sometimes an entire pizza. Either way your body is getting fuel and will thank you later for it.

Step 4:

            Gym accessories are a must. Pre Workout, drinks with lots of electrolytes, powerade, propel, or gatorade. Find a good drink to have either during, before or after your workout. Outfits. Cannot stress this enough please skip the “scared to wear a sports bra in the gym” phase. If you still feel uncomfortable with it that’s okay but just know that no one is judging you and no one really cares. They are all too busy focusing on their progress. Dress to feel good. Rather this means dressing comfy or in a two piece matching outfit makes yourself want to work out. Shoes do not need to be name brand. Any comfy shoe that is easy for you to do your work out in is good, it doesn’t matter the price tag.