One of the hardest things to do in life is to change your normal routine to include a healthy lifestyle. It involves a mental adjustment, a physical adjustment, a dietary adjustment, and a social adjustment. Being goth on top of this can make things a little extra hairy.
My name is Jessie and I'm here to help you out with either getting started, motivating you to keep up the effort, and to provide some in-depth assistance.
The first thing you will want to do, if you want to start at a gym, is to find a gym you like. I started out at Planet Fitness because it was budget friendly. I left it for a smaller, slightly higher priced, 24-hour gym because I wanted a more serious gym environment. Assess your budget and availability of the gyms in your area. When do you want to work out? Shower at the gym or wait until you get home? Can the gym accommodate those things? Once you find a gym, get signed up.
The second step is to be ready for the gym. This means having the following items ready to go:
Gym bag - A gym bag should be able to hold your gym shoes, towel, and other things you want to bring to the gym.
Gym shoes - A pair of dedicated shoes just for the gym, based on your activity.
Water bottle - Definitely find a water bottle that you can have with you at the gym.
Headphones - Headphones are a total necessity for the gym, if you ask me. Find a pair that suits your activity.
Rag - You may want to have some rags for wiping down your equipment and not running through paper towels.
Hat or headband - A gym hat or headband can help keep your hair out of your face while also wicking away sweat. It's an optional item.
Gym gloves - You may have delicate hands or you may have sweaty hands. Gym gloves can really help you out.
Other items - I like to keep a few bandaids, tampons, and a chapstick in my gym bag - in case I need them. You might have particular items that you want to keep in your bag.
Playlist - Have a playlist ready to go.
The third step is to acquire some gym clothes. The best thing about activewear is that black is ALWAYS an option. We will get into details about options and brands later. You'll start to find what you like to wear and what you don't like to wear at the gym. For example: At the gym, I dislike wearing t-shirts. I prefer high-neck tanks for weightlifting and a crew neck sweatshirt for cardio-only sessions. I am also not a fan of shorts (usually) and usually wear full or 7/8 leggings.
The fourth step is to have some sort of plan for the gym. You may want to start simple with a 40/20 split - 40 min weightlifting, 20 minutes cardio. You might want to go further and split up your days into typical body sections (or combinations of): arms, back, chest, legs, shoulders, and core. Have some sort of plan to start with, even if you really have no idea what you are doing. We will get into this so you can have a better developed plan.
OVERVIEW
The four steps you need to take to get started are:
Find a gym.
Be ready for the gym.
Acquire gym clothes.
Have some sort of plan for the gym.
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