Dumbbells and Drama

The other day I was surprised to see how almost no women had stepped into the gym during the weekend. I immediately put this up on my Instagram, asking women to tell me what makes them stay away from the gym, or what they thought could be a valid reason for women to stay away from workouts during the weekend. Most of the answers I got were along the lines of ‘I don’t have time’ ‘women need to take care of so much at home’ Fair enough, this is something that each of one us has to figure out on our own. But there are a few responses that I’d like to change. Read on to know my thoughts :

  1. People will stare: everyone is too busy doing their own thing to look at you and judge you. You need to keep your focus strong when you walk in to the gym. For more on this, you can refer to this post : Gyms Can Be Intimidating And There Is No Reason To Be Ashamed Of It 
  2. I get sweaty and the sweat patches get awkward : invest in comfortable workout wear! I can’t stress enough on the importance of great workout clothing. I get DMs asking me about the kind of stuff one must wear. While choosing a style is completely personal, make sure you’re comfortable. The focus should be on the workout, and the right clothing will ensure you’re a 100% into the workout. I mean no one wants to spend time at a workout thinking “ah, are my sweat patches visible? Maybe I should avoid that exercise. Maybe I should leave” Opt for dri-fits instead of cotton (polyester will not make the patches show) Lycra might give you blisters and rashes if you sweat too much, so you might want to avoid those. I in fact almost picked up a pair of cotton mixed with polyester yoga pants from Adidas recently. I asked the staff if sweat patches won’t be a problem, and they themselves pointed out that maybe I should avoid cotton . Talk to the sales guys, they will help you out. Don’t be awkward about sweat, it’s normal ☺ gym 2
  3. My panty lines are shown and it gets vulgar : opt for seamless panties ladies! But more comfortable than those are the thongs. Yes, working out in thongs is possible! Contrary to popular belief, they are the most comfortable underwear for women if you find the right material and fit. Invest in good underwear ladies! If you’re not comfortable with thongs or seamless panties, hipster briefs are a good idea too.
  4. Men stare : people will stare no matter what you do. Does that mean you stop working out? NO PLEASE. Invest in some good sports bras that will keep your breasts compact and minimize cleavage, PLUS be super comfortable to work out in. Sports bras are essential to a workout mostly because they help the boobs to stay firm. Read more on the right sorts bra on this post —  What Is The Big Deal About A Sports Bra? 
  5. Men ask me not to lift — two words to such men : shut up. Seriously, you do what YOU want to do. You want big biceps? Go get them girl! You want that teardrop muscle? Get it! You want those wings in the back? GO. GET. THEM. You focus on your goal. Write down a monthly list of workout goals if you want to, and slowly work towards it. Write down your workouts and progress. Feel the improvement. And most importantly, celebrate it all! Don’t let someone tell you you’re too muscular for a woman. Building muscles takes patience, hard work and determination. This is a physical, mental and emotional process, not just something you’re doing to look good. Don’t let others dictate your plans. Easier said than done, but it’s important to realise how you’re giving someone else the control button to your life. Of course it is intimidating to walk into the weights section and have all those beasts working out with you. It is scary being a woman in what has always been known as the ‘men’s area’  Here’s what I do : I look at the weights, choose mine, and start lifting. While doing so, I’m always maintaining eye contact with myself in the mirror. I don’t look at anyone else. Trust me, this is more than just physical when I say lifting builds you up as a person. It has taught me how to avoid distraction and negative energy! Seriously girl, go lift! And as I keep saying, if someone makes fun of you for wanting to lift, work till you can lift them up and throw them into the nearest trash can ☺

Hope I could make some sense here. It irks me to see women ignoring the gym not because they’re busy or lazy, but because OTHERS make them feel so conscious about themselves. It’s easy for people to make fun of you, what takes guts is to actually make an effort into making your own life better. Comments usually stem from insecurity and jealousy, so remember one thing : if someone makes fun of you for wanting to stay fit, feel happy, because they’re placing you at a higher pedestal, and don’t want you to get better than them.

Got any more reasons? Reach out to me! This one was a rant, but I’m always available on email when you need some motivation ☺

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