How to Overcome Your Public Fitness Fear

With the rise of social media in the technical age and the resulting advancement in airbrush photography and photo manipulation it really is no wonder that women feel under constant pressure to look a certain way. So if you have a fear of wearing tight fitting yoga pants and stretching it out in front of a room full of strangers then that is perfectly understandable. Don't beat yourself up. But there are ways that you can overcome these insecurities and get back out into the world. Here are some great tips for feeling confident in your fitness wear! It’s also definitely worth checking out a few ways that you can keep yourself motivated during those lulls!

There are More Options than Just Skin Tight

The majority of social media influencers, actors in adverts and photos in magazines project an image of the exercising woman as wearing tight fitting yoga pants and a crop top. This is detrimental to the fuller figured girl, or even just those of us who feel a little self conscious. There are other options that don't include these one-size suitable designs. Grab some leggings and a baggy top or some jogging bottoms and a hoodie. Don't feel constantly pressured to wear what other girls wear, especially if it makes you feel uncomfortable and hinders your exercise routine.

Taking it Slow

Taking the step from isolated to public exercise is a difficult thing to do for many women, and it's worth knowing that you are not alone. You are also not at all expected to go from anti-active isolation to gym fanatic within the space of an hour. Sometimes it takes time to get used to exercising around other people. Follow these steps for taking the process of overcoming your public fitness fear slowly:

• Exercising at Home: This is a really great way to start getting into shape without having the fear of being seen or judged by other people. In the comfort of your own home you can sweat, stop and breathe heavily without the worry of being seen. This is a great way of getting into shape without going to the gym, but we do suggest that overtime you start pushing yourself to exercise in more public places in order to properly overcome your fear.

• Going for a run: Going for a run is probably the next logical step in this process. You can go early in the morning or late at night in order to avoid seeing too many people on your run, though the people you do see you will probably pass relatively quickly. This really is a great middle step in your process to becoming confident while exercising in public!

• Head to the gym: This is of course the final part of the ‘taking it slow’ process. To make the experience a little more easy going you could try taking a friend with you. If you and a buddy head to a zumba or yoga class rather than going straight for the rowing machine in the middle of the gym, you will feel a lot more eased into the act. You can always go for the rowing machine next time!

Getting a Proper Sports Bra

Buying the wrong sports bra can be detrimental not only to your health but also to your confidence as well. As women it can sometimes be difficult to keep our breasts completely under control, and this is especially important when it comes to undertaking exercise. It can become uncomfortable if we don't invest in the proper bra to wear. Here are some tips for finding the perfect sports bra:

• Get a bra fitting: One of the best ways that you can ensure that you have a properly fitting bra is by going for a bra fitting. Many places will supply a fitting for free and will let you know the kind of sports bra that you should be looking for. 

• Go Specialist: Getting specialist sports bras is a great way to find an appropriate and comfortable bra for less. Buying cheaper sports bras from generic clothing retailers often results in a sacrifice of quality. Avoid this by going specialist. 

• Choose a cute colour: Choose a fun, cute and lovely colour that suits your personality and reflects who you are. Having the perfect colour can help to lighten your mood and make you feel more confident. 

Learning to Love Your Body

Learn to love your body. This can be a difficult thing to achieve, especially for the twenty first century woman. But there are ways that you can begin to love what you look like rather than hate it. Negative thoughts about your appearance or weight will often add to the anxiety of undertaking exercise in public. Try looking at yourself in the mirror and instead of pinpointing the parts of yourself that you don't like, look at the parts of your body that you do like. Remember that everyone has bits that they want to improve on, but you can find some good tips on staying motivated at the gym here.

Realising That No One Cares

Realistically though, the people that you see working out in the gym are there to...work out in the gym. They are not there to judge what you are wearing, how you’re exercising or what your body looks like. The majority of the time people are too interested in themselves to notice what the people around them are doing. Try to remind yourself of this next time you are in the gym or doing exercise. Honestly...no one cares.

Self Care is Imperative

If you are having trouble feeling confident then sometimes all you need is a bit of extra self care. Try taking a bath, meditating or just relaxing on the sofa. It is okay to not overcome your anxiety and fear all at once. Take some time out to look after you. There is always tomorrow. It is also important to make sure that you are eating well throughout the week. Eating junk food will make you feel negative about yourself by the time it comes to going to the gym. Check out some healthy eating at work tips to help you get through the week. 

There are plenty of ways that you can help yourself to overcome the fear of public exercise. Try to pick other outfit options, take the journey slowly, get a proper sports bra, learn to love your body and realise that no one really cares. If you try to implement these tactics into your plan to become a confident exerciser then you are sure to be a regular gyming girl in no time!