How to get started working out at the gym

Guest post by Suzan Enell (available on Instagram under the account Ultrasuz) who herself not only managed to lose 35 kilos but also built more muscles and took back the ultra title (after 10 years of absence) by running a 50km race - where she also came in 2nd place in the women's category.

How do you get to the gym?
So you want to get started with training and start working out at the gym?

Congratulations! It is the first step in the right - to want or to have the insight that one needs it. And how do you do that?

Believe me, I know very well what it's like to take that first stumbling step, what it's like to feel like a UFO among all the machines and how you're completely convinced that everyone is staring at you and really sees that you don't belong at a gym.

And let's get it over with at once:
No one is staring at you. Everyone is so busy with themselves and their own reflection that they hardly even notice anything other than their own reflection.

So what do you do if you want to start working out at the gym?

It's easy for me to say: JUST DO IT and that's basically what you need to do with it, but I thought I'd break down "JUST DO IT" for you in this post.

First of all, you need a gym card to be able to go to the gym and most facilities usually offer some form of trial training (either free or for a very favorable price). Try yourself, there are lots of gyms and for you it might be most valuable to have one close to work, close to home, generous opening hours or perhaps a facility that also has a swimming pool or group training if you want to supplement your gym training?

Most of us who are employed also have health care money to use (several surveys show that almost a third of everyone who has a health care benefit from the employer does not use it at all and about 40% who use it fail to use the entire amount).

Once you have decided that you should start training, make sure you also have a plan. Of course, you shouldn't underestimate just getting some time of your own or maybe using the gym as a social meeting place, but if your goal is to get different results than what you have today, you need to have a plan and a target image.
-This can of course be changed and revised as often or as many times as desired, but just going away and sitting out the time will not produce results, just like just buying a gym card does not mean that the job will be done.

For those who may never have been very active before, there is a very common misconception that just because you work out in the gym you will get big and I often hear from women that they want help with "losing weight but not building so much muscle" and there I just want to make it clear that muscle is not something you just HAPPEN to build because you go to a gym. It takes a huge amount of work to build and it requires a conscious intake of large amounts of food, usually you take supplements like creatine and lift really heavy weights - if you want to build muscle, you will have to work hard (but in my opinion it is so worth it! ) but as I said it's nothing that will ever happen accidentally because you start training so it's nothing you need to worry about.

I also want to take a stab at daring to ask for help, we've all been beginners and most of us are happy to help. Perhaps it is worth investing in a coach or PT to get in the right direction or there are also several apps and programs to download online for those who prefer it.

When you get a gym card, you can collect a little extra motivation from other factors such as:

- Stylish training clothes (here at Empower Sportswear you always have a 20% discount with the code SUZAN20 and at the time of writing we are also running a generous giveaway on my Instagram account (Ultrasuz) where three people will each win a 500 SEK gift card, don't miss it!)

- A training buddy. Ask among your colleagues or in your circle of friends if someone wants to start training with you. Maybe you already know someone who exercises? Maybe you have a neighbor who is interested or why not ask the question in the local Facebook group?

- Good music that makes you tag along a little extra. Try it out, maybe they are not the obvious favorites that are the best gym songs for you?

Do you have more tips on how to get started with gym training or maybe a favorite song you want to share? Leave a comment or drop in on instagram and interact with me!