Advice for fat people considering gym membership

Just do it.

If you are fat and on the verge of calling to setup your gym membership stop reading this post and get it done right now!

For the rest, advice to considering when joining a gym

If you have fears and concerns please keep reading…

No one cares

A fundamental truth about the gym is… no one cares about you!

It’s a difficult truth to swallow because it requires accepting we are not special, but in the gym that means no one cares how fat you are.

Everyone is too focused on their own results.  This is liberating, as knowing this you do not need to be held back with this fear.

There may be one or two who look down on you (there always is in life), but don’t worry, you may be self conscious, but that is nothing compared to the issues these people have.

Fatness is not their issue, as the truth is when you become fitter and stronger than them, they will still find reason to belittle you, as hate is all they know.

There is no winning with these types, bear these people no heed!

Mindset > genetics

One of the funniest excuses I heard why someone did not take part in exercise was

“I don’t have your fitness genetics”.

This is amusing, because they never met me at fourteen – soft, fat, last to be picked at sport, getting shit kicked out of me by bullies.

That was my reality, no one would say I had “fitness genetics” then!  It is only through 18 years of hardwork I have built who I am – this was not something that happened overnight, but a long persistent journey.

Maybe what I described is you?  Progress is one day at a time, you train your body, but you also train your mind.

The best thing about exercise is the “gains” to your mindset.  Your motivation to join the gym might to ‘not be fat anymore’, but by doing so you are striving on a greater path to a challenge how you approach your life.

Fuck genetics – don’t limit yourself with self-limiting beliefs that your fitness (or anything in life) is something you are born with and that you lost the genetic lottery.

That mindset means you will never get anywhere – do not let who you were in the past dictate who you want to be for the future.

When I joined the gym I did not want who I was at school to be my future.  You are just as empowered as I was, to make the same choice to a better you!

If you do nothing you stay fat, if you take action however…

Just attending will see results quicker than you think

If your normal lifestyle is sitting around, Netflix and Twitter outrage, then the act of just going to the gym and exercising for 30+ minutes, four times a week will show results (as long as you don’t pig out on extra calories).

This is because you are making a major lifestyle change – sacrificing sedentary for activity.

Joining a gym when you don’t exercise is hard because you will feel unfit, but is also the most satisfying time, as you will see massive progress.  And when you start to see progress, you start to become addicted.

Persistence is key

The key to getting results is persistence – this means making sure that you train three / four times per week, all year long.

You don’t get results if you show up when you ‘feel like it’ and you don’t get results if you only attend for the first two months of a year.

For continued growth and improvement you need to be persistent in your attendance, otherwise you will continue to be fat.

Consistency is also key

An important lesson is having clear, consistent routine and goals.

Routine

I used to change my routines regularly because I followed guidance by Men’s fitness magazines, forgetting that there primary goal is to sell next months issue.  

The problem with this approach, is its hard to measure progress if you don’t maintain some sort of consistency – if only someone had taken me to one side and got me focused on a routine around deadlifts, squats and bench.

When you start your gym routine consistency is key if you want to get better.

Goals

With gym goals it is important to know what you want.  If you don’t then your inconsitency will impact your progress.

It was only when I got a clear vision ‘Get strong as possible’ was I able to keep my goals in check focusing on strength training.  Any other results are just a side benefit from my primary aim.

When you join the gym be clear what you want, make sure to learn and reflect, then the results will follow.

Go for it

Hopefully this post inspires you to go for it.

The decision to join a gym when you are fat is brave – you feel self-conscious, you are making changes to your lifestyle, you are taking on new habits, you are changing your mindset – accepting that fatness is damaging to your long term health.

Well done on making this decision and good luck with your goal to lose weight – you will see a positive change to your health, fitness and life.

Good luck, you’ve got this!

Are you just starting your fitness journey? Is there anything about the gym you would like to know? Please comment below.

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