Anxiety regarding fitness is a topic that comes up often, and this week I was asked to speak about it via Instagram Live. I wanted to continue the conversation here, and give you a reference point to come back to, so read on to find out more. With thanks to Rebecca (aka @thislifeofcare) for asking me to do this!
What do we mean by fitness anxiety?
When Rebecca and I first chatted about the idea of doing a Live to cover this topic, I quickly realised it’s a broad theme for her. She mentioned several strands, from exercise triggering a person’s health anxiety (a specific situation whereby people experience intense worry about developing health conditions) to the more commonly known “gymtimidation” (fear and perceived threat of the gym environment), plus things in between the two, such as people experiencing concern about whether exercise will be painful, or that they’re not fit enough to participate in activities (this is VERY common).
It’s important to remember that I’m not a clinical anxiety expert, and that my own experiences extend to some, but not all of the below scenarios – if anxiety is holding you back from living your life and proving to be something that you can’t overcome alone, please seek appropriate professional support.
Social anxiety at the gym
Let’s deal with that gymtimidation first. There’s no question about it, gyms are a scary environment. Typically full of testosterone, and heavy, complicated equipment that many people know can be dangerous. Add in the fact that there are a lot of people behaving in a manner that others often recognise as predatory or stern, plus double down with it being a hall of mirrors and it’s no surprise that a lot of people run in the other direction.
It’s also often a party that’s full of literal strangers – and whilst the pressure is on at the gym in the same way as it is at parties to relax and have a good time, the one piece of good news is that you don’t aren’t also expected to make awkward conversation or chat anyone up!
So this is actually step one: appreciate that social anxiety at the gym is an understandable response for you to have. Have compassion for yourself – new things and places are scary. What isn’t good is it going on forever. For me, this is where familiarity has helped significantly. Both getting to know the environment – in terms of understanding the layout, how the equipment works, and etiquette – and learning to recognise who’s usually around have been things that work. The next thing to accept is that this takes time. Unfortunately, there’s no magic solution here, but I do think that practice pays off, and establishing a routine is what will set you on a path to making changes bit by bit.
Health anxiety and exercise
Health anxiety happens when worries about physical health take over your life, and this is where fitness can be a double-edged sword. Most people know that, for many of us, exercising will improve or maintain our health. We also tend to be aware that exercising comes with risks of injury, and that exertion can be uncomfortable, or even lead to “overdoing it” and making ourselves ill. There’s also the fact that the fitness industry maintains a culture of “no pain, no gain”, with many coaches still expecting a high level of performance from their clients.
If this has all got your heart and breathing rates through the roof, it’s time to take it back several notches. Yes, progressing your fitness will involve exertion. But it can and should also be controlled. There’s a fine line between working hard enough to ensure that you’re tired and improving, and pushing yourself to the point of collapse.
My research came up with the helpful suggestion that, for those who are anxious in this way, lower intensity exercise in order to maintain a state of calm is advisable. I really liked this idea, but it’s not appropriate for everyone.
I’d definitely advise that you recognise that your body will have certain responses to exercise, particularly of a higher intensity. Remember that your heart rate going up, breathing changing, and sweating are all normal. Equally, if these things don’t happen, it’s ok (as a certified Sweaty Person, I’m jealous of the non-sweaters though!).
On top of this, new activities, and new spaces are likely to boost these symptoms again, as you put your brain and body under additional stress. It comes back to that compassion again!
Fitness tracker causing anxiety?
Ever paced around the house late at night to finish accomplishing a daily goal that the demon on your wrist has nagged you towards? Or responded to an alert from it when you didn’t really want to? Maybe you’ve looked at the numbers on the display in shock, and found your figures to be higher or lower than expected?
Technology is a blessing and a curse all in one shiny package. Yes, fitness trackers, like phones and email notifications, can cause anxiety rather than alleviate it. So I’d like to remind you of three things:
1. It’s a machine which is designed to encourage you to keep using it (just like social media and dating apps)
2. You can take it off at any time, or turn it off at any time
3. They’re chronically inaccurate at measuring things like heart rate and step count – see these numbers as a guide, rather than a rule
How to overcome exercise anxiety
The part you’ve all been waiting for! These are my top tips for overcoming fitness anxiety…
Know how to get help – wherever you’re training, know where to go in an emergency (ask the staff or instructor); if you’re going out alone (e.g. running or cycling), ensure your phone is fully charged first, and let someone know roughly when to expect you home, or ask someone to check in at a specific time
Understand your body… – remember my points above about appreciating that you will probably have a bodily response to exercise. The tipping point is things not going back to a normal range after you stop working out, that’s when you might need help
…and your chosen exercise – I really like to educate my clients. I teach them about the exercises we’re doing and what to expect. I listen to their feedback, and take injuries and other health conditions into account. And I also tell them how what we’re doing will help them! Rather than framing it as about “this is going to hurt”, I help them by sharing how their training will support their lifestyle. Get yourself a coach who does the same!
Recognise when you’re improving – this was something that helped me, and I don’t just mean appreciating that you’re lifting heavier weights. When the time comes that you walk onto the gym floor or into class less scared. Give yourself a pat on the back. We don’t celebrate ourselves enough, and when you’re frightened of something, any improvement is a win, so cherish it. And then keep going!
Looking for a compassionate coach to accompany you on the gym floor? Get in touch, I’d love to help!