One Year at the Gym: What I’ve Learned About Fitness & Mental Health
On March 6th, 2024, I decided to go to the Gym, mainly because my head was in bits. Full of frustration, full of uncertainty, and full of low confidence.
I had no interest in building up strength, losing weight, or improving my stamina — I simply wanted to feel better. I had exercised plenty before, but that was mostly at home, mainly due to Lockdown rules between 2020 and 2021. This time, however, I wanted to be in a public place, to hear random people.
I've written about going to the Gym before, but that was admittedly just the start. There were additional challenges ahead, especially when workouts in the mid-afternoon at certain points in 2024 were a saving grace.
Now, a year to the day since I started going, I feel so much better. My mental health is stronger than ever, I've managed to move on from a bunch of things, and I'm enjoying a lot of things again too, such as listening to music. These days, I go two to three times a week, instead of five or six as before. I even go on a parkrun at the weekend, and I set myself a new record in February!
I go to help set out my day now, instead of battling some longstanding or relatively new demons. So with this in mind, I wanted to highlight a few things that could help you if you're thinking of going as a first-timer, or as a returnee.
No one cares
No, I don't mean those who set up their phones on tripods, but no one cares why you're there. I've come to realize that media of all kinds, whether that's a TV show, YouTube, or social media, still stereotype the Gym as a way to lose weight, and nothing more. And in turn, it leads to everyone supposedly judging you as soon as you arrive, making you paranoid, and then you never go again.
Dear reader, I can confidently tell you that this is inherently false. What counts is the fact that you're there, you're going to use the machines as expected, and perhaps wait for one to be free.
You don't need to change your diet
Admittedly, I did change part of mine, but that was only because I noticed that what I was drinking, as well as the constant takeaways for much of 2022 and 2023, were taking their toll. But other than that, I still eat all of my favorite sweets, chocolate, and more, as well as all the coffee, and the occasional pint. Although I am slowly having more 0% when I go out these days.
What matters is when you finish the Gym, and after a time, you start to realize that certain thoughts aren't there as often as before. Instead, you're thinking about alternatives, plans, or the future as a whole.
Everyone goes at their own pace
As long as I'm there for 30 minutes, I'm happy. In between doing sets, I'll notice others doing one or two on a machine, moving onto another, and that's it for them. Ultimately, that's great — they've done what they wanted, and they can go about their day. Again, it's the fact that they're at the Gym in the first place, and they're doing it for reasons only known to them.
Set Goals. Or Don't
Although the main aim was to improve my mental health, I do like to work against goals, whether that's at work, playing Tetris Effect, or during Parkrun. I wanted to raise my resistance level on the rower. I began on March 6 last year at 36 s/m, and I wanted to get to 50 by Summer 2024. I got to 55 s/m, and now I easily finish at 81 s/m.
It can be useful to set goals and achieve them by a certain date at the Gym, but if you don't want to, that's equally as fine too. At the risk of sounding corny, turning up to the Gym is a goal in itself, so if you've done that, mission accomplished.
Don't feel guilty if you haven't gone in a while
Around July, there were times when I just wasn't feeling it. I'd finish the rower, and move on to another machine, but I'd leave after 15 minutes. For a couple of weeks, I went just a few times, way below what I had been doing for months by that point. But I wasn't bemoaning myself for it — it was just how it went. We're all bored by a routine eventually, by doing the same thing almost every day, and the same happened to me.
But I wasn't fazed. By August, I was back to three or four visits a week, and the moment had passed. Ultimately, it's normal to have this, and in fairness, it can happen with many other hobbies. It happens to me when I'm halfway through a newsletter issue or an article. It doesn't mean you've lost interest completely, nor does it mean you're doing a bad job — it just means you need a break for a bit, and that's ok.
There you have it — five things to help if you're thinking of going to the Gym. Arguably, some of the points can apply to completely different things, so if they relate in any way, run with it.
I should note, that I still have bad days — moments when I think some of the work I do is a waste of time, that I should just do a Luke Skywalker and live on an island somewhere. But these moments are only fleeting now, with the Gym, parkrun, and just meeting up with people doing the world of good. It's a stark contrast from much of 2022 to the Autumn of 2024, and I only want to keep things going now.
However, there's always help out there if you're struggling, as the below proves. You're never alone, and by all means, send me an email if you want to chat.
NHS website
Thanks for reading.
