Respawned at lvl 1 in a lvl 20 gym

[only1twitch]

I think it's been about a year since I've been on here. Right around when I started on Nerd Fitness, I had a huge depressive episode that pretty much obliterated anything positive I was trying to do with my life. But now I'm back and want to start in on it again. I joined a new gym that's closer to where I live and slightly more expensive than the previous one and holy overwhelming workout equipment, Batman. I had a meeting with "Fitness Specialist" and asked if there was a way to just have a one-time meeting with a personal trainer to introduce me to the equipment (without literally tripling my monthly payment in order to have regular meetings with a personal trainer) and the response was "No, we don't do that."

So now the current challenge is to get back on the healthy eating train and either overcome massive anxiety and wander around looking like an idiot while I look for something that's familiar, or try to cough up some extra money for a few sessions with the trainer. For all that lady spent trash talking my last gym, I'm already missing it. >_<

[Xena]

I'm sorry they weren't more helpful to you at your gym. It's really great that you asked for what you wanted (which is frankly pretty normal/common) and unfortunate that they wouldn't accommodate you. What kind of exercise are you interested in doing? Machines, body weight stuff, free weights? Whatever your interest, there is honestly a lot you can learn from the internet or (I kid you not) fitness magazines (Women's/Men's health, Self, Shape, Outside,....I'm sure also things like "Muscle and Fitness").

 

It sounds like you have some experience though from your old gym, so it's more a problem of just figuring out where everything is and how it works at the new place. It can be a little intimidating. Here's my strategy...when you start, you can just "park" for a while....either hang out on a piece of cardio equipment or do some stuff in a bodyweight area. And each time you go, venture out and try one new exercise or piece of equipment. Have you read the post about "20 seconds of courage"? That's all you need!

 

Another thing that helps me is to write down a plan. That really cuts down on wandering around and feeling awkward.