My first experience with the gym was extremely discouraging. I signed up for a gym membership at my local health center the summer after my first semester of college. I was frail and inexperienced with a lack of self-confidence. I decided to go to the gym around 3 pm because I figured the gym would be empty and I would be able to test out the equipment without being watched. I walked into the weight room with the goal of benching like every other gym new goer. There were only two bench presses and both were being used by two guys who were lifting too much weight for me to even count. I looked around confused and lost without knowing what else to do. My confusion led to me leaving the weight room and running on the track for 15 minutes. After the run, I quickly headed to the locker room, grabbed my things and darted towards the exit. That was my first and only gym visit that summer.
At the end of that summer, I decided I needed to create action and achieve my goals. At this point I had studied enough to know that to get the results I wanted I would need to lift weights and improve my nutritional habits. I realized where I went wrong with my first gym visit earlier that summer - I did not have a plan. Therefore, I researched and created a gym action plan.
After I created my plan, I convinced one of my more experienced friends to do the workout plan with me until I had enough confidence to workout alone. During this time, I also focused on establishing healthier eating habits. In four months, I gained 20+ lbs. of muscle and had the lean physique I wanted. More importantly, by the end of the four months, I was more than confident enough to walk into my crowded gym alone and get in an awesome workout!
Since achieving my goals, my life has been dedicated to providing the same helping hand my friend provided me with. My goal is to help others gain the confidence that I have gained since making fitness a huge part of my life!
Favorite Quote: “No citizen has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man or woman to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which their body is capable.” -Socrates
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