Shy Girl Workouts: Don’t Let Your Anxiety Rule Your Health

Shy Girl Workouts: Don’t Let Your Anxiety Rule Your Health : Exercise is proven to only contribute positively to our lives for various health concerns, both mental and physical.

For many, its a source of empowerment, stress relief, and a way to boost self-confidence. It can be hard for a shy individual to break that mental barrier. The idea of going to a gym, joining a fitness class or even exercising in public can be daunting and off-putting for a lot of first-timers.

Social anxiety can make it seem impossible to step into a world of fitness. While it can help, the initial step is the hardest. But there is good news: You don’t have to let anxiety rule your health. Here are some tips and tricks to ease you into the world of fitness and give you the tools to create a healthy lifestyle and overcome your apprehensions, embracing a healthy girl core.

Where Does Every Shy Girl Start Their Journey?

Understanding Your Anxiety

Shyness is a common personality trait that is typically characterised by feelings of discomfort or apprehension in social situations. When shyness escalates to a point, it can interfere with daily life and therefore your health.

If that wasn’t enough, there is a great deal of research showing that women face societal pressures to attain the ‘perfect body’. Women who don’t already have the ideal body type tend to be put off attending the gym based on this reason. They may feel like others are staring, or they may feel as if they shouldn’t be there.

Another reason may be due to ‘hypervisibility’ which tends to happen when people assume they are different in certain social settings. As the gym is typically a male-dominated space, even to this day, women may feel like an imposter or like they stand out.

Overcoming Your Anxiety

1. Start at Home

One of the most effective ways to overcome your social anxieties about fitness is to begin your workout routine at home. By easing yourself into the comfort of your own space, you won’t feel lost when entering the gym or fitness class.

You have access to countless workout apps, YouTube channels and DVDs that are dedicated to and designed for workouts at home. You can workout in a private setting and gradually build your confidence and get a feel for what works best for you.

2. Find a Buddy

It helps a lot to start and enter a new environment with a familiar face; consider enlisting a relative or trusted friend to become a regular workout buddy. This can make the experience less intimidating and easier when trying out new workouts, joining a class or figuring out which machines you need to get accustomed too.

Over time, this will build your confidence and eventually motivate you to start coming by yourself.

3. Choose Shy-Friendly Classes

Many fitness studios offer classes that are specifically designed for individuals who feel uncomfortable in larger groups. Most classes are occupied by women, such as pilates, yoga and classes that target booty and legs.

A class filled with women will reduce the feeling of hypervisibility and can ease you into a social fitness environment.

4. Embrace Outdoor Activities

You may view being cooped up in a gym as overwhelming, but you can slowly adjust from home workouts to outdoor activities that do not require any social interaction, such as hiking, cycling or jogging.

These will have a vast amount of benefits for your mental health as you’re spending some quality time with nature away from crowded spaces. Your physical and mental health will reap the rewards.

5. Food for Thought

Its important to remember that everyone else has been in your shoes; no one was born understanding how to use each machine or having the perfect form for RDL’s. It’s unlikely that people are ever looking at and judging others, as they have likely felt the same and made the same mistakes.

Try investing in some quality, comfortable and cute gym set; sometimes, if you look at the part you start, imposter syndrome and other anxieties will dissipate.

Conclusion

Its essential to remember that you’re not alone in your struggle with shyness and social anxiety. Many individuals, including shy girls, have successfully grown, embraced fitness and improved their health while managing their anxiety. The key is to take small steps, be patient with yourself, and focus on your well-being.