![Quantcast](http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-GS-HF4BKvzCmv.gif)
![Gym Anxiety: How To Overcome Your Fears & Tap Into Your Inner Fitness Baddie](https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8zMzEwNjkyMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTc2MjczNDYzMX0.EB8T4DR-wHjF8_aAyhx9b3kD1tlNQ0tBlnJQegW1WrA/img.jpg?width=1200&height=600&quality=90&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C354)
Gym Anxiety: How To Overcome Your Fears & Tap Into Your Inner Fitness Baddie
After stepping through the doors of a new gym, you cautiously eye the bulky machines feeling awkward, lost, and shy in a room full of people. While you think of a game plan for your sweat sesh, you silently pray that everyone in the room is minding their muscles and paying no attention to yours.
The beginning of your fitness journey can be intimidating, as are most things when they are new to you. A survey of over 3,000 people conducted by My Protein found that almost 90% are worried about how others perceive them at the gym, and over 30% experience performance or appearance-based anxiety.
The first step to overcoming your fear of judgment is knowing that everybody belongs at the gym. Never allow anyone to make you feel otherwise. Next, understand that most people at the gym are there for a self-serving reason: to get fit, improve their mental health, find a community, or have other health and wellbeing-related intentions. They are primarily focused on themselves, not you.
Anxiety caused by working out in public can derail your goals, leaving you with an inconsistent stop-and-go routine and no progress. Here are our tips for overcoming gym shyness to help you stay centered and be a self-assured fitness baddie.
Research and create a plan you can stick with.
Thanks to the internet, there is a vast library of fitness information. Search for professional and science-based articles and videos on why and how to do different exercises and safely use machines. Then plan a personal program and save it as an easy-to-access list on your phone. Your programming should include specific exercises, how many reps and rounds of each, and which days you'll do them.
With a plan, you'll feel more at ease and won't have to figure it out on the fly. If you're still feeling queasy at the thought of working out in front of others, start at home to practice the movements.
Riska/Getty Images
Get familiar with your gym's layout and policies.
Learn the lay of the land and find which spots in the gym help you stay in a flow, whether that's a quiet corner or a row of equipment that isn't front and center. Learning your gym's policies and general gym etiquette will also help you feel like a regular. If possible, train during off-peak hours when the gym is less crowded.
Wear an outfit you feel comfortable and confident in.
Don't break your budget, especially in this economy, but having a few cute, buttery soft, and nonrestrictive workout leggings and tops can boost your confidence and allow you to move freely.
kali9/Getty Images
Listen to music or a podcast to stay in the zone.
Create a playlist of songs that keep you moving and make you feel powerful. Or throw on one of your favorite podcasts or an audiobook, and use that time to fire up your body and stimulate your mind.
Start with a personal trainer, gym buddy, or group class.
If going to the gym solo makes you uncomfortable, other options exist, such as teaming up with a friend or family member or working with a personal trainer to teach you exercises and correct your form. You can also sign up for a small beginner's class to level the playing field and maybe even make a new gym friend.
Taking various classes can also help you discover which activities you like best, whether Pilates, strength training, yoga, cycling, dance, boxing, or something else.
FreshSplash/Getty Images
Go at your own pace.
You're in the gym to create a sustainable fitness practice tailored for you, not to keep up with everyone else. If you're new to working out, avoid going from zero to 100 because you’ll risk getting burnt out or injured. Challenge yourself, but go at your own pace.
Remember your "why" and focus on your goals.
Folks at the gym were once beginners too. Instead of comparing yourself to people around you, use the presence of others to serve as motivation and turn that into discipline. Being consistent is a result of discipline, more so than unreliable motivation. Focus on your why to give you the strength to stay on track. The more you show up for yourself at the gym, the less daunting it will feel.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Westend61/Getty Images
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Mariee Revere On Her History-Making Million-Dollar Sales And The Future Of MoonXCosmetics
If the name Mariee Revere sounds familiar, it's probably because you heard of her beauty and skincare brand, MoonXCosmetics, or you may have heard about her history-making achievement of making $1.8 million in less than eight minutes. But before starting her million-dollar brand, Mariee was just a teenager trying to cure her acne.
While she grew up in the skincare capital of the world, South Korea, Mariee didn't really experience breakouts until her senior year of high school. Like many people who get their first breakout, she didn't know what to do, and there weren't many products out there at that time. So she decided to experiment. What she didn't know was that what she came up with would ultimately be her ticket to success.
"When I graduated high school, I moved back to America, Georgia, and I ended up making, like, the oil, the Rose Galore oil, which is like the staple product of my brand. I don't know what made me make it, but I did, and it literally cleared my face up," she tells xoNecole in an exclusive interview.
"I end up selling it as a body oil first because, obviously, I'm 17, [and] don't have any background as an esthetician or anything like that. I just made a product that worked for me, but people bought it and was using it, and I reformulated it, and then it just stuck like with me."
While MoonXCosmetics is known for its facial products, it wants to expand to body care and home. It just released its new product, Moon-Gel body wash, and it's only up from there. As Mariee continues to grow the brand, it's more than likely that she will see more history-making moments. And so far she has.
Photo courtesy
When asked if she feels pressure to obtain more of those milestones, she says yes and no. "I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more," she says.
"I want to say more reach than more like fast-paced sales. I do want that. Obviously, every girl wants that, but I do want to have a better overall reach for my brand because I did take two years off so I was able to learn, [and] study a lot of different things. See how things have changed from 2020 to now."
"I did $1.8 [million] again, and then I did $2 million but I feel like now, currently, I don't look at that as one of my goals anymore because [of] the headache and just everything that came with it, but I was thankful and blessed to have that milestone, but now I'm looking for more."
Another part of expanding for any company is hiring people. Finding the right person to help you can be a hassle, especially for business owners who are used to doing all the work themselves. Mariee can relate to this, and she touched on this topic in her documentaryThe Million Dollar Story. She recommends having someone be your "right-hand man" who you trust to handle the ins and outs of the company.
"I could say, definitely get, like a right-hand man to help you within the process because that really was what helped me. I never had a job. I literally was 18 now, being like, you know, the boss of over 30+ employees at one point in time, and I didn't know anything. I didn't know anything about no W-2s, no taxes, no clock in, clock out because all I [have] ever known was my brand," she explains.
"So I definitely partner with people who are very skewed and versed in those areas, and they helped me get through it. Even to this day, I still have my same person helping me with hiring, firing, [and] doing everything that I can right now because I'm still learning. But obviously people get jobs young, so they have way more experience than me, but still learning."
And though she is still learning, one thing she makes sure to stay on top of is being consistent. Consistency is what trips many people up when it comes to achieving goals, but Mariee says it's all about scheduling. Whether it's when to post on social media or email marketing, scheduling it out can make a world of difference. That same practice also works when planning out her future goals for the company.
"Right now, future goals would be to drop at least five more products before the end of the year. We always do outreach, where we do drives and all that, but definitely do way more this year, she says. "Then really dive into body [care], and then hopefully open up MoonXBody underneath MoonXCosmetics to let that branch out and be open and definitely get back consistent."
For more information, visit moonxco.com.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy