Alright, let’s get real for a minute about something I know EVERYONE does at the gym, because I’ve done it personally and I witness it all the time. Your girls over here at PYM have been focusing a lot lately on pulling yourself out of the habit of comparison. Women tend to have this competitive tendency about us – and I think it really stems into our habit of trying to make ourselves be, look, or act like others, whether on social media, walking through the city, watching Netflix, or looking in the mirror and not being satisfied with what you see. We tend to be so hard on ourselves, yet we seem to be more worried about what others are doing than what we’re doing for ourselves.
As I was running in an Orange theory class the other day, I finally noticed how many people in the class appeared to be comparing themselves to each other…including me. The closeness of the treadmills, rowers, and free weight stations in any gym almost breed a sense of competition and comparison. I find myself gazing up at the screen to compare my Splat Points, calories burned, and heart rates of those around me, even though it’s right in front of me. We look around to see how much weight she’s curling and how much weight she’s squatting. And although I try to avoid it, sooooometimes, you get that stint of curiosity.
Too many times I’ve felt a set of eyes on whatever it is I’m doing at the gym – which honestly is intimidating. I can look up and see someone looking over to compare speeds or distances, or looking to see what I’m lifting, watching my form, dissecting my every movement – as if their own personal workout should be the exact same as mine. {Newsflash – it shouldn’t! And it’s not!} And I’m not innocent of reciprocating… I do it to others, too. Sometimes I want to know how fast the woman next to me is moving, or how much she’s sumo squatting, or what level resistance bands she’s using…
Seriously?! Why is that the motivation to challenge ourselves? I’m not a big runner – after spinal surgery, I wasn’t really allowed to be. Most days, I power walk {which, by the way, is still a great workout and a great way to change up your cardio routine.} I know it’s the best form of cardio for me, but some days I look around at every other female on the treadmill and notice that I’m the only one power walking. Some days, I shrug my shoulders and continue up a 12% incline hill. Other days, I feel like I’m just being soft. I get it in my head that, because people can’t see a scar on my back, they might be judging and thinking to themselves, “oh that girl is power walking because she’s just lazy.” WHY? I’m doing what makes ME feel good; what makes ME feel healthy and happy; what makes ME better. And in reality, there’s probably a 1% chance that someone is actually thinking about it.
Some days I’m sore and don’t want to lift heavier weights. Some exercises my arms aren’t strong enough to lift heavier. But I’m in the gym working to be better and gain strength, that’s what matters.
“The only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday.”
From today forward, I’m pledging to take my head off the swivel in my workouts. The hour is solely about me, my health, and how I’m performing versus myself. I will motivate myself to work harder, not use others’ speeds and distances to judge my performance. The person running to my left is kicking ass. The person walking to my right is kicking ass. The person who made a decision to live an active lifestyle is kicking ass and it doesn’t matter what the numbers on the treadmills say.
Girl, take your eyes off her workout, too. Pay attention to how YOU feel during your workout. Let’s drive our motivation from lifting each other up, and less from trying to figure out who’s “doing better.”
xo, Amanda
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