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Original poster

Gym as a petite female

9 replies

Lil456 · 27/05/2019 14:26

I've wanted to start the gym for a long time but have never had enough courage..

I'm mid 20's and in terms of BMI I'm considered very slightly underweight although I eat a considerable amount given my size.

Some other commitments of mine are finishing this week so i'd LOVE to start the gym. Does anyone have any tips how to get the courage?

I have no idea where to start, I'm aware I'm going to have to eat in a surplus in order to gain muscle but do I just start eating more one day and gradually build this? How long would you typically go for etc? I'm absolutely clueless! My main aim is to build muscle as I'm not keen on how skinny I am, although I have extreme anxiety so going into the gym at all petrifies me let alone into the weights section :O

OP posts:

TooStressyTooMessy · 27/05/2019 14:32

I am very similar OP. I have joined an old fashioned gym with great PT support.

I am using my fitness pal (popular calorie tracking app) and personal trainer guidance but it is still very, very hard to put on weight.

I have to eat a huge amount each day to gain weight and tbh I am not sure it’s sustainable. You need someone who will actually work it out and give you a calorie target. I found otherwise I was simply not believed (until people saw me eat well over 2000 calories a day and still be unable to gain weight), told I was lucky or just couldn’t find any helpful advice out there.

Courage wise, it took me a year to pluck up the courage. Unfortunately now I have injured my wrists from lifting and have temporarily stopped. I sometimes think I am just not cut out to be anything more than skinny.

TooStressyTooMessy · 27/05/2019 14:34

To give you a guide I have been going for a year and have managed to put on half a stone only. It’s deadly slow progress.

EdWinchester · 27/05/2019 14:35

Get one of the staff to do you a programme - tell them you want to build muscle.

Consider going to Body Pump classes - fabulous for toning and building muscle.

I would go no less than 3x per week.

Don't feel intimidated. No-one will be paying you any attention.

museumum · 27/05/2019 14:37

Book an induction with a pt in the gym. They’ll show you around and do you a programme tailored to your aims and you’ll feel much more confident than just turning up alone.

Original poster

Lil456 · 27/05/2019 14:40

Well done for getting started, your at least on track!! I definately think it's going to be a long process, I tend to build muscle fairly easily but in terms of gaining weight I also have that problem!

But anyhow I'm just lacking motivation and energy recently so I'd love to be more active and have a hobby to focus on. I'm planning on going 3 mornings a week, it's just getting started that's the problem.

OP posts:

Original poster

Lil456 · 27/05/2019 14:42

I have absolutely no idea how PT works so I'll have a look into that, thank you!

Although I wouldn't be able to keep it up in terms of finances it may help to have a few sessions to get going...

OP posts:

Aquamarine1029 · 27/05/2019 14:43

You would be very wise to purchase a few sessions with a trainer so they can show you the proper way to lift weights. As for feeling intimidated and self-conscious, I promise you, nobody will be paying any mind to what you're doing. They just don't care.

AuntMarch · 27/05/2019 14:54

I had the opposite problem of always being overweight, but as a short dumpy woman I was too intimidated for years by what I thought gyms were like!

Eventually I lost weight through diet (also my fitness Pal!) and got to the point I felt a bit more confident, but still had no idea where to start. I booked some sessions with a PT after he'd done my induction.
Definitely definitely recommend a PT at least to start with. By taking training more seriously I saved most of the cost by not eating and drinking out so much too!

I'm definitely going back to it after I've had my baby - I am going to ask him to give me a programme I can follow at home as I don't know how often I'll get to the gym, but my mum has already said she'd babysit for me to do weekly sessions with him (pre paying while I have money!). I'm also going to try really hard to still be able to afford a monthly check in session, where he would then track progress and update my program accordingly to help me stay motivated!

Honestly- do it!

ChocOrCheese · 27/05/2019 16:13

Go for it. I spent years wasting my time on the treadmill. Hired a PT as I wanted to do weights but did not know how and have never looked back. I was terrified at first but soon realised that nobody at the gym is giving you a second thought.

The PT should be able to give you some diet pointers too, though there are loads of online resources. Check out the Girls Gone Strong website in particular.

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