How to deal with a fear of judgement whilst exercising
According to a King's College London and Ipsos MORI survey of 2,254 people, 48% said they put on weight during lockdown - and the same percentage reported feeling more anxious or depressed than usual.
Very few people stride into a gym or set off for a run feeling confident every single time. You may worry about being unfit or looking silly in front of other people - and it can be daunting to join a new class with people you don't know. Even wearing an old pair of leggings or lycra sports clothes can make you feel awkward and uncomfortable.
Why do we feel judged?
A fear of being judged can lower our self-esteem and affect how we feel about ourselves. We can feel that others are evaluating our weight and how we look.
We can feel that others are judging our lack of fitness or even our old sports clothes and this can make us feel unsure about ourselves and question our behaviour, It can also prevent us from adhering to an exercise programme as we lose our confidence in being able to stand there in the clothes we have.
With gyms combining lots of unknown people with some people just concerned about how they look and posing in the mirrors, (you know who you are) you can see why people’s fears can really see why peoples fear surfaces. Fear is meant to be uncomfortable to make sure you do something about it. It usually wants you to avoid whatever it sees as causing the discomfort.
Even if you manage to overcome the fear and get to the gym, it can make peoples experience so uncomfortable there unlikely to want to repeat it.
Doing exercise isn't just about improving your physical health and trying to shift any pounds gained during lockdown, but it's essential for people’s mental health too. It releases brain chemicals such as endorphins, which help to relieve discomfort and boost your mood.
Find a class you love
Find something you love doing, rather than forcing yourself to an abs class that you hate, the key is when it comes to overcoming worries about exercising is to maybe try something you have never done, you can always change class, one of the bigger gyms will have multiple classes over the course of the day. You will also meet like minded people. remember your not the only person in that situation.
Look after yourself
To feel more confident in general, people need to learn how to relax and enjoy yourself, even when things are stressful. Most of us though will feel more balanced after mindfulness and meditation, a walk in nature and spending time outdoors. Getting enough sleep, good nutrition, drinking plenty of water and spending time with people we love are also key. Reading, dancing and listening to music and, particularly, being physically active all help too