My Self-Conscious Fitness Thoughts

Hey again peeps,

I started off this blog post by saying I’m not a naturally self-conscious person………… What a load of crap. I am. That’s exactly what a self-conscious person would say. I’m self-conscious over the fact that I am self-concious so I cover it up. Sorry.

I thought I’d share with you some of the things (fitness related – otherwise we’d be here all week) that I feel self-concious about. Some of these will be for us girls, seeing as I am one, think it would be worrying if it was relating to any other gender, so bare with me guys. Maybe you have equivalent things you’re dealing with? Let me know in the comments, we’re all friends here.

1.Sweat Patches

Now let me get one thing straight, the opening point is definitely not referring to the NORMAL, SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE places to sweat i.e armpits, forehead,  back.

What it is doing however, is referring to the WEIRD, ODD and UNCOMFORTABLE places. You take a pew on a piece of workout equipment or on the floor, do all your lovely little exercises, and next thing you know, you don’t wanna stand up. You can feel a slight dampness from, ok I’m just gonna come out and say it, your arse (I’m British, I can’t force myself to write ass).

Some of the ladies that attend the same gym classes as me seem so care free or, blissfully unaware, that there is a dark, damp line forming in-between their butt checks on their light grey leggings. It’s important to remember that, places where there’s natural creases/folds in the skin are gonna sweat! It’s just so bloody embarrassing and I guess this proves that it’s something I’m self-conscious of. Anyone else?

2. Hair

I wasn’t sure whether to include this point, but it’s really relevant to me so – I’m curious if any other girls out there are the same.

The majority of you will probably just chuck it up and go. How I wish I could do the same. Ever since a young age, I’ve been teased about my ears. And ever since I turned 18, I’ve been saving up for them to be pinned back.

With this self-consciousness, comes at least 15 minutes of fiddling with my hair and bobby pins making sure that my ears don’t make an appearance. That’s for when I have classes, I’ve found a much easier solution for when I’m on a run or at the gym = HEADPHONES!

You guys have it so lucky!

 

3. Red-face

I’m always left in awe at some of the girls that sweat buckets, yet remain the same colour throughout a workout. HOW?! TELL ME. Admittedly, it’s gotten better over time yet I still turn bright red when doing a little cardio. I’m aware everyone’s different, but can I just, not?

Not only do I turn a brighter shade of beetroot, it goes blotchy. Yup. Leaving white areas around my mouth and nose. It looks like I’ve face painted myself into a panda, except I ran out of black and used red instead. Let yourselves be known if you’re fellow pandas…

4. Top Rising

As someone who’s conscious of wearing tight-fitting tops most of the time, I nearly always grab a loose, baggy vest. However, what I don’t think through is what exercises I’ll be doing that day. As soon as I start putting in cardio effort (RARE) such as burpees or mountain climbers quick flashes of belly happen.

I’d just rather it didn’t if I’m honest. I know no ones looking but, it drives me mad knowing it keeps flashing everyone.

5. The Weird Armpit Bulge

Even celebs get it, is it a gift to be born without it?!

Once I first saw this on myself, I just can’t stop. You know where I mean, the awkward, weird bulge that seems to get cut into, and only made worse with a sports bra. The worst combination is having this on show and doing biceps…you’ll know if you’ve ever done it. I’m forever half-mooning (sounds rude) to get rid of them.

F I T N E S S  T I P: For those who have the same bulge and aren’t aware of the exercise Half Moon,  grab a dumbbell, do a bicep curl. At the top, twist your hand so the palm faces the mirror, keep your elbow in tight and draw a semi circle out to the side of you and down towards your waist. Repeat over and over!

6. See-Through Leggings

Lol. Over-exaggeration.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m constantly seeing girls with see-through leggings on, normally squatting on their toes (soz) drawing even more attention to the bright white thong you can see. I’m wanting to tell them, but at the same time – that would be weird.

But then it gets my brain ticking.”Are my leggings like that?  Should I be squatting with the wall behind me…or just avoid it all together? I’m going to the changing rooms to check.”

It’s always been fine with me, but the self-conscious, paranoid part of my brain takes over, as it does with most of these points.

7. Tripping On Treadmill

I think this is just fed by those viral videos of people flying off of treadmills. I’m left constantly making sure that my laces are tied, I’m not too close to the edges and that the speed is not too high. Silly right?

8. Light Weights

I don’t actually feel self-conscious about this one, but I know so many girls that do.

Lifting light weights seems to be embarrassing for girls and more and more are turning to home workouts because of it. Everyone has to start somewhere, and chances are (just like the rest of these points…I should take my own advice) no one cares. No offence, but they don’t.

If you’re in the right environment where people are going to workout, to concentrate on what they’re doing, then leave, its perfect. Focus on you and only you and you’ll soon work yourself down the dumbbell rack.

9.  Incorrect Form

There’ll be some exercises that I’m confident on as I learnt them through gym classes and the instructors. Those are cool, I can do them. But any new ones I copy off of instagram or youtube…I just get this over-whelming sense that I’m doing it wrong! Every glance or look I get from others that, I feel, know more about what they’re doing, I automatically assume I’ve got it all wrong and I’m “one of those girls”.

10. Sweat On Seats

Similar to the very first point, I thought I’d end on sweat. Lovely. We all know and hate to love those awkward gym equipments for us ladies…you know the ones. But as soon as I’ve sat down, I think “shit.”

I’ve just done a cardio session, and I’ve plonked myself down on this leather seat allowing the sweat to gather and leave a bum mark when I get up. I have no towel. Cue the rapid dash to the sanitising wipes on the other side of the gym before anyone else sits there.

This is more of a personal post for me and my blog, but I hoped you enjoyed it all the same! I should mention that I suffer with anxiety (not something I want to post everywhere). But I thought I’d say incase you think some of these points are silly or ridiculous…I don’t know if other people get the same self-conscious ideas so it’s hard for me to judge what’s ‘normal’ or not.

It would give me great comfort in knowing other people have the same thoughts while working out. I’m loving all the support so far, every like, every comment and every follow still get’s me excited that I can communicate with new people. For those that comment and have a chat as always, you’re the best!

Let me know what you think guys, what are your self-conscious thoughts? Do you suffer with anxiety too?

Love Life, Lexi!