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Joining A Gym: Expectation Vs. Reality

“I WILL BE REAL LIFE THOR”

Joining a gym can be daunting to start off with. We’ve all been there. Making those empty promises to join “next year” and having that summer bod endlessly ‘in progress’. With summer just around the corner now, the gym starts to fill with new faces as people, like us, start to freak out. 

This is where we make that impulse decision to start our fitspo, #gymlife journey and the gym becomes the new hotspot place to be. However, it is never as it seems in our head and here are a few times that reality has overcome the expectation.

Getting In An Early Morning Workout Before Work

Expectation: You’re going to find that positive willpower and go to the gym in the morning.

You set your alarm for 5am. You wake up feeling fresh and positive, make yourself a healthy breakfast smoothie and look forward to the yoga class you are about to do. The early morning sun is beaming through your window and you can hear the birds chirping outside.

Reality: You’ve hit snooze ten times and lied to yourself that you’ll go in the evening.

You barely wake to the sound of that alarm you set. You unravel from the warm burrito you’ve become, wiping drool from your chin and hit the snooze button. The room is still pitch black, the sun hasn’t even come out, so why should you? You bury yourself back in the mountain of blankets, proceeding back to your happy place with the gym being the last thing that comes to mind.

Picking Up

Expectation: You’re going to look smoking hot immediately and find all of the attractive partners.

So you are starting out a new gym, you are prone to meet a few new people right? You go about your normal workout routine when, from the corner of your eye, you catch glimpse of that hot blonde walking in your direction. You play it cool and continue your workout until she reaches you and you both start chatting for awhile. You exchange numbers and plan to see her on the weekend for a coffee date in Bondi.

Reality: The closest you get to flirting is touching their sweat off on the equipment.

You walk in the gym doors and search your surroundings immediately. There’s an Instagram looking couple in the back doing a workout out together. The only other person in sight is an old grunting man wearing shorts that are way too short for anyone to wear. The only type of contact you’ve had is someone asking “are you almost finished with this machine?” You cross out the gym as a potential dating tactic.

How You Look

Expectation: You’re going to be toned af in all of your amazing activewear.

You have an array of workout gear arrive from The Iconic, that you’ve spent quite a bit of money on. You name it, 2XU, Nike, Under Armour, you own it. It feels great putting on some brand new workout gear and “boy do i look good in it”, you say while checking yourself out in the mirror before heading to the gym.

Reality: You never end up ordering new clothes, wear your roommates torn shorts instead.

You forgot to wash that old pair of gym shorts you pulled from your closet. You do the good ol’ sniff test and decide “it’ll be okay for today, I’ll wash it tomorrow.” You are mid workout when you discover that the old pair of shorts have a hole in the crotch area. Embarrassed, you shuffle awkwardly out of the gym and never return.

Seeing Results

Expectation: I WILL BE THE REAL LIFE THOR.

After your first week of getting up every morning and completing a workout, you start to feel more confident. You expect washboard abs like Arnie and a booty like Kim K. You look in the mirror and can barely even recognise your body! Those extra few kgs have dropped and you are feeling than ever! 

Reality: You are the real life Oscar The Grouch.

You spent most of the week struggling to sit on the toilet after doing those squats on Monday. You stare at your belly in the mirror in hopes to find some hint of an ab in there. You think to yourself, “why do I still look like this?” while holding a chocolate bar in your mouth. 

After your initial two weeks of trying out the gym, you decide that it’s too late to start this summer bod progress now and promise yourself to start earlier in future. There’s always next year, right?

Leaving The Gym

Expectation: You feel so ripped after a session, and will eat real healthy food when you get home.

You feel great after that HIIT workout! You meal prepped the night before so you look forward to heading home to eat that chicken and quinoa salad while sipping on some green tea.

Reality: Maccas on the drive home after a 15 minute “workout”? Obviously.

You come out the doors a hangry and sweaty mess. You haven’t prepared any sort of meal to have afterwards and opt for a quick fix. You find yourself at the golden arches of Maccas drive thru. “Just this once” you think to yourself whilst ordering that large Big Mac meal.

Image Source: 20th Century Fox

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