Don't Be Ashamed Many people are too terrified to go to the gym because they are afraid of being judged by other people, but the reality most of the time is that nobody really cares. If you are able to push yourself to get past through the discomfort for a couple of sessions then soon after you&amp;#39;ll be changing your perspective of the gym.

Gym is not a certificate of your fitness

The pandemic has left many of us feeling tired, out of sorts and beaten. But it is possible to get your exercise rhythm back. Here’s how<figure><picture itemprop="contentUrl"><source srcset="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9404b948a9c11ff70aac0866b8f89227fd2b8692/0_168_5050_3030/master/5050.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=fab5d44b5a236971eb80064d0a043b37 1240w, https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9404b948a9c11ff70aac0866b8f89227fd2b8692/0_168_5050_3030/master/5050.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=54feb931ea4b38752c25efe39fb9c63c 1210w, https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9404b948a9c11ff70aac0866b8f89227fd2b8692/0_168_5050_3030/master/5050.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=49f82781aaa61054e30247ee0454f090 890w" sizes="(min-width: 660px) 620px, 100vw" media="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-resolution: 120dpi)"><source srcset="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9404b948a9c11ff70aac0866b8f89227fd2b8692/0_168_5050_3030/master/5050.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=1fe3fb20d1d4599df68e2df6b2fc33a2 620w, https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9404b948a9c11ff70aac0866b8f89227fd2b8692/0_168_5050_3030/master/5050.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=a04b6f2dd928b2935a305559215bd359 605w, https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9404b948a9c11ff70aac0866b8f89227fd2b8692/0_168_5050_3030/master/5050.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=64501f35e354078c74e3f1d9d23fe323 445w" sizes="(min-width: 660px) 620px, 100vw"><img alt="Inline skating can provide great exercise out of the gym (posed by model)." src="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9404b948a9c11ff70aac0866b8f89227fd2b8692/0_168_5050_3030/master/5050.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=49f82781aaa61054e30247ee0454f090" height="407" width="678"></picture><figcaption dir="auto">Inline skating can provide great exercise out of the gym (posed by model). Photograph: Westend61/Getty Images</figcaption></figure><img src="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2021/01/26/Sirin_Kale.png?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=ef25758172a51021521472528c9f55c6" alt="Sirin Kale" width="60" height="60">Many of us have been working at home for more than a year now, without the “ambient” exercise we used to get during the 9 to 5 – walking to and from the station, say, or up and down the office stairs. And so we’ve made a conscious effort to get our feet moving and our hearts pounding.Even in the gloomy months of January and February, it was surprisingly easy to stay motivated. Endless mournful laps of the neighbourhood park, brisk jogs past shuttered high streets and empty window displays; they gave you a legitimate excuse to get out of the house. But now that pubs and bars have reopened and we can finally see our friends, many of us have found that our fitness and enthusiasm have plunged off a cliff.How best to get back into exercise? The experts weigh in.<h2>Don’t be ashamed</h2>Exeter-based <a href="https://joeedmonds.co.uk/" data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr">personal trainer</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/joeedmonds_pt/?hl=en" data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr">Joe Edmonds</a> sees this all the time: people who want to exercise more, but are terrified to venture into the gym because they are worried that regular users will laugh at them. The reality, he says, “is that, generally speaking, other people don’t care. They’re doing their own thing.” Edmonds advises people to push past the discomfort for a few sessions. “I find that if people can just get in for one or two weeks, they soon change their perception of the gym space, and themselves within the gym space. They just need to get in in the first place.” <h2>Find your personal incentive</h2>If you’re naturally inclined to be sedentary, or don’t particularly enjoy working out, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to lace on a pair of trainers and head out for a run. “I would try to encourage that person to find another reason for them to exercise,” says <a href="https://www.instagram.com/akram_yoga/?hl=en" data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr">Zahir Akram</a>, personal trainer and founder of Akram Yoga Studio in Addlestone, Surrey. “For me a huge motivation to continue training and get healthier isn’t aesthetics, but because of my son. I like to remind clients that there are people who rely on them and they need them to be strong. If you can’t exercise for yourself, do it for the people who rely on you to be healthy.”<figure><picture itemprop="contentUrl"><source srcset="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/63dd4ac68cf29c7b4bcd6abdaa60776e1dc01383/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=b9e701b6b900be566c9558a42f243deb 1240w, https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/63dd4ac68cf29c7b4bcd6abdaa60776e1dc01383/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=aefc2c1301866341174bac00c3162b01 1210w, https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/63dd4ac68cf29c7b4bcd6abdaa60776e1dc01383/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=d1c85ab21a12db2a1ded05178ffea0d2 890w" sizes="(min-width: 660px) 620px, 100vw" media="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-resolution: 120dpi)"><source srcset="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/63dd4ac68cf29c7b4bcd6abdaa60776e1dc01383/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=33cd40c9cf31e01b306ebf685bec9072 620w, https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/63dd4ac68cf29c7b4bcd6abdaa60776e1dc01383/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=b43bafc632e83a7e5e73c104e12782b0 605w, https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/63dd4ac68cf29c7b4bcd6abdaa60776e1dc01383/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=d2838117cf424a093364eaedc157f0cb 445w" sizes="(min-width: 660px) 620px, 100vw"><img alt="Don’t try to be Jet from Gladiator from the start (posed by model)." src="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/63dd4ac68cf29c7b4bcd6abdaa60776e1dc01383/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=d1c85ab21a12db2a1ded05178ffea0d2" height="398" width="598"></picture><figcaption dir="auto">Don’t try to be Jet from Gladiator from the start (posed by model). Photograph: mixetto/Getty Images</figcaption></figure><h2>Don’t overdo it</h2>Although it’s tempting to embark on a full-throttle fitness kick when you feel that you’ve been slacking, it’s actually counterproductive. “When I work with clients who are getting back into things, I tell them not to go from doing nothing to being Jet from Gladiator by the end of the week,” says the London-based <a href="http://www.hannahlewinfitness.com/" data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr">personal trainer</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hannahlewinpt/?hl=en" data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr">Hannah Lewin</a>. “I know it’s super-tempting when you are in a down phase to amp it up to the max, but it’s not realistic.”<h2>Identify something you enjoy</h2>If you hate running or find yoga boring – don’t do it. “If you start with something you really dislike, it won’t help you get back into anything,” says Lewin. “Finding something you don’t hate is a good place to start, and it will also help build your confidence level. Confidence and motivation go hand in hand, so if you are finding something makes you feel bad, exercise will be even more stressful, and your motivation will decline even further.”<h2>Don’t obsess about the gym</h2>There are many ways to exercise that don’t include gyms. Skating in the park with friends; a dip in the lido; a long walk down the beach: all get the blood circulating, and, more importantly, are enjoyable (providing you don’t fall over on the skates). “You don’t have to think of exercise as going to the gym or for a 5km run,” says Akram. “Just going for a 15-minute walk every day will contribute to health, make your joints feel better, and loosen you up. Lots of people have a mistaken idea of what exercise is. If you go walking regularly, that’s exercise. So if you don’t want to go to a gym, at least get up and move around more.”<h2>Consider measuring your progress</h2>“Incremental gains can be really motivating,” says Edmonds. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/jan/14/kudos-leaderboards-qoms-how-fitness-app-strava-became-a-religion" data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr">Fitness apps such as Strava</a> have free-to-use versions, and are great for monitoring your progress. “A lot of people are numbers-based,” says Edmonds, “and being able to write down and see their progress and logging it can be very beneficial for them. Others will be motivated by training with someone else. You have to understand what motivates you.”<figure><picture itemprop="contentUrl"><source srcset="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6e0067e7b98b4cc24da5dd5cfa1c13943926610d/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=79c6dfa767741d6526b595cbafb1d268 1240w, https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6e0067e7b98b4cc24da5dd5cfa1c13943926610d/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=c1a0d1f31aeb185c5333772d8ad69d48 1210w, https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6e0067e7b98b4cc24da5dd5cfa1c13943926610d/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=f9a56848d2ef3b31631a726eb9be6eb0 890w" sizes="(min-width: 660px) 620px, 100vw" media="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-resolution: 120dpi)"><source srcset="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6e0067e7b98b4cc24da5dd5cfa1c13943926610d/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=30aab76f1ae37163298ede5922717d22 620w, https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6e0067e7b98b4cc24da5dd5cfa1c13943926610d/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=a1de92cb58eb01fc9179eaf8a1deab22 605w, https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6e0067e7b98b4cc24da5dd5cfa1c13943926610d/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=8bc9d6ca5d0778b38793b36564c50189 445w" sizes="(min-width: 660px) 620px, 100vw"><img alt="Running apps can be very motivating (posed by model)." src="https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/6e0067e7b98b4cc24da5dd5cfa1c13943926610d/0_0_6720_4480/master/6720.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=f9a56848d2ef3b31631a726eb9be6eb0" height="398" width="598"></picture><figcaption dir="auto">Running apps can be very motivating (posed by model). Photograph: Luis Alvarez/Getty Images</figcaption></figure><h2>Use the resources that are available</h2>We’ve all heard of Couch to 5K, but there are many other brilliant programmes that can help you get into fitness for the first time, or rediscover your motivation. “The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/aug/19/the-rise-of-digital-fitness-can-the-new-wave-of-high-intensity-home-workouts-replace-the-gym" data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr">FIIT app</a> has some indoor-based workouts that are really good for lots of different levels,” says Lewin. “I also like to recommend <a href="https://www.keiseruk.com/fitness-equipment/cardio-training" data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr">Keiser’s The Ride</a>, which is an indoor cycling programme that is much less intimidating than Peloton, and you can use any indoor bicycle.” Nike also does a very good free-running app with plenty of beginner routes. And avail yourself of your local gym’s reopening offer. “Most of the bigger gyms are doing free back-to-the-gym personal training sessions,” says Lewin. “You’ll get 45 minutes for free with a personal trainer. Even if you’re a seasoned gym-goer, it’s really worth it, as it will give you a bit of fire for trying something new.”<h2>Be consistent – and kind to yourself</h2>“It’s better to have a few shorter sessions a week that are manageable than packing in lots of classes, and then dropping out,” says Lewin. “The more consistent you are, the higher your motivation levels will stay. But consistency needs you to be realistic. Otherwise, it gets overwhelming.”Lewin would encourage people to be kind to themselves. “Compare where you are now with where you were a year ago,” she says. “My God, we have all gone through such a lot since then. And instead of thinking: ‘Oh, I was fitter last year’, think about how this year you’re going to build back better.”<div>Article count</div><div><button>on</button></div>… we have a small favour to ask. Through these challenging times, millions rely on the Guardian for independent journalism that stands for truth and integrity. Readers from 180 countries chose to support us financially more than 1.5 million times in 2020."You never act your age, in spirit, outlook, humor or perspective. But you do show the wisdom and sensibility that only 200 years' of extraordinary reporting can bring. One can only imagine what you will continue to grow into!" – Mary Garton, USWith your help, we will continue to provide high-impact reporting that can counter misinformation and offer an authoritative, trustworthy source of news for everyone. With no shareholders or billionaire owner, we set our own agenda and provide journalism that’s free from commercial and political influence. When it’s never mattered more, we can investigate and challenge without fear or favour.Unlike many others, we have maintained our choice: to keep Guardian journalism open for all readers, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. We do this because we believe in information equality, where everyone deserves to read accurate news and thoughtful analysis. Greater numbers of people are staying well-informed on world events, and being inspired to take meaningful action.We aim to offer readers a comprehensive, international perspective on critical events shaping our world – from the Black Lives Matter movement, to the new American administration, Brexit, and the world's slow emergence from a global pandemic. We are committed to upholding our reputation for urgent, powerful reporting on the climate emergency, and made the decision to reject advertising from fossil fuel companies, divest from the oil and gas industries, and set a course to achieve net zero emissions by 2030.If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our journalism and sustains our future. Support the Guardian from as little as $1 – it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The pandemic has left many of us feeling tired, out of sorts and beaten. But it is possible to get your exercise rhythm back. Here’s how

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

The pandemic has left many of us feeling tired, out of sorts and beaten. But it is possible to get your exercise rhythm back. Here’s how

M any of us have been working at home for more than a year now, without the “ambient” exercise we used to get during the 9 to 5 – walking to and from the station, say, or up and down the office stairs. And so we’ve made a conscious effort to get our feet moving and our hearts pounding.

Even in the gloomy months of January and February, it was surprisingly easy to stay motivated. Endless mournful laps of the neighbourhood park, brisk jogs past shuttered high streets and empty window displays; they gave you a legitimate excuse to get out of the house. But now that pubs and bars have reopened and we can finally see our friends, many of us have found that our fitness and enthusiasm have plunged off a cliff.

How best to get back into exercise? The experts weigh in.

Exeter-based <a data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr" href="https://joeedmonds.co.uk/">personal trainer </a><a data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr" href="https://www.instagram.com/joeedmonds_pt/?hl=en">Joe Edmonds </a>sees this all the time: people who want to exercise more, but are terrified to venture into the gym because they are worried that regular users will laugh at them. The reality, he says, “is that, generally speaking, other people don’t care. They’re doing their own thing.” Edmonds advises people to push past the discomfort for a few sessions. “I find that if people can just get in for one or two weeks, they soon change their perception of the gym space, and themselves within the gym space. They just need to get in in the first place.”

If you’re naturally inclined to be sedentary, or don’t particularly enjoy working out, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to lace on a pair of trainers and head out for a run. “I would try to encourage that person to find another reason for them to exercise,” says <a data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr" href="https://www.instagram.com/akram_yoga/?hl=en">Zahir Akram </a>, personal trainer and founder of Akram Yoga Studio in Addlestone, Surrey. “For me a huge motivation to continue training and get healthier isn’t aesthetics, but because of my son. I like to remind clients that there are people who rely on them and they need them to be strong. If you can’t exercise for yourself, do it for the people who rely on you to be healthy.”

Although it’s tempting to embark on a full-throttle fitness kick when you feel that you’ve been slacking, it’s actually counterproductive. “When I work with clients who are getting back into things, I tell them not to go from doing nothing to being Jet from Gladiator by the end of the week,” says the London-based <a data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr" href="http://www.hannahlewinfitness.com/">personal trainer </a><a data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr" href="https://www.instagram.com/hannahlewinpt/?hl=en">Hannah Lewin </a>. “I know it’s super-tempting when you are in a down phase to amp it up to the max, but it’s not realistic.”

If you hate running or find yoga boring – don’t do it. “If you start with something you really dislike, it won’t help you get back into anything,” says Lewin. “Finding something you don’t hate is a good place to start, and it will also help build your confidence level. Confidence and motivation go hand in hand, so if you are finding something makes you feel bad, exercise will be even more stressful, and your motivation will decline even further.”

There are many ways to exercise that don’t include gyms. Skating in the park with friends; a dip in the lido; a long walk down the beach: all get the blood circulating, and, more importantly, are enjoyable (providing you don’t fall over on the skates). “You don’t have to think of exercise as going to the gym or for a 5km run,” says Akram. “Just going for a 15-minute walk every day will contribute to health, make your joints feel better, and loosen you up. Lots of people have a mistaken idea of what exercise is. If you go walking regularly, that’s exercise. So if you don’t want to go to a gym, at least get up and move around more.”

“Incremental gains can be really motivating,” says Edmonds. <a data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr" href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/jan/14/kudos-leaderboards-qoms-how-fitness-app-strava-became-a-religion">Fitness apps such as Strava </a>have free-to-use versions, and are great for monitoring your progress. “A lot of people are numbers-based,” says Edmonds, “and being able to write down and see their progress and logging it can be very beneficial for them. Others will be motivated by training with someone else. You have to understand what motivates you.”

We’ve all heard of Couch to 5K, but there are many other brilliant programmes that can help you get into fitness for the first time, or rediscover your motivation. “The <a data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr" href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/aug/19/the-rise-of-digital-fitness-can-the-new-wave-of-high-intensity-home-workouts-replace-the-gym">FIIT app </a>has some indoor-based workouts that are really good for lots of different levels,” says Lewin. “I also like to recommend <a data-link-name="in body link" dir="ltr" href="https://www.keiseruk.com/fitness-equipment/cardio-training">Keiser’s The Ride </a>, which is an indoor cycling programme that is much less intimidating than Peloton, and you can use any indoor bicycle.” Nike also does a very good free-running app with plenty of beginner routes. And avail yourself of your local gym’s reopening offer. “Most of the bigger gyms are doing free back-to-the-gym personal training sessions,” says Lewin. “You’ll get 45 minutes for free with a personal trainer. Even if you’re a seasoned gym-goer, it’s really worth it, as it will give you a bit of fire for trying something new.”

“It’s better to have a few shorter sessions a week that are manageable than packing in lots of classes, and then dropping out,” says Lewin. “The more consistent you are, the higher your motivation levels will stay. But consistency needs you to be realistic. Otherwise, it gets overwhelming.”

Lewin would encourage people to be kind to themselves. “Compare where you are now with where you were a year ago,” she says. “My God, we have all gone through such a lot since then. And instead of thinking: ‘Oh, I was fitter last year’, think about how this year you’re going to build back better.”

… we have a small favour to ask. Through these challenging times, millions rely on the Guardian for independent journalism that stands for truth and integrity. Readers from 180 countries chose to support us financially more than 1.5 million times in 2020.

"You never act your age, in spirit, outlook, humor or perspective. But you do show the wisdom and sensibility that only 200 years' of extraordinary reporting can bring. One can only imagine what you will continue to grow into!" – Mary Garton, US

With your help, we will continue to provide high-impact reporting that can counter misinformation and offer an authoritative, trustworthy source of news for everyone. With no shareholders or billionaire owner, we set our own agenda and provide journalism that’s free from commercial and political influence. When it’s never mattered more, we can investigate and challenge without fear or favour.

Unlike many others, we have maintained our choice: to keep Guardian journalism open for all readers, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. We do this because we believe in information equality, where everyone deserves to read accurate news and thoughtful analysis. Greater numbers of people are staying well-informed on world events, and being inspired to take meaningful action.

We aim to offer readers a comprehensive, international perspective on critical events shaping our world – from the Black Lives Matter movement, to the new American administration, Brexit, and the world's slow emergence from a global pandemic. We are committed to upholding our reputation for urgent, powerful reporting on the climate emergency, and made the decision to reject advertising from fossil fuel companies, divest from the oil and gas industries, and set a course to achieve net zero emissions by 2030.

If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our journalism and sustains our future. Support the Guardian from as little as $1 – it only takes a minute. Thank you.

Do what you love – and take it easy: eight ways to get back lost fitness and motivation

Gym is not a certificate of your fitness

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