If you don't fancy yourself to be a "gym person", or an exercise enthusiast, then it is time to reframe how you are looking at things. After all, weren't we all non-exercisers at one point? I often see people adopt a "them vs. me" attitude when it comes to working out. Exercise is for everyone, everyone stands to benefit from it, and it is not some sort of an elite activity where only a handful of individuals are allowed to participate.
Creating a mental shift is important. Self-limiting thoughts that prevent us from adopting healthy behaviors have to be acknowledged and addressed. When I am at the gym enjoying my own workouts, I often look to my left and right, and mentally address the people I see. I think "good job", and "you belong here". I can sense the uneasiness in people using equipment for the first time, and the anxiety in others that are hyper-sensitive, fearing everyone else in the gym is casting judgement upon them. Little do they know that I am rooting them on and hoping that they face their fears, work through them, and continue onward.
If you are struggling to belong to a healthy lifestyle, you gotta fake it until you make it. This means to "act as if", and to visualize that you are already there. If you keep trying, showing up and committing yourself, eventually the faking gives way to reality. This is the case for those that want to lose a couple of pounds, many more, or those that just want to shape up. Building time in a healthy lifestyle is a process that has to begin somewhere. Through every effort and step in the right direction, new habits eventually develop and they can become the new norm. This is what psychologists call the mere exposure effect- which means we tend to like things and objects that we are frequently exposed to. Keep exposing yourself to exercise and you might find yourself eventually enjoying it. Imagine the possibilities!
