An Ode to Weightlifting

By Sam Washburn

Just like many other people, I have struggled with my body image since high school. During freshman year, I dragged myself to the gym every day and challenged myself to run three miles on the treadmill and complete an ab circuit after. I never ventured out of the cardio section and was miserable. I felt constantly bloated towards the end of my freshman year and even gave up working out altogether because I felt like it just wasn’t worth it.

I tried other types of workouts, like OrangeTheory Fitness, spin classes, and running outdoors to try and find a workout I enjoyed. But still, nothing clicked. I had always seen some girls in the weights section of the gym, yet I was skeptical. I was convinced that lifting weights would make me “bulky” and make me gain even more weight than I had during my freshman year. But after doing some research, as well as getting lost on fitness influencers’ Instagram pages for hours, I knew I wanted to give weightlifting a try.

There are so many benefits to weightlifting, and I truly wish everyone would try weightlifting at some point in their life. One of the biggest benefits that I’ve found to be true is an overall increase in my health. I sleep better, have more energy during the day, have a faster metabolism, and feel a lot stronger too. Not only that, but my cardio is better as well. I’ve found that my body is more toned and my overall body image has improved significantly.

I’ve also noticed that my confidence has increased since I started weightlifting. Part of the confidence boost has come from my ability to actually physically walk into the weights area of the gym. I used to have incredible amounts of gym anxiety – from thinking everyone will be judging me to worrying whether I’ll be doing the exercises wrong, and even thinking that I didn’t belong in that area of the gym. Now, I walk into that section without thinking twice about it.  

I know that I am definitely not alone when it comes to the gym anxiety, so I wanted to share some of the tips that helped get into the weights section of the gym. By far, the most helpful tip for me was to bring a friend. My roommate and I decided to go test out the squat rack at the Arch gym one day. While we definitely took our time in setting up the weights, it was so nice to be able to laugh it off and share in the awkwardness with someone else.

Following inspiring fitness influencers on Instagram also really helped me feel more comfortable in the weights section of the gym. Many influencers have highlight reels on their Instagram that show set up and form tips. I only follow influencers that promote healthy habits and positive body image. Currently, my top three favorites are @mstewart_fitness, @nattbfit, and @samtaylor_fitness.

I also would recommend curating a fire playlist to listen to. Add songs that make you feel unstoppable. Wear something you feel confident in as well. When you’re focused on the workout, and not about your outfit, you are able to devote a lot more mental energy to the workout itself.

Most importantly, it is so important to remember that nobody actually cares what you are doing at the gym. People are so much more focused on their own workout than you would actually think. When I do find myself watching other people in the gym, 99% of the time it is because I am admiring their form or looking for inspo for new exercises I can perform.

If you’re looking for a sign to start weight lifting… this is it!