Going to the gym is scary to many, but there is a solution. A new gym outfit. Something that can empower you to be the best version of yourself.
By Ellie Tulkki
As I swung open the gym’s big glass doors, I heard the noise of weights thudding, feet pattering on the treadmills, and people shuffling around; I was immediately overwhelmed, over-stimulated, and tempted to leave.
I didn’t want to embarrass myself. I saw girls huddled around a machine with their cute workout outfits. I looked down at my leggings and a baggy T-shirt. I wondered: Should I just turn around and go home?
My experience of gym anxiety was similar to that of many students who come to the University of Minnesota’s Recreation and Wellness Center. The chaotic atmosphere and large volume of people can be extremely intimidating, triggering people’s insecurities and fear of judgment.
I was cured in a single day. All it took was the power of a cute gym outfit.
It all started when I walked into the gym and saw a girl who maintained a similar build as me wearing a lavender workout set that caught my attention. She was radiating energy. I wanted to look like that.
So I bought a similar one online and eagerly awaited its arrival. When the UPS delivery came, I ran downstairs right away to get it. I’ve never been so excited to put on a new outfit and go to the gym in my life.
Working out that day was different. One simple outfit transformed my entire mood. Why did I feel so empowered? So good about myself? I felt like a different person. My perception had completely changed.
Actually, it had.
According to a study done by the University of Toronto in 2012, clothes can have a measurable effect on the psychology of those wearing the items. The researchers describe this effect as “enclothed cognition.”
Changes can include a mental outlook that reflects the physical changes brought on by the clothing.
As Oscar Wilde once said, how we dress is a depiction of how we feel about ourselves. More simply: When you look good, you feel good.
When I started to feel good about myself and what I looked like, I gained the confidence to take on the gym. I now stride into the gym confidently, feeling good, and ready to take on the world. The gym is no longer petrifying, just a sanctuary that allows me to work on myself and feel exceptional.
It is no longer a cute pair of shorts and a colorful sports bra I pulled out of my messy closet, but a form of self-expression. My taste and personality shine through my outfit. All of a sudden I am in control of my fitness journey as this driving force takes over.
Brand new buttery shorts have me feeling like I can lift as much weight as possible and that nothing can stop me from achieving my physical goals.
I am also not weighed down by distractions like worrying about what others are thinking. It’s no secret that many people care how others perceive or judge them. At the gym, this can be somebody’s worst nightmare. A wonderful outfit can push all this aside and fuel the tank of courage you need to stay motivated.
As the longtime New York Fashion photographer Bill Cunningham once said, “Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life.” For me, gym outfits are really pieces of armor that unravel my inner brave knight. My clothes are a support system that help me work harder and be better. They help me feel good about myself and at the end of the day, if I look good, I can feel good.
Now those scary, big glass doors are now a portal to one of my favorite places in the world.