Some people can’t stand the gym as they feel self-conscious...

There are literally hundreds of different ways to approach exercise and you should look at exercise in the same way that you peruse the extensive menu of a restaurant. Variety is important to many people as the dull repetition of always doing the same thing in the gym can make people lose heart and ultimately give up going to exercise.

Some people like to just get on the treadmill and walk or jog along with their iPod on and are in a world of their own. Others like to talk and chat to other people in the gym, compare notes and the whole workout therefore becomes a social experience as well as means of getting exercise. Whatever you do it is essential that you feel comfortable and that you perceive going the gym not as a chore but as something to look forward to.

If you want to shed pounds it is necessary to first get fit and therefore a little time doing aerobic exercise of some sort is essential. If you find running in the treadmill dull try and vary your aerobic exercise from the treadmill to the cycling machines to the rowing machine and other that modern gyms tend to have. Swimming lengths also a good way to burn calories but you must approach it systematically and with discipline to make sure you don’t just end up going for a pleasant dip.

Some people enjoy using the free weights more than the machines and this is fine. If you are losing weight try to keep the number of reps high for the beginning. Try doing sets of between 15 and 20 repetitions rather than using heavier weights and doing 8 to 10 reps. When you start to lose weight and you want to bolster up muscle then you can increase the weights and lower the repetitions.

Power walking may be the best thing for some people who like to be outside and you can arrange to walk with a friend. Getting a friend to workout with you is a good idea and you will motivate each other and probably pusher each other harder than you would if you were just on your own.

Some people can’t stand the gym as they feel self-conscious and if this is the case maybe a treadmill and some weights at home would be a good idea. It is essential that you create an environment that makes the gym a positive experience rather than negative one in order to give yourself staying power and to make you want to continue working out.