Gymiversary 🎂

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

5:19 PM

Here’s what I’ve learned after 3 years of consistency in the gym:

1. Nobody cares. 

Nobody cares how stupid you think you look in the gym. Nobody cares how stupid you think you look in your workout clothes. Nobody cares how goofy you think you look on the machines. Every gym rat had a day one. And we looked equally as stupid trying to figure out the machines, which is why we don’t judge. Ask for help if you need it, I guarantee you that anyone around you is willing to assist. Otherwise, try and fail; there’s no better teacher. 

2. Cute clothes are the secret

Ladies, let’s be for real. All gym clothes are NOT created equally. Some gym clothes compliment certain attributes, and others simply do not. What looks great on you may not look too hot on me. All leggings and shorts are not for all body types, so you may have to play around with certain styles to find what looks good on you. Once you find your sweet spot, simply putting the clothes on and checking yourself out in the mirror (🤭) might be all the motivation you need to make it out the house and into the gym!

3. Leave the damn scale alone

When you’re in a body recomposition phase, the scale can be slow to validate you. This is because in a body recomp phase, you are burning fat AND building muscle at the same time. In this instance, you might only see the slightest change in the scale. So leave that mf alone! Take body progress pictures and notice how your body looks and feels in your clothes. If the scale ain’t budging but you notice some muscle definition coming in, that should be all the validation you need. Keep going. If the scale ain’t budging but you notice your leggings are a little loose around the waist, that should be all the validation you need. Keep going.

4. Don’t shy away from supplements

The fact of the matter is, the food we eat today is not as nutritionally dense as it was 20 years ago. This is because of declining soil quality, pesticides, growth hormones, genetic modifications, etc. Even if you’re eating 4-5 meals a day, you’d be hard pressed to meet every single nutritional goal that you need to burn fat and build muscle. Stop making it harder than it has to be, and give in to the supplements. Personally I use pre-workout, creatine, amino acids, super greens, and protein powders/mass gainers. If you are relying solely on your diet to hit all your goals, it’s a good possibility that you are coming up short. 

That said, do your research on all the supplements that you are looking to add to your regimen. One of the main things I look for is whether or not the product is third-party tested. Third-party test results will indicate if heavy metals have been found in the product, and if they have - avoid it! I also try my best to buy organic whenever possible, to avoid pesticides and synthetic ingredients.  

When I’m selecting a protein powder I’m looking at how many grams of protein per SCOOP. Because sometimes a brand will list their powder at 30g protein, but you have to use two scoops. That means your powder is going to go faster. I also look at how many calories per serving, relative to what phase I’m in. If I am bulking, I’m using a mass gainer with high (600+) calories, low fat, high carbs, and high protein. If I am cutting/shredding, I’m using a powder with under 200 calories and a minimum of 25g protein.

5. Ladies, you’re not going to get bulky.

Most women don’t make enough testosterone to get that bulky, manly look. And if you do start getting more muscle definition than what you were hoping for, simply make adjustments. Work that muscle group less often, and reduce the amount of weight you’re lifting. Most importantly, trust your body to do exactly what you want it to do. 

6. The time is going to pass either way…

3 years ago I could have kept making excuses. I could have started and stopped, again… I could have given into the temptation to stay in my comfort zone. I could have complained about how hard it was, how stupid I looked on the machines, or how slow my results were. I could have complained about finding parking, how many people were in the gym, having to wait for machines… I could have complained about sweating my hair out. The point I’m making here is that there’s always going to be plenty of reasons to quit. But I guarantee you that the reasons to stay consistent far outweigh the reasons to quit. Looking back, there’s not a single thing I would change about my journey. And I am so proud of the version of me who started on January 22, 2022 and told myself I would not give up this time. Through the good, the bad, and the ugly, I showed up every day ready to give it my all. And that’s really all you need to get started.

Family, nobody can do the workouts but you. Nobody can show up everyday on your behalf. Nobody is going to build your muscle or burn your fat for you. But also, nobody can take credit for what you will accomplish once you get started. And there's no time better than the present.

Until next time, be well.

Love,

Danielle 

PS - If you're looking for something to help you stay accountable and focused on your goals this year, check out my self-published guided fitness journal, Divine Wellness: A 26-Week Fitness Journal for Manifesting Your Dream Body . Written by me with love 🥰