# Should I join the gym?



## MoonlitMadness (Mar 11, 2013)

Hello, so I am just wondering if it's worth joining the gym? Is the money worth it? I really need to start a form of exercise.. I want to shake off my anxiety and depression. I used to go jogging but I was really self conscious. Will that feeling be worse in a gym? Thanks guys.


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## girlyone1 (Jan 20, 2012)

If you don't feel comfortable jogging outside or joining a gym, you can do exercising at home. Baby steps, start at home workouts then if you feel comfortable enough work your way up to a gym. If a friend has a membership and take time out to go with them to the gym so you don't feel awkward.


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## psychowizard (Feb 4, 2014)

I just want to share with you a post I recently made as this is relevant to you.


3 best ways to cope with Anxiety / Depression or any mental imbalance for that matter 

EXERCISE:
I find it incredible how doctors have overlooked this powerful natural antidepressant. It has basically cured my Social Phobia and at the same time eliminated feelings of hopelessness and depression. 
You can start by doing light / moderate cardiovascular exercise such as running for 15-20 minutes per session but MUST exercise at least 40-45 minutes 5 times a week when you start to feel more comfortable with your new routine. This will help your body and mind stay strong throughout the entire day – I kid you not.
MEDITATION:
This is SO important to practice if you want to overcome your negative feelings of depression and anxiety and stay free from it forever. I’m not a neuroscientist but it has been proven that Meditation increases a brain protein called BDNF and this rewires your brain to experience higher emotions such as joy, love compassion. It can take some time to familiarize yourself with Meditation because it’s something you need to practice a little bit and then you can enter the meditative state very easily. 
If you want to learn to Meditate it is best to go on a silent Meditation retreat where you can actually learn the technique of Vipassana Meditation from an accomplished teacher. The retreats are usually 10 days and are funded through the donations of students who have benefited from the technique – Remember food and accommodation are also provided so you literally only need to pay for your train ticket to the Meditation centre and that’s it.
DIET:
You need to completely eliminate fast foods and other refined carbohydrates from your diet. Your body needs to be hydrated throughout the day with at least 2L water minimum. Do not under estimate the importance of eating enough good quality fruit and vegetables. The meat you eat MUST be organic and the fish you eat MUST be wild caught. DHA is the most important fat your brain needs to function properly. You need at least 1000mg of DHA every day. Coconut oil is another fat your brain loves and will function on it beautifully – Make sure you buy organic cold pressed virgin coconut oil. These dietary supplements will help support your brain and regulate your moods and as a result you are going to be full of life giving energy.
Vegetarian DHA (derived from Marine Algae): 1000mg daily
Olive Oil: 1 tbsp daily
Alpha-lipoic acid: 600mg daily, 30 minutes before meals
Coconut oil: Virgin, organic; 1 tbsp in morning 
Pterostilbene: 50mg morning and evening
Sulforaphane: 30mg morning and evening
Curcumin: 200mg morning and evening
Green tea extract: 200mg morning and evening
Probiotics: 1 capsule taken on an empty stomach up to three times daily; look for a probiotic that contains at least 10 billion active cultures from at least 10 different strains, including Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium.
Resveratrol: 100mg twice daily 
Vitamin D3: 5,000 IU daily

Please read the work of neuroscientist Dr David Perlmutter to get a complete understand of how dietary changes can eliminate anxiety, depression and so many other neurological diseases. I would recommend starting with his book Brain Grain.


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## OutsideR1 (Mar 13, 2014)

psychowizard said:


> I just want to share with you a post I recently made as this is relevant to you.
> 
> 3 best ways to cope with Anxiety / Depression or any mental imbalance for that matter
> 
> ...


I agree 100% with you about those 3 things. However, has your anxiety been eliminated or improved a lot since doing all of those? Is it hard to stick to it, especially the food?


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## ShinigamiKai (Aug 6, 2015)

Work out at home. If you start building muscle and have trouble building more, then join a gym.


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## Reckoner7 (Jan 29, 2007)

With joining a gym its mainly about if whether or not you will go regulary enough for it to be value for money. I joined3 months ago and hardly went lol. But in the past I joined and it really helped me get fit and occupied my time.
Best advice would be to see if the gym has a day pass or something. That way you can try it out and see if you feel anxious doing excercise there. Most gyms now let you try for free.


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## Dave47 (Aug 9, 2015)

Absolutely! Go for it.. You'll feel amazing and you'll get a massive self esteem and confidence boost... You'll feel like you're doing yourself and your body a favor.. It's a part of a healthy lifestyle so by all means go for it


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## Dave47 (Aug 9, 2015)

AS for anxiety, you just might feel anxious and odd at first.. But that won't last for too long, you'll get used to the gym atmosphere eventually... It's also a good way to meet new people and make some friends


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## Findedeux (Mar 16, 2012)

You should definitely go to the gym.

The great thing is that people really don't pay you much attention at the gym.

When I do my cardio (HIIT) I actually go into the empty spinning room and have the whole place to myself.

What you can do at home is pretty limited.


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## housebunny (Oct 22, 2010)

Save your money. If you have to ask about it, you probably won't go enough to make it worth it.


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## dj51234 (Dec 31, 2011)

You should start off at home so you don't just jump right into a gym and then get discouraged. Working out at home is just as efficient though. If you have enough money to buy a membership you could probably buy enough stuff to work out at home and still get good results. But if you are looking at it for a way to get out of the house then it is a great way to shake some anxiety and gain some confidence for sure.


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## SENNA (Jul 3, 2015)

It's been proven exercise releases dopamine in the brain making you naturally happy, look it up.


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## phil81 (Aug 31, 2015)

You should definitely join the gym, exercise helps reduce stress and seeing your body change for the better is fantastic.


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## DerrickOdea (Aug 17, 2015)

Yes you should definitely join, it is going to be very helpful for your social anxiety. You might feel anxious in the beginning but later you will feel really good and fresh, like me.


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## Upgrade (Jul 3, 2014)

psychowizard said:


> I just want to share with you a post I recently made as this is relevant to you.
> 
> 3 best ways to cope with Anxiety / Depression or any mental imbalance for that matter
> 
> ...


Strong post.


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