How I Went From Gym Anxiety to a Consistent 5-Day Workout Routine

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Taking gym pictures in the locker room

I can’t remember every detail of my first time at the gym, but I know it was sometime around my second year of college, the height of YouTube tutorials, Instagram fitness inspo, flat-tummy teas, and waist trainers. And let me be honest… I was not working out for my health, no matter how much I tried to convince myself. I just felt like stepping into adulthood meant having a “real” workout routine.

One of those first days, I begged my cousin to come to the gym with me because I was too scared to go alone. I also knew there was no way I was jumping straight into lifting weights or touching a machine, so we signed up for a Zumba class. Zumba was at the peak of its popularity at the time, and I swore this was the start of my gym girl era. That first Zumba class was the first and last time my cousin stepped into a gym with me. I tried convincing her to come back, but she said absolutely not.

The classes were at Crunch Fitness, and since I had already joined, I forced myself to go alone a few more times… and then, of course, never returned. And no, I still never touched a weight, but I did use the treadmill a few times (yay me!).

2017 – My San Diego “Sex and the City” Era

Fast forward to 2017. I moved to San Diego, got the keys to my first apartment, and felt like I was truly grown. If I thought I was adulting while in college, I was definitely giving Sex In The City vibes now. Young, on my own, new city, you could not tell me anything. 

A friend had told me about another girl we both knew who would wake up at 5 a.m. every morning to swim before work. 5. A. M., like in the morning?! I could not comprehend that level of discipline. Another girl we knew was strength-training for a bodybuilding competition, and I just knew she’d end up “huge and manly” (spoiler: she didn’t).

These conversations didn’t motivate me to work out, at least not consciously but the seed was definitely planted. Everyone around me seemed productive and balanced with studying, working, and squeezing in workouts. Meanwhile, I was struggling. So I thought, maybe working out is the secret?

Was I thinking about going to an actual gym with weights? Absolutely not. But I did find a cute yoga studio a few blocks from my apartment. It was clean, affordable, and I had done yoga twice in my life, so I assumed I knew what I was doing.

My first class at that studio? A mess. It was me, another girl, the instructor, and her… fling? The energy gave third-wheel-on-a-date. I tried to focus, but every twist and bend seemed to bring him closer and closer to her. By the end they were basically cuddled up, giggling, and she  barely dismissed the class. Just like my cousin with Zumba, I never returned. And, of course, I didn’t work out again that entire year.

2019 – My First Corporate Job & Real Adulting

I had been living in Houston after moving from San Diego. I started my first full-time corporate office job, real adulting, with no flexibility and definitely no cute pretend world. But what it did come with was health insurance benefits, and one of those benefits was a discounted gym membership. I had written “get consistent with working out” as my new year goal for five years at this point. Every year I tried, and every year I failed. But something felt different this time. I wanted strength, routine, and the lifestyle, not just cute pictures in matching sets.

The gym I found was perfect: small, welcoming, and run by the sweetest young couple from Queens, NY who had moved to Houston. Their energy made me feel so comfortable, and their trainer (who I’m still cool with on Instagram) helped me get over my gym anxiety. I loved that it wasn’t overcrowded, just enough space for me to try machines and hide between reps if needed.

That year became my most consistent gym year ever. I wasn’t going seven days a week, but I was doing at least three gym days plus a yoga class. If you’ve been paying attention, this was HUGE for someone who used to workout  1–3 times a year. I even started studying about split days, progressive overload, and nutrition. I followed fitness influencers to learn not just to admire their outfits and I finally felt confident taking gym photos because I knew I was puting in the work.

2020 – The World Paused but I Didn’t

Then came 2020 (you already know what happened) but even through lockdowns, I stayed consistent. I built an at-home routine, and my gym hosted virtual yoga classes. Even my husband joined in. Sure, I had times where I fell off, but this time the routine felt like me. It wasn’t an aesthetic anymore—it was a lifestyle.

2022–2024 – Wedding Era & Losing Momentum

I got engaged in December 2022 and started 2023 strong but I let wedding planning and festivities consume me. I went from one gym day a week to sometimes going weeks without lifting a weight. But here’s the difference: even when I fell back, I never quit. If I skipped two weeks, I’d still make myself go once or twice a month just to keep the muscle memory alive.

After the wedding and honeymoon, you’d think I’d bounce back, but it was harder than ever. I’d beat myself up mentally because I had no excuses anymore and no motivation either. And then something wild happened: my clothes started ripping!

For real. That’s what jump-started my fire again.

I’ve been 5'6" and 100 lbs my entire life. Losing weight was never a goal. I always focused on gaining muscle and booty. So I genuinely didn’t realize how little activity + celebrating aka overeating and drinking (yes, that’s my excuse) was affecting me.

2024–2025 – My Accountability Era

By November 2024, I got serious again. I changed my diet, lost 10 lbs in a healthy way, and found my rhythm. This year completely shifted my journey because I finally understood how powerful nutrition is when it comes to progress.

Now it’s December 2025, and your girl has kept her momentum strong. I’m working out five days a week—strength training, classes, and running. I even started going to the gym with my husband. We used to go separately because of our schedules, but now we do “gym dates,” and it’s honestly so fun. We encourage each other, share techniques, and I feel braver trying new machines with him around.

So if you need workout motivation… here it is:

Don’t wait. Don’t overthink it. Don’t compare yourself.

Just go.

Find a gym, look up a workout, and start. Nobody in the gym cares about what you’re doing because they’re too focused on building their own dream body. And trust me, once you find your routine, once you feel that first bit of strength and see that progress - you won’t want to stop.

Your future self will thank you.