Toxic Gym Culture

Working out and frequenting the gym have become more popular than ever in recent years. Of course, that’s not a bad thing, all in all. It’s just that the way people care for themselves and their image has become quite noteworthy.

Here’s the thing, though. With all the working out and muscle building and the like, gym-goers have unknowingly built a culture that can sometimes teeter into toxicity.

Real life gave us some cases that shed a light around this culture, actually, with the late Amr Sameer and Haytham Ahmed Zaki’s deaths. Khaled El-Nabawy’s recent heart attack was also rumored by very a few people to have been gym-related.

Sure, most of these cases had nothing to do with the gym, but that doesn’t mean the dialogue should be left unexplored.

We need to know how to stop losing ourselves in the toxic side of gym culture — here’s how.

Don’t rely on people’s advice alone

It’s perfectly natural to ask for someone’s advice, especially in fields where you’re new or don’t know much. However, you should keep in mind that advice is not golden.

What works for the person you asked doesn’t necessarily work for you. And that applies to both working out and supplement intake. Make sure to consult coaches and a health professional before anything.

Be aware that overdosing on vitamins/supplements is a thing

Vitamins are supposed to be good for your health and, for the most part, they are. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a threshold when things start getting messy, though.

If you cross the line on vitamins, supplements (dietary and muscle-building), and the like, you can get the brunt of the side effects. Depending on your bodily health, these side effects vary but we can safely say none of them are good.

Keep the important things in mind

When going to the gym, you may think something along the lines of “it’s only working out, I won’t let it get into my head” and you’ll be right. But being right that one time doesn’t mean you don’t let certain mannerisms and outlooks affect you, which is how some people unintentionally fall victim to the hidden toxicity.

What you should do here is to keep reminding yourself that it’s only working out. Don’t go out of your way to squeeze in gym time at the expense of your social life or health.

Pace Yourself

Arguably, the most important tip of all for many reasons. If you find yourself abnormally increasing your time at the gym or adding to your workout, it’s time to take a step back and take a break to re-pace yourself.

See, abnormal levels of exercising are actually harmful and can signal the start of an addiction that’s inevitably linked to an eating disorder, more common in men. Sure, it can start out innocently enough but once you notice it, you need to take appropriate steps.

Your health isn’t a joke.