Pretty regularly I’ll run across a bit of social media lambasting the type of woman that would dare wear makeup to the gym. It’ll usually play out with the tweeter/facebooker/poster making a comment like, “I only come here to sweat…blah, blah, blah!” Here’s why they couldn’t be more wrong!

First off, those floor to ceiling mirrors in the gym, contrary to popular belief, are NOT for daily selfies. Those big, gorgeous mirrors are provided to ensure proper form and execution of an exercise. If you are a novice you need to see yourself in the mirror. Mirrors also provide an aid to making the mind-body connection when doing an exercise. It sounds lofty but it really works. Don’t phone in your workouts. Concentrate even if for no other reason it gets your mind off of the challenges of your day!

Women need Men. The gym is filled with them. A revelation, I know. Seriously though if you work 9 to 5 and you aren’t making the time to do online dating or getting regularly set up by your friends with eligible bachelors then this is a normal place to look. The bonus being that you two already have one thing in common.

Lastly, and one of the most important reasons to get “dolled up” for the gym is the idea that when you look good you feel good. As a long time fitness enthusiast and personal trainer the way you see yourself is tied to your performance in a given task. It is my experience that when women don’t like what they see in the mirror they tend to avoid the mirror. Some clients have gone so far as to tell me that they hate the way they look. It’s no surprise to me that their hair isn’t done, maybe their outfit doesn’t match, they didn’t sleep well etc.

Trus me when I tell you that I look like this in the morning and the only way you will see me looking like this is if you snap my picture at 5am on the days I do fasted cardio.

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My point is this, I know it’s a battle just to get to the gym on a regular basis. So once there give it all you’ve got, make it count and don’t let it be a wasted effort. Over time the positive changes will come. I’m no makeup expert but curled lashes, a rosy cheek and a nice gloss go a long way in making you ready to crush your next workout in the gym!