What are some thinking strategies I can implement in order to keep from comparing myself to other people I see at the places where I exercise?

Breakdown the habit of comparing yourself. Probably not while at the gym. Look at the Queue, routine, and “reward”. It sounds like the queue Is seeing other people, the routine is the mental anguish, and the reward is probably you feeling “better” about not doing as well, stopping a little early, maybe not pushing as hard as you could because your focus is elsewhere.

Your mind wants to “protect” you it sees getting in better shape as a threat. If left shine the subconscious will run wild trying to get you to stop.

One suggestion is meditation. The more in touch we are with understanding our mind the easier it will be to manage these moments.

The second suggestion is to come to with a plan. When you see someone else, in your head or maybe even to the person congratulate them on their success. Be happy for them. Grateful that you have something to look forward to in your own process. You can’t feel gratitude and a negative feeling at the same time. Even if you don’t do that just have a plan to help change the routine. Decided a shred of time what you will think about our day to yourself. Stick with it and don’t forget to reward yourself when you do. A good reward might be an extra 10-15min doing exercise (getting you closer to your goals ) or maybe invest in those new headphones, sports drink, or water bottle?

Give it time. This is your story. You don’t know what they’ve been though or haven’t been through. Focus on what matters most. You , I hope this helps 😊

I always like to schedule exercise with a friend who's just as fit (or unfit) as me. When you're busy supporting each other's goals, it's easier to focus on bettering yourselves rather than putting yourself down. If you cant find a workout buddy, try focusing on doing the best you can and celebrating your effort each step of the way. If you're really focusing on pushing yourself a little fartherthan last tike, you can eventually stop focusing on those around you.

You can think: Why? Why am I comparing myself with another person? Do I want to be him/her? I guess not. I want to be a better version of me, and that's why I'm doing what I'm doing. For me!

I try to remind myself that their journey is at a different place than mine. While they may look super fit and I'm nowhere near that, they got there because they put in the work. Eventually you will get there, consistency is key. Show up for yourself everyday and you will start to see yourself differently.

Remember that everyone is on a process. Everyone is there to better something about themselves. Everyone started at the bottom once and everyone's journey is different. Don't compare yourself to others because everyone is different.