Dear Fitness Coach,

My fiancé and I just joined the gym together. I am 23 and 238 pounds, and he is 27 and 250 pounds. We want to lose 150 pounds collectively before we set the wedding date. We both have a long way to go. However, I am much more intimidated than my guy by everything in the gym: the members, the classes and the equipment. I know we have to lose weight and be healthy (regardless of the wedding). But I am already starting to think of excuses why not to go to the gym. I do not want failure to be an option this time, but how can I overcome my high level of discomfort?

NK/Billerica

Dear NK,

Kudos to you and your fiancé for deciding to lose weight. Since you two are planning on a future together, understand that this is a lifestyle change, not a temporary fix. What you start now you must envision yourselves doing next week, month, year, decade. So it’s great you have a timeline set, but exercise and healthy eating will go way beyond your wedding date. What you start now will set the foundation for the future and determine your success or failure. This is why it is so important that you come up with a detailed game plan that includes nutrition for weight loss, strength training to increase your metabolism, and cardio to burn calories. This plan also comes with an unexpected benefit: it will help raise the comfort level for you at the gym if you know exactly what you should be doing for every minute that you are in the gym working out. 

So how do you come up with this game plan? By hiring a fitness professional that will partner with you and come up with a road map based on your individual needs and goals. With a trainer by your side, you will not even notice the other members. He or she will safely and effectively guide you through your workout, taking all the guesswork out and pointing you in the right direction. You want to give yourself at least the next 12 months: a 6 to 8 pound weight loss a month is enough to keep you motivated without starving yourself.

Having a trainer can get expensive long-term, so figure out what your budget will allow and see what kind of packages your gym has to offer. Whatever the cost consideration, it is an investment that you are making in yourself. You are still young enough where through lifestyle changes you can circumvent a lot of chronic illnesses and diseases that are a result of obesity. Best of  luck to you and your fiancé on your journey together to become more healthy!