What is a Gym Rat? Find out if you’ve become one

Javier Colomer 5 min. of reading Fitness Leave a comment

The routine of training to get rid of stress and feel fit is something that people often do spontaneously, without neglecting other aspects that are also important.
But a Gym Rat is someone for whom training in the gym is their priority above all other activities, making it a fundamental part of their life.
Do you enjoy your time in the gym as the best thing that happens in your life, as it represents your greatest commitment, and do you take every workout to the highest level?

If you identify with these 5 characteristic traits, you are a true gym rat.

5 characteristics that distinguish passionate gym-goers

Being a Gym Rat is much more than just going to the gym. It is a lifestyle that requires a great deal of dedication and discipline, among other traits that we explain below.

You may be surprised to find that you identify with most of them and know that they have a lot in common with you.

1. Frequency of gym training

You go out of your way to train and do it 5 or 6 days a week.

You spend most of your time face down in the gym and channelling all your energy there, to the point that some people at the front desk must wonder what you do for a living to endure so many hours of training.
Your gym membership is all-inclusive, regardless of the high financial cost.
You have a closer relationship with the gym instructors than with some members of your family.
You make sure you can train even when you are on holiday. You are the only person at home who gets upset when the idea of going on holiday to places where there is no accessible gym comes up, and you try to change your plans at all costs to achieve your training goals.

2. Fitness food

You eat a balanced and healthy diet, usually high in protein.

Protein is a must in your meals.
If you’ve been to a family lunch, eaten some delicious and hearty meals, but complained that you’ve only eaten 5g of protein in total, you’re a Gym Rat.
Based on the experience you’ve had, and to avoid overloading yourself, you aim for 30g of protein per meal.
You always carry your Shaker with you!
You don’t settle for food alone and take your supplements both before and after each workout.

3. Clothing

Being a Gym Rat also means having a very particular dress code.

If you wear fitness clothes all the time, always look like you’re going to or coming from the gym and need to have leggings in every colour in your wardrobe, you’re definitely one of them.
If it were up to you, you’d go to work in a tank top and weightlifting shoes. You’d even wear the sports shirt that promotes your favourite brand of supplements or your idol to go out on the street normally.

4. Community

Your social life revolves around the gym.

Going to the gym is your main hobby, rather than the club or any other event, however tempting it may be. When you finally attend a social gathering, you change the topic of conversation to things that happened at the gym. You always compare any situation of the day with something you have experienced in the gym.
You know the coaches by name and you even know where they live, how many children they have. You become friends with the staff and have them all in your whatsapp contacts.
You even join the organisation of events promoted by the gym and of course you don’t miss a single one.

5. Workouts

You have a gym bro/gym partner who is just as addicted to the gym, you go training together, you support and encourage each other to do your best.

You have discipline and a great knowledge to carry out all your workouts. You get excited every time you set up a new training routine or your trainer brings it to you, you are fascinated by repetitions and incremental challenges.
You know all the acronyms related to the fitness world, document your workouts with selfies and share them on social media to leave evidence of your achievements in the gym.
You compete in a healthy way with your gym bros to improve the weights and you reach the peak of all the excitement when you can add one more pound to the day’s workout.

Which supplements do Gym Rats prefer?

Protein: Every Gym Rat knows that you can take a different flavour of whey every day, or even use one flavour for breakfast and another for dessert.
Creatine: Did anyone doubt that any self-respecting Gym Rat would let the advantages of using creatine to increase strength go to waste?
Amino acids: One dose during training is usually the most common.
Pre-workout: Are you ready to give it all? A boost of energy before training is always welcome, and if it also provides us with nutrients to improve our performance, it’s a win-win situation.

Do you consider yourself a true gym rat or are you interested in becoming one? Keep reading the HSN Blog for the best tips on sports nutrition and healthy living.

Related Entries

Fitness Acronyms
Fitness Acronyms: Nutrition
3 Quick & Easy Refreshing Fitness Shakes to Make