The Gym is great for people watching!!

Atlantique

Totally agree. When this thread began, I was considering joining a gym for the winter, and the amount of negative judgement here, in one of the more supportive places I've been, really put me off the idea. I was already uneasy, but knowing people at a weight loss/fitness site were being so negative helped convince me to save the money. I'd gone for a free trial, and was working on my general insecurities, and decided against paying to be someone's amusement.

It's just mean to mock people (behind their backs or to their faces.)

If it's any help, not everyone at the gym is there to mock the others.

Even when I was running half-marathons, I had nothing but respect for heavier people who were at the gym with me. Not only were they in there, day in and day out actually WORKING, I knew how hard it had to be for them to venture into the territory of the fit. That's a tremendous hurdle for so many to cross! Having previously been overweight, I knew full well how intimidating the gym could be! And now that I'm overweight again, I'm contending with that intimidation myself.

It's so incredibly inspiring to see the 'not yet so fit' folks making that effort every day, and even moreso to see their fitness improve and the shape of their bodies totally change! So even if no one has ever chatted you up at your gym to say so, YOU DO INSPIRE OTHERS! I smile when I see you there. I gain strength from your persistence and your successes. And I'm sure I'm not the only one!

sweebeesmom

it's been awhile since I've been to a real gym, but I once saw a lady in full platform/wedge shoes, jeans and makeup walking on a treadmill.. it was probably the most bizarre thing I've seen.

JanW01

I'm never going to the gym. surely I'd end up as the topic of one of your comment here. :-)

That's how I feel reading this thread. I was giggling along with everyone else until I read the post a few pages back from the person who actually video taped the lady on the treadmill to take back to her husband so that he could laugh at her too. I would be absolutely mortified if I found out someone was tapping me. :embarassed:

guardup

For those who are concerned about how others look at them, you might enjoy a blog entry I wrote last Sunday:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/guardup/view/overweight-and-afraid-of-the-gym-73787

I hope it helps.

LarryPGH

He looked rather fit (he's tall (well over 6 feet) and lean) he was wearing your standard matching nike running gear. Any other time he would have blended right in... HOWEVER, he was on the treadmill tonight and if he was going faster than 4.5mph I'd be shocked. He was making the motion like he was jogging but taking REEEEEEEEALLY tiny steps.

Hmm... I know that there's a trend in racing these days to work on shortening your stride -- it's supposed to take the strain of shins and knees. Maybe he was trying it out?

Lanfear

My last gym trip was pretty embarrassing. While I was on the treadmill I see this girl jump roping, and she makes it look so cool and easy with all her little tricks, double jumps, triple jumps, swinging the rope from side to side etc. etc.

So I decided I was gonna go be cool, there I was with my earphones in ready to jump rope, I went to throw the rope back to start, apparently someone was standing behind me and when I tried to throw the rope forward it was stuck, so as the poor guy is being strangled to death by me, I'm tugging away at it, until I turned around and noticed what it was caught on.

Oh and it doesn't stop there, after that little episode I continued complete with red embarrassed face, as I tried to swing the rope from side to side I not only hit myself in the face but I let go of the rope because it hurt so bad and it flew off and hit someone else in the back.

It was then they took the jump rope from me.

I only wish I knew what other people who were watching me were thinking

I have just spat water all over my keyboard in the office while I read this - hilarious - I am now sitting here laughing with my colleagues givng me suspicious looks!!!!! Soooo funny!

Ibgroovy

People stated that they think people who flex and look at themselves in the mirror are too proud of themselves. We may be looking to see what we can improve on if our goal is to sculpt our body. Besides, pride in achievement is not a bad thing.

Richard Sullivan's book, "Reclaim Your Youth: Growing Younger After 40" was a huge help for me in a lot of ways. One of them was the importance of looking at yourself, and taking pictures of yourself, so you can feel good about the progress you've made. (He also talked about watching yourself when you can to make sure your form is correct, but that's a different issue.)

I get bored easily and discouraged easily. I dropped 19 pounds in about two weeks, then didn't drop another ounce for about three weeks of exercising and keeping to my diet. Very frustrating. Doing things like taking measurements and recording exercises helps me to realize that I am getting healthier and stronger, even when the body weight isn't dropping.

One of the things i have to tell myself when I got to the gym is, "no one else is there." No one is watching me, no one is making comparisons, and no one cares how I look. As long as I don't intrude on what someone else is doing, why should I care what they think? In the meantime, if I can get some encouragement by looking at myself in the mirror and seeing progress, why not? I need all the positive reinforcement I can muster.

Lanfear

I'd also like to point out that when I was a gym member, I was definitely one of those people who danced and sang along to their MP3 player without really thinking about it Actually I still do this in the office and get odd looks as I bounce round humming "Thriller" and doing the zombie dance, or whatever other random selection is coming through...

We all watch other people and they watch us. It's life - don't use that as excuse not to join a gym - if you used that excuse for everything you'd (a) never leave your house or (b) be trying to change.

Don't worry about what other people think, you can't please all of the people all of the time so just do your own thing and whatever makes you feel good!

guardup

For those who are intimidated by going to the gym, I wrote a blog entry with some advice:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/guardup/view/removing-intimidation-from-the-gym-75869

Hope this helps you create the environment you need to keep going!

jennifir

well...I went to my zumba class the other morning and this woman comes in a little weight. She keeps bouncing around like a boxer in betweetn songs. Like, exagerated bouncy...it was quite annoying actually and she left early too.

Then at a gym I went to in Asheville this one guy would ride the eliptical so hard he would fall off it.

sfcop311

There is a lady at my gym that does a full out lyrical dance on the arc trainer. It's so funny to watch. I get on the treadmill behind her to watch. Makes my workout go by faster. Her arms are waving all over the place and the machine is rocking back and forth.. She goes really low towards the ground all while pumping that machine so fast.

backinthenines

Ellipticals attract some strange people.

Older guy at my gym always pumps one leg while the other just seems to come along like a passenger. I was convinced he had a disability and has more use of one leg that the other. But when he walked off he walked perfectly normally! :huh: It's like he's doing 45mins of single leg drill and always on the same leg... *shrugs shoulders*

Warmbloodwear

Ok!!! I started to look around and not watch TV while working out today...OMG there is a mountain man at our gym!!! He was dressed in a fishing vest(No Joke) hikng boots, t-shirt with the arms cut off and cut off jean shorts that were not to short but funny looking..
So I thought no he is a guy that works here their is no way....Sure enough he jumped in the treadmill!! I almost fell of my arc machine..:laugh: :laugh:

BerryH

Yesterday reminded me of my weekend bugbear - The Hot Tubbies.

There's a hot tub right next to the pool in my gym, and of a weekend morning there seems to be some social club that meets to sit in the hot tub and gossip, watching the rest of us plough up and down in the pool. They never seem to have a swim or go up to the gym. They are to a man and woman on the large size. I suspect they wonder why they joined a gym but haven't lost any weight yet!

Jain

At my old gym, we had a guy in the weight room that would occasionally walk over to the garbage can, put a finger over one nostril, and basically blow his nose hard directly into the trash can.

The first time I saw this, I was visibly repulsed. He seemed to think there was nothing to it.

Somebody asked him about it once and he called it a "farmer blow" as if this explains everything.

--Carter

Around here, this is known as a "snot rocket" and REALLY should only be done when nobody is looking or when you have NO other option, like hiking at the top of a mountain with no tissues, and even then I tried to use leaves! My BF has done it in the shower and grossed me right the hell out!

Where I grew up on Tyneside UK it's called a 'Pit Yard Hankie' and yup it's a last resort.

backinthenines

Snot rockets are a common thing among road cyclists.

There is a whole art to it... Pinch your nose above the nostrils and aim your head as if you were looking back under your arm pit, blow hard, and swipe your fingers down as you do. The rocket should fly nicely and you should have very little left on your nose or fingers when you do it right.

Technique will perfect over time. :bigsmile:

When pack riding, beware of the person behind you. :embarassed:

And in headwind it might end up down your legs... :huh:

kcleigh02

I went to a step aerobics class in our gym and the county commisioner was there with his wife and while doing a leg lift he unceremoniously farted so LOUD I thought I would die!!!! Being the childish woman that I am I had to stifle it all evening, yet occasionally breaking into snickers the rest of the night. ( I am laughing now). I will never be able to see him without cracking up!!!!:laugh:

This made me laugh out loud....in very childish when it comes to others farting......a .lady did it in our lemaze class and my husband made me leave cause I couldnt stop laughing...lol

Lmao I so laughed out loud almost choked on my banana ")

Jain

Today I was the lady who managed to slip off the Swiss ball, it flew out behind me, bounced off the wall & hit me in the head!:laugh:

toots99

Today I was the lady who managed to slip off the Swiss ball, it flew out behind me, bounced off the wall & hit me in the head!:laugh:

Oh no! :laugh:

Yesterday i was the one who missed a step on the stair master and very narrowly avoided an embarrassing mishap! :laugh:

JoyousRen

I'm sure everyone at my gym thought I was a nut last week. I bought a new top without trying it on first. When I got to the gym after work, I realized it was a bit tight but decided to wear it anyway. I realized about 15min into my run it was making it hard to breathe and had to stop to change. I got a bunch of WTF looks when I left in a black top and came back in a white one.