Worried about the gym

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  • MrsKMaree
    MrsKMaree Posts: 20
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    There are two types of people who go the gym: the honest hard workers and the show boats.

    The honest hard workers may include the larger crowd, the skinny people, the muscular, the super models, etc...
    The Show Boats may include all of these as well.

    What separates the two is the work they put into being at the gym. Honest hard workers are people like the 300 lb man who walks for 30 minutes on the treadmill or rides the bike for 30 minutes. It might be slow, but you see him there day in and day out and by the time he leaves he is covered in sweat. Or they may be the new female who is just venturing out into the world of free weights. Her form might be a little off, but every day it gets better and better and the weights get heavier and heavier. If you are one of these people who go there...you won't get mocked, or judged, or made fun of. These people stand out as being honest and true and deep down, the veterains at the gyms admire their determination and persiverance.

    Show boaters are the people that are mocked or made fun off. They are the obnoxious "lifters" who go in every single day, grab the 5 lbs weights and do 100 million bicep curls in front of the mirror and watch as their arms flex up and down, hoping to see the "growth" of muscle that will never happen. Or they are the drama queen females who go from machine to machine, do one or two reps, then text, then do two more reps, then text. The minute a hot guy walks in, they are pumping iron as if the empty set will impress them, when in reality all they are doing is causing a bunch of banging on the machine as the plate slams into the top of the machine.

    If you go in there with a mission, it will be obvious to everyone else who is there. They will know you are there to make yourself better and to become a stronger person. No one will judge you for that.


    THIS!!

    (I am the un-coardinated girl with no form starting off with the free weights ;) )

    I recommend obtaining the services of a PT for a couple of sessions to show you the ropes and ease your anxiety?

    Best of Luck!
  • kathystrauss1
    kathystrauss1 Posts: 142 Member
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    Some people will be mean and judgmental and some peole will admire you. But they'll do that outside of the gym too so you might as well go!
  • uconnwinsnc
    uconnwinsnc Posts: 1,054 Member
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    If they judge, oh well. There are people in life who are just jerks, you gotta live with it. Perhaps go to the gym with a buddy, it is always more relaxing when you're with someone you know.
  • KayleighIsGoingFatToFit
    KayleighIsGoingFatToFit Posts: 203 Member
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    I just want to say thank you to everyone that has commented and shared their stories, i am now determined to go to the gym and not give a *kitten* what people think :) x
  • kinzieplatt
    kinzieplatt Posts: 81 Member
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    I've always felt the same way! At home workouts are always a good option too! I lost 62 lbs that way!
  • RaggedyPond
    RaggedyPond Posts: 1,487 Member
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    You'll quickly realise no one cares or is judging you and they're simply going about their business hoping you're not judging them.

    This. They are too busy worrying about themselves.
  • _Resolve_
    _Resolve_ Posts: 735 Member
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    You'll quickly realise no one cares or is judging you and they're simply going about their business hoping you're not judging them.

    This. They are too busy worrying about themselves.

    yup! At first it may feel like everyone is worried about you but you will see that no one really cares
  • RileyEli11
    RileyEli11 Posts: 34
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    Funny but I just came back from Planet Fitness and I was doing pull ups which cause of my Pinched Nerve I really have a bad problem doing them. So I saw a fit couple doing Squats.... and I'm jamming minding my business hating the pull-up station when I was done they where laughing. I don't know if they where laughing at me or what but I don't care about nobody but my body when I'm at the gym. When the girl wasn't looking and he was I stared at him and gave him the WATCH IT BUDDY LOOK, Then he minded his business..LOL..
  • kimeah
    kimeah Posts: 2 Member
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    Wow! ...Good on you for sharing/asking and creating lots of support for yourself via the tremendous number of replies/responses of people who care. Keep moving forward with a healthy mental and physical state of being. Stay true to you!!!
  • LishLash79
    LishLash79 Posts: 562 Member
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    I people who are there to be be serious and really work out won't notice you at all ;) they are so into doing there own thing. People who do notice you are losers ;)

    I say go... find your inner strength.. its a good test for your confidence.. which is a huge part in weight loss and strength gaining.. its all a part of the territory. ;) you can do it ;) *Cheers*
  • dezb64
    dezb64 Posts: 109 Member
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    Another idea is to go when the gym is relatively empty. I've started to work out at 4 AM (when the gym opens) and there are only 5 or 6 of us there. It's a good time to work out and build your confidence.

    I agree, I go at 5am when my gym opens. There are less then 10 people there and after a while you get to know everyone.
  • NRSPAM
    NRSPAM Posts: 961 Member
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    I kind of wound up at a gym after our Curves closed down. Me and a group of us from there followed our zumba instructor to a gym, since we had no other choice. At first I was nervous, but atleast I had backup n wasn't there by myself, lol. Been there over a year now, I think. I'm not nervous anymore. :)
  • tialove2000
    tialove2000 Posts: 1
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    Why do people go to the dentist?
    To check up and fix their teeth.

    Why do people take their car to a service repair center?
    To fix their car.

    Take the same attitude when you go to the gym. You are there to get healthy. Use the negativity as inspiration and just think, each time you go, you are getting healthier and use the other people around you for inspiration. Look at the fit ones, the skinny ones, the ones doing much more than you can do, and imagine that will be you.

    Why are people in the gym generally fit? Because they go to the gym....the value you get from going to the gym will far exceed the "looks" you will get.
  • albionjen
    albionjen Posts: 86 Member
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    Thank you everyone, I will start next month when I have some money after Christmas and we don't have planet fitness I am in the uk

    I think beginner type gyms in the UK are chains like virgin Active or fitness first or local council gyms. They tend to be geared towards a more casual exercise audience rather than body builders or people into weight lifting. So there tends to be wide range of body types among the regulars, not just super fit types :smile:

    In contrast there are smaller chains or local gyms that may be aimed more at people who take gym very seriously! So it could be more intimidating if you go in for the first time and everyone is much more experienced.

    See if you can get a tour or free pass before signing up. It helped me to check the facilities so I was sure they had what I would want to use and it wasn't too busy.
  • moya_rargh
    moya_rargh Posts: 1,473 Member
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    Sounds stupid but I was worried about going to the gym. I feel people will judge me etc. anyone else had these worries/anxieties?

    No rudeness please!

    Everybody worries about 'that' step into the unknown, filling their head with all kinds of 'horrible possible consequences.'
    Funnily enough, we never seem to be worried during or after the event. Go to the gym, you'll enjoy it, you'll be glad of yourself for taking that first step and you'll probably wonder why you were even worried soon enough. :smile:

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