Borderline overweight and embarassed to go jogging outside!

salvesol
salvesol Posts: 15
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello! I'm 23, I weigh 68 kg for 1m65 (25 BMI) and I would like to start jogging outside. The thing is, I feel too embarrassed to do it! I am perfectly fine going to the gym and the swimming pool but the thought of running outside where people who are NOT exercising can see me terrifies me.
I used to go jogging a couple years ago and didn't care about that because I was in (relatively) good shape. Now I don't dare. Which is a shame, considering I feel jogging could really help with the weight loss.

Are any of you in the same situation? Did any of you started jogging while in bad shape? (How did you do it?)
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Replies

  • knra_grl
    knra_grl Posts: 1,566 Member
    Honestly people don't really think twice about it. I know if I see someone jogging my first thought is "good for them" not "what is that fat a** doing jogging?"

    Just go for it - you are in school so get up and go early morning where there is less traffic and pedestrians around :wink:
  • katt981
    katt981 Posts: 11 Member
    Don't be embarrassed! Just do it! I can tell you those "other people" you see will notice you jogging and if they are anything like me when I'm outside and see someone exercising, it makes me smile to think you're taking care of yourself. :) I started at 24% in December when I was tired of the 'extra', and right now I'm sitting at 16% . Granted I don't run, but I do lift weights and do cardio. You can do it, and when you do start you will feel so good!
  • Everburg16
    Everburg16 Posts: 101
    Well, if it helps you any, I used to go jogging outside when I was almost 400 lbs! And people were very sweet and supportive. :)
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    Honestly- no one will even notice you or give you a second thought. I've been running for 10 years and I can count the number of times someone has said something to me on one hand.

    Other runners will nod or smile and get back to their workout, that's about it.
  • frank6666
    frank6666 Posts: 48 Member
    I know it's easy to say but you should not feel embarrased at all. It's not your current shape that matters, it's how you will feel after a run.

    I see a lot of people running in my area, they come in all shapes and sizes and it does not matter one bit. All I see is someone running. In my opinion, people that are looking at runners in the street all think the same thing: "I should start to do this one day..."
    And in my case, they probably think "crazy *kitten*, it's -30 celcius outside) yep, crazy winter for us this year :)

    And by the way, we sometimes see experienced runners going extremely slow. Someone who does not know how running works might think that this runner is a beginner while he is in cool down or using a very slow pace for a specific training.


    Grab your shows and go outside. Your opinion is the only one that matters
  • RicaJamie
    RicaJamie Posts: 46
    I feel you. I started C25K a few weeks back and I thought I was going to have a coronary with just the thought of being out there. But, I went. I have over 100 lbs to lose so I am sure I am quite a sight.

    There ended up being quite a few people in the area I chose to go to, but it's still remote from the main road, so it works. I found the people waved or ignored me as I went by. The other day my husband was walking with me on my warm up walk and when I took off "wogging" as I call it a group of ladies were amazed and talked about how maybe they could run too beings I was doing it. =)

    So, moral of this story, lace up your shoes and go! If you are too terrified out in the great wide open - finding a more secure area or going with a friend will help! =) You can do this! It's all a mental game.
  • khoshgeleh16
    khoshgeleh16 Posts: 150 Member
    Honestly, I've been running since I was ~260 pounds (and I'm only 236 now!) and I've never had a problem, even though I'm dreadfully slow. It's much more psychological than real, I promise!
  • RunnerElizabeth
    RunnerElizabeth Posts: 1,091 Member
    My BMI was 25.24 when i picked up running, I guess I was overweight, which is why everyone in my life was trying to get me to exercise, but i wasn't too bad off. I started running because I was able to do it with my daughter in the jogger, no sitter necessary, which was great because I'm a single mom. I had to do it outside. And i had to do walk run intervals because I was too out of shape to just run. I hated it! I thought everyone was noticing that i couldn't run more than 2 minutes. But I forced myself to do it because it was the only exercise I could work into my schedule.

    Eventually I realized no one was paying that much attention to me and I kept at it.

    Glad I did. I have run 5 half marathons since then. My pace for 5k dropped from 14 min per mile to 8:21. For a half marathon it dropped to 9:30. More importantly than that, I lost 15 lbs and my doctor stopped talking to me about healthy eating and exercise.

    So you just have to get out there and do it until you realize no one cares and then keep doing it. Your doing it for yourself anyway.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    Hello! I'm 23, I weigh 68 kg for 1m65 (25 BMI) and I would like to start jogging outside. The thing is, I feel too embarrassed to do it! I am perfectly fine going to the gym and the swimming pool but the thought of running outside where people who are NOT exercising can see me terrifies me.
    I used to go jogging a couple years ago and didn't care about that because I was in (relatively) good shape. Now I don't dare. Which is a shame, considering I feel jogging could really help with the weight loss.

    Are any of you in the same situation? Did any of you started jogging while in bad shape? (How did you do it?)

    I started running in part to help me lose weight, it's worked. I'm now running 35-40km per week having started with a Couch to 5K programme about 10 months ago.

    For me, most people see me for a very brief period in my run. If they're on the path walking dogs or pushing a pram then I say hello as I pass. If they're in a car then they see me for even less time.

    They see a very small snapshot of my run, I might be quite fresh at the beginning of the session, or hanging out after a series of sprint intervals, or my face covered in salt after 90 minutes of a six minute mile. They don't know what I've done up until then, or what I'm going to do after they've passed out of sight.

    We're all running our own run, fast, slow, long or short. the main thing is that we're out there.

    Just get out there and run, and let the run envelop you. It doesn't matter what other people think, they don't know what your session is.
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
    When I see people out jogging or even walking I think they're awesome and give them a mental high five.
    But even if people did have some kind of weird negative thought about you jogging, do you really want to let that stop you from reaching your goals? Really, when you think about it it's like saying, "No, I can't jog because some random/anonymous stranger might not like it."
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    I have to tell you as a runner, when I see somebody "in shape" , "bigger shape", or somewhere in between I always think the same thing...

    Bad azz.

    If you really want to do it, go be a bad azz. :flowerforyou:
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    You know what is kind of weird is that there are TONS of posts about people being afraid to go to the gym...BUT it seems like you already have taken what is the scariest step for a lot of people: the gym!

    There are a few people that I see ALL of the time running in my area. Most of them are older men...and honestly, pretty slow; BUT they are out there doing it! I live about a mile from a college...I see so many different types out running; college guys without shirts, old guys, ladies power-walking, super in shape people, larger people, etc. I wouldn't worry about people. Most people aren't paying attention OR they have positive thoughts.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member


    So you just have to get out there and do it until you realize no one cares and then keep doing it. Your doing it for yourself anyway.

    This. Occasionally when I see a plus-size runner outdoors it registers with me that they're big. My next thought is, "good for them". Most of the time I don't notice at all. Do it for yourself. I don't love running but it's a great way to burn calories in a short amount of time.
  • ayamagali
    ayamagali Posts: 167 Member
    I was embarrassed when I started running again, but there's a trail by my house that I would walk to and then run back and forth on it in the safety of the forest cover. Eventually, that got very boring, as its a short trail and I'd do so many laps of the same thing over and over again. The first couple times out in public I would cringe as a car passed, and it seemed like my butt and jowls would jiggle more ferociously. But now I just don't care. Get out there and brave it and soon it'll be no biggie!
  • Zekela
    Zekela Posts: 634 Member
    I enjoy running at 2.30 - 3am in the morning. I hardly see anyone and I have the road and the environment to myself. It is rather quiet and peaceful. Shooting stars are also awesome at this time... at times you actually hear them. Awesome runs in the morning I think. However, I also have a black belt, trained cage fighter (although never did) and kick boxer...
  • airangel59
    airangel59 Posts: 1,887 Member
    Just do it.:flowerforyou:

    Get headphones and plug in,then tune everyone out. :bigsmile:

    I just started C25K (on week 6 actually) and feel self conscious as well but I run on a trail in local park and have my tunes turned up and if anyone says anything, I truly can't hear it, lol (I have seen a lot of folks in worse shape than me running and I swear they look more at ease and running a lot better than I am, :sad: )
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    Hello! I'm 23, I weigh 68 kg for 1m65 (25 BMI) and I would like to start jogging outside. The thing is, I feel too embarrassed to do it! I am perfectly fine going to the gym and the swimming pool but the thought of running outside where people who are NOT exercising can see me terrifies me.
    I used to go jogging a couple years ago and didn't care about that because I was in (relatively) good shape. Now I don't dare. Which is a shame, considering I feel jogging could really help with the weight loss.

    Are any of you in the same situation? Did any of you started jogging while in bad shape? (How did you do it?)

    a BMI of 25 suggests you arn't overweight. do you have vanity issues?
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    get over it.

    this morning at 8am i saw a big overweight girl, dressed all in black, with a big bottle of water trudging along on the jogging path in my neighborhood. i thought "good for her" and as i passed her i waved to be friendly, but she didn't wave back. i'm sure she was trying to avoid eye contact with anyone because she was embarrassed, but she was still out there, shuffling along.

    so just go out there and do your thing.
  • kill3rtofu
    kill3rtofu Posts: 169 Member
    shame yourself into your goal?
  • freckledjezebel
    freckledjezebel Posts: 65 Member
    I'm over 200 lbs and I'm doing C25K three days a week. I jog outside in my neighborhood. At first I was self conscious, but then I realized people honestly don't care. If they notice you at all, it's fleeting. It doesn't matter what they think, what matters it that you are improving yourself.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    I started running outside at 300 pounds with a. Bmi of over 40. If you with about others you'll never do anything.
  • missomgitsica
    missomgitsica Posts: 496 Member
    I'm a lot bigger than you and I run outside. (Not for awhile now because of cold weather). Either go when it's a little dark out, or find a trail or something where you're not going to be exposed to people driving by.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Find a running group. Either run with them or at least check them out and see for yourself. People of all shapes and sizes show up every week at mine.
  • Phaedra2014
    Phaedra2014 Posts: 1,254 Member
    Be proud of yourself and jog with confidence. Don't shame yourself this way.
  • Phaedra2014
    Phaedra2014 Posts: 1,254 Member
    Find a running group. Either run with them or at least check them out and see for yourself. People of all shapes and sizes show up every week at mine.

    Great suggestion! That is exactly what helped me. I love my running group and I've become so much better at it.
  • kathyhettlinski
    kathyhettlinski Posts: 3
    My fat *kitten* runs and I don't give a **** what other people think. I went from 305# down to 224#.
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
    Who cares? I certainty don't! Better then sitting on the couch, right?
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
    I've never been terribly heavy, but do you know what I think when I see a "heavy" person that's out running and/or walking?

    "That person is AWESOME!"

    Carry on. :drinker:
  • joanthemom8
    joanthemom8 Posts: 375 Member
    I used to be that way (and in some situations I still struggle with that), but as someone had a quote to the effect that we'd actually be surprised to find out how little time other people spend thinking about us. Just think of yourself.......how much do you think of people you see out and about? Anyway, they are strangers and chances are you'll never see them again...so go for it!
  • EvenThatNameIsTaken
    EvenThatNameIsTaken Posts: 164 Member
    The truth is, most people really don't care what you're doing, they are too wrapped up in their own insecurities to worry about you :P

    My BMI is 32, I run without shame or embarrassment.

    As someone else posted.... get over it :P by doing it!

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