Allow me to introduce to you...me

Tony_Goose

You guys are seriously so freaking amazing. I'm actually pretty mad at myself that I hadn't tried the forums out before today. The tips/tricks that you are all giving me are going to be used, I can assure you of that. I'll be around here for a long time, as I am going to lose the weight I need to lose. Thank you guys for all of the inspiration and help for my journey.

brjustice2000

Bumps in the road are plateaus. I've lost about 36 lbs since March. I have weeks that I should lose based on calorie count but gain such as the last two weeks, some of that gain is more muscle mass from lifting weights. Since you don't like the gym, you can get the stretch bands to start with strength training. If you build 10 lbs of muscle that 10 lbs of muscle will consume 3,500 calories a week just to exist without exercise. Building some muscle will help you. Consider visiting the gym early on Sunday, the one we use is almost vacant on Sunday mornings and afternoons. You can also do exercises that use your body weight as the resistance, such as squats, split leg squats, lunges, pushups, chair dips, etc. When doing body weight exercises get easy, use items around the house to increase the resistance such as holding a gallon of liquid as you do lunges.

Hang in there and keep working. I've had numerous plateaus since March. Usually the plateau lasts for one week because I will change what I do. Your body gets used to the exact same routine and adapts to do it with less calories. As you lose weight, you are moving less weight which means burning fewer calories for the same activity.

Use MFP to look at fat, sugar, and carb intake and try to stay below goals. The weeks I go over in those areas I don't lose much if any weight even if I have a big calorie deficit.

My wife hated to exercise but now she is into it. Give yourself time and think positive thoughts. None of us got overweight overnight and it takes time to work it off. Just keep at it!

Growtinymusclesgrow

Welcome...let me tell you how most people look at large folks in the gym...YAY!, GOOD FOR THEM!!! I feel you about the gym, I still workout in a big sweatshirt to this day. Face your fear, go to the gym and continue with your journey!

P.S.
I happen to be from Michigan originally...

lewcompton

Get a pedometer and work on just moving more... Do Push-ups, Sit-ups, Pull-ups... Buy a machine if you have the funds...

BowTieBaby

Hey Tony!

I'm super self-conscious about going to the gym and even about walking around my own neighborhood. I also think that everyone is watching me even though I know they aren't. So to remedy that I stay inside and do my thing. I pretty much jog in place. I pop on music that will get me moving and I just jog. When I first started I literally did it for a minute and I wanted to die. The next day I pushed for two minutes. The next day to three and so on. Each day I tried to do better than the day before.

You don't need a lot of room for this...just some good tunes

Good luck!

auroranflash

I know it can be intimidating, but sometimes doing what scares you - and conquering that fear - is exactly what you need to do, and it will be a huge source of pride.

If you're not going to a gym because you're scared to go, perhaps that's exactly what you should do? Most gyms will give a week pass or so to let you try it out before you sign up. Just grab your ipod/mp3 player and some headphones and go as an experiment maybe. It may turn into something you get pleasure out of, and at least you can say you did it.

I see all sorts of people at my gym - from fit people to amputees to soccer moms, salesmen, those in wheelchairs, and the obese. Really the victory is just being there and working on yourself, inside and out.

I am shy myself but I've vowed to (someday) do a group class to get over my fear. *reminds self to get on that 9_9*

Lots of other good suggestions in this thread, too, though.

Cheers and congrats on the weight you've already lost. Being a desk worker, I know it's not easy to squeeze in that extra activity, but we definitely benefit from the time invested. :drinker:

mikeschratz

Go to Nerdfitness.com , it is a great site for folks who don't like gyms. It has a lot of ideas of how to work out and not go to the gym... give it a shot. I started taking Karate, at first I was very imtimidated. But now it is awesome to go work out with people I know who support what I do... Walk through the fear and see what happens, it is never as bad as I made it in my mind!

Good luck, Congrats on the wieght lost already.

RobinvdM

I am ultra paranoid about being watched/stared at/judged in a gym setting as well.

I joined a gym 3 weeks ago and dreaded every second of walking up to the entrance for the first time as a member.

It turns out no one really gives a crap about you being there. Sure they look at you, they probably ARE judging- but my take is this. If they have the energy to hate on you inside their heads while running on treadmills or juggling those dumbells then they are far more talented than I am. Once I get into my walking groove I tune everyone around me out and dig for that whole hour, mentally gearing up for the strength stuff I want to do.

Then I go off and get just as absorbed in my str stuff.

I guess my point is, I cared a WHOLE lot about being judged. Still do, however the staff at the gym welcome me like they've known me forever (putting me at ease instantly.) And once I begin my workout I get so self absorbed I don't even care who might be looking at me in disgust, I just don't have the attention span to care :P

PLUS I am going to look great and eventually those judgmental looks are going to be replaced with envy ;-)

Or at least that's what I tell myself.

Go. Give it a try :-) Most gyms have week trials, so you can shop around commitment free and find a place that puts YOU at ease Good luck!

lulu3561

Tony, I feel your pain - I was way too intimated to even walk in the door at they gym..I use to circle the parking lot. I started going after at 8pm when the after work crowd was gone. I put my ear buds in and just go into my own world. I imagined that one of the regulars was my imaginary boyfriend and he just came to check me out and was secretly lusting after me..all in my head of course. It eventually became easier and now I am there 6 nights a week and so is my imaginary gym boyfriend. Just take the first step - the hardest part is walking in the door. It will get easier I promise. I've had so many people come up to me and tell me they are impressed with how hard I work and I am looking amazing. Good luck to you...hope you find something that works for you.