I can't work up the courage to start!

Hannah,

Don't worry about other people! Have you considered doing Jillian Michael's 30 day shred? You can get all three levels on youtube. You can do the workout in the privacy of your room. If you don't have weights, use soup cans. It is great for toning, working on strength, abs and cardio and all in 20 minutes a day. Just a thought.

Terri

Do any of your friends work out or do athletic activities? If so as if you can come along. If they do something that takes more strength ask them to go to the gym with you so you can be more comfortable getting into shape. I can relate as in many ways I am a shy person. Or if you can fit it into your schedule/budget signup for a Tai Chi or other exercise class, you would meet new people that are also learning a new skill and gain confidence/fitness at the same time. If your gym has any free exercise classes those might help as well. The most important thing is to start the same as with losing weight. Just go for it you can do it. :flowerforyou:

here's food for thought....maybe the people at the gym (since they are athletic) will understand weights (even if you lift small amounts like me) help tone and build muscle and will understand thats why you are there!?!?

I felt a bit like that when I started running, but decided anyone who judges me is just ignorant. The people whose opinions are worth considering will see that I am trying to do something to improve my fitness (and lose some weight).

But if you really don't feel comfortable, then as someone suggested, a video such as 30 Day Shred, can help you get started and maybe build your confidence to join the gym later. Good luck!

how do you people deal with the fear of being judged?

You realise that you are not the centre of their universe and you realise that others are far more self absorbed than you give them credit for ;-)

Yeah I'm one of those red faced, sweaty, barely standing overweight ones at the gym. Part of me wants to dope slap you but the other part of me truly feels for you because you are insecure and no matter what your body looks like, having these negative thoughts about ourselves sucks!!

Just tie up your sneakers and go - go and just walk on the treadmill or ride the stationary bike or something simple just once and you will realize that people aren't staring at you, nobody really cares about anybody other than themselves when they're at the gym.

There might be some guys there who will stare at you but probably because you're cute.

^What she said

Well my problem was just the opposite. The first day I walked in that gym to go to water aerobics I weighed 290 pounds. I looked around and yeah there was some people looking at the fat lady in the swimsuit. I thought.....get a good look now because one of these days you will be looking at me for a total different reason.

Even tho I'm not at my goal yet, yesterday I had 2 guys that I know that I havent seen for a while spend their entire time looking at my boobs while they talked to me. I found it so amusing, since I am gay and they know it. They even asked my partner today how much weight had I lost and told her how great I looked. See told them to back off before she decked them. LOL

So go do what you know you need to do and let people think whatever they want.

Also, a few months ago, a woman I know in the grocery store started telling everyone that she KNEW I had gastric bypass surgery. I marched myself back to the deli the next day and raised my shirt and said, OK show me the scars from the surgery I supposedly had. People have a hard time wrapping them minds around the fact that some of us can do it without surgery, fad diets, etc. Everyone looking for that magic fix and dont want to spend the time putting in the work.