Overweight and feel awkward at the gym?

meghanp92 · September 2012

Does anybody else have this problem?! I am starting a weights for women class at my school's rec center tomorrow, and while I am excited about getting back into working out and learning how to use weights the right way, I'm nervous about it. I feel like I will stick out like a sore thumb among all the skinny sorority girls that seem to spend all their time in the gym. Anybody else ever deal with this and/or have some ways that you learn to deal with it? I do not want to let this discourage me from going to the gym.

shardown · September 2012

Don't worry about them and focus on you. You're there to make a better you. And to be honest, chances are they probably won't be paying any attention to you either because they'll be too busy focusing on themselves.

chinatbag · September 2012

Don't even worry. Everyone at the gym is there for one thing really: self improvement. There are plenty of people you don't see who go in there at times you aren't there who probably feel the same way, but the general rule of good gym habits is: you check your ego at the door. Do you work out, make friends if you want to, keep your eye on the prize

erinxo13 · September 2012

I get like that too.

I'd love to hear with people say.

rscpnc · September 2012

Hey

I know exactly how you feel. I hate going to the gym, living in LA doesn't make it better either, the gym tends to be filled with very fit and skinny people. I just went tonight for the first time in like 7 years and it was hard to walk through that door and get on the machine and I am sure tomorrow will be hard too but I know its all in my head. I am almost 100% sure that no one cares or even pays attention to me and if they happen to look at me I am sure they are not thinking 'what is that monster beast doing here' as I like to play out in my head. All I have to keep telling myself is that its all in my head and really who cares...its a gym and its where we are suppose to be.

ParaSempreAmor11 · September 2012

i use to feel awkward until i told myslef
" its a gym its going to have people of all shapes and sizes not all skinny or buff people "
ever since then im like ya whatever and just work out if they stare GIVE them something to stare at aha

syrhius · September 2012

I found that having someone else there with me who I was comfortable with really helped, so perhaps you could find a friend to take the class with you? Good luck, it sounds fun!

thinnerclaire77 · September 2012

Don't even worry. Everyone at the gym is there for one thing really: self improvement. There are plenty of people you don't see who go in there at times you aren't there who probably feel the same way, but the general rule of good gym habits is: you check your ego at the door. Do you work out, make friends if you want to, keep your eye on the prize

I fully agree with this statement, I joined my local gym back in January after coming off the cambridge diet, thinking that exercise and healthy eating were going to be my way forward, between the end of January and the 8th August I had put on 14kg, mainly down to my diet, this in itself made things harder in the gym so really made me want to give up. Then as if like switching on a light I seem to have sorted my head out and now, I go at least three times a week, and I have already lost 6.2kg (just under 14lb) I do also have a fabulous PT, who really motivates me, If I can help to motivate anyone, feel free to add me, look at my profile pic that was taken on 12th July, Im by no means slim. Keep focused you'll get there

NocturnalGirl · September 2012

Love what Pu_239 said.

At the end of the day, no-one will judge. Everyone is there for their own needs, not to look at other people. If I see an overweight person at the gym, I admire the fact that they are taking the step to get fitter. I love the gym and I always urge my friends to come with me but they wouldn't because they are too embarrassed. I hope I can convince them to come with me one day.

loztandfound · September 2012

I always felt the same, i am pretty short, so for my weight and height, I just looked like a beachball. I spoke to my boss about it, she is super sporty and fit, top of the regional running table for her age. She said yes it is noticeable when someone larger goes in to the gym, just as it is when a complete stick insect goes in, as it is when someone super tanned goes in, or a guy in a class aimed at girls, or vice versa. However then she said all of the girls in the class or in the gym room have discussed it and said they always smile at the person, offer to spot for them, stand next to them in a class so they can see the moves, and offer to pair up with them for moves. My boss herself said she really respects the bigger ladies who go to the gym, as she used to be one and knows how hard it is, said she really has a lot of respect for anyone who sticks with it.

So i say go, enjoy, own up to the reasons you are there, and be honest with the fact that you are not confident with the weights and want to go over form. People will help a lot more than you think

GOOD LUCK AND ENJOY!! xx

bradphil87 · September 2012

Don't even worry. Everyone at the gym is there for one thing really: self improvement. There are plenty of people you don't see who go in there at times you aren't there who probably feel the same way, but the general rule of good gym habits is: you check your ego at the door. Do you work out, make friends if you want to, keep your eye on the prize

^^^^this. I go to the gym to lift....I don't care in the least what anyone there is doing. I don't even notice them to be honest. Just like they probably don't notice me.

davidlaplante · September 2012

It's easy to say "don't feel awkward" but that covers up the reality of why you posted. So dig deep into understanding why you feel that way and look for ways to reframe that assumption. Know that 99% of the people who go to the gym have some significant insecurity that drives them there and keeps them coming back.

Mind + body + spirit. If you go to the gym just for body it can get tough. Take that time to work on your mind and spirit as well. Listen to great music, podcasts, and audiobooks.

You know what's missing from the gym? People smiling. A big smile will freak out all those grumpy hardbodies. And the rest of us are more apt judge you on how big of a smile you have - not what you look like. Much easier to work your way to be skinny and happy when you start "fat and happy".

Honestly - all the people you're freaked out about are so self-absorbed checking their triceps out in the mirror they won't notice anything but their own reflection. So throw a big smile to everyone else that's feeling just like you and looking for a little encouragement from a smile.

lynz4589 · September 2012

This is the thing about gyms that annoy me! They are really designed to help people get fit but they should appeal to those wanting to lose weight instead they have become a "cool" place to just hang out, and certainly at my gym 70% of the girls that go only do it as a token gesture so they can say they are a member of a gym, Ive never seen any of them exactly try hard or even break a sweat. Just do what I do and remember the reasons your there, you have in some respects more right to be there, the gym isnt a trophy to you its a chance to save your life!

spozzybear · September 2012

I just joined the gym last week and while I thought I would feel self-concious, I actually don't. Instead I focus on why I am there in the first place. Yes, I am often the most overweight person in there, but really, who cares? The only opinions that matter to me are of those who I know and love. I don't know any of these people in gym, so even if they were judging me, it's no skin off my nose! I just get on with my work-out!

lauren3101 · September 2012

I think the thing with overweight people is more often than not they see things about themselves negatively.

How do you know these 'skinny sorority girls' don't actually think 'good on her' when they see an overweight person go to the gym?

How do you know some of these women weren't in your shoes a year ago?

Either way, you shouldn't let what anyone else thinks interfere with your weight loss. You are doing it for you, no-one else. And to be honest, more often than not, they are too busy doing their own thing to pay any attention to anyone else.

nadiamode · September 2012

Oh, I hear ya. I used to feel so awkward at the gym thinking everyone was laughing at me because I'm overweight and it's SO obvious I don't know what I'm doing. Every time I moved on to another machine I felt eyes staring at me and judging if I'm not lifting enough, or too much, or I have bad form, etc etc. And I didn't have the right clothes, and my pants kept falling slightly revealing bright pink panties! I wanted to be anywhere but the gym.

You know what helps? Smile. Whenever you make eye contact, just smile. You don't know what the other person is thinking, and most of the time, they're not thinking what you think they're thinking. I realized that what I think they're thinking says more about ME than it does about them. I agree with all the posters who said the same thing above.

After that, the gym became a friendlier place (in my head) which made all the difference.

Zylahe · September 2012

i figure, ppl can laugh at me now while I'm at the gym/ out "running"
But in a few months, I can strut around EVERYWHERE and I'll be one of the fitt ones.

But most people who see you will be thinking one of
"yep thats what I used to look like "
or " well shes doing better than anyone sitting on the couch"
/"well done for being here"

Tank_Girl · September 2012

I feel like this every time I go kickboxing, esp since theres 1 arrogant individual who has always been skinny and cant understand how anyone could let themselves get "fat" I know that within a year I will box that silly little girls head off in the ring...

Im tougher and more determined than she will ever be, theres more fight in my chubby little pinky finger than there is in her whole body
:mad:

2essie · September 2012

I joined the gym last year and thought the same. It took me a while to even go. When I eventually got there I was very suprised to see all shapes and sizes in there. I picked a quiet time (I had asked previously) and just went in, head held high.

I am 61 years old and 4 stone overweight. I now find that all the young fit guys are coming to help me with anything I can't do. Why didn't that happen when I was 20 years old. Anyway, go for it. Hold your head high, smile, crack a joke or too and it won't be long before you are attracting all those fit guys. Most people like confidence more than body shape and some of the guys like girls with a bit of shape too. Forget the ones who are there only to preen themselves be they male or female. Have fun.

geebusuk · September 2012

It will depend on the gym you go to.

However, I'd be willing to bet that in reality less will judge when you're there - I'm afraid in the "real world" people will be doing it all the time.
Then you'll lose some weight and be judged as "too thin" by a different set of people.

The trick is to not worry about what other people think unless you actually value their opinions

.

saschka7 · September 2012

Well, I've never been a sorority girl, but I've been (mostly) slender for most of my life. I just recently joined the YMCA because the pounds have started to pack on and I wanted to learn how to use the weight machines and also start running. (I've never been able to run a mile, or even a half mile).

That said, just yesterday while on the elliptical machine I saw 2 girls, both in their late 20's with almost the same outfits on. I don't think they knew each other. One girl was the typical super-slender, in-shape fitness person who automatically makes you feel insecure and the other weighed..., well, a lot more than the first girl did. BOTH were running on the treadmills and doing a damn better job for longer than I could have Maybe that second, heavier girl wasn't feeling self-conscious at all (and she shouldn't of course) but I still wanted to tell her "Hey, you're doing every bit as well as that other chick! And guess what--I may be slender, which may be enviable to you but there's no way I could do what you're doing right now--and I wish I could. I really admire that."

Just being skinny or slender doesn't mean that a person is fit--us slender-looking girls are sometimes just as insecure in the gym as anyone else. That's awesome you're starting a 'weights for women' class--that's the first stop to feeling more confident!

Overweight and feel awkward at the gym?

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