Embarrassed to Exercise

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Replies

  • leelu
    leelu Posts: 136 Member
    Hanr consider this ..... who would you judge badly, the fatty that you see out in the park giving it a go even if they arent very fast or the friend/collegue/accqantance who never seems to get off her *kitten* and try to loose the weight.!

    anyone small minded enough to laugh at someone who is trying to improve themselves deserves your pity and nothing more!
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Ok, this is terrible.. but I am getting to the point where I am embarrassed to exercise in public.

    I have this stupid idea that people are looking at me and laughing.. 'Look at that fat girl try and run! She jiggles!' :embarassed:

    Does anyone else feel this way? I know it is ridiculous and that the only way to lose the weight is to get out there, but these feelings make me so reluctant to do so!

    Also, exercising with 'skinny' friends - I completely avoid it because I am afraid they will judge me, I'll struggle to keep up with them, or they'll have to slow down.. ugh.

    Does anyone have any advice?

    Thanks :)

    Get out and DO IT!!

    Here is what I did when I thought everyone was staring at me: I went to the jogging park at the busiest time. I sat on the bench and 'thought' about each person who went by for 1 hour. I am a bit weird, so even wrote down what my thoughts were.

    Most of the time we are harder on ourselves than we are on others. Also, if WE are a bit judgemental, we of course feel others have the same thoughts about us.

    So my thoughts were things like.........."wow that young girl is walking so slow, talking on her cell phone in her 200 dollar jogging suit............move sister!" Then I thought-WOW I could help her! I wanted so badly to walk up and share my handweights and knowledge with her. Get her moving a bit faster, hang up the phone.....make this time work for her!

    My thoughts all changed to positive ones. Older folks, bigger folks, fit folks...........folks out there DOING,,,,,,,,,,, not sitting on a couch.

    As the young woman with the cell phone came by me the 2nd time, having been lapped by grannies and less healthy people, I prayed she would get the picture before it was too late.

    From that day forward I didnt see the ppl around me. I just worked on what I needed to do for myself.

    God Bless you and your new life choices!! :heart:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Ok, this is terrible.. but I am getting to the point where I am embarrassed to exercise in public.

    I have this stupid idea that people are looking at me and laughing.. 'Look at that fat girl try and run! She jiggles!' :embarassed:

    Does anyone else feel this way? I know it is ridiculous and that the only way to lose the weight is to get out there, but these feelings make me so reluctant to do so!

    Also, exercising with 'skinny' friends - I completely avoid it because I am afraid they will judge me, I'll struggle to keep up with them, or they'll have to slow down.. ugh.

    Does anyone have any advice?

    Thanks :)

    Get out and DO IT!!

    Here is what I did when I thought everyone was staring at me: I went to the jogging park at the busiest time. I sat on the bench and 'thought' about each person who went by for 1 hour. I am a bit weird, so even wrote down what my thoughts were.

    Most of the time we are harder on ourselves than we are on others. Also, if WE are a bit judgemental, we of course feel others have the same thoughts about us.

    So my thoughts were things like.........."wow that young girl is walking so slow, talking on her cell phone in her 200 dollar jogging suit............move sister!" Then I thought-WOW I could help her! I wanted so badly to walk up and share my handweights and knowledge with her. Get her moving a bit faster, hang up the phone.....make this time work for her!

    My thoughts all changed to positive ones. Older folks, bigger folks, fit folks...........folks out there DOING,,,,,,,,,,, not sitting on a couch.

    As the young woman with the cell phone came by me the 2nd time, having been lapped by grannies and less healthy people, I prayed she would get the picture before it was too late.

    From that day forward I didnt see the ppl around me. I just worked on what I needed to do for myself.

    God Bless you and your new life choices!! :heart:

    OH....and when I was the skinny chick......104 pounds soaking wet...............my 'fat' friend who was 200+ put me to SHAME at a Jazzercise class............I mean she rocked it while I lay on the floor gasping for air!! :laugh:

    I felt like a fool and never went back.
  • jw17695
    jw17695 Posts: 438 Member
    When i walk by myself I feel that way too! But then I got a dog. Everyone sees a cute little dog and thinks a) what a cute dog and b)that is so sweet and responsible for taking her dog for a walk. It gives me self confidence and its good exercise for both of us.
  • kath711
    kath711 Posts: 710 Member
    I just look at the person next to me and use their speed as motivation! I can do that! Also the ipod helps! Lots of good grooving tunes to get your mind off of it! You can do it, girl!


    I am the same way. I always get a better workout when I am around others who give me motivation. I like working out at the gym and working out next to others and don't care if they are overweight or in shape but just being there going through it together.
    I also cannot workout without my tunes, very motivating as well.
  • kgasser
    kgasser Posts: 333 Member
    Have you looked into Curves? Girl only gym and tends to attract those that are out to get fit...not the thong wenches...no guys to look at them...no reason to wear thongs!

    Wii is my other exercise haven...Wii fit, Wii fit plus, EA active, and Wii Biggest Loser (just kill me and get it over with!) are all fabulous!
  • ScarletTarah
    ScarletTarah Posts: 117 Member
    I work out at the ymca and there are people of all shapes and sizes and gorgeous I couldn't believe it (intimidating)
    and some of the machines face eachother and I still hate it when i'm working on one ,then somebody gets on a machine facing me directly in front of me, but just the other day a man complimented me on my form and how I was doing it properly and it made my day, because like you I worry about what others are thinking and I have to tell myself nobody cares what i am doing just like I don't care what they are doing, but I will take my embarrassment in the form of working out at the gym and feeling like a fool, but getting into shape, it's 100% better then my embarassment of walking down the street and feeling fat and flabby hoping people can't hear me breathing while my rolls jiggle and bounce and my thighs rub together. I am going to continue to embarrass myself right down to 135lbs.
  • imagymrat
    imagymrat Posts: 862 Member
    OH my goodness, I have had the same problem. I would be walking on the treadmill at the gym, and OF COURSE, the skinniest, fittest chick has to get on the damn treadmill next to me and run!!!!!! So, while I am praying that my legs wont give out under me, and cause me to roll off the machine, she is sprinting without breaking a sweat. My face would always turn red, and I would just want to crawl in a corner and die. Then one day I decided I wasn't going to let her get to me! I took my MP3 player with me and I had so many pumped up songs on there, I forgot to pay attention to her. I know that it takes a toll on us, because we are so unhappy with ourselves, we think everyone is looking at us. Just concentrate on you, and forget about everyone else. Just remember, there is a skinny girl waiting to come out of you! And remember this too, we are bigger and we can kick some butt too!!!! :laugh:

    Just wanted to say that I loved your reply!
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    I won't exercise in front of people...I don't even like walking in public. It's terrible. I workout in my livingroom.
    __

    I just wanted to say that your display picture is adorable.
  • paulasmess
    paulasmess Posts: 1
    My best advice is JOIN CURVES! It is all women, mostly overweight, who are laughing and talking while exercising. There is no critism. Everyone becomes like their own little community and you will make some great friends. The equipment is usually in a circle so you have the Circuit Coach in the center chatting with everyone, playing games and overall making everyone feel welcomed and comfortable. Most ladies have a really positive attitude and are there with words of support. You will enjoy it!
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    :heart: I just wish there was a way to have you all understand how wonderfully beautiful you are! :love:

    Just that you are thinking about your health, and trying and struggling to get your eating and exercise under control..........makes me think you are Phenomenal!!:drinker:
  • misplaced
    misplaced Posts: 1
    Well first off this is my first comment on a post since joining :)

    Anyway, I just joined Planet Fitness, which some one else commented on as well. I really don't feel judged there & so far I love that gym. Sure you aren't excluded in a room by yourself on a tredmill but I like that they have about 10+ TVS on the wall with different stations on them, if you bring your own headphone you can plug it into a machine where you can pick the channel you want to listen to & how loud it is on your headphones, it really takes my mind away from thinking about what other people are doing.

    There also is a grunt free zone, that is true. I noticed people of all different sizes go there, and every one wears baggy shirts & sweat pants (or shorts) they do have rules that people can't be showing up in jeans, or anything like that. There are weight machines, but I noticed none of them face each other & they don't face the other machines (tredmill, elliptical) either so I don't have to see some one staring at me because I am right there. lol

    I have really enjoyed working out there, and have definitely kept up with it because when I used to work out by myself (at home) I was more likely to cheat (I wasn't spending any money to get in shape then so I felt like I could do whatever I want, now that I pay $20 I feel like I am wasting that money if I don't get in shape or work out). The gym is also contract FREE & tanning (for those who tan) all for $20/month (that's the special deal, where tanning, massage chairs are free & guest pass are unlimited) It helps to work out with a friend too because if one doesn't feel like working out & the other does.. either or tries to push the other. God I feel like a Planet Fitness commercial haha

    Good luck hun! I hope you find somewhere you enjoy to work out because being comfortable is a big part of working out. If some one doesn't feel confident of course they aren't going to exercise as much, or at all.
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    I've never felt wanted to do anything but high five people when I see them exercising--especially heavier people because I suspect that many of them feel/felt the same embarrassment but they are doing it anyway.

    Some people probably are judging you. But those same jerks are probably judging the skinny people out there too. They just like to judge. The rest think you are awesome!
  • Crunchytxmama
    Crunchytxmama Posts: 169 Member
    I totally felt that way when I started. The thing that helped me was that I decided to work out at a small, neighborhood YMCA, instead of a big box gym. I would workout in the morning with all the senior citizens, because they didn't care how I looked, lol. I would try to find a less intimidating environment until you get used to exercising. The more you do it, the easier it will get :smile:

    After a while, I realized that even the people who looked more "fit" often seemed to have no idea what they were doing. I also realized that even a lot of the fitness instructors are overweight and on their own weight loss journey.
  • ebh1024
    ebh1024 Posts: 186
    It is easy to struggle and worry about "how everyone else thinks of us", but don't let that get you. I think that you should be proud to even want to exercise and make an effort. There are many people not even trying. I too personally think that when I see someone exercising no matter what shape they are in, then "kudos" to them. You want to be a healthier person inside and out, so go for it! Get that MP3 and enjoy! I love listening to music and just focusing on the music, totally tune everything out. You will see, it will make a difference and who knows maybe after a while everyone will be looking at you and saying...Boy I wished I could do that or looked like that! Never stop trying anything...you will do great.
  • MissingMinnesota
    MissingMinnesota Posts: 7,486 Member
    Ugh last night I was at the gym and instead of going into the cardio cinema like I usually do since I didn't like the movie playing I went to the one open treadmill in the normal cardio area. Next to me were these two guys that were talking about pretty much every girl that walked by. I couldn't stand it ,I could hear them over my headphones. It just ruined my cardio work out last night. I know its a one off thing but come on keep that in the locker room. It was a good thing that I had 50 minutes of leg and core work out before getting on the treadmill as I could only stand it for about 20 minutes.
  • dmags
    dmags Posts: 303
    Hanr,

    So, are you still going? I hope you did not let others stand in your way. Be proud of yourself for working so hard!
  • hanr
    hanr Posts: 20
    Thanks so much everyone for your support! It means so much to have a group of people say such nice and supportive things. Some great suggestions too!!

    I've been off here for a couple of months... eep.. but have somehow managed to lose some weight (5kg or 11lbs). :happy:

    Planet fitness sounds amazing, if only there was one near me. I hardly go the the gym at all because of the cost (the cheapest I can find near me is one that's $5 a visit), my issue is mostly with running/walking/riding my bike in public.

    You people are all so lovely, and have totally motivated me to get out there. I'm going to go jump on my bike right now and ride my guts out!

    Thanks so much :heart:
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