Self conscience.

Just remember that everyone there started somewhere, too. Everybody was new at some point. Maybe find a staff member at the gym and ask them to show you how some of the equipment works? Might be an icebreaker for getting around in a gym.

Just remember a lot of the people at the gym are so "zoned" into their own workouts they are probably not watching you at all! If it does bother you try to go at a quiet time. Good Luck with your workouts! I just joined a gym 2 weeks ago!

Just to make you feel a little better, I actually work at a gym and i could lose a few lbs..like 30 and i work with basically a bunch a "meat heads" and they LOVE seeing people just start out! They have so much respect for people when they decided to change their lives. I told all of them I was on a diet and they literally do nothing but make sure i'm staying on track and motivate me. They arent judging you they are respecting you

I used to be the same way! I have found that having a very specific plan of what I was going to do, how many sets, and in what order really helped me. When I have a plan, I feel focused and not like I'm just wandering around being clueless. Also, I would watch videos online in advance (like on bodybuilding.com where I got my workout plan from or you could just go to youtube probably) of experienced people doing the exercises on my plan for the day and would even sometimes practice the movements without weights at home before going in so I could feel more confident in my form. Remember that everyone is usually so wrapped up in what they're doing, they won't be paying any attention to you and the more you go, the more and more confident you will be! Go for it! :happy:

I am the same way in every other aspect of life...except the gym. I go to the gym, I pull my hair back in a knot, I get stinky and sweaty and my concentrating face is NOT pretty. But I just do not give a crap because while I'm there, I'm there for me, and I know that everyone else there is there for themselves, too. What gym do you go to? Sometimes it helps to find a gym that isn't a big "name" like Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, Gold's, etc. Those are the ones that big ol' meatheads pick first, and while I've met very nice and non-judgmental big ol' meatheads, sometimes it helps to stay away because we, as less fit folk, feel like they are judging us. And you know what? Sometimes, they are! But it comes down to whether or not you have the guts to say who cares. They don't know your heart, your brain, or even your name, and chances are you won't ever see them again, so it's not worth worrying over. Hope I helped.

The ONLY time I get irritated at someone in the weight section of the gym is when they're sitting there not doing anything and just taking up space. I wouldn't care if it's the most out of shape person I've ever seen only lifting 2lb dumbbells, I'd still be glad they're doing something. Honestly the beefed up idiots that do two reps then sit there texting for 10 minutes in between sets are the ones that anger me the most. Even if they are ripped.

And like everyone said, you have to start somewhere!

You'll always look better at a gym or being active than you would on the couch.

i find that the more i do something, the less self conscious i become about it, but the more i avoid doing something, the more self conscious i feel about it.

so i guess the good news is that you get to choose if you want to feel better or feel worse about working out at the gym.

Just remember that people are to worried about what they are doing or what is going on in there own life to be worried about strangers. Someone said this to me once and you know what it is true. Do you think omg what is that person doing here? And if they do it is a 2 second thought and they forget it as soon as they think it