Not Hating, Why Do Women Struggle With The Gym?

Having skimmed most of the comments above I agree and disagree with the majority of them.
I love the gym - I hate the mirrors in the class room though, much prefer not to see me joggling around when doing BodyCombat, but thats my own issue.

I dont use the weights section of the gym because like so many people here, I'm intimidated by the big bulky men and I dont fully think I know what to do.

But since I do Bodypump, I go to a section on another floor where they have a few weights etc and do my own little Bodypump workout there, where you dont get the bodybuilders. I am interested in doing more lifting though after joining this site and ready up about it which means I'll probably have to venture down at some point.

As for the treadmill etc, just hop on and go. Frig what people think. Yeh my boobs probably jiggle and I might look abit daft being red and sweaty but hey, its making me fitter and better. Being bigger I think people assume aswell that your gona run for like a minute before passing out (which is fine when your starting out by the way) so I love getting on beside someone who gives you that 'look' then outrunning them. Competitive?? moi?? Underneath though, to me it shows you cant judge people.

That little skinny person, cycling whilst on their phone not breaking a sweat - if you want to use the gym for that, fine.
But respect the fact that people go there to destress, get fitter, stronger and healthier.

I think a very large part of it is that women are afraid that they will be judged as somehow "imperfect" --- too fat, too thin, to muscular, too this, not enough that.... ironically, because THEY ARE SO HARSHLY JUDGMENTAL of others.

I agree. The judgement and the "looks" don't usually come from men. They couldn't care less.

When you come to a gym, and you're not in shape, you get dissed a lot.
People sneer at you, class leaders tell you you should lose weight before you show up, etc.

That's terrible1 You must have been to a really awful gym! I've been a member of tons of gyms and found that pretty much everyone there is only interested in themselves. However I realise it often only takes one look / overheard comment to destroy a person's confidence.

I'm a women and I LOVE working out and sweating and the gym, I love sports and I love it because makes me feel a lot better about myself.
About the "I'm too fat, afraid of judgement" thing, I think people need to understand everyone starts somewhere.
You don't owe anything to no one. You are at the gym to change yourself and to satisfy yourself. Don't care about others.

I have a friend that won't join my gym (won't even come when I have a free pass for her) because "I don't work out with guys". :laugh:

She claims that they are all just there to oogle the girls and get dates. I tell her over and over again that everyone either has their headphones in and does their own thing, or creates mild chit-chat with people you see often. She won't believe me. Oh well.

I used to gravitate towards the cardio area only because I didn't know what I was doing in the weight section. I still consider myself a strength training newbie but having a trainer has helped a lot with confidence with machines and dumbbells.

I never had much trouble with the body image issue at the gym because I realized a long time ago that most people aren't thinking about me and watching me extensively, they're focused on themselves and their workout. However, I understand that people who are very overweight/obese may have issues in a gym environment I'm not exposed to.

I'm currently at a small, private gym that caters to serious lifters and yes, some of the women look like fitness models, it's crazy. I just try to remember that it takes a lot of time and effort for them to maintain their physiques and if I stay dedicated it'll pay off for me too.

The gym is my favorite place to be! I have loved it since the day i got a personal trainer and got my butt kicked so bad i couldnt move lol. When i realized what i was capable of....i never looked back! Im sad when i dont go.

For me, it is because I am unsure of what to do and I feel intimidated. I am working with a personal trainer now who is showing me how to do a variety of things in the gym (free weights, cables, stability ball, resistant bands, and Pilates) and the intimidation is decreasing but I have yet to go at it on my own. Prior to working with the trainer I would do the treadmill or elliptical because that is what I knew how to do. It was easier to do what I knew than to be embarrassed for doing the weights incorrectly and being laughed at.

This is the same for me too. I look like a *kitten* wandering around the weight area like a lost child.

In my experience ( and I am very big and this may not be everyone reasoning) it's because people have either told me my sessions are not long enough or that I haven't worked hard enough or because they have asked me how I have the bare faced cheek to even attend seeing as I look like a bulga whale. Unsurprisingly it is only now that I have access to a gym at work and work closely with the sports therapist in my role as a mental health nurse that I have tried again. The difference is that the people from work that attend, although very fit are very supportive of my efforts.

WTF kind of gym were you going to? I'm not a small woman, but I love the gym and I workout hard. I get nothing but encouragement from the guys and fit ladies in the gym. Glad you found a better environment. Sheesh.