Anxiety about going to the gym

Just do it anyway! Do not focus on others, as they are likely not focused on you. Once you go a few times, you will probably notice people of all different shapes and sizes and fitness abilities. Just do you! No excuses!!

Everyone has to start somewhere. The more you go the more you learn. Don't be nervous, just do your own thing :flowerforyou:

Just think of it this way- if you go or don't go you're still paying for it right? Don't you want to get your moneys worth and benefit from all the things your gym has to offer? Other people at the gym likely aren't even paying attention to anyone but themselves, so don't be concerned that they are judging you or anything like that. And in the very unlikely situation that anyone says anything rude to you, report it to the management. They don't take things like that lightly.

Instead of using them as intimidation, try and see them as motivation. They're there for themselves (they're not focused on you), and the reason they're fit is because they go to the gym.
Focus on yourself and before you know it, you'll be one of the fit people at the gym.

Anxiety is hard. In the end, it is unreasonable, but it can be really hard to come. Do some slow breathing and ask yourself: do you want to be afraid and frail? Or do you want to get in there and join the ranks of the super fit? (Listening to Eye of the Tiger won't hurt.)

Plus, we're all here cheering you on! :flowerforyou: Come back and tell us how your experience was, okay?

You're paying membership fees for the gym right? So go there and do what you came to do. Doesn't matter what everyone else is doing or what they look like. You all share a common goal. Majority of them probably won't pay any attention to you, cause their focused on what their doing. So just relax, everything will be fine.

Is it possible to go at a different time? I usually go first thing in the morning and the crowd is good. Whenever I've gone after work it's packed and I can see why it could be intimidating.

Otherwise, as hard as it may be, just go in and do your thing, confidence will come in time.

I started running outside about a year ago and my run route is close to a few schools, all of which get let out when I go for my run. So At first I had to deal with my paranoid delusions that people where looking at me, but that became motivation to keep going and not stop because I didn't want to have to look at them as I huffed and puffed. Eventually I got used to the glances from people and now I don't even give it a second thought. If they look if they don't it doesn't matter cause I'm doing it for me not them.

However, a few days ago when I passed the school where all the parents line up to pick up there kids, there was a woman who gave me a big smile and a thumbs up. :P (I got a few high fives from other runners too from time to time). But it just reminds me that there are good people out there who want to see you succeed even if they don't know you. You might even meet someone there who offers good advice. But either way, you're going to the gym for you, so don't deprive yourself of that because you're worried other people are looking.

I used to feel anxious about the gym. I still do, occasionally, if I'm moving on to something I didn't normally do. I stuck with treadmills and 'what I knew' for far too long because of that. But after a few years, I just stopped worrying (mostly) about what others might think and just went for it. I moved to weight machines and soon will move on to the Smith Machines, then free weights, then.... Baby steps. We've all been there. No worries.