When did you feel 'slim' enough for gym?

I just jumped in from day one. No one will jeer at you. Most likely they won't pay any attention to you. They will be busy with their own workout. I didn't like seeing myself in all the mirrors at first, but now I love what I see. Just do it! You will be glad you did. :-)

I was an athlete in high school and I was fat, and I still worked out, so I can't say that I've felt how you felt. (Except maybe when I started lifting.)

You have to do this for you. Are there going to be judgmental a-holes? Yes. But honestly, most people will respect you and cheer you on, especially the people here.

You are only hurting yourself by not doing the things you want to do, because of what other people think.

Good luck!

I understand where you are coming from and I felt the same way, but at the end of the day, you are there for you and nobody else. Plus once you get into your workout, everybody else eventually fades into the background.

I understand how you feel! But honestly, the only way to overcome that anxiety is to just do it. I agree with JoRocka, it's more in your head. I too felt anxiety to go the first time as well, but I just went for it. Maybe go very early so it's not so crowded. I also started going to zumba classes. At first I felt uncoordinated and out of place, but I talked to the instuctor and she helped so much. She herself had lost 100 lbs so she understood exactly how I felt. Also, for most classes, they say do what's comfortable, even if you can't do all the moves. I believe you can do it!

Yeah I know how you feel. I say to myself okay when I'm at 160 I'll join the gym because by then I'll be 20 pounds away from my goal and probably be pretty confident with my body. But yeah how do I know that lol?

Thanks everyone. I do realise a lot of it is in my head. I know most people there will just be getting on with there own thing but my confidence is so low all it would take would be a comment from one idiot and id leave and probably not come back. I need to work on not caring so much what others think of me I guess. I was told for so long that I was too fat to exercise I cant get myself to stop believing it now.

Be strong. I know you can do it. Like I said before, if anyone is judging you, they're terrible people.

Indeed, nobody really cares about other than themselves/their workout partners in the gym.

And now that i'm in somewhat decent shape, and notice an obese person in the gym i just think to myself "they're trying to do something about their weight, good for them" i'm sure i'm not the only one.

I weighed over 300 pounds when I joined the gym. Luckily I found a gym that I like. 4.5 years later I am still going and I weigh 120 pounds less. It was a little awkward for me at first, but that was because of me, not because of anyone in the gym. No one in the gym cared what I was doing.

Until recently I'd always been the fattest one in my fitness class. I'm just adding to what others have said, really. Just try it. I love it, and it's empowering to be active, strong and healthy, no matter what your weight is.
Even when I was at my fattest (around a UK size 22), no one said anything snidey or uncomplimentary to me: people are generally very helpful and supportive. It's only you that's holding yourself back: no one else. Go for it and hopefully ion a few weeks you'll be loving it and wondering why you ever worried about joining one.

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I have a lot more respect for not so in shape people at the gym than for fit looking people! It means they are taking control of their life/health and actually doing something about it.

I know it's not easy, but go for it! It will be easier after a couple time you go and you start seeing familiar faces

here here! i think much more highly of people who have bigger goals for themselves. seeing everyone at the gym focused on their goals motivates me more to think about what i want to accomplish that day, and in life... i couldn't care less what anyone looks like.

The best way to feel comfortable in the gym is to get a personal trainer for the first 4 or 5 sessions. This will get you into a routine, you will know what you are doing, and will be so focused on your own workout that you won't worry what other folks are thinking.

I started working out in a gym right after completing the Boston Marathon last year. I was in great shape but still felt self-conscious. After working out with a trainer for a few sessions I realized that most of my insecurities went away. I'm convinced that knowing what to do and having a routine are more important than what shape your body is in!

I had TOTAL anxiety about the gym, my mom even offered to pay the membership dues and I turned it down because the absolute last thing I wanted was a bunch of people to see me in spandex sweating my fat a** off and doing 1/10th of the work of what the "fit" people were doing.

But I was SO wrong. I finally just bit the bullet and joined one of the "big box" gyms in my area, mostly because I could do the paperwork online and not have to go in and be shown around by some big strong trainer lol! With the support of my MFP friends I gave it a shot and guess what - not a single person gave me a second look! (Except for one particularly creepy dude on his cell phone watching me do the hip adductor machine... ew.)

Obviously it's not going to be the same experience everywhere, but I was SHOCKED at how much of that anxiety I was having was blown out of proportion! Everyone is there working on their own bodies, no one really seemed to care much about mine! If it helps, you could also try going with a friend and working out together - strength in numbers!! But even if you go by yourself just hold your head up high and if anyone sneers at you you can always default to the good ol "My fat is temporary but your ugliness is forever!" comeback