Fattest girl at the gym

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  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    i'm the slowest runner in my triathlon club. so what?
  • fatfrost
    fatfrost Posts: 365 Member
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    Being the fattest girl at the gym is better than being the skinniest broad at the buffet.
  • Rancerox
    Rancerox Posts: 28 Member
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    Let me tell you that people in the gym don't really care that much about others. But if asked about the bigger people in the gym, they usually all have the same response.

    "It's good to see they are trying to do something about it".

    Don't compare yourself to others. Just compare your clothing every few months.

    Very much agree. Most individuals at the gym are there for the same reason; to get healthier. We are at different stages, is all.

    Most of the time, I'm spending time concentrating on my lifting form to really notice anyone else around me. Either that, or I'm trying to keep awake while doing cardio.

    The few times I will look at another individual is if they are doing a weight exercise I want to add, and see how they are doing it first.
  • Morgaath
    Morgaath Posts: 679 Member
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    For the last week when I leave work I have seen a woman who is obese jogging around my business park. She is maybe doing 3mph, and often stops and walks a ways before starting to run again (Just occurred to me that she might be doing intervals...duh!)...but I have far more respect for her then any of the folks leaving her in the dust.

    Same for the guy at my gym who couldn't do push ups on his knees when he started, because his stomach wasn't off the ground when his arms where fully extended. He puts more effort into everything then the guys curling all day, and despite barely being able to walk when he leaves he is always smiling and telling his trainer "I'll be better next time".

    I see you in the gym, making an effort, I know you are doing so much more than the countless folks sitting on a couch talking about "starting to diet/workout tomorrow". And you've already taken the hardest step...you started.

    In the beginning the mental battles are harder than the physical workouts.
  • Chimis_Siq
    Chimis_Siq Posts: 849 Member
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    Good for you! Everyone in the gym has the same goal, so the fact that you are "bigger" and working it out says alot about your strength, your determination, and your motivation! That is inspirational in itself. You never know, at one point you will be kicking *kitten* on the machines and someone who is smaller than you will be on that machine and you will kick their *kitten* on it..and therefore inspiring them that if you can do it , they can do it!

    Its all how you look at the situations.

    Im one of the bigger girls at the gym, at 230 lbs I can kick most of the peoples *kitten* on the stairs, I can keep up with the skinniest girl in the room...so dont be ashamed. Keep kicking *kitten* and the physical will follow :)
  • tildastwistedlife
    tildastwistedlife Posts: 85 Member
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    Right now I work out at home because I have lots of options here (Zumba for the Wii, weights and a treadmill), but I intend on eventually joining a gym. Whenever I think about being the biggest one at the gym, I think about THIS

    http://flintland.blogspot.com/2012/05/hey-fat-girl.html

    and the fact that EVERYBODY has things they don't like about their body. We just need to stay out of the middle school mentality of thinking that anyone is really paying all that much attention to us. Most people are worried more about their own workout.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    Stop comparing yourself to others. They probably aren't even paying attention to you. And if they're anything like me, they're thinking "Good for you!"

    And remember, even thin people don't always feel confident about their bodies. There are probably a lot of insecure people there besides you.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
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    Also don't forget that some of those "fit" people may have been where you are, right now. People sort of assume that the way you are now, in front of them, is how you've always been. It's just not the case. And honestly, most of the people there are doing their own stuff anyway, so I wouldn't worry so much about them focusing on you.

    How true. Often we think people are judging us when in fact we are also judging them. Most visibly fit (not just thin) people had to do hard work to get that way.
  • Hippiemomof4
    Hippiemomof4 Posts: 10 Member
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    Your not alone..I battle with this too, but luckily I found a trainer who at one time was 100 pounds overweight and he looks fabulous now, that motivates me. It was very hard for me at first to go in there for many of the same reasons you listed. But today, after my first hardcore legs workout I was in the locker room sitting for a moment, my body was just trembling and this super cute little skinny girl sat down next to me and asked me if I was okay, said she noticed how hard I was working and told me not to give up...that really made me feel better, most of those skinny girls in tights started out just where we are..and I learned today that most of them are just rooting for us and not judging.
  • SapiensPisces
    SapiensPisces Posts: 1,001 Member
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    Even after losing 65+ lbs, I'm still one of the fattest people at my gym.

    You have to realize that everyone there is just as human as you are, and if you paid your membership fees, you have every right to be there just as they do regardless of your size.

    Wear clothes that you're comfortable in, plug in your earbuds or whatever you use for music/video/etc., and just go do your thing. You may even find that some of the people people you are intimidated by aren't so very different from you after all.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    Let me tell you that people in the gym don't really care that much about others. But if asked about the bigger people in the gym, they usually all have the same response.

    "It's good to see they are trying to do something about it".


    That is me.

    I could care less who is there....
    And if I do see a big(ger) person, I am of the mind that hey, at least they are here doing something....and hopefully they know that eating plays a major role in what they are trying to do.
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
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    1st: Read this:
    http://imperfectlife.net/ilovemyuglybody/


    2nd.
    I'd bet a lot of those people started out exactly where you are.

    3rd.
    there is this woman who attends the Zumba class I attend. She is very large. I have so much respect for her and I wish, when I was bigger, that I had the motivation and preservence and state of mind to go workout like she does. She's not very good at controlling her diet (since we've had many conversations), but man does she work that Zumba class. And wow do I have all kinds of admiration for her.

    4th
    The only time anyone really looks at you, is when they want to use the equipment you are on. :~p I literally walked straight into my ex the other day, because I wasn't paying any attention to the other people at the gym. I was just thinking about my next exercise and the form I am working on.

    5th
    Screw em. If they look then hold your head up and let your fabulousness shine through. They are just jealous!! :drinker:
  • phelan999
    phelan999 Posts: 37 Member
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    I am on the larger side of the girls in the gym. I have never been made fun of, or made to feel uncomfortable by the girls who are already fit and/or slim. I don't wear tights out of concern for those who may be on the treadmill behind me :noway: Just kidding - I dress comfortably and I get the workout done and I go home.
  • SpectreFiend
    SpectreFiend Posts: 3
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    You will find with just about every social activity in life there will always be the elitist tools, but who seriously gives a flying .... what they think or have to say?

    When you join a "club" you will find that most people will support you and be proud of what you do. You should be proud of the fact you are showing up. Proud to do that one extra push up the next week, lose that 1 extra pound, put that second "cupcake" down...You are all like minded individuals chasing a common goal.

    Just think, when you get where you want to be; your ideal weight/size and one day the new "Fattest girl at the gym" arrives - even though it may not have happened to you - go up to them, encourage them, be an inspiration. Your weight loss can mean a lot to others as well.

    From what I have seen I am the biggest at my gym (though I have only been a couple times thus far) all of the other guys there are in shape/cut/buffed/fit... I struggle to do my push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks... they see me. I just don't care.

    The last place I was at, I was the most out of shape. I would get my a** handed to me every night, I struggled to finish an entire hours session. I would have to stop about 30-45 mins in (at least once) to catch my breath, but I made damn sure to be back the next session.

    Just keep up the good work and stay strong!
  • Mrsbeale11
    Mrsbeale11 Posts: 126 Member
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    For the last week when I leave work I have seen a woman who is obese jogging around my business park. She is maybe doing 3mph, and often stops and walks a ways before starting to run again (Just occurred to me that she might be doing intervals...duh!)...but I have far more respect for her then any of the folks leaving her in the dust.

    Same for the guy at my gym who couldn't do push ups on his knees when he started, because his stomach wasn't off the ground when his arms where fully extended. He puts more effort into everything then the guys curling all day, and despite barely being able to walk when he leaves he is always smiling and telling his trainer "I'll be better next time".

    I see you in the gym, making an effort, I know you are doing so much more than the countless folks sitting on a couch talking about "starting to diet/workout tomorrow". And you've already taken the hardest step...you started.

    In the beginning the mental battles are harder than the physical workouts.

    This inspired me!
  • feherd
    feherd Posts: 34 Member
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    I've been lurking on posts for the last few days, and now I'm finally posting.
    I keep reading posts about people being self-conscious at the gym. As a smaller person with not a lot of weight to lose, I can tell you that when I'm at the gym, I'm focusing on what I'm doing and not everyone else. And when I do see a bigger person, I definitely am not going to judge them for being there - they are trying to do something about their weight. Good for them!

    Only you can allow people to make you feel bad about yourself. Keep up the good work and just focus on you! :)
  • Erin_goBrahScience
    Erin_goBrahScience Posts: 1,215 Member
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    I'm always extremely uncomfortable at the gym because of the fact.. I am the fattest girl at the gym.
    All the other girls are in their sports bras and tights & I'm just in there blobbing it. Yes, it makes me want to gym it up more and work-out even harder but at the same time I want to go home and hide away in my room and eat cake and be sad.. hahaha. No but seriously is there anyone else uncomfortable or having negative emotions at the gym because you realize you're the biggest there?

    I am a fat girl. I am not ashamed of it nor am I proud of it. It's something I wish to change and to do so, I have to work on it. Part of that requires me to get over my insecurities and do what has to be done. So you let yourself be vulnerable and humble and you just focus on you.

    The one thing I have taken away from this site is that the stereotype of "lunkhead" or the fit-gym goers that hate on the fatties is crap. Most (really like 99%) of the people at the gym are self conscious too. They are like you and just plugged into their music and doing their best. They aren't even looking at you (unless you are falling off the treadmill or stuck under a barbell, and then they will help and see if you're ok).

    The 1% that are jerks, would be jerks regardless of where they were. Cause it's just who they are.

    Just do your thing, and be courteous to others and you will be just fine. :wink:
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
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    Even after losing 65+ lbs, I'm still one of the fattest people at my gym.

    You have to realize that everyone there is just as human as you are, and if you paid your membership fees, you have every right to be there just as they do regardless of your size.

    Wear clothes that you're comfortable in, plug in your earbuds or whatever you use for music/video/etc., and just go do your thing. You may even find that some of the people people you are intimidated by aren't so very different from you after all.

    haha. I was intimated by the squat rack for the longest time.. It wasn't' the rack itself.. It was using it while know the muscly fit guys were hovering there waiting for me to be done.. Because i'm a slow squatter, Because I feel like I have no idea what i'm doing in "that section" of the gym. Because i'm not a ripped super fit person. I finally joined them in their hovering and got on it and ya know what, it felt great :) I had to wait... now so can they. And my muscles thank me for it.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    Self-improvement is the point. Fat people who go to the gym are not out of place. Vast majority will approve.
  • LessHeavyVeggie
    LessHeavyVeggie Posts: 208 Member
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    I don't go to the gym, but I'm a big girl who's started running (doing c25k) and in the woodland where I run I have never come across anyone else running who isn't really fit looking! When I first started I would pause the program and walk when I saw someone as I was embarrassed to be the fattie running. But as the weather's been getting better there are more people around and I realised I was disrupting my workout by stopping so now I bite the bullet and just keep going - I still felt embarrassed and looked at the ground, but it felt like such an achievement! A couple of days ago I was near the end of the last running section and had a stitch and was panting when I saw a gorgeous, athletic female runner coming so I slowed down and was about to stop when she smiled and said 'keep going!'. That little bit of encouragement felt so good and showed me she wasn't judging me, so on today's run when I saw someone coming towards me I thought of her, carried on and felt great!

    One day when I'm the fit runner I'll make sure to encourage anyone who's struggling as I can't believe what a difference that has made for me mentally!

    So, if I were you, I'd take the words of encouragement people have given you on this thread and put them in your head next time you're feeling uncomfortable at the gym!

    Yes that was really corny - unusual for me, but it's all true! Best of luck and keep at it :smile:

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