Fattest girl at the gym
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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.0 -
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:0 -
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.0
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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!0 -
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!0 -
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!
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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.
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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. 0 -
Self-improvement is the point. Fat people who go to the gym are not out of place. Vast majority will approve.0
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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 0 -
I tend to be judgy of people who are just burning time and 'pretending' to exercise, not based on their size. You'll get more respect as the fat chick who's rocking her workout than the skinny girl who might as well not even be there. That being said, if gymtimidation would keep you from getting in your exercise, you can absolutely rock a work out at home with little or no financial investment.
Same. There was this woman I always used to see during the "resolution rush" at my gym. She'd get on the elliptical next to me for 6 minutes at 3 MPH and then stop. You might say "maybe she was lifting after" but no, she wasn't.
I get really annoyed when I see this kind of stuff, because I know she's probably telling everyone that she's "working out" but "not losing weight."
But to be less of a negative jerk, I was never the biggest woman/person in the gym, but I was very embarrassed to go in there and huff and puff and sweat at my starting weight. I am 10 lbs away from my goal now, and I never would have gotten here if I didn't keep going back despite being embarrassed. Keep it up, don't worry about what other people think.0 -
If you're there working hard, I can virtually guarantee that most people are silently cheering you on. Any people that are exceptions to that statement aren't worth worrying about - they have their own issues.
Having been bigger, I'm no stranger to the feeling that I needed to get into shape to go to the gym, but having lost weight I know those feelings were unjustified. Now when I'm at the gym and see someone my original size (or larger), I'm just thinking 'good for you...' and admire the courage on display.
So go to the gym - the only thing you need to worry about is your workout! 0 -
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!i have the most respect out of anyone for the biggest people at the gym. theyre the ones trying to start new good habits, theyre the ones carrying around 100 extra lbs on that treadmill, theyre the ones who have to work against everything they have gotten used to in their life in order to try and better themselves. its like someone looking at the base of mt. everest and saying "y'know what, *kitten* it, ima climb that f*cker. it may beat the hell out of me, people may think im a fool or my efforts are fruitless, but i will climb"
everyone is self conscious at first, but eventually you realize that most people in the gym are concentrated on their own workouts, and if they arent then they are wasting their time and money at the gym0 -
That's why I bought a treadmill. Well, one reason. Other was the gym was a 15 minute drive and with kids, that's crazy. Gas too... so it was cheaper. I have vad anxiety because of my weight and all the young, skinny, bimbo types at the gym were not helping that.0
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don't sweat it. you keep doing your thing. you should compare yourself to who you were yesterday rather than comparing yourself to those in the gym. keep on keeping on!!!0
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No wonder what your size I promise you no one is thinking negative of you. Trust me they are cheering for you! OK there MIGHT be a dirtbag thinking "ha ha look at her" but a dirtbag is that way to everyone, a person's size has nothing to do with it, he trash talks everyone and he's a loser.
Most people at the gym are not athletes, they also started new. If you are heavy and stand out, they are cheering for you. Hoping or praying or wishing you well - feel those good thoughts!! If you are new to the gym or inexperienced in a different area (say the weight room or elliptical), they probably will not reach out to you,. It's just common in a gym no matter what your size or ability, other than a hello it takes a long time to meet people there. Say hello to a friendly face, everyone likes that. People watching is a great way to learn. Fri night, Sat or Sun afternoon are the best time to go. It,'s not too busy and this is when the most dedicated ones are there. They are usually very nice and this is the perfect time to learn new things by watching others because they are experienced. BIG reason to go to they gym at that time- it's also not crowed so you will not feel pressure or rushed.
If you jog or run outside, no one thinks you're too slow or jiggle too much. You are out there & doing it. They see you and are thinking "I need to get my run in too" or "Good for her! I wish my (insert name of loved one) would give that a try" stuff like that.
Keep it up! Exercise is so important.
1. It makes you want to eat better
2. Reduces stress therefore emotional eating
3. More muscle means better weight loss. It is hard to lose weight by diet alone.
4. You are rewarded by how much better your body functions over time as your fitness improves.
5. Rewards are important! Set rewards for yourself like $10 of new music on your i pod, new workout clothes, splurge at the salon, a cool pair of sneakers.
6. Pay attention to how you are getting stronger and faster. Track your time and distance covered, you will keep improving. Run Keeper is great for tracking lots of exercise not just running - and they email you when you break your record.
7. Don't just check weight. Measure your body, you can track that on here. If you gain muscle but lose fat the scale won't tell you but you need to measure your body or at least an unforgiving pair of jeans to know. Look up a picture of 1 pound of muscle vs fat - and remember how strong you are getting with you exercise!
8. Consistent high quality exercise will keep your mind, emotions and body strong.0 -
Exactly. I was nearly 300 lbs, but I just did it. No one was paying attention to me in the least.Meh. I'm almost always the fattest person at the gym. Doesn't bother me. Go in, do your thing, and don't worry about anyone else. Can almost guarantee that they aren't worrying about you.0 -
At my first marathon there was around 6,000 people. I was the fattest one by far. I have ran that same marathon 6 times and each year there more people bigger than me.
Use your gym situation as motivation. I am much more impressed with a heavy set girl pushing herself sweating buckets becuse she is working hard than I am with a supper skinny girl in makeup that isn't working up a sweat.
Also stop comparing yourself to others. Compare yourself to who your going to be0 -
Being the fattest girl at the gym is better than being the skinniest broad at the buffet.
I had a line very similar I was about to type. This guy beat me to it. As he said, at least you are the fattest girl at the gym. That means you are doing better than most. Keep it up!0 -
I've never been really big, but I have seen larger women at the gym. While they may feel self conscious, I see something different. I see strength and commitment within them. They are there to make a change. It is beautiful to me. Don't feel discouraged. You are an inspiration to many. By being there you are showing people that you have dedicated yourself to a healthy change. You show us that it's never too late to be healthy. For all of us at the gym, we know that it is a lifestyle change to better our health. We are there because fitness is an everyday thing. I'm glad you are part of the club.0
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I was ONCE the fattest girl at the gym. It's the gym that's responsible for me NOT being that anymore, though.
I can see it from a perspective, though, where it's like, "Hey, I don't WANT your kudos. You think you're cool because you're praising me for doing what I should have been doing all along? You think that makes you sensitive to my problems? Eff off." I really CAN see how some people might feel about that. Me, I'll take praise if you want to give it to me, but others, yeah - they don't want attention called to it. Totally get that.
I just go in, do my workout, and leave - I'm not there to win friends or influence people, heh. If I see someone bigger than me in there now, I just look at them for a second, think, "Yeah, I've been where you are. You can do it.", and that's the end of it. I've got other fish to fry. So to speak.0 -
I remember at 220 lbs (5'3" tall) thinking that I should join a fitness boot camp. Brilliant! I even called and asked if there were any big girls in the class and was told yes. Well...I walked in the first day to a group of 20 women that were no where near big girls. The largest one was maybe 10-20 pounds overweight tops. My mantra became: I'm not doing this for them, I'm doing it for me. Sure, I was aware that I didn't have the physical abilities that they did. For example, I couldn't run at first. But you can bet your butt that I could by the end and they were all commenting on how much I had improved. I still couldn't run as fast or as hard. But it was my improvement that mattered. I had proven that I could do it...to myself - because that's what matters 0
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I just don't care....I pay my membership not them and I am not going to let pretty/fit people get in my way of my goals. Sometimes I am the heaviest girl there and sometimes I'm not. Either way that doesn't interest me and I just focus on what I have to do and not on what other people are doing. 9 out of 10 times everyone else is in their zone too so it is all in your head anyways!0
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i feel the same way being a big girl at the gym. I was actually laughed at by two other females about a week ago that was in the gym at the same time. They were laughing while I was doing my squats. My husband became upset I told him dont worry about it. I was fine. For the simple fact one did not last five minutes of the treadmill and the other did not last five minutes on the epiletical. They were wearing corsets. I was just smh I was like they taking pics and posing like they are working out and they are wearing a corset while attempting to workout I was waiting for them to passout and hit the floor I was going to step right over them and walk to the weights.
Just keep going. We all must start somewhere. At least you are not on the couch not trying to make a change.0 -
i've taught myself that it's none of my business what other people think of me. we can't change others. we can only change ourselves. even if you have to repeat over and over while you are at the gym "this is for me..i am worth it" and positive messages like that, whatever it takes...to focus on ourselves and our experience.0
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I wouldn't be surprised if you are the only person who has noticed this.0
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I can appreciate what you're saying - but as a regular gym goer I have to say that I'm not even paying attention to the size of others or what they are doing and I'm sure I speak for 99% of others also. Just go in there and do your thing....that's what everyone else is doing. Stop being concerned with what others may (or may NOT) be thinking and try to give others the benefit of the doubt. Even if I did happen to notice someone was overweight at the gym....my thoughts would positive ones and not negative. You're there right?
Good luck to you.0 -
Not good enough. There is this huge guy at the gym who is always on the treadmill and the elliptical and he keeps coming back. He keeps workign it and sweating up his shirt. One day I won't see him because he will be the thin guy next to me that I never noticed.
Unless you are able to go for long walks on your own, and exercise at home, the gym is your only recourse. Go, put on your headphones, put your kindle on the treadmill and read and walk and listen to some music.
Git 'er done, girl!0 -
Gyms are for people who don't need gyms, in my experience.
(WHAT! What does that even mean? Nonsense)"GOD that woman is skinny! How can she even function?"
(I gotta say, I've seen three different chicks who looked like beanpoles on the cardio machines and thought the same thing - Shudders)0 -
I wouldn't stay home because of your size - only if home is what you prefer. I'm not sure which gym you go to but I have been a member of different gyms over the years and bra tops are a rarity with maybe less than 10 percent of women every wearing the skimpy bra top/boy short combo. The 'go to' outfit for most women seems to be yoga pants and a tank top. I'm not sure what choice you have in gyms but I go to Good Life and it really lives up to its slogan "good for every body". I see every size and age at my local. That said, there is another gym close by that I think I would find intimidating (and unaffordable - for the rich and beautiful set!). I suggest you look around and find what works for you. The best gyms create an atmosphere where everyone is welcome and you just have to bring your can do attitude. Also the women you envy and think might be judging you, have probably walked in your shoes at one point and worked hard for their hot body. These are the women that make the best mentors.0
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