Too fat to go to the gym?

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  • bugaboo_sue
    bugaboo_sue Posts: 552 Member
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    She claim it to be a joke but then complains about people staring. LOL that is so backwards. In all seriousness though, no one there cares how you started and how you look. I'm sure some want to see where you will finish.

    I agree with this.

    At my gym there's an obese gal who goes there (or used to any way. We don't go at the same time every day and she was there at a certain time) Any way I would see her there every day doing her thing and I actually looked forward to seeing her there and yeah I kind of want to see where she goes and watch the transformation.
  • casihalliar
    casihalliar Posts: 6 Member
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    Definitely keep going. Think about the good for YOURSELF - not about others looking at you. You're just the "new kid" like the above people have said. It's not because of your size. You're just used to (this is spoken from experience) thinking that it's because of your size. It's a hard thing to get past...we probably never actually get "over" it. But, just keep going and it'll HELP YOU get to your smaller, more-desired size, ya know? Good luck! Add me if you want - friends always help ya keep going!
    And KUDOS TO YOU for going to the gym at all!
  • awak3ned
    awak3ned Posts: 64
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    I actually look up to those bettering themsleves because I was/am still in that position of changing my body for the better, props to you for taking the first step!
  • drosebud
    drosebud Posts: 277 Member
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    I've been going to my gym for over ten years now and seen all ages, shapes and sizes. Turning it around, how would *you* feel if you saw someone bigger than you there? Would it bother you, because it shouldn't!

    I was a spectator at a sprint triathlon on Sunday and there were all types of sizes there. I find it quite inspirational and it would be a dull old world if we were all the same.
  • fejiofor
    fejiofor Posts: 373 Member
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    The good gym is the best place to be,so forget everyone and anyone and just go. I was working out on my own at home for over 5 months could not lose until I got to the gym. 2 months in and I lost 11 pounds. Some of us just need the gym effect to lose weight and carry on in our BeFit journey. Good luck.















    Aq
  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
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    No! You are never too fat to workout! (as long as your doctor says its okay of course)

    I think the best way to "get over it" is by exposure. Just go. Also try going over the scenario in your head when you're not at the gym. Think to yourself, what if all the people are looking at me? How am I going to react? What am I going to do if someone says something to me? And remind yourself that you're there to be healthy, not win any beauty contests or compete with anyone else.

    Its also possible that by going at different times of the day/week, you'll find different types of people. Try moving your times around as your schedule allows. I call the late morning hours during the week at my gym the "senior hour". I find its a helpful reminder that I'm doing this so I can be around at their age to be still working out.

    Does your gym do orientations? Maybe getting more comfortable with the equipment will help reduce some of your anxiety.

    Good luck! And remember that you are doing better than anyone else who isn't taking the steps to be healthier.

    Everything she said!! Sure, people look and may even be thinking certain things in their head but it is no concern of yours. No one is going to gather to belittle you or pick on you. If you are there busting your *kitten* people that may have thought negative things at first will be thinking......wow, look at her kicking *kitten*. Good for her! So, keep going, do your thing and don't worry about anyone else because 95% of everyone else are not concerned at all about anything but their workout.
  • ItsMeBlue
    ItsMeBlue Posts: 25 Member
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    everyone else is busy watching you because they think you see their imperfections.....this is the point where you have a decision to make...stop focusing on others opinions..and start changing your own opinion about yourself. You wont get respect until you respect your own body..trust me..I am living it! I'm a fat guy..but getting skinnier minnier by the day ..and almost at the point of being a "gym junkie"..these 3 days off drove me nuts! I'm glad to be at work so i could go workout and feel good the rest of my day!...in the immortal words of rob schneider's overly enthusiastic Cajun man ...." you can do eeet!"
  • jbrownnolan
    jbrownnolan Posts: 72 Member
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    I've seen some very large people at the gym, and yes I may be caught in a look once in a while, but that's because I am simply proud and in awe of them!!! I wish I could just blurt out what I'm thinking when I see a large person at the gym. If you could hear inside my head you would be hearing things like "Great Job" "Keep Going" "WOW, you are so strong" "You are much stronger than you think" "Don't stop" "I hope you come back tomorrow". I try my hardest not to look or stare, but please know, I'm not judging you, I am PROUD of you, keep up the AWESOME work :)
  • Moriarty_697
    Moriarty_697 Posts: 226 Member
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    I worried about that, too. I soon realized that most people at the gym are too busy doing their own thing to really care about who else is there. Go do your thing.
  • raiderrodney
    raiderrodney Posts: 617 Member
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    In the end, you are going for yourself so just keep your head up and keep at it ;)
  • MsMargie1116
    MsMargie1116 Posts: 323 Member
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    I got myself a gym membership on the weekend and I have been once, but the whole time I was very anxious, scared and intimidated that all the other members were looking at me. Especially the gym junkies and skinny Minnie's.

    How do I get past this feeling so that I can just go to the gym? Or should I put my membership on hold until I lose some more weight?

    I'm BARELY under 300lbs and I go... so, no you aren't too fat to go to the gym... :smile:

    You've don't have to be great to start, but you've got to start to be great!!! :smile:
  • RevCO30
    RevCO30 Posts: 176 Member
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    I didn't take the time to read through everyone's posts so this may be a repeat, but here goes...don't let other people determine your worth. You are worthy of making yourself healthy. Like others have said, most people aren't even paying attention to you, and if they are paying attention to you in a negative way, that's their problem. It's hard to do, I know...I have been/still am there. But get in that gym and give those calories hell!
  • Alex_murphyy
    Alex_murphyy Posts: 50 Member
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    The only person too fat to go to the gym is someone too fat to get in the door, and since most gyms have a double door at the entry I'm not sure it's humanly possible to get that large without dying first.

    Snooty hook-up gyms do exist, but at a "real" gym, people are there to get their work out done and go home soon as possible to get to living their lives. Everyone is too wrapped up in their own gig to worry about what others are doing.


    THIS!
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
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    Just go, wear your headphones, do your work out and get out of Dodge. Change your thoughts, change your life.

    You won't get fit by avoiding prying eyes and chances are, no one is looking.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    "Too fat to go to the gym" is called a nice excuse to sit at home and watch TV. If fitness is one of your goals, suck it up and go to the gym.

    No actually, it's called working out at home rather than in front of everyone.

    If you were working out at home regularly and consistently and getting results you wanted- then you would not have purchased a gym membership.

    Working out at home- or at a park- is fine- if you actually do it AND it meets your goals.

    If your goal is to be a power lifter- unless you get yourself a power cage and barbell set up at home- then you aren't going to make progress.



    Soooooooooooooo my answer to you is being to fat to go to the gym is like saying your too sick to see a doctor.


    secondly- once you get used to going- you'll be used to going- people won't realize you're new and no one will care. You're new- and after you go for a while- you'll realize you'll see the same people OVER and OVER again- you may even make friends because you bump into them a lot. It happens- it's normal.

    The only reason you feel the way you do is because you're new- and it's unusual. You'll be fine after a month.
  • MsMargie1116
    MsMargie1116 Posts: 323 Member
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    First of all… no such thing as being too fat for the gym. It's like refusing to go to the doctor until you start getting better.

    Second of all… people are usually too busy checking themselves out in the mirror to bother worrying about anyone else.

    Third of all… I usually try to be really conscious about not judging/labeling people at the gym (the "gym junkies" or "skinny minis"), but I admit, the thought does cross my mind at times when I see those regulars. Those super fit and built people who can probably lift with their pinky finger what I struggle to bench. However… I got a huge wake up call when one of those regulars who I had mentally labeled came up to me and gave me "props for the motivation" and told me how much he respected my efforts. My piddly light weights and (at best) moderate paced walks… If I compare myself to others… I feel completely inadequate at the gym most of the time… convinced that everybody is judging me and mentally making those disparaging remarks that I think about myself. It doesn't stop me because I stopped giving a flying a long time ago what anybody else thought of me… But it made my day to realize I was wrong…. that if people were noticing me, they were actually respecting what I was doing.

    Basically, what I'm saying… give those "gym junkies" a chance. Yeah, they're gonna be there. But before you get intimidated by them or are convinced they are making negative judgments about you… don't be too quick to judge them yourself. They may end up being your biggest cheerleaders.

    ^^^^LOVE THIS!!!! ^^^^^
  • TriShamelessly
    TriShamelessly Posts: 905 Member
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    Just keep going. It will pass. Everyone always looks at the new person in every situation in life. The gym is no different. There is no one too fat for the gym. Respect for everyone who goes to the gym and tries to better them self.

    This ^^^^
  • MsMargie1116
    MsMargie1116 Posts: 323 Member
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    I got myself a gym membership on the weekend and I have been once, but the whole time I was very anxious, scared and intimidated that all the other members were looking at me. Especially the gym junkies and skinny Minnie's.

    How do I get past this feeling so that I can just go to the gym? Or should I put my membership on hold until I lose some more weight?

    I also found it helpful for ME to find a friend to join with you and go with you... After a while, you get into such a groove at the gym, that you don't need anyone there with you. :smile: Now, I prefer to go by myself... I put my ear buds in and jam to my music...
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,606 Member
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    i dunno. I was relieved yesterday when there were no lanes open in the pool.. I snuck out after riding the elliptical
  • drabbits3
    drabbits3 Posts: 140 Member
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    Do not even be intimated--who knows how large some of the now "skinny" people used to be?!?!?! And really--you should feel incredibly proud that you are going and trying to get healthy and strong! Nobody should feel they can't be somewhere any time, much less the gym! Good job for getting started!!!!

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