I know I'm being ridiculous but....

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2

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  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
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    my currant gym is sooo big and offers so much I walked around in a daze for about a month - it won't kill you - anxiety passes w confidence and famiarity. Go and know it will quickly pass and you will be on the other side of it...where going to the gym is a thoughtless experience. enjoy.
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
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    Alluminati wrote: »
    Hippopotamouse wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    Hippopotamouse wrote: »
    I'm so insanely nervous/anxious to join a gym.

    So what are you wanting to achieve. You don't need to enter a gym if you don't want to.

    I want to join a gym. My social anxiety stands in the way. But you all will be happy to know that I signed up for a membership today!

    Good job OP! You got this!

    YAYAYAYAYA!!!!
  • MsJulesRenee
    MsJulesRenee Posts: 1,180 Member
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    Hippopotamouse wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    Hippopotamouse wrote: »
    I'm so insanely nervous/anxious to join a gym.

    So what are you wanting to achieve. You don't need to enter a gym if you don't want to.

    I want to join a gym. My social anxiety stands in the way. But you all will be happy to know that I signed up for a membership today!

    awesome! :)
  • sgarrison89
    sgarrison89 Posts: 10 Member
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    I was offered a free gym membership with the apartments I live at and so I joined it. Honestly what helps me is I research the best exercises for me to do to obtain the goals that I want. After that, I just Youtube those exercises and it helps a lot!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    most gyms I've ever belonged to give you a free session with a trainer...this isn't really to train you or anything, but really just an introduction to the gym and where all the machines are, what they're used for, etc.

    beyond that, there are numerous beginner lifting routines that lead you step by step...this way, you go into the weight room everyday with an exact plan of action.
  • antennachick
    antennachick Posts: 464 Member
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    First off good job wanting to join a gym! Second no worries most the people at gyms are just like you! Classes are an awesome way to get started. Also try different gyms...I love my ymca and crossfit gym but really intimidated by holds gym in my town. Good luck!
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
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    Alluminati wrote: »
    Hippopotamouse wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    Hippopotamouse wrote: »
    I'm so insanely nervous/anxious to join a gym.

    So what are you wanting to achieve. You don't need to enter a gym if you don't want to.

    I want to join a gym. My social anxiety stands in the way. But you all will be happy to know that I signed up for a membership today!

    Good job OP! You got this!

    I second this!! Good for you, girl..YOU CAN DO THIS!!! xo
  • ManiacalLaugh
    ManiacalLaugh Posts: 1,048 Member
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    I've had repeated nightmares where I'm in a gym (topless, of course - that's always my nightmare), and I can't figure out how to use the machines, or I end up using them entirely wrong. So I can commiserate, OP, as those dreams come from some very real anxiety.

    It seems like you've already joined. Hope it's a good experience for you! Don't worry about taking a moment to figure out a machine before you start working - you're still better than the people who grab a machine, only to sit on it for 10 minutes picking out their playlist or texting.

    (Tip: SOME of the gyms I've been to have instructions on the machines for use, and near the weights for form. Don't be nervous about taking a second to read them; you'll be better off than guessing.)
  • Hippopotamouse
    Hippopotamouse Posts: 11 Member
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    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    Hippopotamouse wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    Hippopotamouse wrote: »
    I'm so insanely nervous/anxious to join a gym.

    So what are you wanting to achieve. You don't need to enter a gym if you don't want to.

    I want to join a gym.

    The point of the question is why do you want to join a gym?

    If it's to improve your fitness then there are plenty ways to do that without committing yourself to doing it indoors.

    That also rather neatly deals with the social anxiety issue. I can do a 15 mile training run and count on one hand the number of people I'll see.

    The community I live in is filled with joggers/dog walkers, etc at any given time. But I have been doing it on and off. I like the gym better though! But wow, 10 miles. That's awesome :)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
    edited September 2015
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    Hippopotamouse wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    Hippopotamouse wrote: »
    I'm so insanely nervous/anxious to join a gym.

    So what are you wanting to achieve. You don't need to enter a gym if you don't want to.

    I want to join a gym. My social anxiety stands in the way. But you all will be happy to know that I signed up for a membership today!

    2b4417c49b8333e57ef50acbc5a12a142201db7600f95f1ec485ff63442c5d42.jpg
  • ephiemarie
    ephiemarie Posts: 264 Member
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    I have some social anxiety and was scared to death when I first joined the gym. The thought of a one-on-one session with a trainer also made me nervous, so I went to the gym in the middle of the afternoon (slow time at my gym...Saturday nights are also usually quiet), looked around at all the equipment, and went home and educated myself with Google and YouTube.
  • aspdenbrae
    aspdenbrae Posts: 49 Member
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    True story:

    I was scared shitless when I joined my gym and my anxiety nearly kept me out of it but I needed a place to get away from the stresses of life and it seemed like a good spot (and gym girls are cute but that's soooo not why I went at all lol hehe)

    After a while I learned that I was completely irrelevant to anyone else, which for someone with anxiety around groups of people was amazing! But after a time and becoming a regular the others started saying hi to me and I did as well. Now after a year or so I'm like a freaking rock star in there! People ask advice, compliment my lifts ect. And the only issue is now I have to find a new place to be alone to recharge my batteries lol. Which really isn't so bad haha.

    Believe in yourself and if anyone stares, it's probably cause they're jealous of your gains!
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Try some self talk "You can do this babe". Remind yourself that nearly everyone is just as self conscious as you are. Join a group class. After a successful visit, take the time to record your success and how it makes you feel. That will reinforce the positive memories.
  • summerkissed
    summerkissed Posts: 730 Member
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    I'm so sorry you feel this way
  • Dray222
    Dray222 Posts: 39 Member
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    Not ridiculous at all!! I felt the same way! I was so nervous to join a gym because I was afraid it would come with a whole lot of judgement from everyone much more experienced and fit than I am, but I knew I needed to step it up to meet my goals so I went anyway. The first couple of times I stuck to things I knew I couldn't mess up (exercise bike, treadmill). My gym offers one free session with a trainer to get you started, so I did that the first week. She measured me and talked to me about my goals and then took me around and showed me which equipment to use that would benefit me and how to use it correctly. So far, everyone there has been nothing but nice and encouraging. I have no regrets!
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    Anything new is stress-producing. The worst thing you can do is give yourself a hard time about it.
  • summerkissed
    summerkissed Posts: 730 Member
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    summerkissed wrote: »
    I'm so sorry you feel this way

    I wrote a huge big post....but this is all that showed up grrrrrrr
  • Soundwave79
    Soundwave79 Posts: 469 Member
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    So OP have you gone yet and if so how was the experience?
  • shor0814
    shor0814 Posts: 559 Member
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    Don't worry about looking clueless it happens. I looked clueless today looking for bar collars, yes I was on a mission buy still looked clueless and nobody said a word.

    You will be fine and youtube, bodybuilding.com and exrx.net are great places to find exercises and learn the correct technique.
  • Hippopotamouse
    Hippopotamouse Posts: 11 Member
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    I really need to take some time and learn how to use this app haha. EVERYONE! GUESS WHAT!? I went to the gym and everyone was so nice! I had a free personal training session and he put me on a routine and showed me how to use all of the machines. I've had tests in classes for about 2 weeks now at college so I haven't had a lot of time to go but with today being October 1st, what better day to start getting motivated than the first of the month!? I wanted to give a huge THANK YOU! to you all who told me to just go for it because it's the best thing I've done.
    Btw. Question. When someone sends you a friend request and puts a message in their request, how do I reply to that message? Thanks everyone!!

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