Gym

Tune those people out! You get on the treadmill and crawl if you want to! There's no rule that says you have to run! Try not to worry about what other people think and remember that you are doing this for you! :flowerforyou:

I guess we don't have a bunch of "gym snobs". Everyone is very postive. The trainers are helpful to everyone no matter what your goal is. I think that is what I like about my gym.

I can totally see how you could get that from some gyms. Seems like you're back in school & you may not be in the clique. I got that from some of the gyms I had belonged to in the past.

I have heard great things about Planet Fitness, and considered joining the one here. Instead I decided to start my running again up & down my street.

Hard to tell without actually visiting your gym - every gym is different. I will say, though, that running outside works your muscles differently. The treadmill kind of pulls you along, whereas you have to create your own momentum outside. I enjoy running outside for the fresh air and the scenery. Things look a lot different on foot than they do from inside a car. If the gym is your only option, though, try not to think too much about what other people are thinking - chances are that they're thinking the same thing you are. :ohwell:

I think some gyms just have a bunch of fitness snobs. My gym is out in the suburbs and attracts families and just your average person trying to get in shape. In the past I was a member of one of the big chain gyms and always felt out of place...I think the smaller more family friendly neighborhood gyms are just less pretentious.

I understand I used to hate going to the gym, felt like I was getting looks from everyone, but now I just don't care I am there for me and to get myself healthy, I could care less what others think of me, I just go in, hop on the elliptical plug in my headphones and go go go! I think you should go to the gym when it is really hot outside and I personally don't like to be in the sun too much, Good luck and keep your chin up

M,

I also started to feel like that when I began going to my gym. I would push myself way harder because I felt self-conscious going slower. But then I realized, "HEY, I could be sitting at home, but I'm here." So I view me just BEING there as a positive reflection of myself.

Usually when I walk on the treadmill, I am the only one, and everyone else is running. I don't even glance at them to see if they are looking. At first I wondered if they thought I was weird, but really I think they are too busy with their own workout to pay attention to what I am doing. Just do your own thing and be confident you are doing something good for yourself!

I get what you are saying 100%..
I belong to two gyms, one is a old school, hardcore gym. No A/C (in Arkansas we hit 100+ in the summer, about 98F now), no lockers, no fancy machines, basically just Olympic style lifting and athletic conditioning stuff. That gym is HEAVEN, you show up, work out harder than you think you could handle, and feel great about it. they are very accepting, as long as you are there to work.

My other gym is one of the affordable chain joints.. $10 a month type. decent equipment, far more than the other gym actually, but so many in-shape posers in there. I think the laziest guy at the other gym works harder than anyone in this place, because they dont want to get sweaty and ruin their makeup/spray tan/Affliction t-shirts.. I was in there about a month ago i guess, i only really train there on the weekends, because it is close to the house.. anyway, i walked in and it was packed.. I do own that some of this is my damaged self confidence regarding my body, but I felt I did not "deserve" to be taking up time on the machines. I let those demons chase me out of the gym and it really bugged me deeply. On the rational level, I totally understand that I have as much right to equipment as anyone else in there, but I allowed myself to get in the dumps about my own damaged recording about my body. the next time i went, i also left, but because I realized I can go home and get a better workout with body weight exercises in a FAR shorter period of time than I could at the gym. when its that crowded, I HATE waiting for a machine and it does bother me about how slow some of these people are. Also, at the box gyms like this, if you do any olympic lifts, or do anything outside of the cookie cutter old fashioned Push/Pull bodybuilder workouts, people look at you funny. lol

I have been at Lifetime Fitness for over 4 years (yeah on and off) and notice if you go earlier, there are really people wanting to be there to take care of their bodies and not worry about others. After work crowd seems a little more snobby but all around, a good exereience. Go to the gym for you and forget about all looking at you! It's all about you!