Embaressed to work out

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  • ltcampbell
    ltcampbell Posts: 19
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    Awww, i remember feeling self-conscious about exercising in front of people.

    I would just bite the bullet and tell your husband. You said he's very supportive.

    Just let him know that you'd like to trim down a little and you want the living room to yourself for an hour a day to do it. I'm sure he won't have a problem with that.

    Then you could get a workout dvd or something.

    I started doing gym classes and soon realised that nobody was even looking at me, they were too wrapped up in themselves lol.

    Good luck xx

    I think this is a great idea! Ask for some "me" time. Get a workout video... any video! There is also Fit TV, Wii FItt, and other options like that. I also recommend walking! You don't have to do anything but walk and it works! Yes people see you, but its not the same as in a gym, which I totally get.

    I don't know what your situation is, but for me, at 5'2" and 240lbs I was terrified to work out in front of people. Partly be cause I didn't know how to use the equipment or do the exercises and I didn't want to look like a fool. Also working out was difficult and awkward, and I got beet red in the face after 5 minutes! I could just feel the eyes on me, judging me, and I would cringe. Of course they weren't, and even if they were- now I can say "Who cares!". You will get there too... it will be awkward at first but that will go away.

    Another thought for you is an exercise class for beginners. You will all be beginners and you have an instructor to follow so you know that you are doing it right!
  • kittykittykool
    kittykittykool Posts: 2
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    I get it. I'm embarrassed to even tell my parents that I'm going to the gym. For some reason I feel shame in wanting to take care of my body, probably because I was raised on junk food and no exercise, like I'm straying from my "upbringing" by taking better care of myself. I'm not sure why this is, but as far as gyms, I go to Curves. It's an all women's gym with really no frills but lots of love and support. No one judges and all the women are there for support and feel the same way you and I do.
    I used to go to 24 hour fitness but stopped because I felt gawked at by the skinny-minny girls that went there that I knew from high school. I thought high school was over, but they still made fun of me.

    I get it totally, but you gotta just take the plunge. It was so hard for me to stray from my family's eating and life habits. Sometimes my father goes "oh is our food not good enough", and sometimes I want to say, no it's not. He has diabetes and my mother has high blood pressure, I doubt that their diet is helping at all. So just go for it, and at first you don't have to exercise in front of your husband. I don't think I'd want my fiance to see me at the gym doing Zumba! lol

    Good luck girlie!
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    Thing is, the Gym can be daunting at first, as we imagine it full of hot, tight bodies.

    Dont know about your gym, but mine is full of people like me, who are there to GET fit, not who are fit already. If youre in the gym, youre showing that your trying to change, which is a good thing!
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Walk at Home (or Walk Away the Pounds) - these are great videos by Leslie Sansone. Video clips are on collagevideo.com

    Walking videos are great for me - I have 2 left feet. You can play a DVD on the computer with the door closed. Hardly any space is needed for these workouts.
  • countrydarling1
    countrydarling1 Posts: 386 Member
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    I would look more into the issue of why you are embarrased, keep in mind most people at the gym are there to work out and dont judge people, everyone has their first day in the gym, I would just go do it.
    I still get that way alittle, specially walking in & being eyed by everyone, but i put my earbuds n, turn on my mp3 & tune them all out. Ppl at my gym r very friendly & im n a small town so we know each other from 1 place or the other. I think as it as this, im there to better myself & get healthy & so is everyone else! i think they r glad to see me there, instead of running into me at the drive thru or not seeing me at all bc ive isolated myself n the house.
  • cupotee
    cupotee Posts: 181 Member
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    Ahaha i know just what you mean.

    Like at the gym, when you're just prodding along pleasantly on your treadmill, Usain Bolt on your left starts running so fast his legs are a blur, and you just passively aggressively wish he would get trip in his stupid flappy runners shorts, you know what I'm saying?
  • alex_marie85
    alex_marie85 Posts: 55
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    Maybe you might want to investigate why you feel self conscious.

    When we're teenagers we have what psychologist call "the imaginary audience" where we think the world revolves aruond us and where we believe that everyone cares about us.

    I found that I had continued this belief about working out. I thought everyone was staring at me, or thinking mean things about my weight even if they weren't saying anything. Then I realized...I'm not that important that people are sitting there thinking about me. If they do see me and think something (or even say something) to them it is a passing thought and then its gone. They don't dwell on it so why should I? Why should I keep myself from doing something healthy simply because I'm afraid of what someone else may think.

    Now when I go to the gym, I don't worry about it. The very very few people who I feel like have stared (and one said something) I just think "well, I can change my weight but unfortunately you can't get a personality transplant."

    Hope that makes sense.
  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
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    i know exactly how u feel, part of the reason i dont workout at a gym is cuz i'm embarassed of looking like a fool, but initialy it was cuz of my weight.

    invest in good fun dvd's. i started with turbo jam - FUN and EFFECTIVE!
    there's a 20min workout that really is good and a cardio party for about 45mins that makes u sweat and tone as well. highly recommend it and u can find it online for about $20 if that.

    lemmme knwo if u try it and how u like .
  • lbchristensen
    lbchristensen Posts: 2
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    I love seeing "out of shape" people at the gym because then I think, good for them, they're actually doing something about it! I've started doing Jillian Michael's 30 day shred and it's only 20 minutes a day. Great workout but quick and easy to get done in your own home.
  • MJ5898
    MJ5898 Posts: 1,549 Member
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    Best of luck with finding a method that makes you feel more comfortable. There is lots of good advice here. I would just suggest that even if your are embarressed, you need to keep going because it is important for your health. And remember that EVERYONE is self-conscious about something, often multiple things - you just do not know it because you are not inside their heads. Hugs!!!

    MJ
  • IMYarnCraz33
    IMYarnCraz33 Posts: 1,016 Member
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    Walk at Home with Leslie Sansone. 15 mins = 1 mile
    All you do is walk. They increase the speed every so often too.
    walk in place, side steps, walk forward & back etc.

    sample video here:
    http://www.walkathome.com/try-walk-at-home/
  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
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    I also did JM 30 day shred and its AMAZING!

    i did leslie samson on my light days where i wanted to work out and break a sweat but not wear myself out. still very effective i would say!
  • Josephine237
    Josephine237 Posts: 72 Member
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    I was too, until I went to the mall, where you can look through the window at who is there....I realized, most of the people
    exercising are all there for the same reason. And I thought Wow they're going after what they want, they're changing their lives.

    On my way home I really didn't remember individuals, just that I was going home to watch TV and sit on my couch.

    I started thinking do I want to be one of those people who are changing their lives OR sit on my couch and watch another year go by.....I decided NO MORE COUCH...I'm fighting too!

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