Waiting to lose some weight before hitting the gym?

Coming from the tough love camp, that sounds like you are making excuses to not do what you know you need to.

Would you wait till you were dehydrated to drink water?

Would you wait till you had emphysema to quite smoking?

If you don't care about yourself enough to make changes, then follow your current patterns. But don't ask other's to condone it.

You don't HAVE to go to the gym to get fit. There is plenty of free stuff, like walking (which the OP said they're doing), which you can do at home or around your neighborhood and get in just as good of shape as you would at the gym.

Well, I dont think its good for vanity to be the only reason that you are not going to the gym. I was not looking forward to it, but I was suprised to see larger people at my gym. Theres a big range - old to young, fit to overweight.

However, if anything other than walking is hurting your knees, you would need to restrict yourself at the gym anyways. The cross trainer is good for knees.

To be honest, I dont pay attention to anyone else at the gym, I TOTALLY zone out and get engrossed in the telly/music TV. I now couldnt care less what people think of me when I am in a place where I am trying to reduce my size.

I never said you had to join a gym to get fit. However, her asking the question implies that she knows it would be something that would help her. Additionally, if you think walking is going build fitness in the same manner as spin classes, elliptical machines, bikes, weights, circuit training, etc., you are fooling yourself.

For someone just starting out and with a lot of weight to lose, walking may be the best or ONLY option. A gym can definitely offer a variety of low-impact options, but you're still going to have to take it slow, so I see no problem with someone working their way up to that, as long as you're getting out and actually putting in the work.

I've lost 20 pounds in two months without a gym. It's a benefit to some people, I'm sure, but, for me, it's not something I feel is worth spending money on when I have all the tools I need, free of charge.

I agree with both sides
It is a bit of a leading question to say "is it beneficial to join a gym?" because well, yes, it is. The classes, the equipment, the learning, the comradarie, but mostly (for me) it is the getting out of the house and being somewhere where the only things I can do are workout and... workout. There's no distraction. At home I can find 3940823 things to do besides exercise (or get outside and exercise). So for that reason alone, it's worth it for me.
Like I said in my previous post- there are lots of things you can do at home to work out. Mainly if you can't work out due to health problems- diet is KEY. I lost 20 lbs dieting, now I run a mile everyday.

Good luck! Let us know how it's going

It is a bit of a leading question to say "is it beneficial to join a gym?" because well, yes, it is. The classes, the equipment, the learning, the comradarie, but mostly (for me) it is the getting out of the house and being somewhere where the only things I can do are workout and... workout.

See, that I DEFINITELY agree with. There are a LOT of benefits to a gym, especially if you're just starting out and have no clue WHERE to start. I'm a bit agoraphobic, though, so the thought of THAT MANY people around when I'm doing something I find ridiculously embarrassing absolutely scares the crap out of me. That's why I prefer to learn and try stuff on my own at home or around my neighborhood. Some people, though, get a lot more benefit from having someone else teach them, and I totally understand that.

There's no distraction. At home I can find 3940823 things to do besides exercise (or get outside and exercise). So for that reason alone, it's worth it for me.

LOL, I use said distractions to my benefit. When I'm doing one of my work-outs, I'll crank up one of my favorite TV shows or movies, start making a mental grocery list, take some time to think about a book I'm reading/just read, cranks up the tunes, etc. I'm a hopeless multi-tasker, so I have to be doing SOMETHING, even if it's just thinking. If I'm REALLY bored, I'll do something ridiculous, like actively sort my laundry (which I'm sure is a sight) or dance around to my music like a fool. I have a lot of experience with keeping myself occupied as somewhat of a shut-in, though, so it's not really that much of a stretch for me to translate sedentary activities into work-out activities. As long as I make sure the blinds are shut and the door is locked, first. >_>