Afraid to lift weights...

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  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member
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    Sometimes there are groups for military spouses. Look at your Family Service Center (that's what the Navy called it, the Army might call it something else) and see if you can expand your social circle.

    If you could make just one friend and get her to go with you, it would help a lot.
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
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    Great suggestions here. But here's this:

    *hug* You can do it. :flowerforyou: Screw 'em.
  • summaryzn
    summaryzn Posts: 122 Member
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    ironically today wa smy FIRST time using free weights in the gym alone! great suggestions here - I felt silly using my app on my phone to help me with the routine, but everyone is right -- no one is going to bother you and quite frankly they respect you more for 'going it'. Every now and then I glanced up and saw someone looking at me, but I shrugged it off and made eye contact to confirm if they needed the space. It was no biggie. im encouraged to do it again tomorrow. normally i would use the machines, but today I figured Id give it a whirl and try out lateral raises with the dumbbells. I even stood in front of the mirror.. LOL i chuckled thinking who do u think u are? LOL but its the best way to check out your form.

    Also if your really are stumped just ask the person at teh reception desk. If they cant help you they can find a trainer or some gym personnel who would be more than happy to offer you assistance.!

    I too am 200+ , but guess what we have to start somewhere too. We cant wait to be thin to lift... We have a goal and we need to get there STAT!
  • Rosered3333
    Rosered3333 Posts: 171 Member
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    The weight room can be really intimidating. I don't know anything about military gyms: are there any trainers? They would be a good place to start if you were set on training in the gym.

    I would just start with a good reference guide and some weights in your house and then when you're more comfortable and need to lift heavier, go to the weight room.

    I find the key to the weight room is to know exactly what you want to do, and in which order and then do your workout. It can be really nerve wracking when you don't know what to do next. Some head phones and good music should help you block out your surroundings.

    Most of all, don't let other people deprive you of the great workout you can get from weights. It's worth it and those other guys can kiss your soon to well-toned *kitten*!
  • Chell625
    Chell625 Posts: 13
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    Try Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred with 5lb weights - you will be surprised on how tuff it will be :) Stay strong and once you get through that dvd you will walk into that gym with a stronger head!
  • Shock_Wave
    Shock_Wave Posts: 1,573 Member
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    The gym I go to is on an army base. As a 200+ pound woman who already has extreme anxiety (can't even leave the house or get in a car without medication...), I feel like I've done a great job of getting myself just to go there. The only thing is that I really want to start lifting because I keep hearing how great it is for you and that is where EVERYBODY goes. There's never anything free when I've walked by there and I can't just stand there and wait to not know what to do when something would be free to use...

    Also I feel like it should be made known that my husband told me about two women that went in there last week and were lifting roughly 30lb weights. "Half the guys just gawked because there was skinny girls in there and the other half looked really pissed off." And the cherry to top this whole thing off is I have no friends here...

    Please give me some advice... :frown:

    Well every day you get out of bed you are lifting 200lbs of body weight. Use that to your advantage and look up some body exercises you can do at home. Weight is weight reguardless of what its made from and you betcha you can use body weight as a strength traning exercise especially for beginners. Since you have anxiety this would be my advice to you sweetie good luck.
  • jennkain97
    jennkain97 Posts: 290 Member
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    go to kettleworx.com and get their dvd's and a 10lb kettlebell. this is all you will need for at least 12 weeks, after which you may or may not want to increase the weight. kettlebells work the whole body (rather than isolation exercises), and you will be getting cardio at the same time. it is a great program, and you will love the results!
  • krose9489
    krose9489 Posts: 22
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    Thank you so much everybody for the positive feedback!! :flowerforyou:

    I'm going to start looking into all the websites, books and DVDs you all suggested right now to try to figure out what's best for me to start with (as well as talk to my husband about getting some home equipment).

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