Nervous about the gym - advice?

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trneighbors
trneighbors Posts: 4
in Introduce Yourself
Hey there, I'm just starting to take care of myself. Today is my first trip to the gym. I have to say I am quite nervous, I was suppose to go yesterday and then talked myself out of it. I AM going today but I guess what I am afraid of is failing. I've lost weight twice before, both times between 20-35 pounds and then gained it back. I can't take it anymore. I have to do this for good. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired! Any advice for overcoming the nervousness about failing....again? Thanks!

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  • BrenNew
    BrenNew Posts: 3,420 Member
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    I think just about all of us here at MFP have those same nervous feelings about failing AGAIN!
    All I can tell you is that I myself have tried just about EVERY "diet" out there, including hypnosis, TWICE, and nothing really worked until I came here to MFP. Between the wonderful food log, which is SUCH an eye opener, and all the wonderfully supportive members, I WAS able to FINALLY lose the weight that I wanted. I "worked" for the foods I wanted through better food choices and getting some exercise. NOT the gym, I've always HATED those, :laugh: WAY too much work! I dance to a fast oldies CD that my husband made up for me. Plus, I walk if the weather is ok, and jog with the Wii Fit. They're fun exercises and kept me doing em!
    I think the BEST thing of all about MFP is that you CAN "cheat" now and then. Once I realized that, the weight kept coming off. Before, I used to "be good" for say 3 weeks, and then cave and then give up. But, through MFP, I learned that we CAN have stuff once in awhile, and either work it off through exercise, or just get right back on track the next day!
    You CAN do this! :wink: :smile:
  • trneighbors
    trneighbors Posts: 4
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    Thank you! You really hit home when you said you worked for the things you wanted. Before, I would be really good and not have anything "bad" and then when I got to the point that I can't do it anymore, I would cave and go all crazy. I think the key is balance. If I want a little "treat", I need to exercise. I can't keep doing what I'm doing not holding myself accountable. I love MFP and can't wait to see results. Thanks.
  • breezy81
    breezy81 Posts: 186
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    Dont think of this as a "diet" that is a bad word in my house, I am changing my life. Therefore if I really want that cookie I go for it, but just one and then I dont over indulge. I have started thinking in terms of how long it takes me to burn off junk calories, and really its not worth it!!!!

    Make it fun, don't stress. Stress make sit harder to drop lbs!!!
  • AnneElise
    AnneElise Posts: 4,221 Member
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    Think of all of the ENERGY you will get after going to the gym. You will feel awesome! You can do it!
  • CasperO
    CasperO Posts: 2,913 Member
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    If you want a treat have a treat,,, duh. A Hershey bar (with almonds, I love the ones with almonds) is good. It's giving up on fitness and eating the whole bag of Hershey bars, then feeling guilty about it and chasing it with XX-large milkshake that does us in. If you have the calories or can earn them then have your treat. I had chocolate eclair cake for morning snack this morning - and this afternoon I'll fire up the DVD and work it off and then some. If we make this too miserable we'll never be able to stick with it.

    Balance-balance in all that you do.

    About gym nerves - going to the gym is like dancing. Most people don't want to dance 'cause they're afraid eveybody is looking at them and giggling. The reality is that nobody is looking at you. There are 78.5 geeky lame people out on that dance floor, none of them can really dance, and they're all too busy with their own stuff to worry about you. The gym is pretty much the same - unless you're acting like a buttmonkey or doing something unsafe (or you look way hot :bigsmile: ), nobody is paying any attention to you. So just relax and do your thing. You paid your $24.95 a month same as everybody else, and you have every right to be there and TCB.

    Now relax and have fun with it - something way cool is about to happen to you! :glasses:
  • trneighbors
    trneighbors Posts: 4
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    You guys are just awesome. Thanks!
  • mszSHOGAN
    mszSHOGAN Posts: 2,278 Member
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    Thank you! You really hit home when you said you worked for the things you wanted. Before, I would be really good and not have anything "bad" and then when I got to the point that I can't do it anymore, I would cave and go all crazy. I think the key is balance. If I want a little "treat", I need to exercise. I can't keep doing what I'm doing not holding myself accountable. I love MFP and can't wait to see results. Thanks.

    It sounds like you've got the right idea this time! Nothing is wrong with a "treat" here and there. Personally, life would be meaningless if I couldn't have my sweets - so I just try and keep them in moderation. We are ONLY human! Don't let the skinny-mini's at the gym upset you....they have downfalls too. Sometimes I get self-conscious at the gym but then I think "If I don't come then how will I ever loose this weight" DUH! That helps me stay and stick it out. You are fortunate that you are able to attend a gym (a lot of people on here can't afford it). My YMCA has a program that bases membership off my income - otherwise I'd be up a creek without a paddle!

    Good luck to you for success, YOU CAN DO IT! :flowerforyou:
  • wallerinaprincess
    wallerinaprincess Posts: 96
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    I was the same way about the gym once. But then I realized that not every patron is in there looking like arnold schwarzenagger and jillian michaels, there were people in there just like me who were in there to lose weight. I promise you anyone in the gym will be nice and no one would make fun of or think badly about someone who is bettering themselves. Also, if there are jillian michaels look-a-likes, they had to start somewhere themselves remember? My concern when I joined was that I would use the machines wrong and be embarrassed, so what I did was find out the slowest part of the day (early afternoon) when there arent as many people, and I had the person working there to show me how to do everything, what weight, and how many reps. Thats why they work there, and they show people how to use the equipment all the time. For the next few days I came at this slow time of day to get used to it, then I didnt care about being there around others, and as a bonus, I felt like I was with them, and a part of something.

    Men have it a little worse than we do, they have to deal with meat heads:laugh:
  • CasperO
    CasperO Posts: 2,913 Member
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    Hey!

    I always struggle with this. I've trained a lot over the years, and I was fortunate to work with a very good strength coach back in the football day, and I know my way around the weight room pretty well. So when I see somebody doing something that doesn't make much sense to me I always want to chime in with "help",,, advice, et cetera. But I'm not a meathead/musclehead, and I'm not belittling or insulting, and I really do want to help. But a lot of guys don't want any help - or won't accept help - or don't want help from an amateur... It's tough stuff. I usually just keep my mouth shut unless I see somebody really heading for injury. Mostly I just train at home,,,

    There is no greater pecker measuring contest than what goes on in a weight room - 'tis true.
  • chuppak
    chuppak Posts: 8
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    i too was nervous when i first started going to the gym. i knew a lil bit about what i was doing, but not enough to feel comfortable. i had all the typical feelings women have: who's looking at me, what are they thinking about me, am i doing thing right, are they making fun of me, etc. i also was thinking about how light of weights i was lifting and at the time only big guys were in the gym. but i went with a couple guys from the office, who knew their way around the gym. one of them has competed before and wrote several workout plans. so i started working out with them and doing their programs. it made things more comfortable for me. then the trust factor kicked in and i knew i could do anything and everything they did. now i am not nervous about going to the gym, heck, i even go by myself and do what i need to do if they can't go. but what makes me feel the best is when they tell me the guys in the gym start looking at me when i'm pushing more weight than they do. and to me that makes everything all worth while. especially being a female. i have guys at work who come up to me and tell me how much they respect me and are impressed with how much i am lifting. and honestly, who cares what anybody else thinks. the only thing that matters is what you think of yourself. if you believe you can do it, then you will be able to do it. it's like the lil engine that could. gotta keep telling yourself, "i think i can, i think i can, i think i can." then one day it will be, "i knew i could , i knew i could, i knew i could." :-)
  • trneighbors
    trneighbors Posts: 4
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    WEll, I went! It was not bad at all and I feel great. Thank you guys so much! Awesome inspiration!
  • gympamela
    gympamela Posts: 188 Member
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    Im having a really hard time getting to the gym too. I am so anxious about it and feel so fretful about my workout that I havent been going at all. Im going to try tonight and maybe if my hubs goes with me I will feel better.
  • sissy56
    sissy56 Posts: 108 Member
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    I can completely understand the gum anxiety. One thing that helped me was investing in a couple of sessions with a trainer. She showed me the proper form for lifting and which equipment does what. The confidence it gave me was well worth the money.
    Best of wishes to you. Keep on going.
  • meglide
    meglide Posts: 37 Member
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    WEll, I went! It was not bad at all and I feel great.

    Next time you can use your OWN words as inspiration. I plan on using them myself. I especially like the "... and I feel great" part. I think of "Tony the Tiger" from the cereal (note: this is in NO way a recommendation for the cereal, way too sugary) saying that last phrase and it makes me want to workout even more.

    Mike

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