Too Fat to go to the gym??? WHAT!?!?

I think a lot of it is in the persons head. I think when someone who's over weight goes to the gym they see all these fit people working out and think they're staring at them in disgust and it might intimidate them a little bit. What they don't know is the story of the fit people that are there. They might have been just like them a few years ago. You never know.

While I'm sure some people might be rude or give nasty looks to the over weight person my thought is "Hey, at least they're here and they're trying. It's a start in the right direction."

A person thinking they are too fat to go to the gym is the same as a person says they won't try yoga because they aren't flexible. Both ideas are as backwards as saying you won't go eat because you're starving.

No never heard of someone being made fun of at my old Gym. There was a guy that used to come to our gym in a hover round scooter - you could tell he was struggling just to excercise.

I didn't see him after a while almost a year I stopped by on my day off in the afternoon - he looked amazing!

the thing is - if you are pretty large, or obese, or morbidly obese - people will stare at you, judge you, whatever, no matter where you are. The grocery store, the mall, post office, gas station.

Thats just a part of the package. Not nice, but reality, people should not use it as an excuse for not trying to do what they can do, to better themselves, improve their fitness etc.

Heck if you are to thin, to blond, to buff, to short, to tall, people stare also, and judge.....

We all started somewhere, and really non of us have arrived to our goal - we should all still strive to improve everyday, in many ways, not just the physical.

I have never seen or heard anyone making fun of someone for their size or weight at any of the gyms I've worked out at over the years.

I have seen overweight people get harrassed while walking or jogging outside though (usually by high school idiots driving by).

To be clear, this doesn't only happen to overweight people. I've been yelled at, whistled at, honked at, etc. many times while running, often by "high school idiots" (but admittedly, occasionally by women who temporarily forget how to behave in public).

But completely agree with the above responses, too fat to go to the gym is crazy talk.

I love going to the gym!!! Even when I was very fat. (now I'm about 25 lbs overweight) I've never herd anyone make a comment about anyone else there. Only complements. I'm the kind of person who wouldn't stand for anyone making rude comments or jokes about anyone else. I've lost about 70 lbs, over half of them since I have been a member at my new gym. Remember that the people saying things like that are the ones who usually have the worst body image and it makes them feel slightly better when they put someone else down.

I think if anything larger people should be commended for going to the gym and not being afraid of what other people think. When I was 180 on a 5'4 frame, I was extremely self conscious but ultimately thought I'm here to be healthy, not to be ridiculed and no one but me can stop me from going to the gym.

I've seen it and overheard it.. mainly from people who have too much time on their hands and arent working out like they should. it's usually in passing (like you overhear some conversation about "did you see what that one girl was wearing in class?") so i've never stopped and told them to shut up. if it were something that i had to listen to for an extended time then i'd definitely speak up.

i wouldnt let that stop me though. i pay my gym dues just like they do and if i ever heard anyone making fun of me (i dont care what they say as long as i dont hear it) then i'd quickly tell them to kiss my fat *kitten*.. besides that i've always been good at snaps and insults so if someone were to make fun of me for 1 thing, it's almost guaranteed i can quickly come back with 5 for them

I joined the gym at 310 pounds, after losing 92 via mostly diet alone. Nobody at the gym has ever been unpleasant to me. I don't subscribe to the trainer service as it's an expense I simply cannot work into my budget right not -- but one of the trainers keeps a pretty close eye on me on those (relatively rare) occasions when I wander away from the cardio equipment and start playing with the resistance / weight machines. I *think* he's just making sure I don't get hurt since I'm sure it's obvious I am not confident in what I'm doing.

Aside from that, everyone has been absolutely wonderful to me. Depending on my schedule, I go at various hours of the day and night. . . it's interesting to see the demographics change by time of day. . . but everyone there is focused on their own workout, or that of their workout buddy(ies) and generally not paying any attention to me.

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I work out at the YMCA and we see all types of body shapes there and no one cares!! When we worked out at Gold's Gym before having my son, it was the same way. The more often you do, the more comfortable you see. You get to know people who are working out around the same time frame as you and they will ask where you have ben when you have missed a day.

I love working out at Gyms.

Unfortunately a few months ago, I was teaching a Zumba class where there was a young girl who was quite overweight and struggling with keeping up with the moves. She was doing wonderfully, and trying as hard as she could. Off to the side, two other girls, in fairly good shape, started laughing and giggling at her, snickering, elbowing each other and obviously talking to each other about the way she looked and moved.

I kicked their sorry a$$es out for being sorry human beings, but told them it was because they were being disruptive and loud. I also told them they weren't welcome back.

Jessica, the young girl, has since lost 50 lbs and pretty much comes to all of my classes. She was sad, embarassed and she said it was hard to come back after that one day, but she did.

This is why we are all individual's and will respond to situations differently... I was once 560 lbs. and was paralyzed with the fear of social phobia... The final 2 years (from 07-09) I hardly ever left my house, I would drive my wife to the store and sit in the parking lot while she shopped because I could not face people seeing me... It is so easy to not understand the mindset of people that deal with this crippling fear. Some people are heavy, obese, and just don't care if others are judging them but then there is people like me that would literally hyperventilate and damn near blackout from the fear... I have been in therapy for over 3 years to overcome those fears and it wasn't easy... I had not stepped foot inside a Large retail department store in over 7-8 years even before I had gotten so bad.. Even back then I did not want to deal with it... I could not walk more than 25 ft. before my AHA moment and I finally starting seeking help.. My doctor wrote me a script for Aquatic therapy because I needed to get in the pool to support my own weight and to do this I had to go to our local YMCA that is affiliated with our local hospital. I drilled the secretary with 20 questions when I was setting up the appt. Like how far is it to walk in from the parking lot to the pool, Is there private changing rooms, How many people are in the therapy pool and when is there the least amount in there, etc, etc... When I finally showed up that same lady said that after she got off the phone with me, she thought to herself there is no way this guy will show up.. So for me I can see how this can be a fear some can not move past... I do well now because I have learned to channel it out and just go do my thing and get out.. Do I still have those fears, of course but now it is do to massive amounts of lose skin from losing 310 lbs. and the fact I still see the fat man in the mirror at times. The only difference is I am stronger minded now and have been through so much I am able to process things and work through them.... but I can see how this can be and is a problem for some...