embarrassed about exercise?

[lildrummergrl]

Is anyone else embarrassed to be seen exercising? I don't know what it is. If i go out for a walk I'm always worried about someone seeing me. Also, when at home, I can't help it but feel weird exercising with my BF around. It's gotten so bad, that it prevents me from doing any exercise anymore.

[Chef Kevin]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

Well, if anyone has so little to do but stare at you thru a window, then they are probably fatter than you and lazier too.

In Covert Baily's book Fit or Fat, he says to start an exercise plan at a pace that your friends would make fun of you. In other words, slow and steady. And don't worry about anyone else!

So, I guess it is something you just need to get over. I don't see anyway around it. Think of it this way: If you are making great progress, maybe you can inspire someone else to go do some exercise.

In this case, you gotta take care of yourself. Don't worry about the other people. Growing up I was always the fat kid. I got tired of hearing it and yet never did anything about it. Stupid me. Now EVERYONE is fat. I go to the mall and see people way bigger than me. So, now it's normal to see big people, no one cares if you are fat. So, no excuse, now go get some exercise!

[schellie]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

I feel that way, but today I just decided if I dont do it now, I wont ever. So I got on the treadmill and ran in front of people. I am doing this for me, you are doing this for you, who cares what people think. You CAN do it!!!!!!

[ontheway2Stephanie]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

I think it's something that you just have to get over. You have to decide what is more embarrassing, being seen by the world at 275 pounds, or being seen by the world excersizing to make yourself healthier? If you're embarrassed to be seen excersizing, why aren't you embarrassed to be seen period?

I don't say that in a snotty way, I just mean to say that there is no more reason to be embarrassed about excersizing than to be embarrassed by yourself at any point in time.

I put all 272 pounds of myself into a swimsuit and swim in a pool that has floor to ceiling windows into the lobby of my very busy YMCA. This means I walk my fat ***, in a swimsuit, in front of tons of people every day. To top it off I also look totally dorky in my swimcap and goggles. But do I care? No. Because I feel so good about myself doing it.

Just do it. After a while it won't seem so dumb. Also, most people are so worried about how THEY look to others that they hardly notice others around them.

[julirama723]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

It's common to feel awkward and nervous and maybe even embarrassed whenever we try something new. Believe me, I felt VERY awkward when I started exercising at 270+ pounds. I would go out running or walking and I'd try to avoid traffic (I HATE it when people yell things from moving cars, that's the worst!) but you know what? People are idiots and will yell things at you regardless of if you're a size 22 or if you're a size 10. That's my experience. So I just ignore it, and I hold my head up, and continue on. Usually the people that yell are lazy sacks of poo who wouldn't be caught dead breaking a sweat, just like Kevin said!

I have never thought "Oh what a huge person, why are they even trying?!" when I see an overweight person at the gym. I have a lot of respect for people who start working out, because it takes some serious determination and dedication to form an exercise habit. Inside my head, I secretly applaud them because they are doing something so good for themselves!

Remember, skinny does not always equal healthy. I know some skinny people who can't even jog around the block, and I know some bigger people who run marathons.

[Sarina D]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

Yes, I use to be terribly embarrassed to take a walk in broad daylight or in a park and because of it during the late spring/summer time my darling husband would come out and walk with me between 11pm to 1am. He was/is incredibly understanding and supportive.

It's funny because even now sometimes when I walk past a group of people I catch myself still looking down or the other way because I was use to hearing smart remarks or I would see/hear people giggling at me....but now I don't anymore and once I get past a group of people and not hear or see what use to happen I then suddenly realize that I don't look the way I use to anymore. Sad how people can treat their fellow neighbor.

I would now work out in front of people.

Sarina
----------------
Heaviest weight last year- 400 lbs. (2007)
April 1, 2008 - 387 lbs.
Atkins start weight – 347 (July 19, 2008 )
(100 lbs. lost as of Oct 2, 2008 - Hit 300 lbs. on this day )
Current weight – 261 lbs.
Goal weight - 150 – 160

[mkline71]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

Yes I had that exact same feeling when I started. My problem was not so much just embarrassed to be seen but embarrassed by how little I could do. I didn’t want to go to a gym and leave after 10 minutes because the walk to the machines and the 10 minutes on the elliptical is all I could handle. It would have been to embarrassing and disappointing for me.
What I ended up doing was start by walking. After a few months of that I was able to get my legs under me and get some stamina back and then was able to do more than 10 minutes at the gym and now I’m a regular.
Do I still feel self conscious at times – yes of course? I see some people on this thread that are the type that could care less about that stuff. I’m not yet at that point but I really want to get there someday.

[kilanteangel1113]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

I also feel really embarrssed to work out in front of people so i do it at night, when no one is around, my husband plays on the computer and i hole myself in the spare bedroom for an hour and dont have to worry about it.. dont give up, I am sure you will be able to just go for it, once you do you wont regret it Just remember you are excersing to better your self not anyone else . I hope that made sense and it didnt come off sounding funny lol.

[Desertthorn]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

Me me me, I feel the same.
and I won't even exercise around my DH of 40 years. BUT, I do take walks, and for some reason I don't mind doing water arobics as the ladies and gentlemen there and in the same shape I am
When I first started I did Walk Away The Pounds Excercise Tapes

[bacontarian]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

It looks like alot of what I would have said had been said above already

The one thing that I would add to the conversation is your mental attitude when you get into the gym. If you go in fearing that you are fat/ugly/whatever, you will unconcously cause your body to carry yourself that way. Then you will reinforce the negative thoughts. And people will pick up the way that you carry yourself and heckle.

I would suggest that you bring an mp3 player with your favorite music and focus on it. It helps me block out the world a little bit. At least it makes it harder to hear the comments and snickering. More importantly, you have to find your happy mental place. Instead of thinking "I am bigger than a cow in this place and everything is going to laugh at me", change it to something like "I've been faithful to the diet for XXX days and i have lost XXX pounds.. and now I am going to loose even more by exercise."

You can also consider that going to the gym is akin to making a public speech. For most people, they would rather have 10 root canals without much anesthesia than to make a public speech. When people make that first speech, it's not fun to watch. It even less fun for them to give it. But with the practice of making speeches, they get better at it each time. When was the last time you saw Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, or President Bush tremmor in fear of speeches? You don't and that's because they have given so many of them, its old hat.

Just remember, when you meet your goals, you won't be overweight forever.

[liv]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

At least in my gym there are people of many different sizes and though it is easy to feel self conscious at those places, I just have to look around and feel better about things.

[Mellybeans]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

I get really self conscious when I go for a run, but that is because my face goes bright blotchy red D": and people are kind enough to ask me if I am 'OK' and "do you know your face looks like a beetroot?" its not that they are openly cruel to me, they get all concerned when they don't need to be. grrr in a way it stopped me from progressing in martial arts >< knocked down my confidence.

I was hoping one day, if I ever got fit enough from working out in my room and walking if my face will stop turning on me ;P

Good on you guys for keeping at it and nice advice about the music ^_^

[doeskin]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

I can definitely sympathize. When I first became serious about working out, I went to my college gym, where everyone seemed so young and healthy (and the girls would wear makeup and earrings to workout!), while I felt awkward and sweated like a pig. Now I'm at a really trendy gym, where 95% of the people are really muscular and fit, but I just turn up my iPod and try to focus only on what I'm doing.

There were some days where I felt so anxious about working out in front of other people that I almost just turned around and left, but it ALWAYS felt so worth it afterwards! If you can find a workout buddy, I think that would help as well. You have supportive back-up with you, and plus, chatting with them may help take your mind off of the other people. Good luck, and stick to it!

[jimmyolsenblues]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

Is anyone else embarrassed to be seen exercising? I don't know what it is. If i go out for a walk I'm always worried about someone seeing me. Also, when at home, I can't help it but feel weird exercising with my BF around. It's gotten so bad, that it prevents me from doing any exercise anymore.

i know precisely how you feel...i walk on a trail that rarely see other people and i keep my head down, i wear a hat, i keep loud headphones....
i know exactly how you feel...but we have to try to forget about other people...

cause the real person i am truly hiding from is myself , i know it sounds like a cliche' but its true...

[Debi2007]

Re: embarrassed about exercise?

I have always reminded myself that I look much less foolish exercising than I do walking into or out of a fast food restaurant or an all you can eat buffet. You just have to get to a point that you do it for you and no one else. I think that often we perceive that other people are paying attention, when most of the time they are not.

I was at the gym the other day and this women stared way too long at me, with a rather annoyed look on her face. I think she was surprised to see me at the club where literally 98% of the people are very physically fit. I felt awkward at first and wanted to leave, but then I just made a joke with myself that she was wishing she had my hair cut or my workout pants or whatever. I had to come to the place that it doesn't matter because my health is much more important than what some stranger thinks of me. Besides, if they are shallow enough to not appreciate the fact that I am trying to become more healthy and fit... then who needs'em.