gym membership, a little nervous

[kibskix]

a new gym opened down the street a while back, and i'm getting a membership for my birthday this weekend. its 35 a month, which is the main reason i even considered it, and theres no enrollment fees etc. its a 24 hour place and according to the site for the one in my town there's at least 1 personal trainer i can work with.

i know i'm a lot healthier now than i was 13lbs ago or even 36lbs ago, but the fat(er) girl in me is still a little bit nervous about going to the gym. anytime i've been before i end up paying so much attention to wondering if people are looking at me that i'm not getting anything out of my workout. anyone got any advice for me? there's been a couple times i've thought of backing out of it, but i really can't stay on this darn gazelle forever.

[Kawispice]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

I wonder what kind of gym it is? I have worked out in several over the years. This winter it was at Whistler and I was working out with World Cup athletes right beside me. Were they looking at me? I am as old as their mothers... I don't think so. They were concentrating with absolute attention to their work out.

That is the model I aspire to, I want to work out like that. You will find that most gym members are interested in their exercises not in who else is there.

The exception I came across one of the guys. When he walked in, more like strolled, he used to wear black and white full body leggings that he never must have washed, showing off his ample belly which could have rivalled Santa's. The ladies tended to faint when he appeared... even before they saw him... but he would waltz in proud as could be and we would be trying to hold our noses and the bar bell at the same time.

One of the braver of us, annouced EWWW! in a loud voice every time he showed up and he finally got the hint... no not shower, mercifully, he found another gym.

[keriann_forgoodthistime]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

woohoo gym membership!!!!!
now - let me tell you - from a "gym rat" - who's gone off and one for 5 years now to many different gyms (due to moving)...
NO BODY CARES!!!!!!! seriously - once you're there and you're doing your own thing on the treadmill or eliptical - OR even in the *gasp* weight area - seriously NO BODY CARES! I used to feel that everyone was staring at me - but they're not. People who are at the gym in their own worlds and just want to get their workout in and go home. In fact, for me, when i actually see heavy women working out at the gym I truly do think to myself, "good for her". (not saying you are, i'm just saying in general)

Really - you'll be fine and you'll do GREAT! I love going to the gym rather than working out at home because, for me, I'd rather be around people who are doing the same thing I am so i feel more motivated. But - and I'm not joking - seriously - NO body is looking at you and judging - AND if they are - then they need to get a life.

If they have classes look into those - group classes are the best and usually when you're in a class, the other women (normally classes are mostly women) are very helpful (this has been my experience many times at different gyms).

good luck and have fun!!!!

[kibskix]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

i dont think they have classes because its pretty small. snapfitness.com is the site. i actually dont see many people if any when i go by it. its right next to my grocery store and only like 8 minutes from my house which is really nice. my boyfriend wanted to buy me a recumbent bike for my birthday but a 35 dollar gym membership seems like a better investment than a 140 dollar bike

[liv]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

This has been my experience too - there are people of many different sizes and fitness levels at the gym. My experience has been that it is generally a very supportive environment. I hope you have a lot of fun at your gym.

[msanjelpie]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

I would go for the bike... you can do it whenever you want, you can wear whatever you want, you will have it forever and other people can use it too...

Perhaps the gym has a free workout period?

[kibskix]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

it has a free workout period for 1 week. but my problem at home is that i have a gazelle so i'm getting cardio, but 1. its getting boring and 2. i need something more challenging and more variety. on the other side, its a lot easier to workout at home because here i have no excuse not to.

[Slapshot]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

I wouldn't worry about it. There's only one thing you could do to get people to notice you - *not* wiping down the machines when you're done. Other than that, as others said, people are minding their own business usually. Enjoy!

[chinadoll]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

Go, you will feel a little self conscious for awhile, but you get over it when you realize that everybody is out to get their stuff done. The cutesy Barbies who dress up to show off talk about everybody so who cares. The peacock gym guy is usually a buffoon. The real people there to get fit and strong will do a mental "good for her, she's serious" if they notice at all.

Even of someone does look the first couple of days, when you continue to show up they don't even see you once you become a fixture.

AND DO DO DO use a trainer if they have one. Get one who is watching what you do and not the rest of the gym rats. Use weights, Kibs, and it changes your body forever (In a good way) and don't be afraid to use heavier weights. You don't bulk up. But do have the trainer check your form on everything so you don't get injured. I love access to a gym because you train different muscles with a cross country skier vs. treadmill vs. elliptical. It doesn't get boring that way. I used to try to slide quietly into the gym unnoticed and work out in the farthest corner. I walked like someone trying to hide. Now I walk in like an athlete and go right to the weights I want and show them I mean business. If a guy annoys me by trying to make conversation, 9 times out of 10 I can do a bicep curl with the same weight he does or more, and do so. That usually gets them to back off. Otherwise I put in my Ipod and pretend it is on so I don't have to talk to them.

The bottom line is if you are paying, you are not a guest there or a visitor. You own that gym as much as anyone else, so walk in with confidence, as if it is "your house" because if you work out consistently it really is your house of fitness.

[bikinidreams]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

I had a gym membership for a while, but ended up cancelling it around the holiday because i was out of town. i'm moving to a new apartment and hope to get back in the swing of things at the gym nearby there. going to the gym takes dedication, but once you get into the habit of going, it's fun and exciting, if you have the right attitude! just know that exercise is the best thing you can do for your body and mind! if you are worried about the anxiety aspect, try bringing along some music or an interesting magazine to read on the treadmill. switch up machines from time to time, such as treadmill one day, bike next day, elliptical the next. being a gym buff can easily become part of your identity, if you let it! i feel much more comfortable working out in a gym than at a park or in the neighborhood. i'd rather keep my home, since i live in an apartment! good luck and congrats on your loss!

[rajenki]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

I remember the very first time I did a step aerobics class...I was super concerned that everyone was watching me and my 260+ lbs jumping around...but it's the only time I really felt that way and I did hundreds of classes over the years (pre-injury) and have belonged to several gyms...all at a very heavy weight. You really get over that fear and eventually walk in with a sense of pride and walk out with a sense of accomplishment.

At gyms for some reason I have no shame and don't mind working out in front of people even with my disabled body. When I ride the recumbent, I have use a belt to tie my thighs together because my adductors won't hold my legs up...but I don't care, because I'm there and I'm trying the best with what I have. I try not to care what other people think about me...and am for some reason REALLY successful with that when it comes to health clubs. I'm MUCH more freaked out that when people see me using the electric scooter at the grocery store they assume I'm "fat and lazy". THAT is my biggest fear...

Kibs...I just joined a gym this weekend, too! Unfortunately, I have to have a little surgical procedure done tomorrow that might make me unable to use it for a few days...but after that, you wanna keep each other posted on getting our new "habbit" started? That is the hardest part...fitting it into your day. Let me know if you want to be gym buddies

[kibskix]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

thank for the replies everyone! i think my biggest concern is just whether or not i'll get my butt up and actually -go- as often as i should, or if after a while my enthusiasm will wear off *eep!*

[Lyssie]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

From personal experience, I think that the enthusiasm doesn't wear off as long as you keep going consistently. You get to a point where it's just part of your life so it's like going to work, or eating dinner or whatever, you just do it as routine as everything else.

[kibskix]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

china- i agree with you on the personal trainer stuff. one of my good friends (who incidently lost 70lbs on atkins years ago) has been working with one for the last 3-4 months, and loves it even though he says his trainer tries to kill him sometimes haha. The trainer at the gym im looking at is a woman which is a little less intimidating, and I actually googled her and she won a body change challenge before she became a trainer. Its nice to see someone who was overweight, who changed their life and their career is now geared at helping other people, it puts a little more faith in their abilities for me i guess than someone who's been thin their whole life. My sister in law's sister is a trainer. I dont know if its because she's always been fit or if its because she's barely out of her teens, but i've never agreed with her approach, its more showing off what she can do.

Lyssie- thats what i'm thinking too. plus i think i'll be more into going and taking advantage of it since it is a b day present. my bf knows how bad i want this and its incredibly nice of him to do something like this for me, so i'd be a real brat if i wasted his money because i just didnt feel like it.

[Kawispice]

Re: gym membership, a little nervous

It takes about 2 weeks to train yourself into the habit of going regularly. Good music (on iPod etc) somehow makes excercises easier to do. Bring a lovely smile. People will help you to figure out how to use the equipment, except for those super serious ones who are counting the seconds between their sessions. They cannot talk during their workout.

I hope you enjoy the machines, enjoy the feeling of moving your muscles and enjoy the company of like minded individuals. Warning: going to the gym can be addictive!