I joined 24hr last Monday. I've gone to the group classes every day last week, and now this morning.

Don't get me wrong, I love working out and have a great time...BUT the skinny's make me super jealous! I hate looking at myself in the mirrrors, but it's kind of hard not to when they're all around you in the class.

Some people seem unfriendly, which doesn't help. Others are pretty nice. (This is a note to myself to be nice to new people when they start.)

How do you deal with it? Workout and ignore everyone else? It doesn't help either when I'm taking Zumba and don't know the moves yet like everyone else!

That's why I don't do classes. To much like high school. Some people; thin and fat are just mean spirited jerks.

I love my gym there is such a mixture of all body types, I never feel weird!!!!! Maybe that isn't the right gym for you.

My gym is a good mixture too. Maybe say something to them first, like ask a question before class starts - "Have you done this class before?"

I usually do that when I first start a class so that it breaks the ice with my neighbors, then after you go a few times you end up knowing a lot of the regulars.

Some of my biggest supporters at the gym are some of the skinnies! I joined a 4 week boot camp program at the gym and made some GREAT friends. They are super supportive (but yet all super fit).

Sometimes it just takes opening up first. Remember you are there to get fit and be a skinny too!

You can do it

I have made SOOO many new friends by going to Zumba. I started out in March. There are all kinds of bodies in our class. I stayed in the back and slowly my confidence brought me to the front of the room. Now, I go all the time. One of the places I used to go has a teacher that weighs close to 300lbs and she lost 200 doing Zumba. I love it, sometimes twice a day. It took me a while to get the hang of it. It tool a long time to not feel like I was going to die! I just laughed at myself alot. Still do.

Last week I was asked if I wanted to get certified and teach.

Not anytime soon...

Thankfully, there are no mirrors in our dance gym. It would take me a while to get over that.

Keep going and keep smiling and keep laughing. It does get better and easier.

I have issues with going to a regular gym. I am not envious of anyone but I do feel like everyone is looking at me. When I was almost 400lbs I had two women rush over to me while working out and asked me was I okay! LMBO! I must have looked like I was about to pass out or die or something. I wasn't grabbing my chest or anything but they must have felt sorry for this poor Super Obese person and just had to come to my rescue! I am now going to a rehabilitaion gym at the hospital. Everyone is either old, injured, or doing some type of rehab. There are very few people from the community that come. They are very friendly and I don't feel like they are all staring at me or watching my big butt bouncing up and down on the elliptical!

You girls are so funny! Especially you Shurmeka! I can just imagine them rushing up on you!

I enjoy going to the gym and have made a few friends there already. I guess I was just down on Monday and didn't realize. I went back to the gym yesterday and today. There is one girl there who always says good you here again, but in a nice way. She's been helpful.

I bought some new workout clothes too, since mine were so baggy. I'm sure that will make me feel better too, to at least look a little less frumpy in my 40 lbs ago clothes! :thumbdown:

Thanks again for the pep talk!

No, I've always enjoyed going to the gym and have only been motivated to work out harder when I see slim and in shape women.

cute workout clothes always make it more enjoyable....i buy it almost whenever I buy lingerie (i know its weird...must be the "sexy" thing. i've lost 60 lbs since may and am actually loving working out. I feel so much better about myself. the more you go, the more comfortable you will get. my hubby and I workout together (he is very fit and toned) and he informed me he saw a guy checking me out!!! what?! me?! hahaha I about died...and my hubby was proud. hope to lose another 50 lbs or so!

No they are an example of what I want to be. One note however is that many of the guys who look good in the gym dont look as great in the locker room. That is helpful too, they are not perfect.

You know what, I don't care what people think of what I look like when I go to the gym or ride my bike. Yes I wear the spandex when I ride my bike and I still weigh over 300, but you know what, it's flipping comfortable and makes my 60+ mile rides that much more enjoyable so I will want to do it again. I also wear the bike bibs to the gym cause...., it's comfortable and I don't end up in 12 lbs of sweaty cotton after a good workout. I know people look at me and think, fatso in bike shorts, but fatso in bike shorts just completed a 65 mile ride in 90 degree heat while you were sitting on your couch watching a movie.

Edited October 24, 201015 yr by jaxgtr
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I think you need to be more open to people and not assume that people are looking at you and judging you. People in general arent mean spirited, well not once they grow up out of adolescence, anyway. If you can shed the embarrassment, working out is so much more fun.

I used to only run at night when I was a teenager, under the cover of darkness. I simply dont care now, I go any time, anywhere, and I dont worry about what people think.

Classes and groups are so much fun, I have a great bootcamp group, its so friendly and yet there's me on the skinny end of the scale, another lady who is around 300lb but still plugs away at it every week and one lone guy, a really nice guy who comes with his wife. We all have our lumps and bumps, we all sweat like pigs and some even puke, lol and we are all of differeng ability. We've all bonded.

If you're open to it, it can make the whole experience so enjoyable. But being self conscious and shy makes you appear stand offish and people wont talk, and you wont realise that if they ARE looking at you, its probably to admire your courage and deternmination.

Some larger gyms have ladies only sections (not sure if you are M/F). You may feel more comfortable if appropriate in the ladies section. At one gym I worked out in there because the TVs where closer and I could read the Close Captions better (my eyesite is'nt what it used to be.) At my current gym the ladies section is usually empty.

This thread reminds me of a story. I have told myself a NSV would be the first time I got hit on at the gym. Well I got to tell everyone (including my wife) that my day had come. I finally got hit on at the gym. Good thing right? NOT!!!!

I should be excited, but it turned out to be a late 40's dude dressed like Richard Simmons while I was in the locker room. NOT COOL!!!!

Lol.. at least it makes for a good story.

I personally like the skinny/sexy people at the gym. Nothing motivates me more than seeing these hot bodies and thinking if I push harder, work longer... one day people will look at me that way.

Awwww {hugs} to you, my friend!!! When I was going, I would just hang out in the back and do my thing. I KNOW there were people staring, but really, who REALLY needs to be there??? That's right, US!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, shake what your mama gave you, have fun and who cares what the Iddy-biddy-boobie-Barbies think!!!!!!!!! Just focus on the big picture!!!!!!

I got 3 month "free" membership at the fittness center (small but has lots of choices) in the Hospital where I had my surgery done. Lots of other lap banders there (which is kind of nice) and just an all around different crowd than at a regular gym. However,when my free membership is up, I'll most likely join one of the gyms in town.