I want to go to the gym...

this_portrait

Well-known member
... but I'm too embarrassed.

I've never taken advantage of my school's facilities, and this is my 4th and final year here. I've been wanting to get toned and fit, but I find it boring to work out at home. I'd go jogging/walking, but the weather is starting to get cold now. That leaves the gym. They have treadmills there, but I feel so self-conscious walking/running on one in front of people.

If any of you guys go to gyms, do you have any tips for blocking out my surroundings?
 

Deus_Ex_Lemur

Well-known member
Everytime I leave the gym for a while, I become self-conscious returning. But it's just one of those things you have to do a few times and realize it's not as bad as in your head. The initial times especially the first like anything will be the hardest.

But ppl are busy doing their own things, listening to music, watching TV if they have those on the treadmills. Wearing headphones/buds and music make me zone out and feel like I blend in. Deep breath before going in. And once you get on treadmill/in weight room/wherever everything gets better :)

Definitely take advantage if you can of school's facilities.
 

DeadmanWalking

Well-known member
Whenever I go to the gym on campus I usually go there with something to listen to. As I exercise, I just lose myself in the songs and the anxiety goes away. However, there are still times when I do become self-conscious, like when I'm running, so I force myself to run; I tell myself something like "I'm going to run the last two laps" or something and I refuse to let myself stop until I do it. Don't overexert yourself like I did first go around, this_portrait::p:! Take things easy and go with some friends; they will be able to help you out a lot!
 

JamesSmith

Well-known member
I'm sorry to hear that this is a problem for you. I also am planning on using a gym this winter. Gyms suck. A bunch of outgoing people go there, totally unashamed of everything they are doing.

I'm going to go there to walk on a treadmill because I'm still injured and can't run much at all. I'll look like a real loser, but oh well. It's either that, or a I won't get any exercise. I don't have a much of a choice. The community center is free here, which is nice. Hopefully, some treadmills will be open.

The trick is to try to not care. I mean think about this way....the people that will see you are people that may never see you again. A bunch of random strangers usually. Even if you do see them again, so what. You are just working out. What they think of you is meaningless. Especially for me, considering i'm already a loser with no social life. Things can't get much worse.
 

-lonestar-

Well-known member
Try a half hour a day or every two days to get you started, just listen to music that gets you in a good energetic mood, visualize how much more attractive and healthy you'll be. Just rememer you are a person using the gym like everyone there, its normal.
 

KiaKaha

Banned
I get self conscious at the gym too. I dont really like it but I go anyway. MOST of the time people arent really taking any notice and are just concentrating on exercising to pay any attention to you. If you keep that in mind it might be a bit easier...and once you start feeling fit and seeing some results your confidence there will begin to go up too :)
 

MikeyC

Well-known member
Get an iPod and listen to music while you work out. That'll block everyone out as best as possible.
 

EscapeArtist

Well-known member
I thought going to the gym would be horrific when I used to go, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was. I was always self conscious of running on the treadmills because I have a heavy step, and then also the breathing and movements and jiggling and ahh. Uhm... So I didn't run on the treadmills lol. There are other things you can start with, like exercise bikes, and then once you get used to just being there you can take it up a notch and go on the treadmill when you want to.

Nobody is looking at you, promise. I see more people staring at themselves in the mirrors while working out, than other people. A lot of people are self conscious in the gym and nobody pays attention to anybody else. An Ipod does help a lot!
 

MikeyC

Well-known member
Nobody is looking at you, promise.
This is so true.

I go to the gym a few times a week and nobody really cares what you're doing, as they're all focused on their own workouts and bodies. You'll never be mocked because there's lots of other people who struggle with machines and weights (I still do after all this time).

Don't worry about it.
 

mikebird

Banned
I'm a regular at the gym, and that's never gonna change, until the day I die

And I'm very quiet, while others go in groups, spending 95% of their time talking about rubbish, doing very little - especially girls. I just go there, get the job done, sweating and knackered, fulfilled, and I leave.

It tackles and eats up my SA perfectly, putting me in the best mood to talk on the phone and visit people afterwards.

There are personal trainers who I don't pay to help me, because I'm on top of my own regime. I worry that I put people off because I avoid them and get on with it, but got a great comment this morning about toning up, losing weight, and more meat around the calves and tummy. That got me talking. He must have been watching what I've been doing
 

Acegame

Well-known member
I don't really have any tips, but it gets allot easier after a while. In the beginning it was hard for me to keep going there and now i actually want to the gym because you just feel refreshed physically and mentally.

What helped me in the beginning to keep on going to the gym was a challenging training schedual. I wanted to see progression. On those bikes and tredmills you can easily see if your condition is improving or not. For me it was a nice motivation to keep challenging myself and see improvement. That way my will to go to the gym was greater than being anxious about people watching me. So maybe you should set a challenging goal for yourself which keeps you motivated to go.

By the way, its not weird feeling self concious. I see allot of people who just joined the gym and feel a little self concious. It's "allowed" to feel that way so don't beat yourself up about showing signs of nerves, because people understand :) And don't feel pressured to talk to people if you don't want to. There are many people who never talk to anyone as there are people who like to make conversation.

It might take a while to get used to it but at some point you're mind gets distracted by allot of other things which keeps your mind of being self concious. I assure you. Go for it because it'll make you feel good!
 
It's hard to train in front of people, Like if running I always get so self concious, doing exercise.. Also dancing, I just went to a dance class yesterday, I was glad my friend is so humouristic and she thinks I'm just acting funny..

It's just my mask, cuz I feel terribly weird dancing.. I don't know if I'll be able to hold this up, I can't follow all steps and the teacher is dancing really fast..

And they are all so talk active, i'm just a quiet mouse in the group and my friend is shy too but still more confident to start talking to them.. I think I will be left out, probably. I hope I can manage to talk :|

About the gym, I have a free card to go to the gym for 6 months, so I think I should use it, but still I can relate so much to these fears. I would feel weird going to gym and do exercise alone, but I also fear of asking someone to go with me... At school, who has a card too... (All pupils got a card, for gym's around in town) I am so missing out of contacts by not taking risks..

:/
 

Agent_Violet

Well-known member
Get an iPod and listen to music while you work out. That'll block everyone out as best as possible.

^^^this.

i will not step one foot into a public gym without music in my ears. it makes you appear focused on a goal and completely oblivious to others. it blocks out laughter that might cause you to feel like people are talking about you or whatever and it puts you in a zone where once you get into your workout, the rest of the gym and people just kinda blur into the background.

oh...and don't wear gray pants or a gray shirt...sweat marks show up really well on gray and it will make you self conscious. black is best for working out.
 

Ms Cloud

Well-known member
LOL. Going to a gym is one of the many things I couldn't do if my life depended on it. Not in a million years.

Fortunately I don't need to. I don't have a car so I walk everywhere, and I do a lot of strenuous physical labor since I don't have a man around to help me. And I'm poor, so I can't afford to eat anything delicious. Boy... I'm in fantastic shape.
 

Richey

Well-known member
too self conscious to go to a gym ..

however am quite happy to exercise at home or in other ways ..

i personally just find it too uncomfortable at a gym but i can play sports like soccer at a stadium.

i just feel that actual exercising is a very personal thing
 
Top