I'm not a gym person either. I'm not embarrased per se but do not feel like I work as hard as I can with people around. I get bored on a stairmaster and find it hard to stay motivated. I do my workouts exclusively at home to videos and have weights for my arm routine.

I've found a few great videos at www.hulu.com, a free streaming site. They have lots of yoga and I'm diggin the 'Gaiam's Wake Up Workout The FIRM: Cardio' for a great routine without any props. Occasionally, I get tired of the same thing and do a search for something different.

It's nice to have a free alternative to keep in shape!

My personal story with running didn't start out that good. When I first started, the neighborhood "mean kids" would shout things out to me that made me feel less than great. So you know what I did? I put in some headphones and kept running. Every other day. I'd wear baggy clothes to hide myself. And now, just a few months later, I'm almost done with C25K, and I'm out there running, wearing spandex.

Everytime I felt judged or heard something derogatory about "fat girl running", I used it to fuel me. I was doing more than everyone sitting on the couch. I was changing my life. And now, I'm stronger, I'm healthier, I've lost a lot of inches, and there's not a thing in the world anyone can say to bring me down.

Do this for you. When you've reached your goals, your feeling of pride will make it all worth it.

:( I guess the way to do it is to do stuff alone at home at first til you feel happier with how fit you are and then get more public with it. Good luck!

Calisthenics..? Forgive my ignorance! :D
d'aww a flower, how kind

Thanks :) I will!

If you feel really self conscious I would get a couple of workout dvds so that you can do them in the privacy of your own home, but make sure you get good ones! Jillian Michaels are good!

But to be honest I think if you started going for a run outside I think you'd be surprised at how quick you would be come comfortable to do it. Also, I really don't think people pay that much attention to runners, they might glance just to check where you are if they are driving but then they are past you in all of about 2 seconds so they don't get the opportunity to see you for long anyway! If you have to run past people you'd soon be out of there way in not time at all. I would say if you feel like going for a run then just be brave and do it, once you've done it once you'll realise there's nothing to worry about and won't hesitate in keep doing it.

Good luck in whatever you choose to do - but as long as you're doing something, that's better than nothing

I never thought I would ever feel uncomfortable about anyone seeing me exercise, but then I got injured and put on 40 pounds.

I used to feel totally at home in the gym, at running races, in the pool etc and all of a sudden I hated the thought. So I used that as an excuse to do nothing for a lot longer than I should have. At the end of the day, I didn't want to stay this fat and if I wanted to see the benefits I would quite simply have to get over myself.

When I went back to spin I thought I looked like a hippo in lycra and felt such a fraud in my clippy shoes... like "all the gear - no idea"... But you know what...??? Nobody cares. Nobody looks. It's all in your head.

Suck it up buttercup.

I was embarrassed at first, but after going to the gym and doing my thing once, I was totally fine with it. I realized that I'd rather people see my fat butt working out instead of stuffing my face at a restaurant!

I see why your personal trainer asked you to motivate others, you seem to be really positive about it all. Well done, it sounds like you're doing great :)

Oh no! Perhaps you could try getting to know people in the class better and become gym buddies with them? It might make you feel more comfortable. Well done for going despite how you feel though, I admire that.

Completely understand, and I still won't set foot in a gym. However, I've started running every second day and I've realised how little anyone cares about what I do! It's liberating. I have a lovely place to run near where I live and people just smile and say 'hi'. Also, what do you think when you see a jogger? I know I always think 'good on them', I never look at them negatively:)

That's another reason I'm not sure about the gym - I prefer being outdoors really, and when I've got an actual bike I'm not sure that I see the point of getting bored and staring into space on a gym one. But I guess I'll have to try it out and see how it goes.

Free is DEFINITELY a good thing, haha :)

i tend to do home dvd's like Zumba as im too chicken to do a class where i am as i am unfamiliar with the language!!

go for a bike ride! x

Exactly, I think it's horrible how people laugh at "fat girls running" - surely it's better to run than to stay fat? Which is of course why I'm on here. Good for you for keeping going. And thank you for being an inspiration :)

I was far too unfit when I started to even consider running! Just walking up my own damn stairs made me out of breath. So I walked. A lot. I used an exercise dvd at home, started just doing the warm up section then moved on to the low intensity section and finally the whole dvd.

It's now just over 3 months and I've taken up netball once a week at a local sports centre, I've moved onto higher intensity workouts (which includes weights) and have just started running. I still suck at running! I still sweat like hell, go red and puffy and struggle with the lowest of low intensity running. But I feel more confident in my stamina and endurance to at least give it a go.

Also: I've never faced anyone publicly saying anything to me. I might feel they're saying/thinking things but no one has actually said anything. A pair of headphones and a steely gaze straight ahead works wonders for blocking people out.

All of that is very true, thank you!

^^this.

you're not doing this for anyone but yourself. your health is important. don't be embarrassed to workout. if it makes it easier, enlist a friend to go with if you really want to hit the gym or go for a run/jog/walk. word to the wise though, SOMETIMES friends bale on you if their goals are not the same. SO even if they don't go, make yourself accountable and go even if that means cranking up the tunes and trying to forget everyone around you.

plus, most people don't think about it, but a lot of times when you hit the gym people appreciate the fact that someone who is essentially out of shape or overweight is trying. :)

Oh wow I had the same thing when I was 15 - when I think about it, that's when I started gaining weight.

I know it's all in my head but at the same time my head is telling me it isn't... now I sound like a schizo haha. I do think wiht me I have to get over the mental blocks first.

Good luck to you too

Very true :)

I have tried the friend thing before but it didn't work out - however this year may be different. When I have the money I do think I'll consider rejoining a gym now, I think my health is more important than my embarrassment!

Change your mind set and you see the results. Your focus is to get fit, if in the process you lose weight well all and good. If you want to get fit then go to the gym and concentrate on what you are there for to get fit. That is what everyone else there is doing . Getting fit.
Stay blessed.

DVDS are a great way to start x

Like you I didn't want anyone to see the fatty huffing and puffing her way round the neighbourhood so I started off exercising at home.

Fortunately for me I've got a PS3 so I started with EA Sports Active 2 and worked my way through some of the programs on it. I also walked and walked and walked.

Once I started to feel a bit fitter I decided to do the 30 day shred. Awesome workout and dirt cheap - abuot a fiver at Tesco or Amazon. After that I figured that running is a great exercise so I should try to do that - I started couch to 5K http://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx but still felt really self conscious so I only ran at night when it was dark while wearing dark clothing and a baseball cap - I was like a slow, fat ninja!

Don't feel like you have to join a gym - it's not necessary. I don't like gym workouts / gym classes and don't think I'd have the motivation to go regularly if I joined one, so I use the council pool and I have a pay as you go membership for the council gym; I've been to the gym once since March, but I guess it'll be useful in the winter if we get another bad one.

The most important thing is that you do *something*. Find what you enjoy and get out and do it. Or stay in and do it!

THIS^^^^^^!
Exactly how it was for me when I started running and how I feel now!