Morbidly obese and joining the gym on Wednesday.

[Thedarksideofthemoon30]

Arghhhhh.

Iv been doing keto for the last 4 weeks and have lost 25lb. I currently weigh 22stone and im 5ft9. I’m absolutely terrified that I’m going to be to heavy for the equipment!

But my 11yo ds has been asking to join so he has an induction booked for Wednesday with me.

I’m so nervous 😩

Slightly off topic but I’m surprised an 11yr old would be doing gym work unless it’s to do cardio. Doing weights would be unwise as their bones are still developing. (Unless that’s out of date advice )

On the other hand you should have a program that includes weights. Muscle development will facilitate weight loss more than cardio. Cardio improves your fitness.

Good luck on your journey OP.

It’s cardio he wants to do. He used to run for his school but his mental health is taking a battering atm so I was thinking it might do him good, plus he’s put on quite abit of weight during lockdown.

I have gym leggings and a really baggy black top, I ordered some Skechers trainers as well.

I never ever wear trainers so feel abit silly but il be ok!

I’m going to the gym after school with ds to sign his membership forms.

People of all shapes and sizes at my gym too and machines look pretty robust to me!
No one will take any notice of you - the most I’ve thought about a larger person is “good on them” and then have gone back to concentrating on whatever I’m doing.
Good luck!

Honestly, no-one cares, everyone is too focussed on their own suffering!

You won’t be too heavy for the equipment either - gyms cater for muscle-bound 6 ft 4 men too, so unless you’ve signed up to a delicate ladies gym, you’ll be fine.

(FWIW, I’m enormous and a sporadic gym user. I’m no thinner than when I started tbh, but I’m an awful lot fitter.)

Good for you. If people in the gym think anything at all they’ll be really impressed with your commitment. Let us know how it goes and keep going.
Obviously going to the gym is great but don’t underestimate the smaller things like just going for a daily walk, especially where you’d otherwise take the car etc. Helps if you have interesting podcasts or music on your phone to listen to. Best of luck to you.

Well done. It will be fine, lots of people are overweight and go to the gym. No one will be interested.

The first step is the hardest!! My friend did this and you can too! She didn’t expect anything but went three times a week for six months and committed to it, never missed it. That was about five years ago.After she felt better for the commitment more than the physical differences - it completely freed her mindset, she’d felt trapped mentally and this transformed her that way. I hope you feel really positive about it as you go and know it’s a process. She now has the results but knows she needs to keep that changed mindset (ie still do exercise), it’s not a one off result. She does exercise now just for her mental health that way.I need to do it too but hope that’s helpful

Oh and she didn’t do couch to 5k but aimed for 5k steps a day every day - she now loves the fresh air and found lots of little pretty spots in our area I never knew of!

I go to a gym regularly and am always impressed by people who are starting their journey - well done. I think most gym goers are the same - we respect your choice & will celebrate your improvement in fitness.

Joined to comment on this thread! I worked in gyms for years - we are all sport science grads, super fit, love fitness, etc. All in great shape. We are all impressed by people who really kept in shape & worked out, are committed to their fitness, etc. But the people that really blow us away are people like you, who face their fears and come in motivated to make such a huge change. I have ultimate respect for what you're doing, so if anyone gives you attitude remember that they don't belong in a gym-they're idiots-but you do & a lot of people are silently very impressed by you and willing you to succeed. You've made my day posting what you did as it could be an amazing journey for you and I really hope this is just the first of a thousand steps!

You can do it OP! We are all cheering for you! You're teaching your son such an important lesson.

Good in you, OP. Definitely don’t be afraid to ask any questions about routine and what you should be doing in the induction (and after).

Op the treadmills at my local gym has a maximum weight of 350 kilo. So you are not even close

Thank you all!!

I really want to up my fitness to go on long walks as well. My husband and our oldest(13) regularly do 6-10 mile walks together and I always stay at home because I know I wouldn’t enjoy it but I want to go :(

Ds is going for his hair cut then we are off to sign us both up after school! X

Bloody good for you OP. The equipment in gyms tends to be usually far stronger than those aimed at private home use, which may carry a maximum weight restriction. Some of the best machines are rowers because they seem kinder on knee joints and allow quite a good overall workout.

So glad you've found something that you'd like to try. The only advice I'd say it to take it gently to start with and don't worry about what anyone else thinks about how you look, what you're doing. Go and enjoy it.

Good on you OP. I love that you have your DS too for mutual moral support.

So me and ds went and officially signed up! Corr £49! I best stick at it lol.

The guy was lovely!! Really talking to ds and me, he showed us around the gym (which was so bloody awkward!!) but it looks lovely and ds is buzzing for tomorrow.

When we walked in everyone stared but it looks good! Abit intimidating lol but I’m sure it will be ok!

We are booked in tomorrow at 5 then Friday and Monday.

Iv ordered ds some more trainers that should come tomorrow as he only has vans.

I asked the (hotttttt!) guy what’s the weight limit on the equipment and he said like 600lb LOL. I should be ok!

The guy asked ds what he’s hoping to get from going to the gym and ds replied “a 22pack” 😂🙈

He used to run for his school but he hasn’t done it in a year or so because of lockdown and him putting quite abit of weight on. There was an email about one in June with the school and he wants to aim to be able to do it.

Fantastic OP, that’s absolutely wonderful that you want to help your ds too. He’ll thrive with your support and you’ll thrive off of his enthusiasm
Whatever you wear, you just need to feel comfortable.
No one at the gym judges anyone ime, most people are only interested in themselves (I don’t mean that from a vanity perspective, simply that everyone is there for a form of self improvement be that physical or mental).

Thank you! I just don’t even know where to start? What do I go on first? 😩

Eeeekkkk

It might be worth getting some personal training sessions to get yourself a good gym routine.

At our gym no one really looks at anyone else. You do see the regulars but everyone is far too busy working out to look at other gym goers.

Way to go OP!

I second pretty much all the advice given above - wear something you are comfortable in, don't worry about anyone else (I promise you, they really aren't staring) and do get some PT sessions booked in if its a service that is offered - A PT will give you a programme to work to, will advice on form and posture to help prevent injury and will also push and motivate you.

Let us know how you and your DS get on

On arrival at reception, "Hello, it's my first day today. I did the induction yesterday which was great but I feel a bit lost about where to start. What would you recommend I try today?"

Then ask about booking some personal trainer sessions, my mum has one who she sees fairly regularly but not every time she goes to the gym. You could book, say, six sessions once a week for the next six weeks. They can help you work out a programme to follow. Best of luck!