I really want to go swimming tomorrow - but I'm scared

[needakickstart]

I weigh 144kg - 22 stone 9.

I'm shockingly unfit - I can just about walk 10-15 slow speed around a supermarket but even that's a struggle and I'm leaning on the trolley for support. I'm 31 and I feel like I'm 75. Tried to go for a gentle walk with my aunt and uncle over Christmas and I couldn't talk for being out of breath.

There is a reason - horrendous trauma - but as my cousin (bluntly) put it this weekend, 'you're doing yourself no favours constantly being poor me, poor me.'

My sister has recently been given a huge sum of money, and she wants to use this money to go to Disneyland Paris (she has autism/intellectual disability) ... neither of us have ever been on a real holiday - never been abroad - and I so desperately want to take her, but at my current weight I wouldn't be able to do a damn thing ... so I have the incentive to do something...

My GP has suggested I try swimming. I'm at university, their wellbeing service has offered for me to go swimming for free, for an hour at a women's only session.

I feel stupid - I'm neurodiverse and struggle with new things. I've been shown around the pool but their changing room system is a bit fancy, I can't quite remember how it was explained to me before.

I'm also acutely aware of how fat and unfit I am and I'm scared I'll collapse in the changing rooms if I try to swim even one length. The instructor I spoke to at the gym (in September) told me I can go in, and just get used to being in the water, floating, don't have to swim but just to move. It's not very deep water or anything.

I get palpitations sometimes when I exert myself, GP and cardiology have thoroughly investigated (cousin has a condition that could be inherited) and both said gentle swimming is fine and probably be of huge benefit to me.

I have a swimming costume etc, I really want to go, but how the hell am I going to make myself actually do it?

You are amazing!! Well done! I too sometimes have to force myself to go swimming but i always keep in mind how much better i feel after i have gone. Keep going!

Congratulations OP! We are so proud of you. Keep it up!

Might be nice to write down how you feel after swimming in a notes app, to remember how great it made you feel and encourage future trips when motivation is low. You got this.

Well done OP. You know the most difficult thing? It’s to keep showing up every week. The more you go, the more you’ll enjoy it.

Oh wow! I'm nearly 19 stones and I'm thinking about going swimming tomorrow, it's great you feel a bit better already OP

We have a very friendly weight loss thread lose 30kg if you want to join us.
No skinny people allowed.

Onwards and upwards OP and thank you for letting us know.

That's brilliant @needakickstart well done you.

Oh well done!! I'm heavy too and swimming is the best thing! Just floating around is lovely and all movement will help you.

Also know what you mean about complicated changing room arrangements. But now you've been, you'll have got that figured out.

Very proud of you OP 👍 You’ll honestly feel so good every time you go. A phrase that always sticks with me is “you always feel better after a workout”, whatever ‘workout’ means for people. There’s 200 ways we’ll always talk ourselves out of it, but you know when you go you’ll feel great.

Well done OP. The best thing I ever did to help me swim was buy waterproof blue tooth headphones. I link the to my phone and I listen to podcasts while I swim. It helps make it enjoyable and relaxing and means I don't get bored. They are cheap on Amazon.