to think its not socially acceptable for fat people to exercise

[starshaker]

If you go to the gym then you get looked at like a lazy blob who actually has no right to be in the presence of "normal" people who want to exercise without having their eyes insulted by having to look at a fat person. In sports shops there isn't a selection of clothes that will fit fat people.

Then you get people who feel its acceptable to comment when you say you go to the gym/do yoga/cycle. God forbid if a fat person wants to swim.

Im fat, i deny myself food, i exercise till i hurt but i am still fat.

(I am seeing a dietician and having bloods done to see if there is something medical wrong)

Star: I'm sorry, but this could all be in your head.

Surely you only need to wear tracksuit bottoms and a tee shirt to do any exercise - these are available anywhere.

Good luck with the weight loss.

I think you're exaggerating. Im fat. Size 20-22. I run, swim and go to the gym. Never been made to feel unwelcome and find people pleasant. I get my clothes from debenams with no issues. I'm not the fattest one I see exercising.
I think it's you that feels uncomfortable not other people.

Are you sure it's not just a little bit of paranoia on your part re the gym thing? Ok I'm not overweight but I do go to the gym a lot, plenty of overweight people also use my gym and go to the classes and I can't say I've ever heard comments or seen any sort of looks of disgust aimed towards them. People's weight barely even registers with me, I'm too busy puffing and panting and getting on with my own thing, pretty much like everyone else.

I don't think that is how most people think. I need to lose weight but am lazy so don't do much excersise though I intend to start one day. If I see somebody who is overweight doing exercise I admire them and think good for them.. They are making a start. I agree change gyms if they make you feel uncomfortable.

I've not found that to be my experience although I do avoid certain aerobics classes as they make me feel uncomfortable (and I don't just mean sweaty and out of breath).

At my gym lots of larger people swim, as do the elderly so I feel most at ease doing that.

I believe you.

I knew somebody once who started out the same as the rest of us and got massively into the whole body building thing. Huge well done to her and I even got past the constant slew of full body selfies in a mirror every day.

But then the complaining started especially at new year when there's usually a huge rush for gyms, SW, WW etc complaining that all the fat people were taking up the room, taking photos and sniggering online at them with a long list of fitness buddies, it was quite a horrible feeling to watch considering she was a really lovely person.. she forgets that she was overweight and a newbie once.

They say that nobody judges but regular intense gym goers are judgmental even if they say they're not.

Of course there are probably places where it's less.. I agree on finding another gym if you're not comfortable though.

I think you are projecting your feelings onto everything which isn't really fair. If this is what you think people view you as, it doesn't really mean that they see you this way.

Not good to "deny yourself food". Do you crave junk? If so it should just be a temporary thing until you get used to the healthy stuff.

im in a very small village the nearest gym (other than ths) is 30 mins away. I can only go twice a week because of opening times matching with the nursery. ive heard comments like she will probably go home and have a huge cake after this etc.

:(
have you tried exercise videos on the other days that you can't get to the gym?

It does sound like a lot of projection going on in your OP

I see fat people exercising every day when I get the bus into town...past the leisure centre gym which has a window you can see right into.

I see fat people swimming when I take the kids every week

I also see many other things that no-one concerns themselves with.

Maybe it is happening in your area. And it is the people in your area that are the problem?

Not at our gym. Are you over thinking or finding excuses?

No i dont mean junk food i mean regular meals that most people enjoy. My day is
Granola 50g with yoghurt 100g and raspberries 280 calories
Salad with tuna/chicken or salmon (no dressing) between 180-350 calories
baked potato with egg/ cheese/beans and salad about 300 calories
snacks are fruit
I put on 2lbs this week

Starshaker why go to a gym? Expensive, noisy, full of posers - I hate them. (OK probably some gyms are fine but I avoid them).

Get some shorts, a tshirt, some decent running shoes - and most useful of all, a decent running bra. Find a 30 minute route round your village for running a few minutes, walking a bit, running some more. Do it every day, with varying amounts of running and walking depending how you feel. 30 mins a day is probably less time than it takes to go to the gym, but more time actually spent exercising, and it's free, and if people sitting outside the local pub stare at you, well... you're going faster than they are, aren't you?

I can really sympathise with the stares and the comments - but the way to get beyond them is to just do that exercise, stick to your own program, and ignore them. You're never going to change how others behave, but you can move a long way away from them mentally, just by concentrating on doing your own thing. Good luck :-)

I run and frequently have people shouting abuse at me.

it is not fun

I think that probably most people feel self-conscious when starting out at the gym. How often do you go? In fact, if you concentrate on what you are doing you don't really notice what other people are doing. That's if you are a normal person. Really serious gym goers always look very obsessed with what they are doing that they couldn't possibly notice anyone else. That is not a criticism, you don't get to that stage without being focussed.
I go to the gym at least 4 times a week. I have never bought proper gym kit. I wear leggings from anywhere and usually little vest tops from Tesco, "The Perfect Vest", I think they are about 6 quid.
When I go I take my Kindle and talking books. That way the time goes more quickly and I don't have the time or inclination to look at or worry what other people might be doing.
I go to a council gym. Nothing flashy and not expensive. Might it be worth trying another place?

Course it's socially acceptable. There are always going to be a few wankers out there. But equally there will be people thinking 'good on you' (and even more people who couldn't care less either way).

I think you might be underestimating your calories. You can't be having 1000 cals a day and putting on 2lb in a week, can you?

(BTW because of where I worked last year i had to join a university gym to do exercise. I had no idea how the equipment worked and I was totally overheated because they keep it so fecking hot in those places. I also hated the smell and the music. All the lithe, pert little 18 year old gym bunnies stared disapprovingly at me and made rude comments about my accent and asked if I was ok because my face went red when I'd been running. It was awful. But i just kept going to that gym every day, and after several months, some of the 18 year olds even smiled and chatted to me and said they hoped they were as committed to exercise as I am when they got to be as OLD as me!!!!)

I am sorry to hear this :( It really depends on the gym.

I had to lose about 3 stone put on by medication and I went to a local gym. There was one women there who was really obese (more so even than I was). I got a mixture of encouragement and mocking, she just got mocking. When she went on the treadmill people treated it like a comedy as she was a newbie and on a low setting. They would literally nudge their pals and watch. She left eventually but how she struggled! I once saw her walking away crying and I was ashamed and disgusted at the other people in the gym (the trainers were great and really positive, it was the fitness fans who saw being a pound overweight as a sin stuck to your body). And yeah, comments like "It doesnae work if ye go home and stuff down cakes, sweetheart".

To me I saw her as a bit of an inspiration, being "healthy at any size" and just going there and getting on with it. I didn't want to make her feelings any worse so I didn't know what to say, but I had loads of respect for her. I wish I could have conveyed it in some way.

Now I am looking for a gym again and I will be very careful to look for recommendations and ask around for fat-friendly gyms. I am clearly overweight (although not technically obese) and I don't want any judgements and bad vibes as I try to lose the weight. There are fantastic gyms that are not like this at all, I've been in them, so I will try everywhere til I find one.

Sorry I didn't see your post about only having one accessible gym. I have tried running very unsuccessfully but never heard any comments at all.

I walk at least 10000 steps a day (fitbit) with the dog (i take it off in the house because random wandering isnt really exercise) I do yoga at home (beginner stuff) i play football with the kids a couple times a week.