Weights area scares me

[Anono2022]

So, I joined the gym in November and have consistently gone 3 to 4 times a week. I do HITT cycle classes and the gym, but only cardio. In the gym I use the cross trainer, bike, treadmill walking on an incline and the stairmaster. I'm sweating buckets by the end of my sessions but my body isn't changing.

I'm mid 30s and 10 stone. My weight doesn't hugely bother me but I'd like to be more comfortably within the 9 to 9 and a half stone range but if I stayed at 10 stone but was happy with my body shape I'd be fine. In 5ft 5 and I am bottom heavy, not hugely but that's where I visibly carry my weight. I eat around 1500 to 1600 calories per day.

I guess my goal is to change my body shape. I describe myself as slim but wobbly lol. I don't mind my thick legs, I've learnt to embrace them but I bloody HATE my saddlebags. I go out on the sides of my thighs. I sat on my bed yesterday and saw myself in the mirror and was really disappointed at how chunky I am looking despite my workouts.

I would really love to tone up and shift the layer of fat that has become more difficult to lose in my mid 30s! But how do I do this when the weights area scares me? It took alot of courage to get myself in the gym in the first place but the idea of weights scares me. Especially as at my gym it feels like it's a very male dominated area.

I cant afford a PT but any other tips will be greatly appreciated.

T.I.A

Most gyms offer a free induction. Ask if they can show you how to use some of the resistance machines as a good intro to strength training. Then pick a time when it's not busy and go use them. Honestly everyone is so busy with what they're doing they won't be watching you. And the majority of people will be more than willing to help if you need it. Aim for 10-12 reps, 3 sets of each exercise with 60 seconds rest in between. Working hard but not ridiculous like 6/10 effort. Add weight each week. You'll soon gain confidence. Pick one machine for each muscle group for a full body session.

I'm the same, I have membership that I took when I could go to loads of classes, now I'm working full time, I can't so I lowered my membership level and now get one class a week included. BUT, I'm stuck on what to do by myself outside of that. I shouldn't really do any weights at the moment, I had tennis elbow but it seems to have migrated to my shoulder now so I'm doing cardio but will be ready to start weights agian soon, but I feel quite self conscious and like I don't know what I'm doing.

Hiya!
i just wanted to come on and offer my support. I have been going to the gym for 2 years now. I started off with classes and then used the treadmills and some of the machine weights that were easy enough to work out without looking like too much of a newbie!

The gym can be really intimidating at times so I know why you may be apprehensive. I only gained the courage 2-3 months ago to actually enter the weights area!
I gained confidence by going during quieter times, so in the morning before work or later at night to gain a feel for the equipment. I also watched a lot of YouTube videos and followed some workout accounts on Instagram.
The things that helped me most are:

• to have a plan of what I am going to do, before I get there.
• Gym staff are there to help, so take advantage of them! They won’t charge you just to help you understand a machine, they want you to be safe of course.
• wear something that I am comfortable and feel good in
• Tunnel vision. Your goal is yours, no one else’s. Don’t focus on what anyone else is doing, I assure you they aren’t fussed about what you are doing
• Remember that people in the gym are like-minded, you’re there to improve and better yourself, and so are they! The Gym is a community and most people are happy to help.
• listen to your favourite songs.

In regards to improving ‘saddlebags’ hop on the adductor/abductor machine! This helped me.

Finally, in my experience, weight training is much more effective in changing body composition that cardio.

In my gym there are “strength” classes that use weights, and I’d say it’s around 75% women. Maybe your gym had something similar to get started but the name of the class might not be obvious

Are you accurately counting calories? Unless you are weighing EVERYTHING to the exact gram, it's likely you are under-estimating how many calories you are actually consuming. If you are only eating 1500 per day, and doing full on gym workouts burning for example 600/700 calories on top of what your body naturally burns, then you SHOULD be losing weight. A deficit of 1000 calories per day should lose about 1lb of fat per week.

I was the same last year. I have an epic virtual personal trainer and have been a regular gym goer since. I now give the blokes a run for their money - I go in, do my workout and get out. I’m not there to socialise, but they often have to take some of the weights off after I’ve used something. ;)

it’s such a buzz. I do no cardio whatsoever. Weight training is just so good for you.

I was the same as you OP but I bloody love weights now it's hard but my favourite thing to do 😊

You can't change your body shape - where you hold your fat is where you hold your fat! Even when I ate next to nothing and slimmed down to a size 8 I had wobbly cellulitey thighs. Just work on toning and I echo a pp - check your calories, 1600 is quite high for a 5"5" person if you want to lose weight - for context I'm 5"8", exercise every day and eat 1100-1200 cals per day and it's only coming off 1-2lb per week. You need to be in deficit.

Oh, ps. I do full body kettlebell workouts with a woman called Caroline Girvan on youtube - she's really good I find and then you can tone up in the comfort of your own home - I wouldn't let the men bother you though, they'll be too busy doing what they're doing to be bothered by you!

I recently started back at the gym after about 10 years of at home workouts. I specifically wanted access to the barbells and while the squat rack and dumbbell areas can be a bit of a sausage party, I have found that 'fake it till you make it' energy goes a long way. There are youtube videos about how to use gym equipment which can be really helpful.

I find it really useful to have planned in advance what I'm doing because then its more like a trip to the supermarket with a list, as opposed to one where you wander about not knowing what you want for dinner.

If it scares you because youre intimidated, dont be. 50% of the people there havent got a clue what they are doing anyway.

If youre scared because you dont know what to do, keep it simple

• Some kind of bench press
• Some kind of row
• Shoulder/vertical press
• Cable pull down
• Squat/quad dominant like lunches or split squats
• Hip/hamstring dominant like a dead lift

Get a PT to show you these movements and they are the only 6 exercises you ever need.

Sorry but you absolutely can change your body shape! The OP is after body recomp rather than focussing on weight loss and the best way to do this is by lifting weights. I used to work on the gym floor and believe me when I say the staff there will be bored to tears and would love someone to ask them for some help! I'd start with machines so you can lift heavy without worrying too much about form/injury. Once you get confident with them see if you can have a couple of PT sessions to be shown the big compound lifts.
I am 5'5" and 9st and I lose on 1600 calories so the OP definitely can. Worry less about scale weight and more on visible changes. Take progress photos.
Up your high volume foods such as veg and salad, plan each meal and snack around protein.
Get yourself in that weights area with your headphones in and I promise you no one cares what anyone else is doing!

In the weights area, I started with the machines and watched what other people did with free weights. Worked my way into them gradually. My confidence built and now I use most of the equipment. Once you build confidence, it's fairly straightforward to pick up more of a repertoire from YouTube etc