Re starting gym after 4/5 years

[Biosblbay]

Hoping I could maybe get some reassurance from someone or others that have been in a similar situation.

Before I met my husband 10 years ago in 2016 I was in the best shape ever, I would go gym 4-5 times a week usually for 2 hours at a time, ate very healthy and just had so much energy and confidence. I was a size 10 and weighed around 10 stone. I continued to go to the gym up until I fell pregnant with my first born which was the beginning of 2022, since then I have had my two babies, gained around 4 stone in total (most of which has been in the last 2 years mainly from being pregnant with my now 7 month old baby girl due to craving and eating so much sugar) but aldo having two young children I have neglected myself, lots of convenient eating, snacks, quick meals etc but also 0 exercise!! I am now a size 14 and weigh 14 stone.

I have been a little upset by my weight gain but I know this can be fixed with lots of hard work and determination.

I joined the gym and I went on Friday evening and Sunday morning. Not only did I feel very embarrassed and unconfident, I was so unfit that I could only manage 45 minutes of very basic walking on an incline on a treadmill and going on the cross trainer. I started to feel faint at one point and just wanted to run out and cry.

Please tell me this feeling goes away eventually? I felt like everyone was looking at me because I was new, I just kept thinking that people were judging me for doing the bare minimum and already looking like I was about to pass out, I just felt so out of place. I actually felt like I was on the urge of crying. I do know a lot of people probably don’t think this at all but there are so many people there that are so young and fit and I just felt so old overweight and inexperienced. I also don’t know how to use a lot of the machines, I need to build confidence to ask for help eventually so I just stick to the same machines that I know.

would love to see if this is a normal thing I am going through and if others have been there and worked through it! Thank you 🤍

Totally normal! It’s frustrating when you’ve been proficient at something then feel back to basics, but your previous fitness means you’ll make good progress more quickly.

I personally would try to focus more on weights than cardio in the gym and aim to get steps up outside it day to day. If your new gym offers inductions then I’d take advantage of those to get a programme to get you started. Or book a couple of PT sessions.

I also find that gym people are really happy to help with how to use things if you just ask.

good on you for getting back to it

Wear these shorts and you will feel more confident
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I've been worried about this too. Like you I was in such good shape. When covid arrived so did menopause and working from home.
I am about to start the gym/pool again and I'm worried as I struggle to get up the hill where I live.
I've been somewhat reassured by Ophirs post 😊

Well done for going back! Your fitness will increase quickly, your body just needs to adjust to something it hasn't done in a while. I think a lot of people would consider 45mins on any cardio machine an achievement anyway!
Please remember that 7 months after your last baby is still relatively early, pregnancy takes a big toil on the body but also your sleep is affected so much with young children, so don't try and compete with what you did before you had them. In a few years maybe, but not now!

If you can get a member of staff to show you things then great, but it's also fine just to go in and do what you're comfortable with for now. Once you've been a few times I'm sure you'll start to feel a bit more comfortable with it.

I’m mid fifties and started back to the gym in January after years of not going. I was like you to start with and concerned that I wasn’t fit enough, that people were looking at me and judging etc.

I’m now two months in and already can see a huge difference in how much fitter and stronger I am. I’ve also learned that nobody is taking any notice what other people are doing. I was initially cautious about going into the stretch room as I was feeling self conscious. Now I just go in and get on with my stretches and then do my workout. Regarding the machines, if there’s a machine I don’t know how to use, I just watch other people on there until I know what to do and then pop on there, put it in a low weight to start with and have a go.

I do a combination of cardio (x trainer) and weight machines. I think it’s helpful to work out beforehand exactly what you’re going to do that day and just confidently get on with it. Once you’ve done it a few times and know what you’re doing you won’t be worrying what the rest of the gym are up to.

Honestly, the more I go, the more I realise that everyone is conscious of how they personally look and they aren’t thinking about other people. I’ve seen so much preening in the changing rooms that I’m convinced no one is looking at what I’m doing!!

I haven't been to a commercial gym for a while but I would just add as well that the people who are there who are really into fitness (as you were once!) probably do notice new people, but unless you're doing something really obviously annoying like hogging multiple pieces of equipment when it's busy, they're either indifferent or just happy someone else is getting the bug.
If I see someone who is visibly overweight and unfit on a cardio machine, if I do think about it my first thought is how hard they are working (because carrying extra weight is exhausting) and the second is to hope they stick with it and get something from it, because the improvements you see as a beginner - fitness, mood, sleep - are usually really noticeable.

YES that faint feeling will go! It really will go.

Agree with PP who said make a plan. Also agree an "easy minimum" for yourself. So not " I must bang out 45 mins" but "I'm going to do at least 20 and see how I feel".

Also mix it up. Let's say you are going to.start by committing 2 or 3 times a week. Not more at first. Then maybe have "cardio day" and "weights day" or whatever. It is easier to do a workout if it is not the same thing you just did 48h ago. Keeps it fresh.

And remember, every time you go, you make it easier for next time.

Remember every training session is one in the bank!

I just started at 60 with no experience. PT sessions first and it is so worth it . Someone showing me , then telling me what to do . This will be followed by food guidance . Then if I want to I can join regular sessions but they also anticipate that I might not want to .
Cardio and walking I think are a tough first choice . Maybe a bit of weights to warm up and 10 minutes walking . Or don't bother and get some walking done wheeling your lovely new baby in a pram.