That’s great advice, I definitely felt that way when I first started working out at the gym. Now I feel like I run the place, haha not really. One thing that helped me was to remember that even if these people are judging me how many of them are going to have the courageous to say something. They can look all the want, take a pic it lasts longer.

What a great swim workout! Swimming always looks so easy, but when you keep going continuously it’s such a great workout 😀
And wowzer that sweet potato looks to die for!
I get shy too if I’m at the gym, but I try not to make eye contact with too many people/think everyone is in the same position, we all look sweaty and gross, so they can’t judge! Plus I’m not judging them – I admire the sweaty folk cos they’re obviously working hard 🙂
Have a great day!

I once mentioned to some friends that I always felt self-conscious about running outside because people would judge me for running too slowly or something. They pointed out that people can’t even judge you when you’re running outside because chances are, they will see you for such a short amount of time that they’ll have no idea what your workout is like. They don’t know if you’re warming up or cooling down or if you’ve just started or if you’ve just run ten miles. I’d never thought about it that way and it helped me a lot. I definitely prefer running outside now!

Haha – Love the use of shot glasses!

I didn’t get comfortable in a weight room until I had a trainer show me the right way to do different exercises. Once I felt more confident with my “moves,” the awkwardness kind of dissipated, and I actually felt pretty awesome for working so hard! But I still feel strange waiting in line with sweaty, muscly strangers for a water fountain or a machine!

Thank you for the advice and great attitude. I immediately copied it to a word document and printed it out. I have pinned it up on my wall so I will remember to look at it.

Thanks!

Everyone looks ridiculous working out. Everyone! The muscleheads are groaning and schvitzing, the yoga people are putting their heads under their arms, everyone is making funny faces and wearing weird-looking clothes. And any time something legitimately embarrassing happens (falling off the treadmill?!) I try to find the people who saw me and laugh with them. We’re all in on the joke in the gym.

I definitely get a little embarrassed when it seems like everyone else knows what they are doing and I don’t. Like today I was on the elliptical, feeling great, and there was a bootcamp class going on right behind me. Even though my workout was great, I still felt like someone might be judging. :/

A few years ago when I started working out regularly, I was so embarrassed to be there that I couldn’t work out in my building’s gym if someone else was in there. Then one day I decided to see what it was like if I stayed on the elliptical when someone else came in. And you know what? It was completely anti-climactic. The guy cared more about what TV station was on than what I was doing. I got over my embarrassment really quickly after that.

I kept this in mind when I started running. Sure, better runners passed me all the time, and anyone driving by could see me huffing and puffing away, but I sucked it up and dealt with the embarrassment. It paid off when I went for a run early one awful cold and rainy morning. The only other person out was this clearly experienced, old school runner. When he passed by, he wished us an incredibly cheerful good morning. I felt like such a stud!

So the next time you feel embarrassed to be taking on something new, remember this: If you keep it up, YOU become the badass.

I LOVE this post! Thanks for the encouragement for us beginners… We need it! 🙂

this is a great post!! actually just what i needed today, as i was feeling down about not posting as big of a weight loss this week as i wanted and feeling mad and embarassed about letting myself even get to this point, etc.

i have to STOP… and remember that this is a JOURNEY that i should be proud of even having the courage to start!! proud that i did lose some weight! and that no one is judging me as much as i’m judging myself!

I love this post! I used to be “scared” to try yoga because I can’t touch my toes…but now it is one of my favorite things to do! I just do it for myself and ignore all the pretzels around me 🙂

I have to admit, the first time I swam I was pretty nervous. I announced to the girl I was sharing a lane with that I’d never done this before. Now I’m 90% confident–but lately I’ve been wanting to try the butterfly stroke and I just don’t have the guts to do that one in public yet. I feel like it could look really ridiculous if I get it wrong!

I just pretend I know what I am doing and tell myself that no one is watching me or judging me!!

When I was running slow at the end of a 15 mile run and someone would blow past me, I wanted to shout after them: “This is mile 15!” Or when I’m in the gym that is attached to an infantry battalion (read: chock full of young Marines who do the epitome of boy things all day long and are not in contact with many women. read further: many many eyes on your ass as you do donkey kicks) I get nervous and don’t want to do my plan. Or if I’m swimming laps and I’m struggling more than I think I should, I feel I should “explain” to the lifeguard why my stroke isn’t olympic level.

But the workout is what I want and need, who cares if they are looking. And they probably aren’t anyways. It just feels like it because you are thinking about yourself. Guess what? So is everyone else.

I work out at my gym after work, and the weight area is always crowded with a bunch of guys. It can be intimidating, but my advice is to just put head phones in and no one bothers you. You probably know just as much (if not more) about weight lifting as most of the guys there.

Sometimes I’m intimidated in the weight room, but I get over it because I figure no one is watching me, they’re doing their own thing!

Great post! This actually hit home for me. I work in a weight room (I am actually working right now) and I am surrounded by huge men. If you have seen my pictures on my blog, I am pretty tiny. I like to lift weights after work, but sometimes I get self conscious. It took me awhile to realize that no one really cares, and if they do, so what? I have just as much right to workout as they do.

The weights at my gym face all the cardio machines, so every time I go to try and learn to use them everyone is STARING at me. I finally recruited my friend to show me how to use them properly tonight so that I can not be so self conscious!!

I would LOVE to start swimming, but still don’t feel confident enough to bare it in a suit :-/

I just realized that if anybody was negatively judging me for doing something that’s good for me, that’s THEIR problem! I love the quote that any judgment you make is really a judgment of yourself…I take this to mean that if somebody is making a mean judgment of me when I’m doing something new, that judgment has nothing to do with me and everything to do with that person’s insecurity or unhappiness (they’re probably secretly jealous that they’re not as brave as me!). This has helped me have compassion for people who are judgmental and mean, and it’s also given me a push to be more brave about doing new things, just to show people that it can be done and doesn’t have to be so scary.

It’s always a little nerve-wracking to start something new…yoga, reformer pilates, running, rock climbing, swimming class, water aerobics for athletes class, riding a century…there’s always the fear that everybody’s going to see that you’re a novice. But you know what? Have fun, throw yourself into it, and before you know it you’ll be the one guiding the newbies.

I was so afraid of going to the gym for the first time. I would go at “off” times like early in the morning, actually I still do that! It takes the worry out of making sure that I get to use the equipment that I want without a ton of people around. I was the same way when I started running…I was worried of what people would think when they saw me running or “attempting” to run when I first started. At first I would run on roads that I knew not too many people drove on but pretty soon my confidence grew and now I don’t even think twice about hitting the main roads (so long as there is not too much car exhaust!)

I actually don’t feel too bad in the gym– for some reason, I feel comfortable doing my little routine, even if I’m surrounded by guys who are bench pressing my body weight! I do feel a little out of sorts in a yoga class if I don’t really know what I’m doing. But the thing that has helped me the most is to remember that most people are too busy thinking about themselves to think too much about others. REALLY! That girl that is skinnier and faster than you– she probably isn’t thinking “wow, look at that slower girl over on the treadmill.” Nope! Instead she’s thinking about her kickass workout, or her not-so-kick-ass-workout. The only exception is oogling guys, but there’s not much you can do about that.
A few weeks ago, one of the trainers in the gym actually stopped me in front of a bunch of people and told me I was doing my exercise (deadlift) wrong. Some people would have been embarrassed, but I was just happy that he took the time to show me a better way to do it. And truthfully, I doubt anyone was thinking “Wow, look at that girl- she can’t do the deadlift right… haha.” No one is perfect at the gym- not even that muscular, sexy, twenty something that you always admire. So I always tell myself to just worry about myself, like most of the other people at the gym are doing! And it works! 🙂

PS- GREAT POST and great comment conversation, because a lot of people DO have fears about going to the gym or trying something new. No one wants to look or feel silly & I think this post gives them the motivation to just TRY it!

Really great post and great advice.

I get scared in group situations when I don’t know anyone else, but knowing this about myself..I force myself to do things like take a new fitness class at my gym. Although I’m still to chicken to try spinning!

When I see someone who is obviously starting out- I definitely giggle to myself. Not because of them (I try to keep the smile to myself because I don’t want to offend anyone)- more because I know exactly what I looked like when I started exploring the weight machines or trying to perfect free weights/abs/yoga pose/whatever. It’s always a learning experience!

I love your advice on just getting out there and trying a new class or routine. I feel the same way – you’re working out to be healthy. I think it’s fantastic when someone is trying a new class, coming to the gym for the first time, or if another girl is in the weight room with me! It’s encouraging to see others adopting a healthy lifestyle! The important thing is that you’re doing it for YOU (and maybe your kids and/or other loved ones).

That’s so true. Every time I see someone running I’m like “Good for you!” and yes I say it out loud in the car. And yes, my boyfriend laughs at me every time. But I still do it :-)Best of luck on your triathlon, I want to do one so bad… I’m learning how to swim, and it’s getting there!

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I am *so* glad you made this post – I needed it!! I’m currently trying to start running. My goal is 3 miles, but I’m still only at 1/2 mile :/ I’ve been avoiding running at the gym, though, because I’m too embarrassed that people will think it’s dumb that I’m only running for a few minutes. Wow, I’m embarrassed to even admit that! But you’re exactly right. NO ONE CARES. And if they do….who cares about them!! Your list of “repeat after me’s” was so encouraging =) Thanks, C!

I take streetfighting. I am the only female in the class. The first day, it took so much for me to show up (no idea what to expect). It was, for lack of a better word, the awesomest decision i ever made. And the most bad ass. I’m still the only girl. But i don’t fight like one.

Loved your posts about the gym. We do all have to start out somewhere. If I see someone really busting their tail lifting weights or running on the treadmill (and I can tell they aren’t all that comfortable yet) I always like to go up and tell them “great job; you are doing awesome!”. The smile that lights up their face always makes me feel good and encourages me to get out and try something new, outside of my comfort zone.

Wow, just 6.5 miles in 2.5 weeks! I hurt my hamstring and am going stir crazy not being able to go on the ET =(. What would you recommend doing to pass the time and move since I cant do that? I am not part of a gym sadly.

Great post! Almost everyone I know says they don’t do weights because they are apprehensive about standing next to all of the other men by the free weights. What I do in that situation is remind myself how badass that one woman does look standing next to all the other men when I watch from the row of ellipticals! Thennn, once you’re down there you can just think about how much everyone else envies the fact that you actually did it.

As for John Bingham, I LOVE him and bought both of his running and marathon training books 🙂

Love your reflections at the end of this post, so true:)
FYI, with typed up swim workouts, you can also dip them in the pool and then either stick them to the gutter or a kickboard propped up against the starting blocks. It sounds weird, but works perfectly fine. Try it!

OMG,I am TERRIFIED of using the gym at my school b/c there are always lots of muscley guys lifting weights and stuff.
Anywho, this post TOTALLY motivated me and I am getting off my butt and getting on the treadmill RIGHT NOW. 2nd time this week so far! Thanks for the encouragement Caitlin!

I tried my first rebound class last Friday, and it is very dancey (is that a word? I don’t think so). I am a little uncoordinated in the dance department and I felt a little awkward, like everyone else knew what they were doing. I was feeling really uncomfortable until the girl next to me, who had the routine down perfectly, said, “Isn’t this fun? Do you like it?” Clearly she knew I was new at it, but that reminded me I was there to have FUN, not feel weird. After all, I was on a freakin’ trampoline! I probably still looked awkward, but who cares!

Lifting weights with mostly men took some getting used to but I figure I have the same right as anybody else, no matter my skill level! Plus, I’ve found it helps sometimes to motivate me and keep my form correct.

When I first started working out at the gym I used to go with my boyfriend all of the time. (I know some girls refuse to work out in front of their significant others, so going with any friend is helpful.) It actually gave me more confidence having him there, and he acted as my personal motivator. It was great too when we both wanted to try a new machine or exercise because then we could both figure it out together. Nowadays I go to the gym alone and I’m not self-concious one bit because I know what I’m doing. I think if you are a beginner then having a buddy systems definitely helps!