Tips for Helping Big Folks Feel Comfortable Working Out at the Gym or Recreation Center

The thought of exercising, panting, sweating, and going red in the face in front of other people can be intimidating to anyone of any size. However, plus-sized people often are especially nervous about the reaction of fellow gym-goers. Will they laugh at you or look at you like you don't belong there? Will you break the exercise equipment? Will it be awkward to run around in a towel in the changing room? Here are a few pieces of advice for being more confident as a big person at a gym or recreation center.

Step One: Preparing yourself mentally. Many large people are intimidated by exercising in front of other people, and there's nothing wrong with deciding you'd rather work out at home. But, perhaps you'd like to take up swimming, or you really like elliptical machines, but can't afford to buy one. Or perhaps you'd like to sample a variety of different kind of fitness classes and would like an instructor to show you proper form. All of these things are easier to accomplish at a gym or community recreation center.

The main thing to keep in mind is that even thin and fit people can sometimes feel self-conscious about their bodies; this isn't exclusive to bigger people! Another thing to keep in mind is that most likely, nobody is looking at you. They are caught up in their fitness goals and don't have time to look around and critique other people's bodies.

If you are still concerned about this, even after trying to psych yourself up, try scouting out a few gyms and community recreation centers ahead of time, and you'll see that unless you're looking into a trendy gym in Hollywood, you're probably going to find people of all sizes, ages, and shapes. Keep in mind that generally speaking, community recreation centers and the local YMCA/YWCA tend to have a mix of older and younger people and people of all fitness levels, as opposed to smaller gyms with a body-building focus. For women, you might find that going to an all-women's gym like Curves or Contours will make you feel more comfortable.

Another piece of advice for the body-conscious; if you don't want the average person on the street looking at you when you work out, avoid the sort of "store-front" gyms with big windows where any passer-by can watch you sweating on the treadmill. You may also want to ask fitness center staff about peak usage times and low-use times if you'd like to use the gym when it's less crowded. Other tips for dealing with a dislike of being watched when you're exercising include finding an exercise buddy that you can talk to while you walk the track or lift weights or bringing headphones and listening to music, a podcast, or a book on CD while you work out.

Step Two: Finding a facility to match your fitness priorities. You'll want to ask yourself some preliminary questions about the basic requirements for any gym or fitness center you're considering joining. Do you want a fitness center with a pool for swimming laps or taking a water aerobic class? If you're planning to lift weights, do you want a facility that has a mix of machines and free weights? If you like taking group exercise classes, are they included in the monthly fee, or is there an additional charge?

Once you've found a facility that's a good match, there's still some research to be done. Of course, you should always talk to your physician before starting an exercise regimen. Most likely, though, unless you have a health condition that would preclude certain activities, your doctor will probably be thrilled that you're looking into finding a fitness center or gym to frequent. After that, ask around your social circles to see what friends and acquaintances have to say about the facility you're checking out. They will be good resources on subjects such as how well the staff maintains the equipment and what the busy and slow times at the gym are.

Finally, once you've decided on a gym, talk to the staff to see if anything like a fitness orientation or fitness assessment is offered. At many places, a staff member will give you a short tour of the equipment and will help you figure out how to use unfamiliar weight or cardio machines. Many gyms and fitness centers also offer free or inexpensive fitness assessments so that you can gauge where you are on measures of cardio fitness, strength, and flexibility, and some will even suggest routines for you to try out in their facility.

It isn't necessary to hire a personal trainer; you can often come up with a good routine for yourself by reading articles and books about weight training. But investing in two or three sessions with a personal trainer isn't a bad idea, either; they can often coach you on issues such as using proper form to avoid injuries or suggest variations on your routine to keep you from getting bored.

One warning about fitness center staff and personal trainers: they sometimes see larger people as an easy target for the hard sell, because they may think you're not as well educated about fitness and nutrition as their thinner patrons. If they are giving you the hard sell on weight-loss supplements or training packages, and these don't fit your goals, don't be afraid to say, "No." Don't let anyone tell you that you must stick to cardio to lose weight and that you shouldn't try weight-training. Building muscles and doing weight-bearing exercises is healthy and possible for both women and men, and people of all sizes. If you come into the gym with well thought-out goals and want to stick to them, don't feel you have to take the advice of the professionals. Saying something like the following should work pretty well: "Thanks for your advice, but I have done my research, and my doctor and I have come up with a plan that we think will work best for me."

Step Three: Making sure you have appropriate workout clothing. Some people feel more confident if they have workout clothes that are trendy and cute. If you feel fabulous in close-fitting gear in fashionable colors, go for it. Others opt for maximum coverage. They want to make sure that when they lift their arms over their heads or do an inverted pose in yoga class, their clothing isn't going to ride up and expose their belly rolls or love handles. It's fine if you feel more comfortable in old sweatpants and an over-sized sweatshirt.

For anyone of any size, it's important to find supportive well-fitted exercise shoes, unless you're exclusively going to be swimming and doing yoga. For women, a couple of supportive sports bras are an absolute necessity. Finding supportive sports bras in the right size can be difficult, but web sites like Junonia are a godsend for the larger woman who likes to stay active. The website (and paper catalog) also carries bike shorts, yogatards, and other exercise gear. For both men and women who experience thigh chafing, consider wearing lycra bike shorts either alone or under your longer workout pants. These can make a workout much more comfortable.

Step Four: Navigating the locker room. If you are nervous about being naked or in your underwear around other people, see if your gym has curtained showers or dressing rooms with doors. For the extra-shy, you may have access to private "family" facilities. These are locker rooms usually created specifically so an opposite-sex parent and young child can change together, but single exercisers may also be granted use of these changing facilities, which are lower traffic than the unisex locker rooms.

Also, even if your gym offers towels for patrons to use, you may want to bring your own towel, since these "one size fits all" towels may not fit bigger bodies. Beach towels are often large enough to wrap securely even around the largest exerciser. Another option would be to bring a terry cloth robe for going to and from the showers or in and out of the pool area.

In the end, no matter what type of gym or fitness center you end up choosing, make sure that your exercise routine isn't a horrible chore. Finding ways to keep your workout fun- whether it's finding a gym where you can watch your favorite TV show while you're on the exercise bike or finding a fitness center that offers fabulously fun water aerobics workouts- will keep you motivated to go regularly. And going regularly will help you get the most out of your membership. Now get moving!