[LisaP916]

Time for some tough love.

Just git off your butt and GO!!!! It really is that easy. No one there cares what you look like any more than you care what they look like. If you're serious about getting healthy, then no more excuses.

JUST DO IT!!! :-)

[FitGirlyGirl]

What your boyfriend does or doesn't do should not determine what you do. You need to do this for you and nobody else. I was there once, it was really hard for me to go to the gym. I go to the gym on a military base, so there are lots of really fit people and I was scared that even if they didn't show it they would be laughing at me on the inside. Once I got going I realized there were lots of other fat wives too, plus some fat husbands and some fat retirees, lol, we're still outnumbered by the hardbodies, but I am not alone. Nobody cared what I looked like. The few who paid any attention were proud of me and very helpful. I now go to 2 different gyms because I wanted to learn krav maga and my base gym doesn't do that. Both of my gyms are more male than female and more fit people than not, but it's still ok. The other people either don't care about me and my gym going or they are proud of me (there are some other regulars that tell me all the time how proud they are to be watching me change so much). I am now in the gym 4-6 days each week. Nobody ever says 'I wish I hadn't gone to the gym and worked out today'. Get up, get over there, and get it done! You sit here regretting the fact that you aren't doing it. I promise you will not regret the fact that you did. Buy yourself some cute gym clothes if you can afford it (it helped my motivation). If they have group classes then starting with one of those might be easiest for you. Make yourself go at least once this coming week. Work your way up to twice each week and so on until you are going as much as you would like to be going.

[Chubbykins]

When I see heavier women than me in the gym I always feel respect.
Respect because they do what I do while carrying more weight,
respect because they "play the game in hardcore mode",
respect because obviously are trying to do the right thing for them.

I hope skinnier people than me respect me for the same reasons, if not we're simply not compatible and I do not care.

I am MORE ashamed to be seen in a fast food joint than in the gym. In a restaurant I am a chubby girl feeding her chubbiness. In the gym I am a chubby girl getting thinner. Obviously I have gone more times to eat out than to the gym in the past, so it is actually something easy and pleasant for a change.

Be proud and others will be able to see it.

[munchievictim]

Honestly dear, I'm always more embarrassed about skipping the gym that I am about going. Especially if you're paying for it!! At my old college I used the gym like crazy even though it was full of tiny college girls (which made me ride the elliptical even harder because I want to get there!). I agree with the above poster that the attitude is generally good towards you when you go, only the most worthless kind of people are going to judge you for improving your quality of life, most of them are probably cheering you on silently.
You DESERVE this membership and you DESERVE to GO! Stop cheating yourself and shorting yourself and allow yourself the treat of stretching your body and working the kinks out, getting your heart pumping and getting stronger. These are all amazing gifts to give yourself. The HARDEST part is getting off the couch and putting on your gym clothes. At least in my case, once I get there I'm excited to jump on the machines and get started with my favorite exercise (which you may not have yet but which you will have by the end of your first week). See if you gym has a stretch machine and USE that sucker. That's my favorite part of the workout, stretching my tired muscles out after an invigorating exercise. I always feel so peaceful and comfortable in my own skin when I leave the gym, even if i'm sweaty and panting. It is so much FUN to get in shape, and your body is just begging for it, it will start to snap right back into shape after a couple of consistent workouts and it will just better more fun and easier.
There is nothing to be embarassed about, you should be the opposite of embarrassed because you're self-aware, and you're showing anyone that might think they're better than you that you can go to the gym and do whatever they can do, and that you're not allowing a little extra weight to dictate your life, your happiness and your well-being.
Tough love over. Do it sweetie, it's going to be so great and it's going to open the door for all the wonderful things you want to do in your life. You are just going to LOVE working out.

[VegDay]

Go and don't worry about anyone else. Can I say you may not get some looks. No I can't. But remember, you have no control over what another person does. You are only responsible for yourself. Go and enjoy your workout. I understand the intimidation. I've been there. Believe me. For myself, I'm a very open minded person trapped in a very conservative looking (many times I've been told) body.