I came to the conclusion that I needed a place to swim and do some aqua excercise to get my body moving. (The treadmill was proving to be too much for my back and knees) SO today, my family and I joined a fabulous gym that has a great pool program. I am siked. But, I just realized I need to be seen in a bathing suit

But the gym also had some great perks like trainer who will help you with strength training every time you go (not just when you sign up). The child care center is sooo cool...and not that expensive.


It will be nice to have some structure to my day. My kids, 5 and 3...will have a good time hanging out in the play room. Just tought I would share my happiness.

P.S. They also have aqua yoga. Have any of you heard of that? Should be interesting!

I was just looking at the classes at our gym. I thought, gee, the water one sounds cool! But then I remembered the whole bathing suit thing and changed my mind. hehe. I'm not that brave just yet. I bet the yoga one will be fun! Good luck!

My theory is, most of the time you are up to your neck in water, so no one can see you!! I has 262lbs when I was in my suit!! I still look like one of those dancing hippos (it's the thighs!!) and I don't care

Swimming has been the best thing I ever did, I have so much more body confidence now, and the cool thing is, all my swimming buddies notice every pound I lose!!!

I remember feeling self-conscious when I first joined a gym... especially when I joined one with a pool. But, unlike an outdoor pool club with all the skinny-minnies laying out in the sun, I've found the health-clubs tend to have their share of hippos. I've yet to see a single person at mine (and we've got some pretty fit people) other than the teenage lifeguard who looks good in a bathing suit. I wouldn't worry about it, and like Kaylee says, once you're neck-deep in the water, nobody can see you anyway.

If you like to swim - go for it! If you want to take water-yoga, go for it! In fact, my first aquatic-aerobics instructor was a guy who had been 300+ himself, and had lost most of it. So, that was comforting for me to know, too. That even if I was the biggest person there, the instructor knew where I was coming from. Then once I was there, I was surrounded by people in the same boat as me - just trying to find a fun way to move around and get some exercise in.

--Janis

I finally had the guts to try the aqua-cise program at my gym... I don't feel so self conscious anymore because I am not usually the biggest one there or the one that looks the worst in a swimsuit... It also helps that they have a huge jacuzzi to go sit in after working out. Aqua-cise helps me add variety to my workout and I get the relaxation of the jacuzzi... I only wish I had been brave enough to try it a year ago.

I am sure its all in your head. Plus you will be in the pool so its like you are covered. You will be fine

Good for you. I need to jion something with water. The other exercises are too hard on my arthithis. But its so experstive around here.
Good luck.

I've been doing water aerobics for several years now and there are people in the classes of all shapes and sizes. No need to be self-conscious because nobody will give a hoot what you look like, and I'm betting the class will welcome you with open arms. Go for it! It's great exercise and so easy on the joints.

Good for you. I enjoy the pool at the YMCA where we go. I wear a shirt in because I don't like all the loose skin and rolls showing. But when you think about it people know it's there anyhow. Oh well.

That's a good thing about being a girl, a one piece suit can be reasonably forgiving. I got a great Speedo Sculpt suit, and it was pink and gorgeous, with lots of support panels and seaming, and it made me look two sizes smaller (except my thighs, but they're covered by water most times )

At my new pool that I joined last week, I am one of the slimmest!!!

I didn't even think of it at 260lb, I joined a gym and intended to mainly swim to get a bit fitter before braving cardio or weights. I've never been embarassed to be seen in a swimming costume (and was actually wearing bikinis even at my highest, with a skirt or sarong over the top to hide my stomach a little).

I'm sure that once you get into it you'll forget the initial uneasiness and just start enjoying it!