Gym for the first time - HELP!

[BellyNel]

So I haven't been here in a while. Hope you all are well.

So, I went to get a physical last week. The doctor is telling me something that I have known for a while already - I need to exercise. Better word - SHOULD exercise.

Been doing some light research on the gyms near my home. Back then, it was the fact that I was flat ass broke and not committed, that's why I never thought of going to a gym.

Now, I'm going to be 30 this year, and have barely exercised ever.

Today, since I was off for Memorial Day, I wasted a perfectly gorgeous day, walking to 5 different gyms, and being too chicken to ask about a trial membership. Found out that if I get a trial membership at this one gym chain, I would have to go CONSECUTIVELY for a month. And I work... so it would be $90 + a month.

My point: what the hell do I do now? Haven't done it yet. I keep going back and forth on whether or not I should. Decided I SHOULD.

I'm scared about the commitment: giving up the good stuff to lose weight, eating right, giving up my weekend breaks to go to the gym...

Thoughts? I know it's all for the better.

[Mark]

Well I joined a gym just over a year ago when I worked less hours. Initially went 4 times a week with a friend after work it was great. Then shift patterns changed so dropped to 3 times a week alone again that did me fine.. I haven't been in 5 weeks now since I've progressed into management and boy can I feel the difference!

Its not just the physical changes.. its the mental attitude.. I feel 100x better after going to the gym, I feel healthier, I feel like my mind has cleared and it actually just gives me 1-2 hours a time of me time, where I won't be disturbed.. Headphones in and bam away I go.

Writing this actually makes me miss it so I think I'm going to change gyms again and start it up. My advice? Find a lower priced gym and just trial it. Monthly membership would be best as if you find for one month you don't go you can just drop out. I think you will like it. Can you fit it around work? It does only need 1-2 hours a time... Maybe before work? Yes the right diet would help however if you have the one snack now and again you are burning a lot more off.

Overall the gym isn't just for physical well being its for mental too. Plus its a bonus spending an hour around hot, sexy, sweaty men.. gives me plenty of motivation!

[James]

If you could find a workout partner that would probably help also. Other options than the gym are workout videos, parking as far away in a lot as possible to go shopping, light set of weights and basic exercises at home. I do pull-ups on the rails of my carport, or the tree out back. Sit-ups, etc, anything you can do to speed up the metabolism and also keep the muscles in tone.

[BellyNel]

Ooh - there's the gymtimidation factor - all these damn hot guys and girls exercising - while this flabby big boobed guy with a gut is there for the first time. Will they be staring at me? Or will they be so focused on their own workout that they won't have time to judge me?

[matty7]

you don't have to give up anything !!! going to any gym doesn't means having to eat lettuce forever lol - I go to the gym and there are people of all sizes there from all walks of like , if u have a big belly and a bit self conscious then don't worry , someone will be bigger - my only big advice is just don't be intimidated by the vest wearing ultra fit guys ( its their thing )- just go and ask one of the guys who work there to maybe give u a physical test and a program sorted for you - I really recommend that for everyone - form my recollection - it takes about 3 weeks for something to go from been a chore to been a habit - that's when you will actually enjoy going to and wanting to go to the gym - so give yourself at least that length of time

[gilhooly]

I bet I put about a million miles on my legs---WALKING. It is the best exercise since it is great for young babies and 68 year old gay man like me. I watch my weight. I am 180 lbs. and 6'1". I look good mostly from walking.

I received good training as a young man in the US Marine Corps. I also loved to jog at your age. I never joined a gym or paid money to work out. I walk and look at nature until I can't walk anymore. I am disabled with foot operations from MRSA and I try hard to stand tall.

Walk with a definite sense of purpose to a place you like to visit. Relax. Breath deep. Walk back. It's more fun with others but my guy died. We used to walk like crazy over 4 continents. We loved to experience the world dead broke at walking speed. We grinned at people and hoped they fed us. Sometimes we behaved like beavers and overturned garbage cans. People stuck their heads out, we meowed "WE'RE HUNGRY". You don't get fat panhandling around the world. I have fabulous memories of being your age.

I pee in my pants laughing at how we could get strangers to feed us. We were lucky. We were good looking and fearless. Fearless means we were too stupid to realize we were in danger in foreign places or slums in America.

A reckless disregard for your own life will burn off calories, assuming some irate stranger doesn't blow your head off. Living dangerously kept Tom and I feeling strong. God bless the men who taught me to a marine sniper. I scared people when I needed to OR ran like hell if they were armed.

Keeps your weight down. High energy and a great sex life. I had 85,000 orgasms and never felt guilt. You want me to commit suicide, "GO FUCK YOURSELF" I say quietly to myself.

Attitude means everything. Learn to love and forgive yourself. Look for your best traits and accentuate them. You want a cure, invent one for yourself. You will feel better and your pride will grow. Get laid a lot and keep a grin on your face.

Good luck----John Marren

[BellyNel]

I don't have a BIG belly - just a belly - and man boobs. I call myself fat when I'm not that fat. I guess I will just have to suck it up. Everyone was a gym virgin at one point. Pretty people will be there. And yes, there will be fatter people than me. I cannot judge.

And the hot sweaty sexy men will be there, too. So that's a plus, right? :flirty-greetings-sm

And now - the clothing? My mind is forever horny, so my penis always wants to "greet people". Boxer briefs or something tighter fitting?

[Mark]

And now - the clothing? My mind is forever horny, so my penis always wants to "greet people". Boxer briefs or something tighter fitting?

Proof or it isn't true!!

Haha as Matty said theres people of all sizes at the gym so nobody would stare at you - if anything they would think good things that you are making a change I normally always wear tight fitting boxers for that reason.. Especially when gym gear tends to be quite loose fitting.. they do reveal certain things. Wear tight underwear but loose shorts and try to keep that mind out of the gutter!! Luckily most gym showers are separate these days so you don't need to worry about excitement when seeing those hot guys soaped up haha.

[Pix]

You shouldn't push yourself too hard at first but one really good thing to me about aerobics is the runner's high. I think the running also burns out adrenaline in the system (that builds up due to stress) and sweats out little things (like pollen) that might make you a bit allergic and thus a good cure for depression.

Some people finds it helps to bring headphones to listen to. A lot of cardio machines will let you read while you work out (though be careful of sweating onto pages). Naturally you should wipe down any equipment you use, especially if you're all sweaty.

My muscles feel good after weight training, too, tired but good, though I must stress DO NOT try to impress anyone. Repetition is better than how much you can lift and maxing out your weights generally makes you look less like someone posturing (and you can injure yourself if you lift too much the wrong way, and that includes injuries that require surgery to fix, there's a reason gyms I know make everyone who joins sign forms absolving them of responsibility for that). If you do push yourself on that then it's advisable to get a spotter (many gyms will have people working there who will do this, though they may charge extra for it).

The sauna is awesome, too. As a beginner you shouldn't stay in too long, maybe 5-10 minutes if it's about as hot as it will go (which it probably will be if someone else is using it). Tip, pouring a little water with eucalyptus oil on the pan that steams the water not only smells nice but also helps get rid of toxins in the skin (or so I heard and I notice it helps me feel even better). My favorite thing is to stay in a few minutes and then go take a COLD shower. For a few seconds it's almost like pain and then it turns into ecstasy and lets me exult in being alive (and I have to restrain myself from crying out, first from the cold and then the ecstasy). Then I go back into the sauna for several minutes and repeat. I often have to will myself to stop doing it over and over again.

Though in case it matters I know someone who broke the bench in the sauna because she weighed so much. She was extremely obese, however. But thought I'd share just in case it matters as I'm sure it's no fun to pick splinters out of your butt.

And speaking of which, I never looked down on people out of shape, I admired them for improving themselves. The ones I looked down on were those who came in as a New Years resolution and then quickly trickle away through February as they gave up (and it bothered me because they make January and sometimes February harder to enjoy and they're only going to quit anyway, I wish they wouldn't start in the first place).

I suppose the men might like to compare/contrast more but generally speaking the ones who seemed to care a lot about that were much more interested in looking at themselves in the mirror (to be fair the serious bodybuilders can use the mirror to help them in their training as opposed to simple vanity) than everyone else. I think the sexual harassment that's said to go on there is greatly exaggerated, at least in the US (and it can get your membership revoked, btw).

One last thing, if you're feeling tired or sore after, try a protein shake! They've not only refreshed me fully but even gave me a buzz eager for the exercise home (usually bike, but I have alternatives).

Another thing I enjoy is when my abs are a bit sore from the crunches & pull ups is laying down and letting my cat knead my abs (she does that on her own, btw, I don't put her there--if I did she'd just jump off anyway, she does what she wants when she wants so I just lay down by her and hopes she decides to do it, it can be bliss when she does, though be aware that there will be a prick of claws, it's best to wear a shirt you don't mind getting a little messed up for that).

[Bowyn Aerrow]

Ironically all of that walking was exercise.

More exercise in ones life does not need to take place in a gym. Walks are excellent exercise. Swimming is even better as it works the whole body.

Doing minor things such as if you work on the top floor in a 5 story office building, take the stairs up the second floor then ride the elevator the rest of the way up. A week or so later walk up to the third story... And so on.

Stair climbing at gyms attempts mimic, um, you know, climbing stairs. If you work in an office high rise then why on earth would you pay for a membership to walk up artificial stairs when you have many of them presented to you at least 5 days a week?

Got a yard? Mow it yourself. - Better yet start a minor vegetable patch - start small for the first year, 3 foot wide by 6-9 feet long. Use a shovel, a hoe and a rake - shoveling and turning soil by hand is great exercise.

On top of that you can get a few fresh veggies which helps in the diet area since diet goes with exercise.

If you are so out of shape doctor is saying 'you need exercise' then there are any number of exercises you can do at home. Sit ups, push ups, jumping jacks, jump rope.... Seriously why pay a gym for equipment when you can trim and fit your body through motion?