Embarassed to exercise

Hi all.... I was wondering if anyone had any ideas of exercises I can do in my dorm room-- I am just on the brink of 200 pounds and I am too embarassed to run outside, which I love. Also it is too frozen outside right now anyways.

I do a lot of strength exercises but I have an injured rotator's cuff (shoulder) so it is really limiting what I can do. I Have been making up my own cardios-- running in place, stepping up onto an imaginary step, etc. But I don't have any fitness equipment so it is hard. There is a gym about 50ft from my dorm but I am too embarassed to go because everyone is so thin there.

Girl, I have been there before!  I am not a runner & don't try outside b/c I get so short of breath!  I don't know of any specific exercises for you b/c of your rotator cuff, but if you can get your hands on some resistance bands, they really make you work!  You can use them for legs, arms, and they come in different resistances.  Plus, I think they're fairly inexpensive.

As for the gym nearby....I was living on campus with the gym and pool a two-minute walk away.  I am 5"5' and was 200-205lbs. when I was in school.  My roommate was a size 4.  But we ended up going to the gym, and honestly, no one even paid attention that I was there.  They only cared if you were using the machine too long!  The cool thing was that on the far wall there were 4 or 5 TVs.  So when you use the treadmill or the elliptical, you could watch anything from CNN to MTV.  It made the workout go by so much quicker, and my self-consciousness went away!  And I walked to the nearby grocery store to do my shopping.  I was close to some cool restaurants that had great curry dishes (I think they were pretty healthy). 

I ended up losing 20 lbs in 3 months.  I didn't even notice until I went back home and everybody told me how great I looked!  So I wouldn't write off the gym completely.  I learned that the skinny people are only worried about what they are doing.  The embarrassment will go away, and you finish feeling strong and rejuvenated! 

An important thing for afterwards (when you go back home if you are away) is to keep thinking about eating healthier foods b/c I gained it all back thinking I could "just have one more day" of eating whatever I felt like.  I am now back on track to losing the weight.

Good luck, and I hope your shoulder gets better!  :P

 

Hey now.  I just (and I mean just) got back from my first visit to the gym in 3 yrs.  And yes, there are some thin and fit people there but there were alot of people just like me (who is over 200 lbs) trying to get healthier.  And, there was a woman there who was in her 60s if not 70s.  You know what I thought?  Good for her, trying to stay active and keep fit.  She was going pretty good and I was blown away.  I'm sure everyone there was thinking the same thing.  And why wouldn't they think it about me or you?  I think there is far more support and acceptance at the gym than you think there is.  Now it's been a while since I've been in college and I never went to the gym when i was in college but I would imagine the crowd is a little different than a gym off-campus.  I would suggest looking around at other gyms nearby and going for a tour to see which you would feel comfortable at.

I agree, it makes me feel happy and encouraged when I see heavier people at the gym.  We're all there for the same reasons and more of us have stood in your shoes than you might realize ... ;-)

If you want to run outside, then by all means do! It is so much more fun than a treadmill.  :-) A decent person who sees someone running to get fit will think well of them. Anyone who thinks otherwise has poor values and it's not worth shrinking your life for them!   You can run outside even when it's pretty cold, as long as the ground isn't covered in ice and you dress for the weather.

Wow. And I thought I was one of just a few in this situation!

The dorm room is the perfect place to do:

Yoga practice- only need about the floor space of a yoga mat. It is advised to take a yoga class before you practice at home, but a beginner DVD could also get you off to a decent start (along with the internet).

The Prison Workout- full body, small space. Instructions here

Dancing- put on your headphones and get to it. I try not to look in the mirror while I do this. :D Lock the door.

Also, walking is a really great SUBTLE exercise. No one knows that you're walking for exercise-- they probably just assume that you're hurrying to class, or wherever else. A long, brisk walk around campus is a nice break from staying locked up in the dorm.

PS. And I just read about your damaged shoulder. =( That really limits what you can do. But I hope at least some of these will be helpful when you heal. 

Definately give the gym a try.  When I was in college the gym was a dirty, smelly, un-airconditioned place full of football players.  It was intimidating to the max.  I went anyway.  No one really paid attention to me at all!!!!  When they did it was because they saw me grunting and sweating in a power  cage and they would make comments like "do it girl!!" and "feel that burn" and other meathead encouragement.  I found it very flattering that these big muscle-bound footballs players were impressed by my determination.  That gym stunk like an old sweatsock but it was my fav place to work out.  Watching those guys bust their ass made me want to bust mine too.

Try jumproping, something easy to do in a small space and great cardio, also tones the arms. After a good 30 minute jumproping routine you can throw in some push-ups, tricep dips and sit-ups. This plus dieting can increase your endurance, burn fat, and get you ready for the gym.

Wow... I never realized how many other people had this problem. It really helps a lot to hear from all of you and I will certainly try your advice. Perhaps after a little more time I will even try going to the gym. But for now I will stick to my dorm workouts, at least until my shoulder heals. Thanks for the suggestions it adds a lot more options to my very monotonous workouts.

As you can see from your replies, you are not alone.

I have a slightly different take on the gym for ya. I am one of the skinny somewhat fit people and I still get nervous about going in there. But when I am doing my cardio I bring music to listen to and a book to read if I am doing the stationary bikes and before ya know, time is up and no one even noticed I existed. By that time I am feeling a bit more comfortable in the gym so when I move to weights I just keep the tunes up and go about my business. Its not so bad, just focus on what you are doing and ignore the rest.

Good luck!!

If your not comfortable going to your school gym... try looking into a gym around your area. I know my college roommate would NOT walk into our college gym because she didn't want to see anyone she knew while she sweat profusely.

I am just out of college and I joined a Planet Fitness. I dont know if there is one near you but their motto is "Judgement Free" and I swear it really is. I see men and women of all ages and all sizes there... and they won't let anyone GRUNT while weightlifting... then won't let women wear next to nothing either because it might intimidate other people. Its really a great place to go and I am encouraged to see larger people working out and trying to change their life. Plus... their rates are SUPER cheap. The basic membership is 10 dollars a month... a black card membership is 20 a month and that includes free tanning, use of a massage chair (great for after tough workouts) and you can even bring a friend whenever you want.

Just a thought.... I know from personal experience that if I don't go to the gym... I don't work out very hard... plus people who judge you are really just unhappy with themselves.

 

When I first started losing weight in college, I would record Denise Austin's sunrise workout (I don't remember the exact name--just that it was on at 5:30 am, so there was no way I was waking up that early!) and do it at some point during the day.  It was a 20-minute workout, but it was a great way to start working out without going to the gym.  Some sites, like Yoga Today, have a daily workout you can download and follow along too.  If videos are not your cup of tea, there are exercises involving all sorts of things like the exercise ball, yoga, etc, that are easy to do in your room.

I've also noticed, however, that people are rarely looking around during their workout--they are too busy trying to finish that last mile!  Perhaps once you've healed up and feel more fit from doing dorm-room workouts you'll feel like venturing to the gym.

May sound a little silly, but Comcast Cable 'On Demand' has a great exercise category. Some of the sessions are actually fun and don't require funny items that you may not have at the dorm.

But there is something to be said for the feeling of being at the gym, you will see various body types and also by observation - learn how to use new machines and possible techniques. Just a thought ( :

I've always been embarrassed to go to the public gym because I was shy around people. When I started going with my mom when I was 14 and 15, I noticed that even those people that I thought would have been stuck up to me were really nice! The gym was cool because so many people had been in my place before and were great motivators. I went mostly for strength training for my back but ended up losing like 15lbs and feeling better about everything.

Now I walk. I dont like to run because Im not in shape, so I just go for long walks. Its better for your joints (I have bad joints due to allergies and one too many falls off a horse!) Plus, it lets you get out and see stuff.

If im stuck inside, I usually jump up and down or run in place. usually just keeping your feet in motion helps. Step high, lunge walks, squats, they are all great. I knew a woman who got back down to her highschool weight just because she jumped up and down--like a jump rope without the rope.

thank you feanor for the prison workout link! How cool!!

I agree with those who say go to they gym. I really believed that i was just to darn lazy and embarrassed to do this but decided after counting calories for three weeks and gaining two lbs, i couldn't care less what anyone thought I looked like at the gym. and after closer inspection, NO ONE cares what i look like. we have all shapes and sizes and not one person gave me a second look. (plus the sauna when i'm finished is to die for!) I say go for it.

Do you have a Y in your area? Local Y's tend to reflect "all of us," not just folks who look like they do not need to be at the gym. Remember, you are there to get healthy and that is what you are doing. Anyone entering a gym setting should be supportive of someone working to reach goals. Don't read negative looks or reactions into people's faces - at my Y, people glance around and few smile. But it's hard to really know what they are thinking - after all, they may be consumed with thoughts about themselves, or feeling insecure about what others are thinking of them, just like us! Even when I smile at people, they do not always, actually rarely, smile back. When someone does smile back it is genuine, wonderful and self-affirming. And remember, in the months ahead, as you work out, you are going to reach your goals. Use the opportunity to think - "wait 'til they glance my way in September! Va, va, va, voom!" Good luck and claim your space at the gym! Through your experience, you'll be able to support others.

if you want some good results, you really have to get over this. I know this is easier said than done, but later on down thte road it will be one of the best choices you'll make. But if you really cant get over it for right now, I suggest some tae bo. Its quite a workout and you can do it in your room. 

if you want some good results, you really have to get over this. I know this is easier said than done, but later on down thte road it will be one of the best choices you'll make. But if you really cant get over it for right now, I suggest some tae bo. Its quite a workout and you can do it in your room.