So out of shape , please help

Hello I NEED HELP.

I joined the Gym yesterday,but started this morning at 6:55 am Grrr.

I was so lost and embarrassed this morning . I didnt know what to do , didnt know how to work the machines , didnt know how long to stay on the machines  Ugh

I was so mad at my self because I didnt know what to do that I just got on the bike . I figured I can't go wrong there :). So I stayed on it for 35 mins.

Then I thought, Well the bike wasnt bad at all.

So it just gets even better . I decided ok , i'm sweating, I can't walk, but I have to keep doing some thing lol 

Then I got on the elliptical ..Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...I didnt know how to start that either , so I started hitting buttons and it got personal and asked for hight , weight and all this good stuff. Soooooo , I started looking around to make sure no one was looking as I  entered the big digits. Ugh  So off I went. I kinda felt like I was doing it wrong. Wasnt sure if I was running , stepping , gliding , pedaling or what !?!Well I got about 2 mins into the work out and thought I was gonna just kill over . What the hell . I couldnt believe I was so out of shape that I could do more then 3 mins and 48 secs Grrrrrr 

I need someones help...What do I do .I will give you a little info about me .....

1)5'10 TALL GRR

2) Female

3)223 lbs LARGE

4) Out of shape

5)NEVER WORK OUT

6)I want to drop about 50lbs, before July 1st 2009

What I need to know:

*What machines

*how long on machine

*which settings should I set it on

*And what ever else you think I should know lol

Thanks alot

From :OUT OF SHAPE:(

Lots of times when you get a gym membership, they will throw in 1 personal training session to help get you started. I think that would be your best option because they will assess you, listen to your goals, etc., and try to tailor a routine that best suits you.

If a training session was not included but you can afford it I highly reccommend buying one session. It will get you going and the workout they give you will be good for a couple months.

Good luck!

What's stopping you from asking the gym staff, that's what they are there for? If you are feeling uncomfortable because you are new, or because you are a bit out of shape, or because you don't know anything about the machines - they have seen it all, and they will be happy to help. They can also usually help you put together an exercise plan.

Someone that works in your gym should have given you a tour and showed you how to use the machines.

This is a good way for them to be sued, not showing you how to use the equiptment and you could get hurt.

Please ask a staff member to show you how to use the equiptment.

i agree with the poster who suggested asking one of the trainers. If you're not comfortable doing that, you can always hang out on the bikes or treadmills and kind of get a "lay of the land" and work up your comfort level. I'm a former college basketball player and have been in a gym my entire life. But, last fall the gym put in these new fancy machines that everyone was using. I wanted to use it and I hopped on and could not figure out how to get the thing started! I hopped off and was all embarassed. The next time I was there I again watched all these people burning calories on these amazing new machines. I just went over to a machine next to someone who looked nice (and was not wearingheadphones) and said "How do you get this thing started?" It ended up being no big deal...hope that calms your nerves a bit!

i agree that you would benefit from getting a tour of the gym and actually maybe even a session with a personal trainer. my gym offers free first time sessions with trainers and yours might too. 

i typically will do 30-45 min of cardio (usu stop at 30 if im running since its so much more intense in my opinion) and then spend approx 30 min doing weights and crunches.  then 10 min for stretching.  i only do the weights/crunches  2-3 times a week and never on consecutive days.  thats just my routine

if you felt totally pooped after 35 min on the bike, then i bet you got a good workout in. i wouldnt push yourself beyond that point. you dont want to risk fainting on some elliptical machine and getting hurt! one step at a time! you'll work your way up to more if you want to get there. you'll get there eventually.

i understand the feeling of being lost, self conscious, embarassed at the gym.  you should know that most people feel this way at some point! please dont be so hard on yourself. i am sure nobody was keeping track of what you were doing (or the numbers you were plugging into the machine) most people are wrapped up in their own workouts.

i recently posted about how i felt so embarassed at a trainer approached me at the gym asking if i wanted help. i felt like everyone was watching me and i thought i mustve looked like a fool.  the i realized that nobody cares about my workout- they only care about their own workout.  (and the trainer was prob looking to make some $ off of me)

anyway hang in there! keep up the good work!

-d

On January 5th I decided I finally couldn't take being almost 230--I refused to see that number! (My all time high-235 while pregnant) So, on the 5th, being 229.6 I joined the gym too. I never got my personal training session but they did offer 1 free one. So I too, walked around the gym looking like an idiot. :) I agree that a personal training session or simply a gym employee to show you all the machines and tell you what they do. (They should do that for free) Don't know why that didn't even cross my mind. But I stuck with what I know...which was mostly the bike (as I was having foot problems due to weight, I introduced myself slowly to the treadmill) But from there I looked at all the light weight machines and just looked at the pictures they have on them that explain which muscle groups they worked. I tried to make sure to work out every muscle possible.

Don't feel bad about the elliptical. I too was curious about it and could barely last 2 minutes as well.  I slowly have been pushing myself harder and harder. I have now been going to the gym for almost a month. I go 6 days a week from 60-90 minutes. (yes, I know but I also look at it as a break---they have day care and I'm a stay at home mom!) I always do the treadmill for 40 minutes on the random cycle---which gives you a variety of incline and I love how you can seethe little dots so you know how much longer you have to push yourself before that break is coming! (when the incline goes way down!) Then I usually do a round of the weight machines (which I now do every other day. I was doing this every day and I can now feel muscles under this fat!) I also (ta da!) can last on that darn elliptical for 20 minutes! It has been done! Though, I usually opt for 13 minutes...I can burn 150 then or 250 in 20 minutes but that really is super draining. I thought my legs were going to collapse! That was a process. I started out determined to last 4 minutes.....double my first disaster...then added a minute every day. On days I don't do weights, or if I find I still have time, I do the bike.

One thing that really helped me stay focused and going to the gym....my mp3! Gotta get one! I went out and bought one--and purchased the sport earphones that wrap around your ear, otherwise you'll be fussing with the earphones your whole workout.  I was going to save it as a prize for losing 15 pounds. But I thought it would help me achieve that goal. ( I have more than 70 to loose) You would be surprised at how much more you can push yourself when you are rocking out to your favorite songs. It really helps.

I now weigh 218. So, I've lost 11 pounds, even though I am in a rut the past couple weeks with the weight loss I have kept at it at the gym. I am severly out of shape and did what they tell you not to. I jumped right into going 6 days a week. I push myslef al the time and set goals. Constantly increasing time of activity and the level. Start small, what you can handle, and try to up it a little each time.

:)

vj3125, you did better than l did when l started in Nov. 08, l was 269, 5'11 big Female...lol when l started going to the gym, that was the longest minute of my life standing on that elliptical machine.

l couldn't walk on the treadmill because of all the lactic acid build up, l was convinced l had coronary artery disease....lol, my husband accused me of being a hypochondriac. l didn't believe him that it was lactic acid, my leg would be so tight and throb so bad l would leave and go to the bathroom so l can put very cold water on my leg since they didn't have ice and the embarrassment!!!.

l stuck with it though, l changed my eating habit, l increased my water intake at the gym, l swear it felt like nobody ever felt this much pain in this life. l was so embarrassed but l kept going, from one minute to 5minutes on the elliptical on level one and heart rate at 180s....lol

Now, l work out 4 to 5 days a week, 1 hour on the elliptical at interval on level 7, l go fast when the resistance it at 55 and slow down when it drops to 30, heart rate tops will go to 148. l have so far  lost 25lbs and counting, even though the weight loss has slowed down since l started doing free weights, l squat 132lbs!!! in less than a month of lifting, but even now, you weigh less l do. l am not bulking up as l was afraid that l would be, but my body is getting firmer, it feels like everything is shrinking in, with no lose hanging skin, if that makes sense, my other chin has disappeared too!!!

l do cardio and weights 4 to 5 days a week alternating muscle groups and yoga 2times a week. l am trying to add kickboxing to the mix and did l mention that l have young children the youngest being 15months? l work 12 to 16 hour shifts 3times a week, now l have energy for days.

Hang in there you can do it!!!

like someone said earlier, get some music. Music helps me tune out everything even the exercise, it makes the pain less....lol l downloaded a lot of music that l like anything that makes you move and feel differently. My supervisor works out watching music videos she wants to be the size of those girls and that motivates her, l guess whatever floats your boat.

I was 235 when I starte working out 2 years go and am now 168 so hang in there.  Quick tip -- look for a "quick start" button on the machine to avoid the entering of personal details (I was also self-conscious about this).  I started with the elliptical for as long as I could (it's harder than the bike), then switched to the bike when I couldn't do the elliptical any longer.  Over time, my endurance improved and I did more elliptical and less bike (and burned more calories) and you will too.  Good luck.

It takes a while to learn how to have fun and be comfortable at a gym.  Keep and at and pretty soon you'll love it!

Thanks alot EVERY ONE ....everyones feed back really does make me feel better . ....I'm going back tonight and i'm gonna ask for help!!

I will repost and let every one know how I did Grrrr..LONG ROAD AHEAD OF ME ....But i'm ready to drive it :)

THANKS ALOT