Fitness Center Phobia

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Anyone else have fitness center phobia?</p>

<p>I am need of a knee replacement and probably am about 3-5 years from the surgery – have had 13 surgeries, arthritis in all quadrants and am limited in what I can do. I am 44.</p>

<p>I have surely and slowly put on 60 lbs (I am a 6 foot tall woman) and am now suffering with associated issues with weight gain. High cholesterol, elevated liver enzymes from what they call “fatty liver” as well as lots of joint and especially knee pain which further limits me. Also fear development of Diabetes since it is in my family. </p>

<p>I know the only thing that will help is to get my butt in gear, but I have this visceral aversion to fitness centers. I am not typically a phobic person, but I actually get the classic signs of panic whenever I go near one! What the heck???</p>

<p>Anyone else?</p>

<p>Any suggestions on how to overcome this fear of wall length mirrors and tiny blonde spandex clad women?</p>

<p>How about any proven techniques on peeling off the weight with a bum leg?</p>

<p>FYI, I do not have full range of motion in knee – appx 50%.</p>

<p>Please be gentle with me! Been dealing with my senior who is busy “fouling the nest”.</p>

2

<p>There are fitness centers that are not full of skinny spandex clad types. I have a friend who found great success at Curves. Now she is one of the spandex clad - or yoga pants clad - skinnies, but she says she never could have done it without an environment like the one she found at Curves.</p>

3

<p>With your restrictions and arthritis, you can’t just jump right in; you need a trainer to guide you. Depending on where you live, there are some personal trainers who can see you in your home or in their (very private) gym. It’s a spluge, but it sounds like that’s going to be necessary in order to get you going. Once you’ve worked with a trainer for a little bit (maybe four sessions or so), you’ll know what to do and you’ll feel much more comfortable.</p>

<p>P.S.: In my gym, both the women and men come in all shapes and sizes!!!</p>

4

<p>Look for a small, non chain gym. Talk to the owner and see what they are like. In our area there are three gyms which would work great for you as they usually have 3 or4 people in there at a time.</p>

5

<p>There are a lot of beer bellies at the Y. I haven’t been to Curves, but given that they have the reputation for catering to older women that might be an option. (I don’t like the owners politics unfortunately!)</p>

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<p>mathmom - I knew nothing about the owner of Curves, but just did a little research. I’m with you.</p>

7

<p>You might be someone that does well with swimming or water aerobics, or aqua jogging… works out your heart, lungs, and muscles, but is easier on the joints…</p>

8

<p>I did try Curves, but because of my knees, 3 of the machines were a problem for me. </p>

<p>I love that there are folks who have people of all shapes and sizes at their clubs. I did go to see a small independent raquet and swim club which is interesting…except I would have to wear a bathing suit in the swim exercise class…and I would not be into the "raquet"end of things…although I did spot beer in a glass front fridge which is for the tennis socials and any place that has beer in a cooler sounds like my kind of fitness club. </p>

<p>Any strategies to share to get started? I will have 2 meetings with a trainer and I will use them to get used to the equipment.</p>

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<p>by the way…bathing suit phobia is also part of my crazy profile…</p>

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<p>Is there a friend you could buddy with? That has worked best for me. Sometime having to meet someone at the gym is the only thing that gets me there. Hiring a personal trainer will accomplish the same thing - just a lot more expensive. Even if a good friend can’t go to the gym with you, a close friend could still bookend with you to encourage you to go. There must be something that person is working on - eating less, smoking less, drinking less - report in with each other on a daily basis about what you did that day to meet your goal.</p>

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<p>I like Curves – I don’t do the machine that is bad for me and they support that. I like that there is “no make-up, no mirrors, no men” dynamic. I like that people look frumpy. Maybe it’s because there are no guys to impress. I like the chit-chat. And I like that I actually do it because it’s easy. I’m in and out in 30 minutes and it’s right near my house.</p>

12

<p>If you do a search, you will find a thread where I express my utter hatred of fitness centers and the people who work there. (I was preparing for a hike down and up the Grand Canyon, so it was utter fear of dying on the trail that got me in the door to LA Fitness.)</p>

<p>Are there any fitness centers connected to local hospitals? My H has worked out at a center connected to a hospital for about 18 years; I used to but the traffic is too bad when I would be driving there. Anyway, the place is full of old folks, cardiac rehab patients, etc. Tops that show your midriff aren’t even permitted. I’d go there 6 weeks post partum and have the best body in the place. So if you can find the equivalent, it won’t be full of beautiful buff folks.</p>

13

<p>Join a Y with a swimming pool. At our local Y, no one pays attention to how everyone else looks. No one gives a hoot about how they look in a swim suit either. I’ve seen ladies in competition Speedos as well as ladies in flower caps and skirted swimsuits (I’m the latter minus the cap). Water aerobics are fun cardio workouts and are easy on the knees. </p>

<p>Working your upper body (simple free weights, rubber tubing) burns calories as well.</p>

14

<p>I can’t help with the phobia- although to tell you that it is nothing like the 70’s when everyone looked like Olivia Newton John, but I will say that exercise will help your arthritis and are you on( prescribed) Vit D supplement?Many people are deficient and it helps quite a bit</p>

<p>I have loose ligaments/double jointed- so knees are a problem for me too, but building muscle so it supports your joints helps a lot-</p>

15

<p>Take a friend with you to look at various gyms. For years, I went to a Y because of the relaxed atmosphere. Now I go to a small gym, no pool, because its inexpensive and the people are unpretentious. The Silver Sneaker classes are for older people, but are also an healthy way to ease into exercise. </p>

<p>Do you have medical order for P.T.? After surgery, I would seek the assistance of a PT</p>

16

<p>In my experience, even the spandexy clubs have plenty of fat, out-of-shape people. My feeling is as long as there’s a person there fatter than me, I can relax. Besides, all those toned people are busy looking at each other.</p>

17

<p>Is going to a gym necessary to get you going? I myself am not the type who likes to go somewhere to exercise; I prefer more solitary venues. I walk, a lot, and I bike quite a bit (though that can be tough on knees. mine aren’t in great shape, because of an accident, but they’re holding on for now.) I also got a kayak a few years ago, and my H and I get out on those whenever we can (most weekends, more in the summer, till the weather gets too cold.) Kayaking is great because it uses arm muscles, not legs.</p>

<p>But what really started me toward better health was a Nordictrak. Yeah, very retro. The beauty of it is, first, I can use it at home, which I prefer to a gym, and second, the motion is very easy on my knees. In fact, when I was recovering from the above mentioned accident (hit by car, both legs broken), I was able to return to the NT even while I still had a brace on the leg that had had surgery, and still walking with a cane. I held onto the handlebars rather than use the arm cords, for balance. It requires very little knee range of motion, and it really, really jumpstarts my exercise regime, especially in the winter when everything else is too cold.</p>

<p>So, if you really don’t want to go to gym, than putting together your own routine is another way to go.</p>

18

<p>I just switched from a gym full of tiny 20 year old women and 6 pack men with walls of mirrors to Curves. I’m very fit and while many of the women at Curves are even older than I there are enough fit 50 year olds to keep be competitive. The 45 minute workout fits my schedule much better than an hour or so at the gym. I’m loving the workouts and they fit my personality quite well. Glad I switched.</p>

19

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<p>Well, I am crazy as well then. I don’t even think I own one any more.</p>

20

<p>I was right there with you a year ago. But a shoulder injury sent me to physical therapy 3x per week, and I eventually realized that a gym membership would be cheaper! One of my adult piano students joined with her husband last spring, but he wasn’t available much of the time, so she asked me to join so she would have a work-out partner. I finally did.</p>

<p>My biggest fear was the sales pitch up front. Having a friend who told me exactly what they were paying, etc, helped. I listened to the pitch, then said no, I wanted to pay this, with no join fee… “I have to go talk to my manager.” (Sounded like a car salesman!) But I got what I asked for. Very empowering.</p>

<p>As it has turned out, my friend and I have NEVER met up at the gym. We were supposed to a couple times, but she has younger kids and something always came up. Meanwhile I developed my own routine.</p>

<p>The first few times I went, I was very self-conscious. I moved slowly between the various apparatus(es?) reading printed instructions, and trying to figure out how to not hurt myself. Plenty of times I had to stop an employee for assistance or recommendations. I felt wimpy for using the lightest available weights. Or having a total fail in being able to do something.</p>

<p>There are lots of buff bodies, and confident people there, which initially made me feel fat and frumpy. Pretty soon I realized that the reason there are mirrors all over is that most of those people are too busy looking at themselves to see me. Because it is a large gym, there are lots of people there, and I can go and feel invisible.</p>

<p>There are also all sorts of shapes and sizes there. I haven’t seen many perfect bodies, even on the personal trainers. Especially if I look for those over 30! I have gone faithfully 3 times per week (with occasional misses for one reason or another) for 6 months now, and have lost exactly 0 (zero) pounds. It is very frustrating and discouraging. I feel cheated that I am not thinner, firmer, or lighter. On the other hand, I am using heavier weights, doing more reps, longer cardio. I believe I am in better condition internally, despite the fact that my clothes are still tight. I can get out of bed in the morning without sounding like a symphony warming up. I am more flexible, and feel stronger even if I don’t look it. I lose a couple hours out of my day, 3x per week, and yet I get more done because I have more energy.</p>

<p>I decided early on that I would buy myself a swimsuit once I lost 10 pounds. At this rate, I am going to save money due to lack of need! There is no way I’m getting into a swimsuit in public at this point! I fully expected to replace fat with muscle, get a higher metabolism, and become thinner. None of that happened, so I feel cheated somehow, but I do see benefits, so I keep going back.</p>

<p>I did not pay for a personal trainer, mainly because I have the type of personality that hates to be told what to do. I watch the folks with PTs standing there telling them to do more, or whatever, and realize that I’d probably get mad and walk out. Not my thing. But I have a “virtual personal trainer” (from here on CC) who sends me lots of encouragement and positive comments, which has been great. I have at least a little bit of accountability without undue pressure.</p>