Joining a gym and nervous!!

OK, so I have been going to Curves and totally feel comfortable there but my husband wants to join the JCC and if we do I will need to stop going to curves because we cant afford a family membership to JCC as well as curves., And it isn't practical anyway. The JCC has a very nice gym and an olympic swimming pool. So....here is the thing. I have never gone to a gym in my life. I guess I feel a bit nervous about it. LIke I will be the only one there that cant walk more than 25 minutes on the treadmill. Or I am the only one that doesn't know how the heck to use the equipment. Heck, I dont even really know what to wear. Do you bring a towel with you? Is there gym protocol? lol I know this may sound really stupid to some of you but to me, it is fear of the unknown. I really want to go there and like working out.Whether I willor not is yet to be seen but I have to get up the nerve to go and start. ANyone else feel this way or have any advice or suggestions for joining a gym for the first time? Thanks! Nic

The gym my DH and I joined has on staff personal trainers there to help us learn to use the equipment. They took us through the first time, and were available for the first 3 times if we needed them. They will help anytime we need them but are set aside especially for our needs the first 3 times through. We only used ours once and I've talked to mine a couple of times just to tell him I was upping my routine. We've been going every other day for a month and I notice a dramatic difference in my body. We do both aerobic and circuit weight training. Then on the off days I work in the deep end of the pool on strengthening my legs. I always take a hand towel to work out and wear shorts I bought just to work out in. I wear any of a number of T-Shirts depending on my mood!! The hand towel is for me to sweat on and to use as a barrier between my face and the equipment. The gym we go to has spray bottles of disinfectant spray and paper towels for wiping down the machines after a person has sweat on them. However some men seem to think that their sweat isn't offensive to anyone and I really fuss about those fellas!!! I definitely don't use MY towel to clean up after them. But I'll LOUDLY use a wad of paper towels and a host of disinfectant spray if they leave me the mess to clean up!!! (Can you tell it's a pet peeve??) Inquire about personal training sessions to get you started with a routine and to teach you to use the machines. Strength training and toning I'm sure are what you want to ask for. Hope this helps! Happy thoughts, Va 232/153/130 -79 pounds

Hi: I would go to the gym and just observe. Go at various times of the day and see if you think you would like it there. Someone will also show you around and explain the equipment to you if you tell them you might be interested in joining. Good luck. Louise

A lot of the machinery will be similar to what you are used to at Curves. Some of the machinery varies from gym to gym anyway, so it will not be at all strange for you to ask questions. Everyone uses a gym differently. Some do only the machines to work out various muscle groups. Some do only the aerobic machines like treadmills or bicycles. Some do classes. Some people do different workouts on different days or a combination. No one will judge you for how long you stay on a machine--they may be glad if you don't stay too long if they are waiting for it!! Take advantage of the people who work there to figure out what works best for you. Shorts and a T shirt are fine in any gym. Some provide towels, some don't. Remember, you are a customer, not a performer. If you are going to be competitive, make sure it is yourself that you are competing with. Set goals for improvement and record your progress so you can see how far you have come. Now, if I will just take my own advice.... Joy -65 lbs

Hi Nic - I've been going to a Gym since June and I love it. I thought it would be full of hard bodies and such, and there are those types, however there are far more people who are just like us going there to get into better shape. My gym requires us to take our own hand towel to wipe our sweat off machines and I frequently invest in water bottles with sports caps from Costco. I just have this freaky preference to bottled water vs tap I also invested in a small radio with a belt clip. The gym has tvs and music available, but I prefer to pick my own station for working out. Don't worry about how you will look to others. No one else is all that concerned with how YOU are looking, they are all thinking that everyone is watching them! I started off being able to walk about 10-15 minutes on the treadmill and can now go about 45. I do work out with a personal trainer about once a week - he keeps me motivated and I made a decision that instead of investing money into things that just don't mean that much to me anymore - that I would put myself first and pay a trainer. I know most people can't do that and you don't have to especially if you have the support of a husband and family (my husband is a slug and won't go work out with me). You'll be amazed at how fast you improve in your workout sessions! Keep us posted Lissa

Howdy, Nic! I like to wear the fitted workout shorts with a big t-shirt because my thighs are big (& jiggly) and rub together. Regular shorts bunch up and cause chaffing. UGH! Or I wear cottony capris since they are long don't bunch. Try not to worry. The staff will help you. All that matters is that you're doing something for your health! Enjoy! Smiles, CP

Hi! Dont be nervous I was nervous about the gym being for men and women but all in all you will realize that no one pays you any mind...they are too interested in their own workouts so dont worry about that. Invest in a hand towel - for wiping off sweat off the machinery and for yourself...invest in some nice workout clothes that are comfortable. I wear tights that come past my knees and a big shirt. Take your water bottle with you. Wherever you join, there should be someone there to explain how to use the equipment...dont feel too shy to ask it is always better to have a routine in place and they should help you do that. I have noticed a huge difference in me as well since I joined the gym. Its hard to keep it going but its definitely worth it! Best of luck to you! and Congrats!!! Elizabeth M