FIRST TIME AT THE GYM...EVERRRR

I'm a little (ok a lot) intimidated by working out. I've never really done anything (maybe why I needed surgery? lol) so this is scary. The weight is coming off, but I am starting to look like a melting candle. I figure I invested enough in this that I need to protect my investment and not get all saggy in the end. Any suggestions for a first timer at the gym? I just don't wanna be the big girl everyone stares at :/

I've been going to various gyms and doing various things since July 2012 and I've learned a few things during this time.  The main thing I've learned is that no one cares about what I look like.  Everyone is too busy focused on their own stuff to notice.  They're too busy worrying what people are thinking about them, they're worried about their form, they're focused on their reps or pace or the TV or what they have to cook for dinner when they get home or whatever.  It's hard to believe, it was hard for me to believe when I was over 300 pounds, but I assure you, it's really true!  

And it's funny, since everyone at the gym - every single person - is working to change something about their bodies.  I only run on the treadmill at my local gym and I've had people with ROCKING bodies come up to me and tell me how envious they are that I've run in 5ks and that I run so much.  And I'm thinking "but your body is amazing, how can you be envious of me?!"  But it's true!  And at my other gym, where I take fitness classes, I had a woman praise my amazing balance after yoga class one day.  I feel obese and ungainly, but she sees someone with the balance she wishes she had.  

It is definitely really scary to start, but try not to worry too much about what other people are thinking about you :D  

As for starting out... I think that it's most important to find an exercise that you enjoy, since that's the only exercise you'll actually stick with.  For me, I started with walking a lot and that turned into running and, much to my everlasting shock, I found that I really love running.  Then I added fitness classes and I've found that I love yoga and pilates.  But, in the beginning, I tried everything I could in order to see what I'd enjoy.  So if you have access to fitness classes at your gym, try all the ones that sound even remotely interesting to see what sticks.  (I do recommend sticking with something for a month before giving up on it.  You might not like it the first time, but love it the second or third.)

And, if you want to try weight lifting (which is something I plan to start myself in September - can't wait!) you should see if your gym comes with any free training sessions.  Many do!  That way you can work with someone who will show you proper form so you can avoid injury.  If you don't get free sessions, consider hiring a trainer for a session so that you can learn proper form and also get a plan set up for the goals that you've got.  

Lastly, remember that exercise of any sort isn't going to prevent excess skin.  If you're going to have saggy skin, you're going to have saggy skin.  But exercise is still super awesome :)

I felt the exact same thingy first time in the gym.  The first time will be the hardest.  The are all sizes in the gym not just the in shape.  You have to start somewhere.  

Play a game..say hello to everyone to see who does not.  You will be surprised.

Hold you head high and say "that's right I'm trying to be healthier.  

One thing i really didn't expect (in addition to the obvious benefits of going to the gym), is the social aspects of working out at the same place several times a week. I have made numerous new friends and it's great to have someone push you into trying a new class or cardio machine....or better yet join you for coffee post workout.

It's also good to have new friends that enjoy fitness and a healthy life style. 

Enjoy and good luck!

Like Gwen said -- most people at the gym are SO focused on themselves to notice you.  I know I'm constantly checking myself out in the mirror or trying to kill time by watching the TV.

Try lots of things and find something you enjoy :)

Just remember that at one point, every single person in that gym (no matter how jacked, skinny, ripped they are) had their first day in the gym You don't low what their starting point was. You can be walking on the treadmill next to some tiny hot girl and feel overwhelmed, but that girl could have just lost 100 lbs. That's the beauty of it all. We all go to be healthier and no one starts at the same point. 

My advice is to get on a stationary bike or treadmill first. Get some amazing music you like. It doesn't have to be fast or new or intense. Just music you like for now. Enjoy walking or biking the first day. Look around you, feel motivated by others. Then do a lap in the gym and say to yourself "i belong here". 

Every day in that gym will feel better and better. Soon, you'll be a regular and will wave to people you see at the same time and day usually. 

When you feel more confident there, get on some machines for arms and legs (those are eaiest to me to understand) don't be afraid to ask someone who works there how to adjust it or even use it. 

You're paying money to go there. You belong there. You literally "belong" to a gym. Don't let your mind overwhelm you. This is just another stop on your journey!

I strongly recommend working with a trainer if your budget affords it. I bought a 4 session pack to try it out at my gym and saw so much improvement versus what I had been doing on my own for 6 months. The trainer will focus on getting all your muscles in sync with each other and the results are so much better than many of the isolation type machines many of us gravitate toward. Continued to use the trainer one day a week and use what I learned from him on the other days. Costs about $100 per month.