Newbie waiting on insurance......needing to start exercise program!!!

Hi everyone!!! I'm sure I'm not the first to ask or probably the last...but I need to know what you did to get in the gym.  I've never used a piece of exercise equipment! All I've been doing is going for walks for about 45 mins to an hour each day.  Want to do something different but don't have the guts to go into the gym and ask for help from skinny fit people.  How does a fat lady fit in????

Just get in there and do your thang.... I promise that you are more worried about you being there than other people are. Nows a great time because EVERYONE goes to the gym and there are certainly all walks of life there. You deserve to be there as much as anyone else. Go get em....

I have definitely felt that way in the past . . . going to my university's gym . .. all these young, hot, muscley men . . . & me, size 22.  I was already doing other things outside the gym, but wanted to learn how to lift weights - it was like total guy territory!  What I did?  I hired a personal trainer to show me how to lift weights & make a workable plan.  I think I did something like 8 or 10 sessions with him.  It was still uncomfortable.  I felt the same way when I joined Taekwondo several years back when I was also a size 22.  I felt the same way when I joined a jiu jitsu studio a couple months back, at a size 16. 

My take on it?  It truly doesn't matter what size you are, you will still feel uncomfortable doing something that is new & intimidating.  I've been there & done that multiple times with exercise alone.  I have found every single time that after a couple of weeks, I'm just not that uncomfortable anymore.  Over time, you become used to it &, in the meantime, you start feeling totally proud, pumped, & excited at what you are doing because you CAN.  I know it sounds corny, but facing your fears & doubts - when you then realize you've BEEN doing it for awhile & it IS totally possible - it's a great feeling.

A small, small! handful of people may give you a glancing cynical look, the majority won't pay you any more attention than they do anyone else, & a small handful of people will actually take a moment to compliment you on your hard work.  For those who give yu that cynical look - F! ***   Do what you need to do for you, they'll still be as*holes whether you take care of you are not.

You can ease your way into it. You could join curves; an all woman circuit program. I know of one ladies only gym near where I live or at our Y there is a mini work out area in the back of the womens locker room.
I agree with the other poster about whatever size you are you feel out of place. I am a 12/14 and feel totally out of place at times. I go to Zumba and I still feel like the biggest/ clumsiest person there but I go anyway. I really enjoy the class and I get a great workout. One of the instructors is a few sizes bigger than me but can she move!
Good luck, you can do it!
Mary