--- title: How to Get Over Gymtimidation description: This article originally appeared on Refinery29.com. Gym + Intimidation = Gymtimidation, and I’ve had a bad case of it for years. As a big girl,... canonical: https://time.com/3136912/how-to-get-over-gymtimidation/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-09-30T11:00:20.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:42:52.990Z og:title: How to Get Over Your Fear of the Gym og:description: This article originally appeared on Refinery29.com. Gym + Intimidation = Gymtimidation, and I’ve had a bad case of it for years. As a big girl,... og:url: https://time.com/3136912/how-to-get-over-gymtimidation/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1ac3ef83b73ca1f9/69869ffbcd684816450961ad/locker-room.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4584 og:image:height: 2579 og:image:alt: locker room og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How to Get Over Your Fear of the Gym twitter:description: This article originally appeared on Refinery29.com. Gym + Intimidation = Gymtimidation, and I’ve had a bad case of it for years. As a big girl,... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1ac3ef83b73ca1f9/69869ffbcd684816450961ad/locker-room.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How to Get Over Your Fear of the Gym > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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Worth Your Time is TIME's culture newsletter, published Tuesdays and Saturdays to 40,000 subscribers as of August 2026. #### Who writes TIME's culture recommendations? Culture editor Eliza Berman writes Worth Your Time, drawing on TIME's critics and culture desk. #### Is Worth Your Time free? Yes. It is a free newsletter available at time.com/newsletters. by [Refinery29](https://time.com/author/refinery29/) ## Refinery29 Sep 30, 2014 11:00 AM UTC  Gym Locker Room Gym Locker Room Getty Images by [Refinery29](https://time.com/author/refinery29/) ## Refinery29 Sep 30, 2014 11:00 AM UTC _This article originally appeared on_ [_Refinery29.com_](http://www.refinery29.com/body-image-at-gym?utm%5Fsource=time&utm%5Fmedium=syndication&utm%5Fcampaign=main)_._ Gym + Intimidation = Gymtimidation, and I’ve had a bad case of it for years. As a big girl, gym culture can be intimidating for a variety of reasons. I know I need to lift weights and build strength, but that testosterone-filled section of the gym doesn’t always feel fat-girl friendly, especially when I’m not exactly sure what I’m doing. But, it’s not just the free-weight room that gives me anxiety. I’m a strong swimmer, but when I head to my gym’s pool, I’ve had lifeguards ask if I’m looking for the slow lane — before I even get in the water. I’ve noticed that the women who look fit are offered free personal-training sessions, while instructors size me up and simply dismiss me because I’m bigger. I’m on a plus-size fitness journey, though, which means I need to get comfortable at the gym. In order for me to do this right, I need to work out often and try new things. If I only stick to the exercise classes and workouts I’ve always done, my body’s going to get used to those exercises, essentially making them less effective. And, I intend to meet my fitness goals — not shy away from them. ([MORE: Why Body Confidence is Complicated, No Matter Your Size](http://www.refinery29.com/body-confidence?utm%5Fsource=time&utm%5Fmedium=syndication&utm%5Fcampaign=related)) Because of my tendency to get nervous at the gym (and practically run out before I start sweating), there have been many times when I’ve had to give myself a pep talk: “CeCe, get over it!” Lately, when I head to the gym, I have to take a quick minute to remind myself that it’s ok to ask for help. That I must get over my fear of the guys in the weight room. I’m also working on getting more comfortable with getting undressed in the main locker-room area, which is a heck of a lot easier than doing it behind the doors of a cramped stall. Getting over my gymtimidation is an ongoing process. Every time I think I’ve shed my fears and anxieties, there’s something new I have to conquer: a new machine, a new instructor, or even my desire to try new classes, like Spinning. When I first braved a Spinning class, I didn’t know anyone in it, so I made sure to arrive 30 seconds before class started to stay as anonymous as possible. I jumped on a bike in the back corner of the room and watched the regulars exchange hugs and kisses before the lights dimmed and class began. ([MORE: Why I Dated a Guy Who Hated My Body](http://www.refinery29.com/body-hating-relationship?utm%5Fsource=time&utm%5Fmedium=syndication&utm%5Fcampaign=related)) The next 45 minutes were awful. My shoes got stuck in the pedal straps, I kept turning knobs on my bike without knowing what they did, and, perhaps worst of all, my butt really hurt. When the class ended, I ran out of there as fast as I could and didn’t return. But, the fact that I couldn’t bring myself to attend another Spinning class meant only one thing to me: I was letting gymtimidation rob me of a good workout. So, last week, I got back on that bike. I arrived early this time, chose a bike in the front row, and when the instructor walked in and asked if I was new, I admitted that I was and asked for help. He taught me how the bike worked and how to set up my seat and handles. The class was definitely intense, but every step of the way, the instructor gave me the attention I needed to keep up. He even instructed me to sit back on the seat a bit, because, as he said, my butt was probably hurting. _How did he know?_ Forty-five minutes later, I walked out of the studio feeling sweaty, motivated, and, above all, proud of myself. I had finally gotten out of my own way and unlocked a new workout option for myself. Who knew what other workouts I’d try next? As I headed to the locker room, the instructor called out after me: “Great job today! I’m glad you mentioned that you were new; most people don’t do that.” I guess I’m not the only one with gymtimidation! ([MORE: Please Stop Calling Yourself a Fat Girl in Front of Me](http://www.refinery29.com/fat-girl-label-problems?utm%5Fsource=time&utm%5Fmedium=syndication&utm%5Fcampaign=related)) _On her blog,_ [_Plus Size Princess_](http://www.plussizeprincess.com/)_, CeCe Olisa has detailed everything from what it’s like to be the only big black girl in a yoga class (fine, thanks!), to_ [_her adventures in plus-size dating_](http://www.plussizeprincess.com/dating/) _in the Big Apple. Now, the New York City transplant is lending her poignant, often-hilarious voice to R29._ ### See the 10 Healthiest Cities to Live in America  Honolulu, Hawaii Best Place for Lifelong Health The heavenly climate helps, but the key to well-being here also includes enviable health care and a rich cultural tradition of looking out for one another. Colin Anderson—Blend Images/Corbis  San Francisco Bay Area, Calif. Best Place for Eating Right. The "farm to table" movement began here. The region's bounty of produce and year-round growing season make eating healthy—and local—a natural. Getty Images  Burlington, Vt. Best Place for Raising Healthy Kids This New England city offers great schools, excellent pediatric care, loads of culture and limitless options for healthy outdoor fun all year long. Matt Hogan/www.mphoganphoto.com  Silicon Valley, Calif. Best Place for Workplace Wellness With treadmill desks, meetings on bikes, time off for creativity, and gobs of organic food, tech titans are reinventing how to stay healthy on the job. Jim Wilson—The New York Times/Redux  Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. Best Place for Aging Well Yes, it can be cold. But with a plethora of stimulating activities and a robust web of support, the Twin Cities prove that growing old doesn't mean slowing down. Getty Images  Denver and Boulder, Colo. Best Place for Keeping Fit The urge to get outside and get moving is contagious in these Rocky Mountain cities, where physical challenge is built into the landscape. Celin Serbo—Aurora Photos/Corbis  Plano, Texas Best Place for Staying Safe Once a rural outpost, this booming, diverse city has kept its small-town vibe, thanks in part to a police force and community that knows how to work together. Misty Keasler—Redux for TIME  Portland, Ore. Best Place for a Healthy Environment Small, walkable neighborhoods, 300 miles of bike paths, and urban policies that foster active living and sustainability make for one clean, green city. Getty Images  Boston, Mass. Best Place for Health Care This history-rich city is home to some of the nation's most advanced medical institutions and policies that help ensure that quality care is available to all. K.C. Cohen—Courtesy of Boston Children's Hospital  Provo and Orem, Utah Best Place for Spiritual Well-Being A stunning Rocky Mountain backdrop and a tight-knit population that lives its faith contribute not only to this region's serenity but also to lower rates of disease. Getty Images ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3136912/how-to-get-over-gymtimidation/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3136912/how-to-get-over-gymtimidation/"},"headline":"How to Get Over Your Fear of the Gym","datePublished":"2014-09-30T11:00:20.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:42:52.990Z","description":"This article originally appeared on Refinery29.com. Gym + Intimidation = Gymtimidation, and I’ve had a bad case of it for years. 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