Too Embarrassed to Exercise?

You can overcome it! Here’s how

Her inspiration—Madeline DeGrace (foreground) draws strength from her friends at First Strides of Allentown, including (l-r) Jo Ann Sheesley, Penny McPhaul, Mary Ann Balascki, Joanne Michaels and Tina Montone. DeGrace recently completed a half-marathon, her first competitive run since treatment to remove a benign brain tumor a year ago..

As walkers and runners prepared for a First Strides® program at Lehigh Parkway seven years ago, Madeline DeGrace of Allentown watched all the activity—from her car. “I hadn’t run in years,” she says. “I feared everyone could run a 7-minute mile and I’d look foolish.”

But the more she watched, the more she saw people who looked like her. “There were women in their 40s, women who were moms,” says DeGrace, a single mother of two. “I thought, ‘Why not try it?’”

Today, DeGrace is a mentor to other women at First Strides, and she just celebrated her 50th birthday with a half-marathon in Las Vegas. “I’ve lost weight, cut my blood pressure medication in half, and formed friendships,” she says. “It’s the most rewarding experience I’ve had.”

To reap the benefits of exercise, DeGrace had to overcome feelings of embarrassment. “It’s common to think you won’t fit in with the ‘beautiful people’ at a gym or fitness class,” says licensed social worker Gerald Rodriguez of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. In reality, you’ll probably find people of every size, shape and age. The key, he says, is to focus on similarities, not comparisons: “Everyone is there for the same reason—to get healthier.”

You may be avoiding the gym for other reasons. “Maybe you never exercised and don’t know where to start, or were athletic in high school but haven’t been since,” says Emily Feauve, an exercise physiologist with the hospital. Some people fear they won’t know how to use fitness equipment.

How do you overcome your worries and take that first step? “Start small,” Feauve says. Here’s how:

Observe a class—Many gyms will let you do this for free, so you can see firsthand if you’ll feel comfortable.

Go with a friend—You can encourage each other.

Work with an exercise specialist—You can find one at most gyms, to help you design a workout program and make sure you’re comfortable. (If you have a health condition, see your doctor first.)

Keep your schedule flexible—Avoid crowds at the gym by asking staff which times are less busy.

Exercise at home—If you’re certain the gym isn’t for you, try a beginner’s
exercise DVD.

Want to Know More about home workouts, beginner exercises or choosing a fitness specialist? Call 610-402-CARE.

Published from Healthy You Magazine, July-August 2007

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