Uncomfortable to go to a gym in gym wear

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I've mentioned in threads before about not going to a gym and using weights at home and so on and so forth, but obviously I see a lot of people who to the local gym near me are nearly always in gym wear of some kind but I don't seem comfortable in wearing gym wear myself or even spending money on it and find myself just wearing either my casual clothes or pyjamas at night when using my weights or doing press-ups at home. I say all of this, but I remember wearing PE (physical education) clothes while doing football, basketball or using the gym at school but I can not seem to want to get myself similar stuff if I ''wanted'' to go to the gym. I used to and still do like swimming and trampolining which I also liked doing at school but the problem is now, because I am on my own with few friends I won't go and do it on my own whereas in the past I always went with a group or class of school mates and now it feels like a barrier to me because I'm on my own. Its the same way I feel if I were to go to a pub or bar on my own on the weekend, I won't go on my own worried I'll feel socially awkward and self-conscious and be perceived as ''weirdo'' sat at a table on my own like I'm waiting for someone to chat to me.

I always thought the idea of playing dress-up just to exercise was idiotic.

I also always thought the idea of paying money to play dress-up and spend the time and effort to go to a place specifically designated to exercise was idiotic.

So I walk a lot, wherever I happen to be. Works great, and costs nothing.

Just wear your comfortable attire in going to gym because that's what gym all about to be comfortable in doing the exercises. Don't be too conscious on what to wear, you are to be physically fit not some fashion show.

For many years I felt uncomfortable going to a gym and tried to instead exercise at home. I didn't get much results from that. Then I decided to buy a membership card to a gym. I started to work out 4 times a week - to get my money's worth. For the first 6 months I had a lot of social anxiety about people looking at me and my weak body, waiting for the machine I was using to be free for them to use or thinking I was doing the exercise the wrong way. Now I have been working out at that gym for about 10 years and couldn't care less what people in the gym think about me. This has made me overall more confident in other situations as well. I think a lot of autistic people have a low muscle tone. That's something I had that as a child and have been working hard to overcome. For that reason I think lifting weights is something you (if possible) should prioritize as an autistic.

so, you just wear clothes you are comfortable working out in...its not a fashion show. You are over-thinking this. Its a common theme in your posts...stop comparing yourself to others so much. No one really cares what you look like in the gym (or out of it) Most people are too pre-occupied with whatever is going on in their lives to worry about yours. Do you spend your whole time judging other people when you are out in public?

I almost always wear sweatpants or basketball shorts (depending on the season), so I'm pretty much ready to go whenever I need to go to the gym.

Honestly, regular sweats are fine. It's not like they're making you workout in leotards and leg warmers as if it were still the 80s.

I don't care what I look like when exercising. As others have said, it's about being comfortable. Heck, when I go for a run, it's usually shorts (no longer than a 3" inseam, so yes, they are a very short length) and a running tank. Again, I'm not putting on a fashion show, I'm dressing for comfort. Last time I set foot in a gym was back in 2021, and I've always had a level of social anxiety. Now, I'm thankful that I have a home gym setup that allows me to do everything I need to do as far as strength training and cardio (in the colder months when running outdoors is not gonna happen, lol).

People don't care how you look, and if they do the opinion of strangers don't matter anyway. I have had some major "wardrobe malfunctions" when working out without any consequences that I know of. At one occasion I lifted weights for an hour in the gym before I had to use the toilet and found out that my t-shirt was inside out. At an other occasion halfway into my session I tried to put my cellphone in the pocket of my shorts and found out that I wore them backwards. Even worse, one summer I came home after a 15 km run and realized that I had forgotten to put on my lycra running shorts and had been running in my underpants.

I wouldn't do it, if it doesn't suit your disposition. But I guess it depends why you want to go to a gym. If it's just to exercise yourself, I don't think they'd care. If it's to join in with others socially, I don't know. I've no idea who uses those places. If I wanted exercise, I wouldn't start with a gym. They probably charge a fee for one thing. But the machines look like some of them might be useful.