change is worth it

Experiencing my own weight loss journey I personally understand what it feels like to be  overweight (read obese!) tired, lethargic, unhealthy and overall not happy with myself.
It’s easy to look at someone else who is overweight and wonder how they ‘let that happen’, vowing we would never allow it to happen to us - or, we subconsciously judge them. At the end of the day we can all often neglect our own health while putting our kids, family, career or other people and ‘things’ ahead of ourselves. However, if you want to take care of others, you have to take care of yourself - first!
If you know you’re not happy with something in your life, then you need to decide what changes you wish to make - if it’s to lose weight then how much? Is it to exercise more frequently? How often? Improve the health of your lifestyle - then in what way? Become fitter? Stronger? Have you preventable illnesses?
When you're sick because of a weight related illness it’s totally in your grasp to change it.

the best step

When I was 120kgs I was petrified to go to a gym, not a hope in hell I would have. It took till I was 90kgs before I finally walked through the door of one, even then confining myself to the corner where the xtrainer sat with never a look to my left or my right. If I didn't look at anyone, noone would be looking at me, no one could see me, right?!
Until that life changing day though, I walked. On the spot in my lounge, in the dark of the evening. anywhere no one could see the 'fat lady' and laugh at me 'exercising'.
I DO wish I had had the courage to join a gym earlier, the benefits are way too many against the cons. We don't (I didnt) see that back then though. would I have listened if anyone had been a guardian angel encouragement? Always a question I can't answer of course.
Over the past couple of years, role reversal - I have had to 'meet' a few 'at the door' who started off with me doing home visits with them. but oh its so exciting when I then see them take those steps of immersing themselves in a brave new mindset and world when they are ready.
How do I now, continue to reach those people? How do we encourage those of us, men and women - who are larger to take that step, explore the benefits and change their lives from it? is there a way to make 'the gym' less intimidating? Show it isn't just for 'the fit people'. Or, is it? Is that really what 'non gym goers' think? What 'gym goer's' think?
Would love thoughts shared. What helped you to join if you were overweight? Even if you weren't were you comfortable when you first came? Did it take a nagging friend to get you in the door? Was it your own initiative?