It doesn't seem like a place that you go to specifically to exercise and get fit should make you feel old, clumsy and chubby, but it happens all the time. It seems like no one else in the whole gym is dealing with the same weight and fitness issues you are. Instead, they all look like poster children for perfect bodies

Well, the reality is that some of them could be - but most of them were once just like you, uncomfortable, embarrassed and reluctant to show their physical flaws to the world.

Chances are, the only "weight" you lose will be from your wallet, as after two or three sessions with all the "perfect bodies" gawking at you, you'll stop going and just give up. The better approach is a home exercise DVD. Assuming you actually do the exercises, it will work where gym membership fails.

Before you rush out to buy any old exercise DVD, you need to think about your specific goals. Exercise DVDs can range from high-impact, sweat-and-pain producing workouts to slow stretching exercises designed to get your body ready to get into shape - you'll want to buy one tailored to the type of exercise you need and to your fitness level.

While just buying the DVD won't get you fit and trim, taking the simple action to acquire it actually can help with motivation. After all, no one really wants to think they threw money away on something they never even tried, right? So, buying an exercise DVD and placing it in plain sight on the coffee table or on a shelf near the television can be the first step toward getting in shape. Every time you see it, you'll be reminded that you want to lose weight and have more energy - and that achievement of that goal is sitting right there at your fingertips.

Once you have the DVD, you can fit your exercise routine into your own schedule, using it whenever it suits you. The gym may not be open late at night - but maybe that's your best time to stretch out and slim down. The availability of an at-home workout also allows you to exercise on "nasty weather" days, when the last thing you'd do is to leave home to go to a gym.

Buying an exercise DVD instead of a gym membership makes keeping up with your routine so much easier to do. You can do it whenever you're motivated, and no one is watching or judging you. At home, you can commit as much or as little time to exercise as you want and determine for yourself what results you get. In a short while, when your clothes are a bit looser and your confidence a bit higher, you can join those other hot bodies at the gym.