Also interesting is that /r/mylittlepony is not on the My Little Pony Island but on the neighbouring anime subcontinent. The visualisation is not only fun to look at but can actually help understand communities better.
This is true, if you can get over the fact that results will come very slowly, and that, in the gyms I've visited at least, most of the people there are already ripped and can make you feel somewhat inadequate.
The upside to the "most people are already ripped" is that even though you may feel inadequate those guys are pretty non-judgemental about you/others. Everyone started somewhere and my experience is that the gym is pretty judgement-free.
I've been going to the gym for the last year or so and it's helped me through a few tough times. I like the simplicity of it, even though everything else in my life might be chaotic I can spend a couple of hours at the gym forgetting about it, making myself feel better and getting healthier in the process.
I felt a little uncomfortable my first few times in the gym until I realized that the really serious people saw me the same way I tend to see programming interns -- not looking down at all, just cognizant that they are further down a certain road. They've been helpful and encouraging to me, just like I try to be when the subject is programming. Really, it's much scarier to think about not going to the gym, than going.
Results come a lot quicker for beginners. If you are feeling intimidated about going to the gym at first, it would be worth getting a personal trainer who can show you the ropes and get you started on a program. It gets rid of the fear of being that beginner who has no idea what they are doing.
True, going to the gym should be a permanent lifestyle change that should be kept for at least a couple of years. As for the ripped people, they all started off somewhere too. Nobody gets to look fit for free.
