I got myself back to regular pool visits by going to aquafit classes first...and just saying "fvck off" to the voices in my head that gave all the reasons I shouldn't go. The aquafit thing helped a lot by providing a peer group at basically the same fitness level.

Also keep in mind that most of the people in the class that were more fit than me? They didn't start out that way and were likely to be more sympathetic...so I felt a little safer there.

And I made a pact with myself to do scary things to overcome those insecurities - this was one of them.

Now I have a trainer and lift a few times a week, and I do my cardio afterward in the pool. It's very relaxing!