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The elephant in the room (or: the fat girl in the gym)

So your first time in a gym, did you feel like all eyes were on you? Like, who let the fat girl in? Or maybe, "She won't last a week..."

These are things that went through my mind when I was touring the gym, at an hour of the day when it was FULL of young, fit people. Turns out people of all shapes and sizes and ages go there, but at that moment it was the worst time to be full of fit people. ha.


I truly felt so judged. I know it's ridiculous. Everyone told me that once you are there and working out you aren't paying attention to anything but how well you're doing on your machine or your pace, or whatever. That really-  it's a big ole' ME fest and that is all you're thinking about.

I didn't buy it, but once I got there, other than being relieved to see the occasional chubbette (So far I've been the biggest person at the gym, that I am painfully aware of.) I don't really pay attention to other people. Luckily I'm too busy wiping sweat out of my eyes. :)

Anyhow, I have goals, I plan to reach them, and even if the people in the gym ARE thinking those nasty things about me, why should I even care? I know who I am, what I am, who I can be, and how I'm going about getting there, and someday, I will be a curvy and fit goddess! :)

I certainly wouldn't mind looking even remotely close to this someday: ;)

Isn't she lovely? I think this pic is going on my cork board. :)
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Comments

  1. AnonymousJune 9, 2011 at 6:29 PM

    Hey, if I happen to see a fat girl at the gym, the first thing that goes thru my mind is "Go, girl!" I'm so happy for her that she's taking charge and working out, as I used to be there myself. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJune 9, 2011 at 6:45 PM

    That's right, you're gonna reach those goals!

    Honestly, I sometimes wonder if people even notice half the things about us that we do. I've been there with the fat girl at the gym complex, so I get what you're saying, but I've been really surprised over the years how I see something crystal clear and someone else is too busy freaking out over their own flaws.

    I say, walk into that gym with confidence! And even if you happen to be the fattest girl in the gym at that particular moment, you won't always be. Besides, you're gorgeous inside AND out!

    ReplyDelete
  3. xJune 9, 2011 at 8:16 PM

    try being the fat girl at the pool.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beyond WillpowerJune 9, 2011 at 9:44 PM

    beth, awesome!

    renee, thnks hon. :)

    midlife, I am. ;) I swim at my gym.

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownJune 10, 2011 at 6:11 PM

    I don't go to a gym, but every time I see a woman or man heavier than me (and I'm just above average weight on the BMI scale), I think "You're awesome. Just keep working at it. You're so doing the right thing". It took a little for me to get this mentality in place, but there you go. And I was a lot heavier a year and a half ago and going to a gym where I was one of the heavier people there. Awkward slightly, but never felt like anyone was judging me. Guess I was lucky/oblivious.

    ReplyDelete

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