Quote:
Originally Posted by underanalysis
Posts like this are a bit of a pet peeve of mine, and maybe I'm outing myself as a rude person, but I know other friends feel the same way...
I think it's disingenuous to say "no one is judging you at the gym". They are. I totally judge people at the gym. Not in the way the post specifies (that I think they should just go home because they're so out of shape), but here's a few ways I've judged people at the gym lately:
1. OMG her gym clothes are so cute, I wish I could afford nice gym clothes.
2. Man, her workouts are so serious. She must think the rest of us are mice in comparison.
3. Why is she reading a magazine on the hip adduction machine? Is she here to read or exercise.
4. That lady just came in to shower after her workout, but she's not sweaty at all and she's still in full makeup. What the heck was she doing out there?
People look at you at the gym. People look at what you buy at the store and make assumptions about you. Don't hide from it, FACE it and DEAL with it because guess what? You do it too.
Anyone who says they've never looked in someone else's cart or at someone's clothes or at someone's muscles and made an assumption about them is lying, and that is judging whether the assumption was negative or positive.
And this is my pet peeve anytime this comes up: I think it's important to realize that not everyone thinks or acts exactly as you do. Just because you're checking in people's carts and second-guessing their work out, that doesn't mean everyone else is doing it. It just means you spend so much time doing it that it's hard for you to imagine other people don't.
I don't see how it's helpful to tell someone who is already feeling self-conscious that yes, everyone is judging you (because they're not) and don't you DARE be blissfully unaware of it for even one second.
I don't. I have plenty of my own stuff to think about and my thoughts to stray far from me, my kid, what I'm going to make for dinner, if I'm about to hurt myself, should I cut my hair, would I look better as a red head, what am I going to get my husband for Valentine's Day, wouldn't it be nice to go to the beach, I should really look into some beach houses, wonder how much vacation time my husband has, when is Spring Break, OMG, how long have I been on this machine, AM I REALLY WEARING BLACK SOCKS WHO LET THAT HAPPEN??? And I think I have a wedgie.
Also, some people are just really positive. I have a gym rat friend who regularly tells me about the obvious new mom he saw on the running trail or some old guy huffing and puffing in the pool and how motivating it is to see people just starting out. I'm not that person because again, I am just doing all I can to keep up with me, but I know other people are kind and generous even in their brains, where no one can hear.