I never really noticed people in the gym in the past, and I hoped they weren't noticing me, to be honest. Now I take a look around sometimes and a lot of people still fly under my radar. I notice older people, because that inspires me. I notice heavier people because I'm just really rooting for them and I've been where they are. I see them get on the treadmill and walk really really slowly for about five minutes and then get back off, and my heart sinks. I know it's better than nothing, and they're making an effort, which is wonderful, but I always just really want them to stick it out a bit longer and get the benefits of being there instead of just sort of dabbling in it. They'll get there, though, I always think.

What's interesting to me is when I do notice someone who's thin and appears fit but then she wipes out on the treadmill very quickly. It makes me think...wait a minute, am I in better shape than she is? I'm still not used to thinking of myself as being in shape at all, but I'm getting there.

Anyway, usually I'm just sort of lost in my iPod and my thoughts! When I'm not being interrupted by students or their parents, that is -- ugh! That's what I get for teaching in the same small town I live in (with only one gym)!

Then again, there are those chicks at the gym (usually the skinny variety) who wear the booty shorts with their thongs showing (and everything else hanging out on display) who come and perch on a weight bench or machine and just giggle with their friends while watching the guys lifting. Actual exercise would ruin their hair or makeup, so they would never do more than one rep (with no weight) on a machine that shows off their chest or thighs. Those chicks I could definitely do without, but mostly because they're in the way. Kind of like inconvenient pieces of furniture you can accidentally trip over.

Anyone else have a flock of those? You can learn amazing things from them...like a sweatsuit with half a yard of material can cost as much as a mortgage payment! To their credit, I suppose, their fingers must be in great shape...you should see them on their phones texting their friends across the gym, it's like lightning!

One thing that can be annoying is when girls dress to get attention and then act uncomfortable and rude to guys that notice them. I'm not saying that lecherous guys get much sympathy from me but if you show up looking gorgeous in a bikini top and pristine yoga pants hanging off your perfect bottom, guys will want to be your friend.

Hey LisaMarie71- I know what you mean about being interrupted by your students and parents. You don't want to be rude, but at the same time you want to get your workout in. Summertime is the worst, because a lot of my former students are there on the swim teams. The skinny chicks who are working out, don't bother me, but the ones (big or little) who just hang around and are in your way drive me crazy. I hate to see the heavy ladies who feel self conscious and won't make eye contact. I try to smile and say hi so they will feel more comfortable and welcome at the gym.

I completely disagree with you - women should be able to wear whatever the **** they feel comfortable in to the gym, without worrying about getting annoyed by guys. They are welcome to "notice" you, but that doesn't give them the right to bother you.

Sure, men shouldn't be annoying anyone but it's like kids with purple mohawks and piercings all over complaining about being stared at. You really can't expect not to be stared at or spoken to if you're in a gym nearly naked. Obviously, women should feel free to wear anything and not feel intimidated or harassed or threatened. I just think it's silly to dress to get attention and then complain when you do.

So it's not okay to wear "pristine yoga pants"? Do they need to wear stained sweats a size too big to get a pass?

When you have problems with yoga pants at the gym, maybe it's time to ask yourself whether the problem is with them or with you.

Yeah I really hate nice yoga pants not prissy women with bad attitudes. I should really be in therapy for that irrational fear of them...

I really shouldn't generalize, it's entirely possible that this one person at my gym that I had in mind is in fact the only person in the universe who is really hot and comes off like a witch. Maybe she's just insecure, or maybe she is as stuck up as she seems, maybe I'm the one who's insecure or maybe it's just that nutty dislike of yoga pants that I have...

OH you mean like my former coworker who would very carefully redo hair and makeup for the gym, wear shorts that were just a leeeeetle too short and shirts that were just a leeeetle too tight and very carefully stash her wedding rings in the locker and then go hang out helplessly in the free-weight section and try and get guys to help her and then be all offended if they asked her out. "They should KNOW I am married, I've been coming to this gym for ages". (you should know how to load a bench press bar by now too) .

Are they wrong for asking her out....perhaps....but on the other hand the fact that she will talk about how "offended" she was for DAYS after and the fact that she is a royal grump for days after if no one hit on her is telling too.

Sorry I'm with ebe on this one. We aren't talking assault or harrassment, but if you advertise dont be shocked and offended if someone takes notice. You can dress however you want and it wont bother me, but if you are repeatedly feeling stared at, maybe you should check your own inventory.

In my horse hobby we call them "dressage queens..." they spend an hour fixing their hair, painting their nails and go to the stables in tight breeches riding 30k horses showing off their diamod rings. And real horse people don't really look around, they are in it for the sport.

I used to be "skinny fat" and never had to work at it in my 20s to be long and lean (and I probably flaunted my figure without really meaning to) so I'd be the one you are talking about wiping out on the treadmill but looking good in the clothes I suppose. Skinny fat doesn't age well without workingout, someone in their 40s told me that when I was 25 or so and didn't have a clue.

I love seeing the older people at the gym too.

In my experience I never had any problem with the skinny chicks. The guys were always nice enough too. The ones that did bug me were the 40-something ladies in amazing shape who gave you a dirty look if you were using the barbell/dumbells/machine they wanted. It was like they deserved to be there more than I did. I don't know if they assumed it was my latest resolution and I'd be gone in a week or what.

Skinny chicks at the gym only bother me if they give me disgusted looks for being there... and yes, I HAVE gotten disgusted looks by some stuck up skinny chicks at the gym before. I live in a college town... the vast majority of the chicks here are the sorority types, and from my experiences, they'll snub anyone and think they're better than most people.

I've been on the other side of the spectrum, though: I was skinny for awhile (exercise bulemic... I worked out for around 3-5 hours on most days and automatically HAD to exercise after eating anything), so I went to the gym all the time, and overweight people gave me dirty looks just for working out and being there...if only they knew how much I had to DO to LOOK thin!

I also have to completely agree about 40-something superfit ladies who think that they're owed the fitness world and deserve to rule it.

okay....let me stop laughing here so i can seriously answer the question at hand. Sorry...some of the stuff it sounded like an arguement was brewing over, was just funny to me.

Okay. do i hate the skinny people at the gym? Sometimes I am a little jealous over the girls who can wear the short, booty shorts. I want to be able to wear them. But do i hate them?? Nah....i just want to work out and be like them. I don't really run into too many of those because i don't pay much attention to the people at my gym. I take my four classes a week that pretty much have the same people in them every week. But i have been known while waiting for class to start, if i saw a girl who was more toned than me, to stare at her mid-section or legs and think to myself how much i am going to enjoy looking like that soon.