Skinny chicks at the gym... Do you just hate them or do they inspire you? Last night one at the ymca was so young and perfect it made me pedal harder then ever. So I think there's a correlation, when there's people around more fit then me I work harder. Still it's hard having someone so perfect in your face.

I used to be overweight and jealous of the girls who could go for 1+hr on the elliptical with little pink booty shorts. A couple of years later I'm one of them. Remember to admire people for their efforts rather than hate them. Not all of them have always been that way!

Well, they irritate me if they seem to have an attitude and strut around like they are really something but I have been seeing one girl in particular at the gym who really inspires me. She isn't skinny. She's very fit and toned and her proportions are very similar to mine. I watched her the whole time she was working out which inspired me to believe I could be just as fit and toned if I commited myself to my workout the way she does.

I admire anybody who has the dedication and drive to work on their body.

I've been inspired by 80-year-old women on the treadmill, a 96-year-old (!!) man who lifted serious weight at my old gym, a 250-pound regular at my spinning class who could go faster and further than I could, and dozens of "skinny women." Sure, I've had moments of intense envy. But I just can't see hating somebody for what they've accomplished--even if it is with substantial assistance from good genes or whatever.

I don't hate anyone that is skinny at all- it's just a body size, and let's face it, the ones at the gym are obviously working hard to maintain their bodies, just as heavy folks are working hard to lose the weight.

What I hate the most is attitudes- and let me tell you, some of the folks my size that I've met can be just as rude, arrogant, snooty, and hostile as some of the skinny folks I've met. There are some very sweet, kind, caring, helpful and motivating skinny folks out there- they are my inspiration and the snooty ones, I secretly thumb my nose at them (in my mind), just as I would a person who was heavy and snooty. Attitude/personality is what counts with me, not dress/trouser size.

Really - the only ones who make me sad are the ones who are super skinny and cry about how fat they are. Or the one at my gym who is a twin for Reese Witherspoon and works out in the summer with a longsleeve turtleneck fleece workout suit so she can "sweat away the weight". Sad.

I only hate people with poor gym etiquette...

honestly? i don't even look at people in the gym, unless they are working out directly in front of me, in that case i look at their butt, lol. or the occasional nice looking man next to me, . but otherwise, i just get in there, do my thing, and leave.

I saw a couple of really perfect, athletic teen girls at the gym the other day that didn't make me hate them at all but just for a second, kind of wistful...long coltish limbs, whippet lean and muscular. I was neeeeeevvvvveeeeeeeeer coltish. with stumpy legs its hard to be. possibly more like an old shetland pony.

Ebe, your post cracked me up! I'm had nice legs, so the coltish legs wouldn't have bothered me. But I always had a belly on me (still do). I can't relate to anyone who is nostalgic for their bikini days---I never looked good in a bikini, even at my thinnest!

I don't really envy the skinny gym chicks. In fact, years ago, looking at them brought about an epiphany: Wow--those skinny chicks aren't that way "naturally"! They really do have to work out, just like me. That seems so obvious, but for some reason when I'm wallowing in self-pity about my weight, it's easy to forget that looking fit takes work for almost everybody--including those skinny chicks.

That's so true. I do really admire women that compete in figure competitions but the level of dedication boggles the mind.

I seldom look at other people in the gym, I admit, but as long as those "skinny chicks" don't come with an attitude, I don't think I've ever hated any, or even be truly jealous. Real fitness takes time and committment for everybody, and if anything, it tends to inspire me and re-energize me.

The "skinny chick" who's working her butt off next to you may have been a fat chick not too long ago. Be friendly and you may find out how much you have in common.

I agree that we never know where people's weights have been and that attitude goes a long way. I don't care if you're thin or fat, if you're nice, that's all that matters. If you're angry and rude, I feel sorry for that person, actually...

I get inspired by the women on mags like Oxygen and Muscle and Fitness Hers. I hope to be "cut" like they are (and like Meg is!! :wink: ) in 3 years (it's a lot of hard work). So maybe she'll just inspire you to be your very best!

I used to feel like that and then I realized that those ladies were there for like 1-2 hours almost everyday, and had EARNED their bodies. I still feel jealous, I guess that something I can't help, I can only hope that I am as happy with my body one day as they are with theirs (or as *I* am with theirs lol)

I admire anyone, as long as they are polite, who's in the gym, big or small, young or old... I especially admire old people in the gym, I guess that's because I'm inching closer and closer to their age ...