Good for you, for working out so hard that you sweat hard & your face flushed. You are really putting in the work. You are not just socializing or sightseeing or watching the overhead TVs. You're using the gym as it's meant to be used. I would like to see that woman engaged in a workout -- I wonder if she's just there to chat with her friends or something. Maybe she never sweats. Maybe she hasn't really got a body herself. Heck, maybe she is an android. That would explain why a normal human condition & appearance was so offensive to her. When the rest of us see you at the gym, we just think, "Good for her. I hope my own workout is really good today, too."
I would have had to hold everything back in order not to say something, but I would just brush it off your shoulders. You know you are doing it for yourself so dont let that nasty b**ch dishearten you
I just want to say congratulations on not letting her get the best of you and send you home to binge. You should be so proud of yourself, many of us would have gone home and drowned our sorrows in food. You did the right thing. Now get back to the gym and show her your there to stay. Congratulations on your loss so far, keep up the great work!
Thank you so much for all of the positive comments! I did go to the gym today and had a wonderful workout! I don't understand how I let a "look" and "eye roll" bother me. But it did hurt as if they had said something I could hear. I am just so thankful that I am not made that way. I too am glad to see all kinds of people in the gym. I do feel bad for the girls because unfortunatly they probably already have a warped perception on how to look at others.
I LOVE this forum and the support when things are good or bad!!! Thanks again.
I don't get this. At all. What were they staring at/rolling their eyes at? Am I missing something here?
~CGH~
I know...it is dumb to be so sensitive. It is a small locker room and they stared at ME and when I glanced at the mother she was rolling her eyes at the girls about me. They them quickly got their things and went out. I felt like I was stuck in one place frozen. I know what I felt and I know what was meant. It was a surprise to me to feel the way I did about it. But it's over and I am still going to the gym!
awe that sounds very annoying. I'm sorry that it bothered you. Some people are so ignorant. You are working hard and that is what matters, good for you!!!! Keep it up, Look you are making GREAT progress already!
I'm so sorry you had this experience and sorry also if I'm repeating any posts as I don't have time to read all the responses.
I have been bothered a lot sometimes by rude people at the gyms I used to frequent, although I now have a gym room in my house with all the equipment I need and that saves me time and money and I can focus without socializing (although socializing is nice), so I know how you feel.
But I had one thought that unless you actually talked to the woman and kids about it (again sorry, didn't read all the posts, maybe you did), you don't really know what they were thinking about you or whether they were thinking about you at all or whether they were thinking about you in a positive rather than a negative way.
Most people who frequent friendly gyms (there are some snooty ones out there) are either silently or vocally cheering others on who aren't at a level of fitness that maybe some other members are. Sometimes they are quietly watching the progress being made and silently supporting and rooting for progress. So it is possible the woman actually was admiring you for your spirit and work.
It's also possible she was just staring into space and thinking about her own thing.
Whatever the children were thinking, hard to say. Kids are unreadable a lot of the time.
Either way with all of them, whatever they think is totally irrelevant to who you are and what great things you are accomplishing and you can't afford to give it house room in the brain.
Huzzah! Be happy! Fitness is a joy, it matters not what anyone else thinks, this is YOUR journey.
Id have probably smiled my biggest smile and said
How are you ladies today? I hope God has blessed you as much as he has me today.
I know what you mean about being shocked so much you cant say anything though.
That is one to leave you speechless for sure. Some people have no class.
Janga --- She said the lady rolled her eyes....had she just been staring thats one thing. I know exactly what you mean b/c I stare in to space all the time and have a tendency to look when people enter a room.
But to stare at someone them roll your eyes to the person your with is a lil different.
Wow, I'm so sorry that happened to you. I know how you feel, because I've had something similar happen to me. It's hard enough to go to a gym and not feel self conscious if you're overweight. But forget about HER. YOU did an awesome job. YOU did not go home and stuff down your hurt with food. YOU went back, and didn't use it as an excuse to quit. YOU are working hard. YOU are moving on. So good on ya.
I know...it is dumb to be so sensitive. It is a small locker room and they stared at ME and when I glanced at the mother she was rolling her eyes at the girls about me. They them quickly got their things and went out. I felt like I was stuck in one place frozen. I know what I felt and I know what was meant. It was a surprise to me to feel the way I did about it. But it's over and I am still going to the gym!
Nooooo! I didn't mean that - man, I'm the most sensitive person in the universe! But at the time I posted I didn't understand why someone would stare and roll their eyes at someone who looked like the just worked out. To me, that's just very odd behavior.
Like, so you have a red face and looked like you just worked out. Um....what's the problem here? She never has a red face? She never looks like she just worked out? It's so ridiculous at first I thought I was missing something. Then, reading all the responses I realized it meant just that!
Man, people are weird!!! (i.e.,her and her kids!!)
and PS, why were her kids in the gym anyway? what, is she making her 8-year-old lift weights or something?
~CGH~
Last edited by choirgirlhotel; 02-08-2009 at 03:19 PM.
Next time, DO say something! I had that happen to me at a gym about 15 years ago. I was lifting weights and a girl said, "If you want to lose weight, you need to lift lighter." I looked at her and said, with as much pain in my voice as I could muster and as loudly as I could, "Oh my gosh, you think I'm FAT?" She was *really* embarrassed and back-pedaled and it was pretty dang funny. Everytime I saw her from then out, she would avoid my eyes quickly.
lol you're awesome! I wish I could have seen her reaction. seriously way to go
and buttercup I'm so glad you didnt give up. People like that are miserable - it is great you're putting in effort. I joined curves for awhile just to become comfortable with the equipment/in a posititve affirming environment.
I know so many women who have quit going to the gym after a skinny little snot said or did something ugly, myself being one of them. The problem with that is, they win and you don't get any closer to what you want. We have to take those circumstances and turn it into motivation. I can't wait til the day when you reach your goal weight and she (the nasty lady) can see that she wasn't able to discourage or dissuade you. At the end of the day it is one more victory, one more mountain you've climbed and one more success. Keep on Keeping on.
Thank you so much for all of the positive comments! I did go to the gym today and had a wonderful workout! I don't understand how I let a "look" and "eye roll" bother me. But it did hurt as if they had said something I could hear. I am just so thankful that I am not made that way. I too am glad to see all kinds of people in the gym. I do feel bad for the girls because unfortunatly they probably already have a warped perception on how to look at others. 
I know how you feel, because I've had something similar happen to me. It's hard enough to go to a gym and not feel self conscious if you're overweight. But forget about HER. YOU did an awesome job. YOU did not go home and stuff down your hurt with food. YOU went back, and didn't use it as an excuse to quit. YOU are working hard. YOU are moving on. So good on ya.
