*nods* Got it.

you mad me cry. thank you. : )

Thanks so much for sharing. I needed this today more than ever. I'm going to print it and keep it near by. Again, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thanks for sharing. It is very inspiring. I hope everyone will be like her, not afraid to run in front of people no matter how she looks like, not thinking what others may say.

Brilliant blog post. Beautiful. Almost brought me to tears. I will never feel self-conscious about working out again.

http://flintland.blogspot.com/2012/05/hey-fat-girl.html

This is so true. Someone posted a few weeks ago about being insulted/feeling insecure while running ... every time I see a heavier person running or in my Zumba class, I simply think how much harder it must be for them ("he/she rocks!") and how I should work harder too!

Only thing is that I wish, wish, wish people wouldn't jump into running so quickly. That determination can get waylaid by injury so easily and they're determination can get waylaid by the sheer difficulty of trying to move a heavy body in a way that is hard for it to do.

I have seen so many people try at something so hard that they give up. if only they built up to it first!

But it is true... most people do not look down on the overweight and unfit who are WORKING on their fitness. How could they?

I have luckily never had any negative comments while working out. I have had strangers say "way to go", give me a thumbs up, etc. It's really great to feel so supported.

Thank you.

So nice

Speaking of which, I should get off the internet and head to the gym! Here I go!

Awesome post. Thanks for the link. Made me feel all warm and special inside. That's me!

That was a great read, thanks for sharing!

Am I the only person who finds this pretty patronizing?

I mean, what makes her think that I need or want her approval? She's reinforcing the same standard that the sentiment of her post is0( sort of) trying to resist--that thin people are better than fat people, and that we fat people need approval from thin people in order to feel ok about ourselves. Scr*w that.

the first gym I joined way back in like 1982 was a hardcore weightlifting gym because, well, that was the only kind back then. And the owner who was obviously a competative body builder told me never to be embarassed to be at the gym and be in worse shape then the other people. Everyone is the same at the gym, they are all trying to improve. No one is concerned about your current level of fitness, they just respect that you are there to improve just like them.

Thank you for posting this. This was EXACTLY what I needed tonight. For the past week, I've been trying to finish the day 1 workout for C25K, but I always got way too fatigued to get through it all. Until tonight.

I had already made up my mind that I was NOT going to try again tonight, but then I logged onto 3FC and this thread was the first thing I saw. It was just what I needed to be a big girl, put on my shoes, and finally conquer the day 1 workout.

Thank you!