I am the only fat person at my gym

[MissMillie]

It's rather embarrassing, actually. Not that it's going to get me to stop going--I'm sticking w/ the workouts. But damn! It sure would be nice to not feel so.... different.

Long, leggy, young, trim MBA students. It's enough to make you puke.

[Longhorn]

1. When I see a large person working out

I am FULL of admiration! Maybe it's because I've been one of those large people (and I'm still not what you'd call "small!") There are always jerks in the world but I'll bet a lot of people are looking at you and thinking, "Isn't that great that she's getting herself in shape?!!"

And I've learned over the years to imagine that people are thinking positive thoughts whether they are or not! Why not? It's free and I'll never know what they're really thinking anyway! ;)

[wildeyed]

2. I admire heavy people who are sticking with it, too.

And if you stick with it, you will be trim and leggy soon, too :)

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

7. So true!

Keep up the good work.

[emulatorloo]

3. You look Marvelous! So forget about them

Seriously, I doubt you are fat.

And secondly, I doubt that all the members at your gym are leggy and trim.

I have a pretty flexible schedule and I've found there's a lot of different kinds of people at my gym depending on the time of day.

800 am Seniors w different levels of fitness

900 am Housewives w different levels of fitness

1000 am fit middle aged guys

1100 am buff college kids

200 ghost town!

300 heavier people in their 50s

500 leggy lean stairmaster women and huge bodybuilders

and so on. . .

[MissMillie]

8. my gym is at work--a college (grad school actually)

so, yeah, they really are all thin, young and leggy.

[ewagner]

4. Whenever

I see an overweight person exercising, I always make it a point to give a "thumbs up" or sometimes verbally, "Good for You!" or "Way to go!"

You can't be down on people who are trying to improve their health or looks for that matter.......

[vikegirl]

5. Agree with everyone here.

I admire "heavy" people who exercise. You should be proud of yourself for working out and taking care of your health! :toast:

Also, most of those trim, leggy students are probably more consumed with what *they* look like to notice anyone else. I suspect a lot of "gymmies" are there for show rather than for health and fitness.

[CitySky]

6. joining the choir on this one

My favorite person I've seen at my gym is an overweight lady wearing a long stretchy SKIRT plus sturdy cross-trainers, on the treadmill. I saw her twice when I used to go at 6:30am. I thought it was so cool that she was getting herself in shape, and figured that maybe a little ways down the road she'll bust out with some pants she feels good in, but for now isn't letting that stop her! You go!

Mind you, there is no way you are as big as this lady. She's still a "walker" on that treadmill. A determined-looking walker.

It's funny - I used to go to the gym with my ex-BF and he would just notice all of the muscular, buff guys while he was lifting, and get all insecure for being skinny. I think internally cheering on the large-sized or older people is a much more fun way to pass the time, than comparing the sleek and the toned!

[flvegan]

9. I'll bet that if you took a poll of your gym-mates, you'd find

that most were, at some point, heavy, overweight or even obese. Maybe a fat kid, pudgy teen, a little extra baby fat in high school, even a few extra pounds after giving birth. Leggy and trim oftentimes didn't start that way, and if anything else, they may look at you and remember when they "started" at the gym.

Besides, it's reeeeeally bad gym-karma to look at anyone else there as fat or too-skinny (like a hardgainer/ectomorph trying to put on muscle). Each person is a work in progress, and to mock or scoff is begging the Gym Gods for a charliehorse on the treadmill or a pinched nerve while your dumbells are at full extension.

In the meantime, let the leggy and trim be an inspiration (or a source of spite, if that works for you). I promise that they will be quite envious when you get where you're going.

[4_Legs_Good]

12. It totally bugs me when people refer to a gym as a meat market

or say that people just go there to pick up chicks/guys and be looked at. I can always tell someone who doesn't have any gym staying power, because they always say sh*t like that.

When you see those leggy girls and huge guys there, what it tells me is that bodies like that don't come free. They require a ton of work, and it makes me appreciate them even more. Particularly people who have worked from less healthy beginnings. That take time, work and determination.

david

[Hello_Kitty]

14. The gym is the LAST place I'd try to hook up w/someone

I work out very hard. I sweat like a pig and my hair is a frizzy mess. Definitely not a state that is conducive to me feeling flirtacious. I can't stand when people use that "it's just a meat market" b.s. You're right, it's usually someone who doesn't work out and is looking for an excuse not to. The other favorite lame copout is "I don't want to work out inside some stuffy gym. I want to do something outdoorsy." I hear this one ALL the time from people who apparently have no problem sitting inside their stuffy houses for hours on end not working out. I'm like, whatever, I don't want you crowding up my gym anyway so there's no need to justify your sedentary life to me.

[4_Legs_Good]

10. It's all about perseverance

I'm usually the skinniest/weakest guy at my gym, and yet I go every day. It's discouraging to see other guys totally muscling up faster than me, but I guess that's the ol' genes cop-out, which is partially true.

Anyway, the point is regardless of how out of the pack I am, the fact that I keep going has made me occasionally *not* the smallest guy in the gym, which means I'm slowly, slowly, slowly moving up on the average.

Someday I'll be up there with the best of them (well, up there in the 60-70%, which is good enough for me), and someday I'm sure most of the people at the gym will be envying you! Keep at it!!!

One thing that I've learned is that I don't make any progress by going at this half-assed. I have to at least do three-quarter assed, which means being very persistent, even if not always being of Olympic caliber.

david

[MissMillie]

11. Update

Saw a woman today who is atleast my size, if not bigger.

I guess I've never seen her before because she's usually showered and out of the locker room before I get back from the track.

Today, instead of jogging the track, I went into the cardio room and rode the stationary bike, and she was in there.

Not that I'm happy that this woman is big, but it did feel nice to feel like someone else there was just like me--just starting out.

Maybe one day we'll both fit in with everyone else. I know I'm in this for the long-haul.

[Ilsa]

13. Miss Millie, keep in mind that fitness is also the stuff you cannot

see, the stuff on the inside of our bodies, and also performance.

I have been svelte and overweight. I can remember people less svelte than me running circles around me on treadmills and in cardio classes. I can only imagine how much better their triglycerides were than mine!

You are inspiration to them: they should be inspired by your desire for a lifetime of good health. I know I am.

[MissMillie]

15. thank you!

that was very kind of you.

I am dedicated to making good health a lifetime goal. I've never felt better in my life.