I got laughed at in the gym and now I never want to go back

These early workouts are so hard. You are having to work both physically and mentally to overcome years of not having exercised, and the reasons behind that. You are proud of having lost weight, and proud of how far you've come. And rightly so. Remember that.

Any slip of a teenager can look good posing in leggings at the gym. Do not let these horrible kids get in the way of achieving your goals. Keep at it.

Talk to management, get it all documented.

You should have reported them. There's still time.

Maybe classes would be better for you. They're usually always supportive environments. Independents are a good bet.

Everytime I see an overweight person in the gym, and I was the overweight person in the gym for a long time, all I think is 'fair play to her, keep going'. So sorry you have been subjected to this, please keep trying your best.

Their rude comments are a reflection on themselves and not you. They are likely very insecure women, who make themselves feel better by making mean comments about other people.

From this stranger on the internet - I am proud of you and I believe in you. Don’t allow them to make you feel small. Go back to the gym with your head held high and go smash it 💪🏼

Report them. My gym would ban anyone for behaving like that.

Its them, not you, so don't let them put you off.

@CinnamonCrunch33 I hate gyms, try out Joey Atlas, he is brilliant and has loads of free videos on his you tube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@JoeyTheTruthAtlas

Specialises in women's fitness

Please, please go back to the gym tomorrow and take us with you (in your head!). We're at your back, so report them, then get back to the Smith machine and squat yo your heart's content!

I’m sorry that happened to you. If it’s any comfort, when I was younger and slimmer and I’m pretty sure presentable in a swimsuit, I had teens in a jacuzzi at the top end of a pool at a David Lloyd mock and laugh at me every length I did in a snidey, not quite enough to report manner. It feels horrible. These teens probably also sniggered at the person in the out of style gym wear; they will be thirty odd now and hopefully probably faced body image issues if their own. I’d say pay your teens no heed but that is easy to say and it is so upsetting.

So sorry you had to put up with that. If there's a next time say at least I can lose my weight, your kind of ugly is to the bone so you're ugly forever. Don't let little twats like that ruin your journey

You should complain about them. It's bad for business if the gym allows clients to ridicule and body shame eachother.

Well done for your health journey. Keep on moving in the right direction and there's every chance that you won't only no longer be obese, but you can be a healthy weight.

I hope those two horrible girls get banned.

Please don't let this put you off. You have achieved so much and should be incredibly proud of your weight loss and focus on getting fit. This is more than many of us manage to do so hard off to you. Well done!
Definitely report this and back it up in writing (it'll help you to articulate how you feel). You don't need to write details but say you're disappointed that the gym's ethos risks being damaged by unacceptable behaviour that targets others.
I'd also really rehearse what you will say if you see them again. Don't try to appeal to them, just be direct and say something like "I've noticed this isn't the first time you've made offensive and personal remarks about me. To be clear, I've reported it already and I will do again." Then go and find a member of staff. Stay calm. It's not about you, you're bloody awesome, it's about a pair of entitled idiots being unkind because they can, and they need to be called out on it.

I hate gyms. I tried, all the trainers told me I am the best looking woman because at size 14 I got tits and bum. No one laughed at me though I know, I huffed and puffed.

Take it on a lighten note and go back

Agree with this 👆 Next time they do it, go straight to staff and report them. They'll get a warning then kicked out. Don't give up, keep going 💪

I’m so sorry this happened to you, gyms are for everyone and on the whole, most gym goers are lovely people. Unfortunately the few nasty ones ruin it for everyone else. Definitely report them, and I’m not sure if it would help you but I wear headphones and listen to my own music. It means I can simply tune everything else out, focus on myself and not hear anyone laughing, so I don’t need to worry if they’re laughing at me (I’m also overweight and unfit).

If you’re on Facebook look up Joey Swoll, he’s a brilliant, he calls people out on his page for bullying in gyms. He’s gotten countless people banned from gyms around the world for filming other people and making fun of them etc. I suggest looking him up because maybe just watching his videos might help to make you feel better about going, he’s so positive and passionate about gyms being accessible to everyone.

Oh please report - if you were made to feel uncomfortable, then the gym should take action.

But am thinking would it help your confidence to have a Personal Trainer in the gym? Then you would have someone with you, at least some of the time and if there were issues later, you would have support.

Don’t give up.

Fuck them.

You have every right to be at the gym or anywhere.

Head up. Chest out. You keep on going and all power to you.

I really feel for you and hope you can see it is their issue not yours. You can lose weight, they can’t easily lose their ugly internal personality which will shine through their exterior. I get it. I was bullied at school and now have a disability. I use gym equipment in different ways as directed by physios. The beefcakes often snigger and ask how long I am going to be. Makes me stay longer. Keep going. You have hundreds of us behind you tonight.

You’re allowed to be big.
You’re allowed to pursue good health and not be abused for it.
You don’t pay the gym to get abused.

They’re the one that needn’t bother coming.
Speak to the gym staff. Get them barred immediately.

I don't gym any more, but I do run, including a weekly parkrun.

Every shape and size represented there, including one youngish man who was massively obese a couple of years ago, so much so he could only walk very slowly.

He's still on the large side, but he's lost tons of weight and now runs the whole thing - I think he's completely admirable. He's made a decision and committed and improved his health and (I hope) life.

Anyone who thinks anything other than that when they see someone exercising belongs in the "fuck it, I'm not offending anyone who's opinion I need to give a shiny shite about" box, IMO.

Fuck them.

I've always been slim and used to go to the gym regularly but those nasty people are spiteful and may well end up obese themselves one day. I always admired bigger people just cracking on with exercising rather than showing off and being insecure.

Their turn for being laughed at for old/big/uncool will come.

Keep going and be proud of yourself. Focus on your exercise and listen to something that gets you feeling good!

Of course it's not silly, that was really spiteful, it's perfectly understandable.

I agree that you should report it.

I doubt it'll make you feel any better, but please know that those nasty people clearly aren't that happy with themselves, really. Happy, confident people dont feel the need to bully or undermine others. They're utterly pathetic.

Oh I forgot to add my favourite comeback to these cowards. Approach and look dead in the eye and slowly say you missed what they said and ask them to repeat themselves, even better if others are around to hear you. I’ll bet she wouldn’t have repeated it and it’s great fun watching their reaction

I took out a membership at my local leisure centre, so I go to classes as well as the gym.

I used to think that I was incredibly thick and couldn't follow dance instructions etc. Guess what - it turns out that I can follow a trainer's instructions because (unlike my school days) I'm not coping with following instructions whilst having a couple of b*tches dancing behind me, making a fool of me.

I started off with an 'Active for Health' class and then took out my season pass and started going to the gym. Then I joined a Senior Flex class where we all had to follow instructions. The instructor gave us alternatives if we couldn't manage some moves. Emboldened by that, I tentatively joined a beginner's pilates class. That went okay.

Next, I tried a stretch class - which, it turned out - was to music. The same instructor was running a Musical Fitness Class. I thought I'd try that.

It turns out that my arthritic knees mean that I can't do everything, but our instructor is a gem (unlike the evil wee wifie who do took us for 'dance' in high school) and just tells us to do what we can. I'm having such fun and I'm gradually getting fitter.

It's taken me more than two years, but I've lost over 30lbs in weight and I'm much more flexible than I was - and that's in my 60s.

Don't the let the bastards grind you down, @CinnamonCrunch33 .

They're arseholes OP. My experience has been that the really serious gym-goers tend to be pretty supportive of newbies and folks who aren't necessarily 'in shape' (we all start off somewhere after all and we're not all necessarily working with the same goals).

It sounds like you got unlucky, but the gym should deal with it. If they don't, I'd find a better gym if that's an option for you.