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

Fuck them. Little arseholes.
Sorry @CinnamonCrunch33 this was your experience x

I’m sorry this happened to you. Your post has me made very angry on your behalf. As someone who has spent a lot of time in the gym, ex instructor / lifeguard and safety manager all
in leisure space, it is really infuriating that people who think it’s OK to behave in such a way are taking up our gym space. Put simply, you are in the right place and they just aren’t. Gyms can be inclusive spaces where people support one another.

honestly, the sad fact is you won’t have been the first these cowards have made to feel upset, and you won’t be the last. We had a similar situation where the person mocking someone else was given a very firm talking to, I guess they were embarrassed as they then cancelled their membership - good riddance! Please go back and don’t leave it too long. Once you get your next workout done, you’ll feel good that you did. I sometimes remember that putting myself out of the comfort zone does wonder long term for resilience. Don’t let them change your goal. Definitely complain, the gym staff / manager will want to know . Well done on that particular hard exercise too!

Honestly. FUCK THEM.

Email or speak to someone at the gym. Do not be afraid to go back in your leggings 💪

Find an instructor every time you are there, say hello, introduce yourself and chat to them. If there are staff on the floor they will look out for you in the future.

As lots of people have said, if you can afford it find a small, CrossFit type gym. I’ve always been the biggest, most unfit person in the room. The love others have shown me since I started means even though I’m puffing, panting and still struggling I don’t miss a class.

Someone used the phrase, weight moves weight, and it very much is true when it comes to lifting!

Keep going, you are amazing x

I was thinking this, too. How insecure must they feel about themselves to try to bring down another woman? No one who’s comfortable in their own skin would do that. You sound like a strong, determined and inspirational woman. Please don’t let such pitiful shits ruin things for you.

I concur with others, congratulations going to the gym. It's uncomfortable and upsetting when people are mean but ignore those silly bitches and do it for you. And yes report.

Definitely report this behaviour to the gym as most good gyms ban clients for behaviour like that. Its outright bullying behaviour and horrible to be subjected to.

Find a better gym. The PureGyms etc are not very nice places, it seems. I go to a small independent gym and this sort of thing would never be tolerated, I’ve known people be taken aside for a “word” about behaviour.

I’m sorry you were treated like this. Don’t let the little bitches spoil this for you

I'm really surprised, because the vibe at my place is very inclusive and whenever you see somebody there who is perhaps not a normal weight, everybody's willing them on, might not say anything but you could just tell

You can lose weight; they'll ALWAYS have elements of that spiteful attitude.

Chin up, tits out, and continue on your journey, and don't let anyone hold you back. 😘👊

Two teenagers with zero life experience and probably zero brain cells. Their opinion counts for zero in this world.

Absolutely report them. The gym won't want a reputation for that kind of thing.

This story might cheer you up - a Playboy model took a photo of an older woman at her gym, and posted it on social media with a sneering comment. The older woman successfully prosecuted her and her reputation was absolutely trashed!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-40038332

Some people are so hurtful. Sorry you've had to deal with that, OP.

However, please don't let them win.

Hi Op, report those girls and don't let them win. You're being amazing going to work out and trying your best!
You might want to consider a smaller more PT/small group training focused gym, if you can afford it. Where I live there are some that are female owned and very female health focused.
Don't give up!!

You can lose weight or get fitter, as you please.

They're stuck being horrible spiteful little cunts.

Much better to be you, OP. Crack on and don't let them stop you 💖

Oh I've just read it's a PureGym. One of my gym friends describes our local PureGym as the seventh circle of hell.

But I think you've been unlucky. When I travel to the US (which I do a fair bit) I go to PlanetFitness (I have a cheap US membership) and that's got a bad reputation generally. However, I've had really helpful young men show me stuff on the machines I couldn't figure out.

I think you hit some bad luck with a couple of unhappy girls.

Hold your head high and go for a new PB!

Absolutely disgusting! Please do complain.

Well done for going. They’ll realise one day and be mortified but that doesn’t help much now.

I go to my PureGym in Northampton at 5am specifically to avoid cunts like that. Im not thin but all the people there then are either too tired to care or stunning personalities.

wear the leggings.
smash the squats.
be a better person than them.

Please report it. The lovely manager at the PureGym I go to wouldn't stand for this behaviour. He is trying to build an inclusive gym that stands up for mental health....

It's amazing to see people squat- often I find these young girls don't squat properly either ... I am sorry that you were bullied- and I hope you can become stronger. The group I train with at PureGym we all are/were overweight and trying to come through it and become stronger together ...
I would also agree about body building gyms being amazing- I used to train at PopEyes in Willenhall and it was amazing!!! However I used to get freaked out at people lifting the atlas stones.....

Well those 2 girls really showed themselves up as total dickheads. I would actually report them to the gym management. I used to work in a leisure centre and we would take that kind of behaviour very seriously - apart from the fact that we don't like people being upset, it is also very bad for business.

I used to complete in triathlons and running races. I was actually always incredibly inspired by any competitors who were very overweight or very old. With the overweight people, I thought they must be very courageous and incredibly determined and with the old people, I used to hope that I would be them one day (which sadly will not happen because I have a chronic illness).

I've put YABU just in the sense that you would be being unreasonable to let their attitude be the thing that stands between you and working out (of course YANBU to be upset).
Their behaviour says nothing about you and everything about them - hopefully they can develop some decency as it's sad to think of them going through life behaving like that. Report to the gym and in the event the gym aren't supportive, look for another gym 💐

Don’t let those disgusting bullies stop you OP.
They are nasty human beings and truly don’t deserve to occupy any space in your memory.

if exercise makes you feel good, then keep going! 💪

@CinnamonCrunch33 People who laugh at overweight people in the gym are thick as shit.

It makes absolutely no sense. The gym is to help people to become healthy. It exists specifically for people who need to improve their health. The gym exists for overweight people, just as doctors exist for people who are unwell.

If they'd been teenage boys sexually harassing or wolfwhistling etc, what would you have said?

Please return, but on your way to work out, ask if you can see the manager, or the shift manager. They'll be right on your side. Maybe ask if you can hire a PT just for one session, to scare the silly gym bunnies off.

I always think to myself about silly young girls (I'm 66) if they're able to do what I can do in 40 years time, then they can scoff at me. Otherwise, they need to shut up.

OMG - OP what a horrible experience!

Honestly, in my gym (S London - membership) there is huge range of bodies, young , old, big, small, fit and 'pre-beginner' , and I have never seen any bad behaviour at all.

You are simply YOU, and like anyone else are in the gym to get fitter / keep fit. As for all of us your size or other aspects of your appearance are irrelevant. Please do not give up - you have a right to be there and no one has the right to be so nasty and rude.

Agree with this. I do CrossFit and have dropped in to other CrossFit gyms when away with work or on holiday and am yet to come across one that would act like this. Generally smaller groups and a great community.

And OP, those girls were cunts, ignore them and try not to let it put you off.

Teenagers know nothing about the world.
The day will come when the shoe will be on the other foot and they will look back and realise what bitches they were.