I'm so mortified by what this woman said to me, I don't want to go back to the gym.

[DeclansAFeckingDream]

I'm so embarrassed. I have lost 4 stone in the last year by eating more healthily and I started going to the gym about 6 months ago in a bit to become more toned and generally feel better. I'm now a size 12 and happy enough with that. I'm 57 and I haven't found it easy.

I really enjoy the gym now and go about 4/5 times a week, on my own, and do my own thing. I feel great. This evening as I was just about to start using the rowing machine, a woman (who is super fit and absolutely stunning) approached me and said 'I don't mean to be rude, but those leggings do nothing for you because you can see your cellulite through them, you might be better with joggers'. She then went back to her equally stunning friend and they seemed to have a good old giggle.

I'm so mortified. My leggings are normally Sweaty Betty ones, not 'up the bum' ones and I wear a long tee shirt too. I felt quite good when I went in tonight and now I'm back to feeling like an overweight old bag and I never want to set foot in there again. I will though, I've worked hard to feel healthier - I just understand why anyone would say something like that. I daresay she can see my cellulite, but why bring someone down like that?

What a nasty fing bitch.
you have done wonders - bit of jealousy me thinks !
you obviously rock those leggings - ignore her nasty horrid (sad and unhappy ) CF

That’s shocking. I cannot imagine anyone saying anything like that in my gym which is full of people of different ages and sizes.

Imagine feeling compelled to say this to a stranger??

What a bizarre woman.

Crack on with your gym going and take comfort in the fact that this woman is very unusual in her thinking... to be kind about her.

Or to anyone! Not even to a stranger just bahhh.

Well done OP. Don’t let this experience bring you down or add anything negative to the amazing things you’ve achieved. Everyone deserves to share a space and no one should make you feel unwelcome.

Hopefully staff will deal with the vile little insecure bitch. One things for sure, she’ll be fuming when she sees you happily exercising away, esp if you’re wearing your leggings again. The ultimate revenge!! 😍

@Gruttenberg I am sorry I had this impact on you. As someone who suffers with acne and scarring, I know all too well the feeling when somebody does a double take when they catch sight of me mid-flare up. This is probably the reason I wished it on the horrible woman in the gym, who obviously highly values her physical appearance, so that she would get some insight into what it's like when your face doesn't fit.
The reactions of other people is something I have had to teach myself not to care about, so I don't miss out on things because I don't feel good enough. And honestly, most people don't care. I hope you can get to a point of being able to feel good enough as you are and don't stop yourself doing things you would like to do. Easier said than done, I know.
Again, my sincere apologies for upsetting you.

I'd have given them the finger and I'm 62. Bitches.

Can't believe someone said this! Absolutely vile of her. It's not about you at all, it says everything about her! Go and wear your leggings with pride! If she ever says anything to you again, I'd smile and say are you ok it's just usually something is wrong when someone is rude to a stranger for no reason.

I strongly suspect there's nothing wrong with the leggings! Don't change because of this comment. If you love the leggings, that's all that matters! I would not take advice from someone as rude as this irrelevant girl.

well done for speaking out! It takes a lot to do, and I really hope they take action!

It sounds brutal and bitchy, but if it’s any consolation just last week I realised the cellulitey lumps and bumps on the back of my thighs were very apparent through my favourite plain black Sweaty Betty leggings. I had no idea and just happened to see in the bright light of day in the mirror. So, I realise I need to wear patterned ones to mask it. I felt really disheartened and mortified that others would have noticed over the past year since I bought them. I’m 55 and gone a lot squidgier post-menopause having always been reasonably toned, and a size 10-12, but find I’m fighting a losing battle with cellulite. Although it’s awful being told, perhaps be thankful that you now know? At least you can make a choice about how you want to be seen. But try not to worry and keep doing what you’re doing. The gym is full of all shapes and sizes, and you shouldn’t let this deter you.

What a grade A bitch. I’m so sorry this happened to you. Please do not let her put you off going to the gym. Just file her under Mean Girls and ignore her. And let’s hope she drops a weight on her foot

"I don't mean to be rude, but..."

She did mean to be rude. You won't be the only one on the receiving end of her cruelty. Feel sorry for her "friends", children, partner.

I think that what she said was awful and ill judged. However, i keep seeing young ladies wearing quite clingy thin ribbed leggings and you can see everything through them. Every lump and bump (and these are young ladies without many lumps and bumps at all) and their underwear etc. They are really not flattering and see through I sometimes wonder if they have a good friend or family member to tactfully make them somehow aware of what they actually look like. If I wore something that looked truly bad like that on me, I would want to know, albeit not told in such a direct fashion by someone with a much better body than mine. To suggest joggers is rude!

Brilliant response.

You're out there bettering yourself, changing, improving and she's got nothing in her life except jealousy and hatred.
One day she'll say something to the wrong person and get paid in full !

What a cunt. She would have got the sharp end of my tongue. Please ignore this. She is a piece of shit who has enjoyed upsetting you. Speaks volumes about what sort of person she is.

She might be stunning on the outside but she’s riddle with ugliness inside. If you see her again, please tell her what I’ve just said.

well done on all your hard work, please don’t let this horrible person deflate you in any way. Yes, keep on going to the gym, wear your leggings, and hold your head up high!

This is absolutely appalling behaviour, I’m so sorry, OP! I’m so glad to hear this childish and disgusting behaviour isn’t going to deter you from continuing with your amazing progress on your fitness journey. Under no circumstances would this be acceptable, she must be very insecure / unhappy in herself to go out of her way to say this to you.

Absolutely fuck her!!! Sorry for swearing.

she is in for a nasty shock when she get in to her middle age and her body is exactly as she would like no matter how hard she works or how strictly she controls her diet!

you are doing great, I would love to be you. With your size 12 and being healthy enough to be able to go to the gym regularly getting fit. I’m not having a dig I’m genuinely happy for you and wish it could be me!
the reason I am bringing it up is you have been looking at her enviously but I bet like me there are others looking enviously at you, because you rock @DeclansAFeckingDream you really do!

For the benefit of the couple of people suggesting that this woman has done the OP a favour: no. Absolutely not. It's a gym. People wear what they feel comfortable to work out in. I am a size 24, a regular gym goer and weightlifter, and I wear leggings because they are comfortable and cool to work out in. I am sure that they do nothing for my legs, but I am not there to look fashionable or get fashion advice, I'm there to work out.

Better to have cellulite than be a bitch. Wear shorts next time x

She’s a bitch. Don’t let some random stranger bitch affect you. Focus on you and your workout mindfully (how everything feels, your breath, what you can hear (in detail)) and don’t change what you wear. If you struggle to rise above it, point out her roots, duck lips etc don’t do anything for her whilst you’re passing one day. She really isn’t worth the headspace though and she must feel inadequate in some way to say something like that to anyone, let alone a stranger 💐

A gym is a place for exercise.

A gym is not a catwalk.

Cellulite is normal. Most women have it.

Cellulite is just part of a normal body.

Being clean and all the private bits covered is all that is required at a gym.

Body shaming is disgusting. Much more disgusting than cellulite.

OP, she has probably been watching you over the months getting slimmer and fitter and sees you as a threat. If she has time to notice what you are wearing, she obviously isn't working out hard enough herself, that and the fact that she hasn't got a life. It might be worth pointing that out to her if she gives you any more grief.
You have done brilliantly losing all that weight and getting yourself fit. Keep going - and keep wearing your leggings. It will really piss her off seeing that you took no notice of her.

memorises for future use