to think, when I see overweight people at the gym...

[TrillianAstra]

... "well done you"

I am very patronising, aren't I? But I think it must be hard. So I am impressed. It's easy to go to the gym if you are all pert and muscley in your tank top. (I am somewhere in between)

(and nyeer to anyone who thought I would be thinking nasty things)

If I thought all people at my gym were thinking the same as you I would use more often as opposed to the Spa attached to it !

i knew this wouldn't be a nasty one. your not nasty trill.

i do agree with you, it must be very hard for some people if they are conscious about their weight and they know there will be slim jims all round them when they get there.

use it more often

It IS hard.

It is like swallowing a bloody big camel before, during and after each exercise class. But as you go, you learn to enjoy it, and as you feel yourself becoming fitter, you stop caring. I have been going three times per week since the beginning of October.

My only problem now is seeing all these skinny minnies in the communal showers. Most of the other participants in my class are young students.... But I know, if I keep it up, I will be ALMOST like them, hopefully by Christmas.

They probably look at me and think "gosh, that is what will happen to US in 20 years, if we dont watch ourselves. So I am doing them a favour by being there.

I hate people who laugh and point at overweight people taking exercise (1) they are doing something about it, so fair play (2) just because they are overweight does not mean that they aren't fit and (3) there for the grace of god...

Communal showers? Ugh, no thanks - I much prefer cubicles. Not sure why as most of my bits are on show at some point in the changing rooms, but showering is private.

Yeah new name, the steam room/jacuzzi thingy is always a bit more tempting than the rowing machine isn't it? :)

I think that when I see a biggish woman jogging...I think God I wish I could be arsed motivated enough to do that!

I like to go in the afternoons, with the pensioners.

Much!

I say to people "oh I went to the gym this morning" and they say "gosh, you are so good, and you are fitting it in around the baby"

I dont mean to be deceitful, I never lie .........

If I see a biggish woman jogging I think 'Bloody hell, I find jogging impossible and you are doing it with the equivalent of a heavy backpack on, you must be superwoman'

My DH is superfit, has always exercised and watches what he eats. He came home from his gym last night full of respect and praise for the chubby family with two DCs who'd just joined.
Or perhaps he was just dropping subtle hints to me....

Well I agree, except to the extent that I don't think you are being patronising, but simply giving respect where it is due. Exercising when overweight is bloody hard work.

I always want to sidle up to people and say 'well done you, keep going, I was a size 18 when I started the gym!'

But many people would think I was either being rude, patronising or feel offended. FWIW I was someone had said that to me when I was wobbling around on the treadmill!

Why must it be hard? Overweight people aren't stapled to sofas after all. I do find your post patronising tbh. Why not go the whole hog and pat them on their head and tell them jolly well done?

Depends what gym IME. I went to a council run non-profit one and there was none of the snobbery you get in some posh gyms - plenty of less fit people (including me!), there were the skinny or muscly ones but they were too busy admiring their biceps in the mirrors to notice us fatties :o

I miss that gym :( none like that near us and can't afford it anyway. But I'm walking off 1lb a week.

I was one of those overweight people back in February although I deluded myself into thinking I carried it well

Now, I'm two and half stone lighter and I think the same as the OP about other people with some weight to lose. The heavier the person is, the more I think of them!

I mainly go to classes and people who I have never noticed in the class have come up to me and commented on how much weight I've lost :) It's a bit embarassing but nice really.

Hard because:

1. Running is hard and it would be even harder to run if I were carrying 2 stone more

2. All gym clothing is very unflattering

I'm a runner and when I see bigger people in a race I always want to go and congratulate them on getting out there when it must be really hard. But I know it would come across as patronising (esp as I could stand to lose a stone or so myself), so I don't.

But I'm always full of admiration and respect for overweight people who are out there trying to make themselves healthier.

I'm overweight, very, and if I ever went to the gym and someone came up to me and said that (I know you were only thinking it), I would be dead chuffed. I think it when I see people cycling or jogging. It's jealousy really, I'd give anything to be out there doing that.

I recently did the Great South Run and it was way harder than last time (did it in 2003) as I am about a stone heavier, so YANBU Trillian.

I avoid the gym these days and do dvds at home and go running

NL because excericise is boodly hard and getting motivated when you are self conscious about your body is even harder, especially if the place you go to excercise is full of people that appear to be their ideal weight.

bloody

The clothing is only 'unflattering' if that's how you see yourself - as an unattractive shape. How do you know that is their self image? You can't possibly know - but you assume it is because that's how you see it. You don't know anything about their level of fitness - again you assume it is harder for them because they're fat - but you know nothing of the sort.

And why do we asume overweight people are unhappy with themselves. Many are but so are many thin people.

who assumed that?