Is it ok to drink water in a gym changing room?

[EachToHerOwn]

Ok, don't shoot me down for asking about such a trivial matter - I know it's trivial, that's what Mumsnet is for!

My DD 4yrs and I were in the changing room after her swimming lesson today, and she was having a drink of water from a bottle. A gym member who had just entered the changing room, pointed to the 'No eating or drinking' sign;
Lady: Have you seen the sign?
Me: We're not eating.
Lady: No eating OR drinking.
Me: (incredulous 😲) It's only water.
Lady: I didn't put the sign up!
Me: Well, I think she's allowed a drink of water. 😧

At this point I left, but was completely gobsmacked by such an attitude!
I completely understand that they wouldn't want people drinking hot drinks, fizzy drinks and even juice but surely it is perfectly acceptable to drink water in a gym setting? Don't most people need a drink during and after their workouts or swimming, including in the changing room?

What would you have said to her?

Quite a lot if gyms have drinking fountains in the changing room don't they? I think a bit of common sense was needed.

Probably to prevent spillages on the floor, causing people to slip over and hurt themselves

cos there is definately no water on a swimming pool changing room floor!

Should have told her it's gin.

Poor bastards. Really?

Yup.

I once saw an instructor hiding in the corner of the gym canteen with his own lunch. He told me no one is allowed to bring food to the cafe. When the cheapest meal on the cafe menu is £4.50 & a very limited selection, it's not affordable or nice.

So yeah I often see staff eating their sandwiches in the changing room. What are they supposed to do on a long shift.

I used to work in a place that had a no-drinking-except-water rule, only populated by adults. It was a NIGHTMARE. The number of people that tried to bullshit that their Starbucks takeout was just water was ridiculous. We persisted with it because it was a fair rule, but jesus some people. I'm not there anymore but the rule now reads something like 'no drinks except water in a clear water bottle, with no flavourings, colour or carbonation".

So no you were not BU but other people take the piss - still no reason for this women to nitpick you, that's what the gym staff are for. She should have complained to them.

She sounds like one of these ones that thinks it's their personal gym. Feck off! Yanbu

I think it's ridiculous and should be broken in certain situations like this. But then we had the thread about not jumping in pools when everyone else is the other day and people here were proper jobsworths over that..

I would have just made eye contact and poured the water all over the floor.

What a tiresome, nitpicky child hating woman she was.
Situations like this elicit my special response of moderately irritated frown accompanied by a shor, sharp, indoor volume "Shhh"
Never fails
You're welcome.

Short, not Shor.

It means you as well Op and it means all drinks and all food

It doesn't mean water, use your brain. Gyms do not ban water!

Penggwn

But I hope (and am assuming) she was staff, not another customer!

"A gym member who had just entered the changing room, pointed to the 'No eating or drinking' sign;"

It means you as well Op and it means all drinks and all food

No it doesn't. This rule will definitely exclude drinking water from a water bottle or fountain.
The point of the rule is to prevent the mess and extended use of the changing room created by post swim snacking. No gym or leisure centre is interested in stopping a member (especially a small child) from taking a sip of water. I aboslutely guarantee it

The rule for no drinks is valid in my eyes. Sticky spilt juice is not great to be standing in. Trying to police what's in people's water bottles would be impossible. Drinking after swimming- great do it when you've got dressed and are out off the changing rooms. No ones so dehydrated after swimming they cant wait 10 mins for a drink. There are usually tables etc for you. But I seem to be a lone voice......It was none of that woman's business though.

My gym changing room has the same sign but it also has a water fountain with cups so they can't be that fussed about people drinking water.

I've always assumed it refers to things from the cafe outside - coffee, etc

Reminds me of the episode where Alan Partridge reports the 9 year old for 'flouting the jeans rule' in the health club bar

Yes I agree Penggwn, the OP's reaction was very restrained.
If it was a staff member, given that I would have discounted water from being in the rule I would have just ignored or said a breezy "OK" whislt continuing what I was doing.
I don't believe that a member of staff would have said anything though unless the drink was a slush puppy or accompanied by a packet of quavers.

I would have told her to fuck off and that would have been putting it politely.

No water indeed.

Why could your daughter not wait until you were outside? People are obsessed about getting dehydrated; this is England, not the Sahara.

@LentilBaby

This complaining that people drink too much water these days is a weird "thing" on MN isn't it.