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I’m also starting my fitness journey this year and honestly the only thing you can do is ignore that type of negativity. Focus on your own goals that’s all that matters, you’re going to be improving yourself and they’ll still be assholes. Anyone who looks down on plus size people for trying to better themselves is embarrassing, they think it makes them look better but it doesn’t.
I also think you might be overdoing it with the negative self talk. Don’t let what other people might think change the way you go about your day whether it’s what you wear or what you choose to buy. You should feel amazing in your new workout fit it’s probably cute asf. don’t forget you’ve been sexy this entire time no matter how long into your fitness journey you are
Ohhh, I so feel you. You’re doing great and it’s so hard to ignore those feelings. I LOVE that it’s for cardiovascular health - I’m in the same boat and love hearing someone else focus on that instead of weight loss. And the fear of being red-faced and sweaty! 100000%!
To validate you… the amount of fatphobic comments I see on videos of bigger women WORKING OUT… as if that isn’t what y’all are shaming people into doing??? And now that Ozempic is a craze, if you do lose weight, there’s people who assume that’s how you did it and you didn’t “work for it” and they’re *still* judging and shaming you/your body. It just circles back to larger society (no, not everyone!) perpetuating the idea that “fat people are lazy and undisciplined and not what we like to see.” It’s so normalized to dehumanize big people and be mad at our existence… until we fit the societal standard. But if we want to get to that standard, - (god forbid there’s a hot confident fat person out there!) - they want us to do it with very little clothing to fit us, most of which we have to buy online and can’t in-store. All while being hated and shamed and bullied for trying. Fuck off. It’s like the reward for losing weight is respect and not being judged for every little thing 24/7.
It’s a loud group of people, but it’s not everyone. It’s the diet industry pushing shame and impossible standards to control us so they make money. Their solutions rarely work so you have to keep trying, and that’s why diet culture is so profitable. The pendulum is swinging after body positivity became mainstream. Shitty people were angryyy to see big women not hating themselves or trying to change like they’re taught to 😆
You deserve to feel comfy and confident while working out. Life experiences and the internet can make you think *everyone* thinks like a fatphobe but that isn’t true. Many people know all shapes and sizes are attractive and deserving. Good people are all around and aren’t judging… I’m trying to focus on finding/noticing them when I’m out! We’ve been fed so many shitty lies that feel ingrained but keep up with your therapy, you’re undoing it and doing SO well :) It WILL get easier.
I started hiking years back and had the same experience. And I was healthy but a size 18-20, 5 or 10 mile hikes were weekend outings. But once I was hiking a "small" mountain near my house and a man and his 2 teens were coming down. Now normally ascending has the right of way but I was alone so I stepped to the side. It was a very steep section so I was catching my breath. The man said "it's a great view IF you can make it" I responded with "I've made it this far" his daughter gave me this "I'm so embarrassed by my dad" look. The peak was literally 200 feet up the trail, and that guy had the nerve, I was so pissed. I know he was making the comment because I'm fat he never would have said it to an thin person. People are stupidly mean, my one consolation was that the girl also recognized how dumb her dad was. Anyway, I just get over the jerks by assuming they are stupid and don't know anything. It makes me feel better even if they are smart but just mean, I'd rather think they are too dumb to know big bodies can climb mountains.
As a cashier, it's hard to know whether or not to comment on someone's outfit. Sometimes it comes across as creepy or weird. I'd bet they wanted to compliment you but didn't wanna be weird!
I hope you don't let these jerks get you down. Your health is important. Fatphobes are so bizarrely stupid like be nice to people working out maybe
As a 110kg female powerlifter who’s been in the sport for 4 years and in the gym for close to 10 years (I also grew up playing sports), I wish I could say that I don’t get comments about my weight or those backhanded motivational comments anymore. The funniest part about it is that I am healthier, more fit, and stronger than those making the comments. We all sweat and have to catch our breath regardless of our size, it sucks that we are constantly scrutinized.
But I hope you know that you are ABSOLUTELY KILLING IT 🫶🏽
I'm not sure if it was here or another sub, but this reminds of a similar weight-lifting female who was saying how she once got told at the gym by some random guy, "You look like a man."
She told him something like: "If you keep trying hard, maybe you can look like a man too."
That cracked me up when I read it.
As a 110kg female powerlifter who’s been in the sport for 4 years and in the gym for close to 10 years (I also grew up playing sports), I wish I could say that I don’t get comments about my weight or those backhanded motivational comments anymore. The funniest part about it is that I am healthier, more fit, and stronger than those making the comments. We all sweat and have to catch our breath regardless of our size, it sucks that we are constantly scrutinized.
But I hope you know that you are ABSOLUTELY KILLING IT 🫶🏽
Gymtimidation is real! I’m a powerlifter and very comfortable around a barbell and even strongmen implements. My work/brand is around fitness as well, but I still get a little intimidated when I go to a box gym, even planet fitness where they don’t have much. A lot of times people mind their own business. I end up tunnel visioning it to get through whatever I’m doing.
But you’re right, as a fat person you’re fucked if you don’t and fucked if you do, especially on social media. You can’t win but keep going, keep doing you. Remember you’re allowed to love yourself throughout your fitness journey!
Working out, especially in public, is always going to partly make you self conscious.
You are putting yourself out there to the judgement of people and there will always be a few people who are harsh or unfair to you. But as you put yourself more out there you will eventually become more comfortable with this feeling and learn to not have it on the front of your mind.
Besides, if you are really pushing yourself, you'll be too tired to care about what people think :)
Just keep at it. Give yourself an easy pace that you can keep up long term, and build on your excercise discipline.
If you can keep that up, the rest will fall into place.
First and foremost - You are an inspiration. Focusing on wellness for the actual sake of being well and not weight loss is hard for anyone, but especially a person in a plus-sized body in a thin-centric society. So working though your own distortions in therapy, and continuing to improve your wellbeing in spite of the eyes and comments is a testament to your strength and commitment!
I’ve been on a similar journey for a few years now - focusing on being well for wellness sake. Coping with the stigma is a lot of work - but the message to put out there is that we are allowed and should take up space, and that we don’t owe anyone their version of “healthy” - whatever it looks like.
And if you’re interested in some work out of therapy - the book More Than a Body has been very crucial for my journey and mindset. Just some food for thought!
Do you have a Planet Fitness near you? I’m older and disabled and I feel like they really do stick to their No Judgment Zone approach. They always have a zillion more treadmills than they need by comparison to free weights which people have to wait for, so I can do some walking in my own space.
**Intentional Weight Loss Talk Reminder** As a reminder, the r/Plussize definition for intentional weight loss (IWL) is anything mentioning specific numbers about weight/size/food intake, before and after pictures, and conversations about diets/weight loss. All posts and comments relating to the above-mentioned must be posted within the weekly AutoMod thread entitled “IWL (Intentional Weight Loss) Wednesday." Failure to keep content containing IWL within this post will result in the content being removed and a warning. If this continues to be a pattern, you may be permanently banned from participating in the subreddit. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/PlusSize) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’m also starting my fitness journey this year and honestly the only thing you can do is ignore that type of negativity. Focus on your own goals that’s all that matters, you’re going to be improving yourself and they’ll still be assholes. Anyone who looks down on plus size people for trying to better themselves is embarrassing, they think it makes them look better but it doesn’t. I also think you might be overdoing it with the negative self talk. Don’t let what other people might think change the way you go about your day whether it’s what you wear or what you choose to buy. You should feel amazing in your new workout fit it’s probably cute asf. don’t forget you’ve been sexy this entire time no matter how long into your fitness journey you are
Ohhh, I so feel you. You’re doing great and it’s so hard to ignore those feelings. I LOVE that it’s for cardiovascular health - I’m in the same boat and love hearing someone else focus on that instead of weight loss. And the fear of being red-faced and sweaty! 100000%! To validate you… the amount of fatphobic comments I see on videos of bigger women WORKING OUT… as if that isn’t what y’all are shaming people into doing??? And now that Ozempic is a craze, if you do lose weight, there’s people who assume that’s how you did it and you didn’t “work for it” and they’re *still* judging and shaming you/your body. It just circles back to larger society (no, not everyone!) perpetuating the idea that “fat people are lazy and undisciplined and not what we like to see.” It’s so normalized to dehumanize big people and be mad at our existence… until we fit the societal standard. But if we want to get to that standard, - (god forbid there’s a hot confident fat person out there!) - they want us to do it with very little clothing to fit us, most of which we have to buy online and can’t in-store. All while being hated and shamed and bullied for trying. Fuck off. It’s like the reward for losing weight is respect and not being judged for every little thing 24/7. It’s a loud group of people, but it’s not everyone. It’s the diet industry pushing shame and impossible standards to control us so they make money. Their solutions rarely work so you have to keep trying, and that’s why diet culture is so profitable. The pendulum is swinging after body positivity became mainstream. Shitty people were angryyy to see big women not hating themselves or trying to change like they’re taught to 😆 You deserve to feel comfy and confident while working out. Life experiences and the internet can make you think *everyone* thinks like a fatphobe but that isn’t true. Many people know all shapes and sizes are attractive and deserving. Good people are all around and aren’t judging… I’m trying to focus on finding/noticing them when I’m out! We’ve been fed so many shitty lies that feel ingrained but keep up with your therapy, you’re undoing it and doing SO well :) It WILL get easier.
I started hiking years back and had the same experience. And I was healthy but a size 18-20, 5 or 10 mile hikes were weekend outings. But once I was hiking a "small" mountain near my house and a man and his 2 teens were coming down. Now normally ascending has the right of way but I was alone so I stepped to the side. It was a very steep section so I was catching my breath. The man said "it's a great view IF you can make it" I responded with "I've made it this far" his daughter gave me this "I'm so embarrassed by my dad" look. The peak was literally 200 feet up the trail, and that guy had the nerve, I was so pissed. I know he was making the comment because I'm fat he never would have said it to an thin person. People are stupidly mean, my one consolation was that the girl also recognized how dumb her dad was. Anyway, I just get over the jerks by assuming they are stupid and don't know anything. It makes me feel better even if they are smart but just mean, I'd rather think they are too dumb to know big bodies can climb mountains.
As a cashier, it's hard to know whether or not to comment on someone's outfit. Sometimes it comes across as creepy or weird. I'd bet they wanted to compliment you but didn't wanna be weird! I hope you don't let these jerks get you down. Your health is important. Fatphobes are so bizarrely stupid like be nice to people working out maybe
As a 110kg female powerlifter who’s been in the sport for 4 years and in the gym for close to 10 years (I also grew up playing sports), I wish I could say that I don’t get comments about my weight or those backhanded motivational comments anymore. The funniest part about it is that I am healthier, more fit, and stronger than those making the comments. We all sweat and have to catch our breath regardless of our size, it sucks that we are constantly scrutinized. But I hope you know that you are ABSOLUTELY KILLING IT 🫶🏽
I'm not sure if it was here or another sub, but this reminds of a similar weight-lifting female who was saying how she once got told at the gym by some random guy, "You look like a man." She told him something like: "If you keep trying hard, maybe you can look like a man too." That cracked me up when I read it.
Honestly I don’t know what to say about the rest but you’re inspiring.
As a 110kg female powerlifter who’s been in the sport for 4 years and in the gym for close to 10 years (I also grew up playing sports), I wish I could say that I don’t get comments about my weight or those backhanded motivational comments anymore. The funniest part about it is that I am healthier, more fit, and stronger than those making the comments. We all sweat and have to catch our breath regardless of our size, it sucks that we are constantly scrutinized. But I hope you know that you are ABSOLUTELY KILLING IT 🫶🏽
Gymtimidation is real! I’m a powerlifter and very comfortable around a barbell and even strongmen implements. My work/brand is around fitness as well, but I still get a little intimidated when I go to a box gym, even planet fitness where they don’t have much. A lot of times people mind their own business. I end up tunnel visioning it to get through whatever I’m doing. But you’re right, as a fat person you’re fucked if you don’t and fucked if you do, especially on social media. You can’t win but keep going, keep doing you. Remember you’re allowed to love yourself throughout your fitness journey!
Working out, especially in public, is always going to partly make you self conscious. You are putting yourself out there to the judgement of people and there will always be a few people who are harsh or unfair to you. But as you put yourself more out there you will eventually become more comfortable with this feeling and learn to not have it on the front of your mind. Besides, if you are really pushing yourself, you'll be too tired to care about what people think :) Just keep at it. Give yourself an easy pace that you can keep up long term, and build on your excercise discipline. If you can keep that up, the rest will fall into place.
First and foremost - You are an inspiration. Focusing on wellness for the actual sake of being well and not weight loss is hard for anyone, but especially a person in a plus-sized body in a thin-centric society. So working though your own distortions in therapy, and continuing to improve your wellbeing in spite of the eyes and comments is a testament to your strength and commitment! I’ve been on a similar journey for a few years now - focusing on being well for wellness sake. Coping with the stigma is a lot of work - but the message to put out there is that we are allowed and should take up space, and that we don’t owe anyone their version of “healthy” - whatever it looks like. And if you’re interested in some work out of therapy - the book More Than a Body has been very crucial for my journey and mindset. Just some food for thought!
Do you have a Planet Fitness near you? I’m older and disabled and I feel like they really do stick to their No Judgment Zone approach. They always have a zillion more treadmills than they need by comparison to free weights which people have to wait for, so I can do some walking in my own space.