Teacher assumed I live a "non active" life

kwitherspoon19
kwitherspoon19 Posts: 68 Member
in Motivation and Support
Okay in class today. My professor picked me and another classmate to discuss living active vs. non active lifestyles. The other classmate plays baseball for our university so she was elected to discuss her active lifestyle. The professor chose me to discuss how I live an inactive lifestyle. I assume she chose me to be the speaker for non active lifestyles bc I don't play sports for the school and I am a little overweight so most ppl would not assume that I exercise often. But I work out 6 days a week, I'm a waitress so I'm on my feet a lot, and I've lost over 50 lbs in the last year. I'd say that my life is pretty active. I tried to explain this to her but I guess my facial expressions showed that I was a tad offended by her. I know that was a long story. But my question is how do you guys(or how did you guys who had to deal with this in the past) cope with others who may assume things about you based on your weight even though you know that you are eating correctly and exercising and leading a healthy lifestyle without getting offended?

Replies

  • Llamapants86
    Llamapants86 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I just ignore them. Based on their limited knowledge it is a conclusion I would draw too. It isn't correct but you can't really expect everyone to know everything about you. You know that you are leading an active and "healthy" lifestyle and that is all that really matters. Plus I would also use it as a little extra motivation, kind of an "I'll so you the results of my active lifestyle over the course of this class" kind of deal.
  • ktsmom430
    ktsmom430 Posts: 1,100 Member
    Pretty unprofessional of her, IMHO. I don't blame you for being offended. I think this was a very unfair thing to do in front of other students. She owes you an apology to assume anything about one of her students without having any information about you or your life style. Shame on her!
  • GardenGirlie
    GardenGirlie Posts: 241 Member
    I just always figure that people who jump to conclusions about anyone else are ignorant. Just like I have no right to think I know what is going on with others. I don't let it get to me because I just kind of feel sorry for them. Ignorance is never pretty.
  • judymoving
    judymoving Posts: 42
    It falls in line with the prejudice all overweight people feel. There is a large prejudice population out there against overweight people. In the company I work for there is propaganda sent around to employees about reasons why you want to be healthy and THIN...reasons such as you MAY appear to be like this when overweight: you are Lazy, appear unprofessional, people do not consider you smart, and the list goes on....

    Your experience only re-enforces the prejudice on those that are not overweight.
  • Syriene
    Syriene Posts: 238
    eek! She should never assume anything like that. How is she to know what her students do/don't do when not in class. Just cause they are not wearing a school sports jersey doesn't mean they are not active. Ask for volunteers...maybe, but don't assume and pick someone. Better yet, just describe your example, don't make an actual student into one.
    I hope you got up there, proudly told the class about all of your physical activities and made that teacher look like the idiot she is.
    Sorry this happened, but don't let it slow you down. I see you've lost over 50lbs. That is awesome!
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    Oh, you can get offended! ;) It's ignorance. I'd definitely have explained that I work out much more than many thinner folks and that fit does not equal skinny. I always bring up my old friend who went to college on full scholarship for volleyball but really loved pasta (for energy, she said!), so she also had noticeable body fat. Not fit? Right!

    That's the problem with the 'strong is the new skinny' fitspos that I've seen, too. If strong is the new goal, they'd show some women with higher BF who are very strong and fit, too. Apparently folks still think that shredded is the biggest sign to being fit, and it's just not.

    Don't even get me started on folks who think that some cellulite is a sign of not being fit! ;)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Oh wow I'd be so pissed! And I'd discuss your active lifestyle with your classmate, and casually ask why he picked two active persons for his lesson.

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