Gym starers -thoughts? feelings? outrage?

KatieJane83

So, a question for the ladies and gents, although probably more ladies will respond because, I don't know, just seems like more men are gym starers. But I could be wrong!

So, having gotten fit and trim (finally, yay!) I get quite a few of gym starers. Some are subtle, some are the full-out head turns to follow my path. :laugh:

So, I know people have VERY varied feelings on this. Personally, I believe in the philosophy that my life is as good as the attitude I bring to it, so I just think, 'hey, awesome, people think I'm hot!' Lol. it's only a little off-putting if it gets a little pervy, like the guy on a bike behind me who, when I finished running on the treadmill gave me a nod, smile, and a wink, I suppose as a 'thanks for the view!'

So, what are your feelings/thoughts on the subject?

oneIT

I look but don't stare. I actually like to see the different exercises people are doing. All cardio equipment faces the machines and free weights so I'm looking that way anyway. I have never given a nod or wink but I will smile if you look at me! Lol!

silvergurl518

hmmm.

no one stares at me (or at least openly acknowledges that they do) so i don't really know how to respond. at least you can cash in on those i've worked hard for my body chips!!

Captain_Mal

I don't use a gym but I get my fair share of starers. They stare while I'm shopping (sometimes follow me too), while I'm out at lunch, at the library, on my walks. It's only fun when the person staring me down is attractive. That's not the case most of the time.

savlyon

Umm....I kind of like it. I mean, I don't get the creepy stares and awkward winks...but I work freakin hard for this body...I don't want to be the only one that looks at it!! haha!

jennajava

I gym stare. But mostly at people who make me laugh.

DawnMarieMomofTwo

omg what an *kitten*... i have to admit i cant help but to look expecially when girls have those tight work out pants on, and its not a perverted thing its more like dam i wish i had an *kitten* like that LOL! but i do not stare just a little glance, crazy men!!

MFPAddict

I most often only sneak peeks. I sometimes will watch a hot woman as she is walking away. My goal is to enjoy the view without making anyone uncomfortable.

I have noticed a couple women looking my way. Assuming it isn't my mind playing tricks on me, I consider it flattering.

_binary_jester_

I am subtle. But I will outright stare at someone using poor form.

Shayyy01

I've gotten looks and i dont mind, its when they start interrupting my workout is when i have a problem. If its a legit question on how to do something thats totally fine, but to stop me and start shooting the breeze.. not so much.

tomomatic

I've always followed the "looking at the sun" approach. You glance real quick, then you look away. If you're talking to someone, keep your eyes above the shoulders. Personally, I think any acknowledgement of gawking, like a "thank you wink" is kinda creepy. I have a younger sister and I don't like it when guys stare at her that way.

ArroganceInStep

Can't speak to a woman's perspective, but when I was power lifting that used to happen a lot for other reasons.

Guys would try to show me up, lift more than me or snort at whatever weight I was doing to try to throw me off my game and make them feel better about their workout. It was particularly bad in high school before I got to decently heavy weights. Also it's not like this was a huge problem, only a couple a$$hats did stuff like that.

As long as you're not concerned about a safety issue (if you are alert management or take some other type of action, of course) just block them out of your mind. There's little you can do to stop other people, don't let them prevent you from doing what you need to do.

thepetiterunner

Honestly, I'm mentally checked out to other people when I'm at the gym 95% of the time, just focused on whatever I'm doing. I do sometimes notice people looking at me, both men and women, but I don't really care. Whether they're judging me, checking me out, seeing what moves I'm doing or just scanning the room, it doesn't really affect me. I'm there to get my own *kitten* done, anything else is just a distraction.

Scott613

When I used a gym I made use of the mirrors. Only a rookie turns their head. You can see the whole gym through the mirrors

hbrittingham

I don't stare, but I do look. Normally it's a glance and then I look away. I'd hate to be considered a creeper, especially since I'm a woman. LOL.

I do like to watch the guys watch the women, though. Some of them are blatant starers, others try to be more subtle. I've had a few that have stared at me (yay me!) and it doesn't make me uncomfortable, but if I want to discourage them, I glance away as soon as I notice them looking at me.

pucenavel

I don't use a gym but I get my fair share of starers. They stare while I'm shopping (sometimes follow me too), while I'm out at lunch, at the library, on my walks. It's only fun when the person staring me down is attractive. That's not the case most of the time.

So a hot guy looking at you is flattering...

... but an ugly guy doing it is creepy.

Life is unfair.

murf19

I don't stare but I am a guy, so I'll glance over to you and maybe give a nod. I'm there to workout though, so thats what I'm paying attention too. I do most of my workouts at home but go to the gym once in a while. I try and go as soon as it opens just to limit the distractions.

ansonrinesmith

I find that women have two opinions on this.
Those that get stared at don't want it.
Those that don't get stared at would be flattered if they did.

Seems like the same answers as for gym flirting.
Girls that get the flirting at the gym say "I just want to come in and work out".
The girls that don't say "I sure wish that guy would come over and say hi to me".

auticus

Women stare just as much as guys do. I know the myth that men are pigs and women are noble victims is fun to think about, but being a student of sociological neuroscience, women are just as raunchy as guys are, they are just more subtle about it.

My thoughts and opinions are that attractive women get validation from being stared at, but will put on a show decrying men as pigs for doing it even though inward they are beaming from the attention. This is doubly so for women who were once overweight and deemed "unattractive". The new attention is akin to a person who has not drank water in a week finding a pool of it.

Overweight women or women who feel they are not attractive will feel negatively towards the same stare that a guy gives an attractive girl because she feels the guy is weighing her harshly in his mind.

I find that if a woman who says she hates being stared at suddenly did not get attention, that she would be negatively impacted by it more often than those who really hate being stared at (which I find to truly be uncommon)

I've watched women stare at the jersey shore men in my gym with lust oozing from every pore, then say that guys like that disgust them. Honesty and truthfulness are rare traits in people.

One of my favorite anecdotes is the woman who was walking in the free weight area staring at the guy with the fake tan pumping iron in front of the mirror and she wasn't paying attention to where she was going and tripped over a weight and fell, causing much of the gym around her to laugh because they all saw it coming.

She was not doing much to conceal her staring.

jennajava

When I used a gym I made use of the mirrors. Only a rookie turns their head. You can see the whole gym through the mirrors

This made me LOL

bigdawg025

I don't use a gym but I get my fair share of starers. They stare while I'm shopping (sometimes follow me too), while I'm out at lunch, at the library, on my walks. It's only fun when the person staring me down is attractive. That's not the case most of the time.

Edited...

Since I'm being called out for this quite publicly... it is no more...

ArroganceInStep

So a hot guy looking at you is flattering...

... but an ugly guy doing it is creepy.

Life is unfair.

Staring at hot girls is fun.

Staring at not-hot girls...not so much.

MFPAddict

When I used a gym I made use of the mirrors. Only a rookie turns their head. You can see the whole gym through the mirrors

And you can get caught looking using the mirrors as well.

auticus

I don't use a gym but I get my fair share of starers. They stare while I'm shopping (sometimes follow me too), while I'm out at lunch, at the library, on my walks. It's only fun when the person staring me down is attractive. That's not the case most of the time.

Wow... just wow... this is the most superficial statement of the day!

I appreciate her statement because it's honest.

Faintgreeneyes

I don't think there is anything wrong with an occasional glance or a look. What boggles my mind, is the guys that have stood behind my treadmill while I was running and just sit there and watched me run. What they don't seem to realize is the huge plate glass windows in front of me, are basically like mirrors, so I can see what you are doing!

stcar

I absolutely hate it. Enough to make me stop going to the gym and work out at home. I turn beat red every time and therefore, purposely never stare at anyone, bc I know how uncomfortable it can make you feel.....also, bc I know that to some cocky ppl out there, it's an ego boost for them

jennajava

I don't use a gym but I get my fair share of starers. They stare while I'm shopping (sometimes follow me too), while I'm out at lunch, at the library, on my walks. It's only fun when the person staring me down is attractive. That's not the case most of the time.

Wow... just wow... this is the most superficial statement of the day!

Please, you know you think it too. At least she was brave enough to say it.

jennajava

I absolutely hate it. Enough to make me stop going to the gym and work out at home. I turn beat red every time and therefore, purposely never stare at anyone, bc I know how uncomfortable it can make you feel.....also, bc I know that to some cocky ppl out there, it's an ego boost for them

So just wear things that cover your hot body when you go; I do.

hbrittingham

My thoughts and opinions are that attractive women get validation from being stared at, but will put on a show decrying men as pigs for doing it even though inward they are beaming from the attention. This is doubly so for women who were once overweight and deemed "unattractive". The new attention is akin to a person who has not drank water in a week finding a pool of it.

Overweight women or women who feel they are not attractive will feel negatively towards the same stare that a guy gives an attractive girl because she feels the guy is weighing her harshly in his mind.

I find that if a woman who says she hates being stared at suddenly did not get attention, that she would be negatively impacted by it more often than those who really hate being stared at (which I find to truly be uncommon)

LOL. How about those of us that have lost weight and have been told that we are attractive, but we don't believe it?

Personally, I want to pat myself on the back every single time I catch a guy checking me out. I've worked hard to get to where I am and I enjoy the attention.

FYI, it's not only men, I have recently been hit on by a lesbian. I was flattered that she found me attractive, too.

Captain_Mal

I don't use a gym but I get my fair share of starers. They stare while I'm shopping (sometimes follow me too), while I'm out at lunch, at the library, on my walks. It's only fun when the person staring me down is attractive. That's not the case most of the time.

So a hot guy looking at you is flattering...

... but an ugly guy doing it is creepy.

Life is unfair.

Life is never fair. That's not exactly what I meant but it does get creepy at times no matter if they are attractive or not.

ninerbuff

Working at many gyms in my career, there are some that crave the attention and some that don't. What I find amusing is that if it's someone that's staring at them that they feel an attraction too, then it's okay. But if it's not someone they aren't attracted to, it's inappropriate.
The more you show, the longer the stares. That's usually how it works.


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