I need help..

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Reid4life
Reid4life Posts: 9
in Fitness and Exercise
I am all in for exercising but i ABSOLUTELY HATE when people look/stare/observe me when i exercise. When the track isnt open , i am forced to run around my neighborhood but i live in a neighborhood that is ghetto. The look s i get when i run are "Look at that n7gga trying to run , being all white" (im black btw) and other things. How can i avoid and/or conquer this prpblem? Thanks in advance

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  • mom2rpkp
    mom2rpkp Posts: 185 Member
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    Wow, how painful that must be for you. I can't say I've ever experienced anything worse than embarrassment. Do you have a friend who could walk/run with you? Perhaps strength in numbers - and the distraction of the companionship would make you less likely to notice any looks. Good luck, keep exercising anyway - you can be proud of yourself.
  • SteAnnMui
    SteAnnMui Posts: 129 Member
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    Put in your headphones and just try to ignore the stares. That's the only advice I have :smile: (For the record, I'm nervous about running in public, I think people think 'Look at that fat girl trying to lose weight!')
  • jay_xo
    jay_xo Posts: 5
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    Try running with an iPod and blast your music, it'll help distract you from focusing on other people.
  • jdcoop79
    jdcoop79 Posts: 11 Member
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    Do you have a planet fitness around you, or some other gym? There's a Work Out World near me that has a women's only section, maybe that'd be more comfortable for you? Not everyone is a gym person, I found that i was shelling out $10 a month and never actually went. I have a wii fit and run in place in my living room...a little silly, but no one can see. There's also a variety of yoga, strength and other aerobic activities to mix it up so I don't get bored.
  • healthyKYgirl
    healthyKYgirl Posts: 272 Member
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    Is there a park you could get to to run in? If you live in an apartment building, could run stairs up and down instead of through the neighborhood on those days the track is closed? Could you do a different type of workout inside - such as a body weight circuit? Could you ask someone else to join you or ask some of your neighbors/friends/people staring to run with you too?
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    *snicker* is running a white guy thing?! :laugh: ... for the record, I have seen some lovely looking er, darker-skinned gentlemen running before :wink:

    You have nothing to be ashamed of. Put in some headphones and enjoy the run!
  • rompers16
    rompers16 Posts: 5,404 Member
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    For all the negative people out there trying to bring you down, you're being an inspiration to some young man or woman, whether you know it or not. Just keep doing what you're doing.
  • Monie0986
    Monie0986 Posts: 3 Member
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    Put in your headphones and listen to music that really gets you going! In the beginning people will be sh*** talkers but once you start looking better and fit they'll want to know how you're doing it. :)
  • danne32339
    danne32339 Posts: 155 Member
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    Wow, how painful that must be for you. I can't say I've ever experienced anything worse than embarrassment. Do you have a friend who could walk/run with you? Perhaps strength in numbers - and the distraction of the companionship would make you less likely to notice any looks. Good luck, keep exercising anyway - you can be proud of yourself.

    I have never been in your situation either but the above sounds like very good advice. Maybe you could take your ipod along for distraction? Sorry, I wish I could be more help.
    Good luck,
    Doni
  • DangerDiv
    DangerDiv Posts: 62
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    I am all in for exercising but i ABSOLUTELY HATE when people look/stare/observe me when i exercise. When the track isnt open , i am forced to run around my neighborhood but i live in a neighborhood that is ghetto. The look s i get when i run are "Look at that n7gga trying to run , being all white" (im black btw) and other things. How can i avoid and/or conquer this prpblem? Thanks in advance

    oh. my. god. this was my life in law school for sure. i lived in a crap area my first year and always went running outside. people would stare hardcore, honk, try and talk to me, etc. i remember one dude was at the corner store and I'd already gone home and showered, "hey, i see you running all the time, blah blah blah." omg, it was the worst. honestly, don't think about it. these people are harmless and whatever they're thinking is none of your concern either. the area i ran in always had cops around, 'cos of all the drams, so i felt safe knowing they were constantly patrolling for some criminal idiot or another.

    but really, if it is just what they must be thinking, remember this: nobody thinks as critically as we do of our own selves. who cares what they think? they're not going to be writing your job recommendations or anything for you. if you ever feel uncomfortable and threatened, though, make sure you carry mace. just keep it locked and stuck in your sock.

    also, during certain times of day, less people are out. i ran allllllll the time my first year (that's why i was only 110), i noticed in the morning up to about 1 p.m. or so, nobody stared at anyone. nobody cared, 'cos everyone was just trying to get to work, take their kids to school, etc. at night is when there were hella people wandering around and kickin' it. so maybe adjust the time of day?

    ok ok, hope allt hat helps! <3
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    DangerD has it exactly right. As hard as it is, just ignore them and keep going. You need to keep going because they aren't going anywhere, ever. I used to have these same issues. Speak proper English? Acting white. Do my homework? Acting white. Buy a suit without 18 buttons? Acting white. Comic books? White. Run? Surf? Ski? White white white. Black people can be extremely self limiting at times and the worse the neighborhood, the more limits we set on each other.

    Do you. People that have seen my posts around know that "Do you" is something i say a lot. This is the reason for that. It's what i did when I was in your situation, and it worked. I won't lie. I didn't do it at first. It was hard to get to the point where I didn't care anymore. But as soon as I stopped giving a *kitten* about what other people thought, *especially* ignorant people that had no bearing on my life or my future, things started getting better for me. A lot better. One of the few regrets I have in life is that I didn't stop caring what other people thought of me sooner.

    So **** them. Do you. Ignore them now and you will do well enough in life that you won't live around these idiots anymore. You'll be successful and raising your family someplace where no one thinks that nonsense. When you go home to visit family, those people will still be there, living at home or just two blocks away. **** them. Do you.
  • MelisRunning
    MelisRunning Posts: 819 Member
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    I have the reverse problem. I go to the local downtown "Y" to lift every M-W-F. My hometown is predominately African-American. So when I go to the "Y" not only am I the only woman lifting in the free weight room, I am the only white person in the weight room. It took a long time before any of the "guys" would give me the time of day but seeing as I do not know how to quit talking...they had to give in and talk to me too. Now we get along great! But it did take about a year to develop any type of camaraderie/friendship. Do not give up hope! You will become a fixture in the neighborhood and soon you will just be that guy who runs.
  • seekingstrengthX2
    seekingstrengthX2 Posts: 771
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    DangerD has it exactly right. As hard as it is, just ignore them and keep going. You need to keep going because they aren't going anywhere, ever. I used to have these same issues. Speak proper English? Acting white. Do my homework? Acting white. Buy a suit without 18 buttons? Acting white. Comic books? White. Run? Surf? Ski? White white white. Black people can be extremely self limiting at times and the worse the neighborhood, the more limits we set on each other.

    Do you. People that have seen my posts around know that "Do you" is something i say a lot. This is the reason for that. It's what i did when I was in your situation, and it worked. I won't lie. I didn't do it at first. It was hard to get to the point where I didn't care anymore. But as soon as I stopped giving a *kitten* about what other people thought, *especially* ignorant people that had no bearing on my life or my future, things started getting better for me. A lot better. One of the few regrets I have in life is that I didn't stop caring what other people thought of me sooner.

    So **** them. Do you. Ignore them now and you will do well enough in life that you won't live around these idiots anymore. You'll be successful and raising your family someplace where no one thinks that nonsense. When you go home to visit family, those people will still be there, living at home or just to blocks away. **** them. Do you.


    Absolutely wonderful advice. Thank you for sharing. The OP's profile says he is only 18. This guidance will serve him well.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    Earbugs, music and ignore, or drive somewhere else to run.

    I get "RUN, FORREST!" all the time. :laugh:

    I also have a cousin who sees me running past the garage where he works, who tries to yell and catch my attention when he sees me, but I'm so oblivious at this point, I never noticed. I didn't know he worked there, and can't remember ever hearing anyone yell.
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
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    People can be cruel I know. I was driving with a coworker one day, and a large woman was running. He started making fun of her, like it was a lost cause for her to be trying to exercise. I got pist. I said how do you know? She could have lost a hundred pounds already! You don't know her story. Ok I know that's not helpful, but like everyone else has said, screw them. Do what you have to do for your own health. Don't get discouraged. :smile:
  • joybedford
    joybedford Posts: 1,680 Member
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    I ran today in the pouring rain and people were looking at me like i was a crazy mad woman. Honestly i am sure they were questioning my sanity, i really couldnt care less in fact it is quite funny. As long as it is safe ignore them and run. you are doing this for you noone else. Good for you.

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