Blog piece called Dear New Girl at Gym

Excellent, Thanks for posting.
Here is what it said:

http://ericamillard.com/

Dear New Girl at the Gym,

You stand across from me in boot camp or on the treadmill next to me or a few bikes over in spin. I have never seen you before, but here you are. I can tell by the look on your face you are embarrassed. Embarrassed that you can’t do a pushup or don’t know how to adjust your bike or that you walk on the treadmill when the girl on the other side of you runs for a full hour at the speed of a cheetah. You look around and wonder what on earth you are doing here. You glance at me and I smile, but you look away pretending you didn’t see, because that would mean I noticed you. Maybe you are discouraged. Maybe you tell yourself this was a huge mistake and you’re going to ask for your money back. Maybe you wonder if I’m judging you.

I am not.

I want you to know how proud I am of you. You see, even though it might not seem like it, none of us are judging you. Why? Because so many of us were just like you. We know what it is like. We know how hard it is, especially in the beginning. Really we do. Maybe you woke up one day weighing forty pounds more than you did five years ago. I have been there. Maybe you stepped on the scale at the doctor’s office, had the nurse cluck her tongue, and then had the doctor say something like, “Now let’s talk about your weight.” I have been there. Maybe you recently had a baby, and you wonder if there will ever be a time when you don’t have to tuck your stomach into your pants. I have been there. Maybe you get half way through the warm up in a group fitness class and wonder if you are this out of breath now, is a full hour going to kill you? I have been there. Maybe money and time are tight and the idea of spending $30-$70 a month and an hour a day on yourself feels awfully selfish. I have been there. So many of us have.

You see us running or biking or lifting weights, and may feel discouraged or that we are judging you. Please, please, PLEASE know that we are not, because so many of us have been in your same shoes. You see us for what we are now, but many of us started out just like you, on a journey to find our best selves.

Please come back. I know it is hard, but it will get better, I promise.

And then you will wake up one day and wonder when you became that person. You know that person who can jog a few miles or do a whole spin class or even do boot camp without being sore the next day. And you will be the one, standing across the room, smiling at the new girl hoping she knows how lovely and wonderful and brave she is. Hoping she knows she is worth all the work. Because you are. You are so worth it. You deserve to be your healthiest self.

Now there might come a time and a place where someone will judge you, even someone at the gym. Maybe they make rude comments or give you that look. Maybe they have been a size two their whole lives. Maybe they have low self-esteem. Maybe they have never eaten an entire pan of brownies by themselves (I have) or an entire bag of Halloween candy before a single trick or treater came to your door (I have). Please, don’t waste your time on them. Like I said, you are on a journey to be your best self, and they don’t belong on your journey. Find people and a place where you can begin where you are.

Come back. You are so worth it.

Wow. This is just awesome. Thanks so much for sharing!!!

Love it!

That was beautiful!

Love it.

I love this. It makes me feel better about getting back to the gym. Thank you.

I love this! The feelings of the 'new' girl are so accurate! I was 'that' girl..and still am sorta that girl being that I am still the largest in the gym at my hour. While I have come a long way and certainly know my way around the gym those feelings still creep up on me. Are they looking at me and laughing? Are they thinking, "look at her tummy jiggle", etc.. I have to remind myself that what others think doesn't matter since I'm there for me not them. There was maybe once or twice when a larger girl came in (haven't seen them since) and i swear i wanted to go say hi and give them some encouragement. I know EXACTLY how they are feeling. It's hard to take that first step and come in when you feel out of place...but bravo for coming!

TY for reposting here - I'm signing up at a gym for the first time in many many years, and even those previous times I failed out because of exactly what was described here. Perfect timing, I needed this to make sure I go through with it next week!

This is my life. THIS is my life. Thank you for posting this and even though the author isn't surfing these forums, thank you for writing it.

If this helps even one person get over their feelings of being awkward at the gym, I'd say mission accomplished.

I. love. this.