Getting jeered at whilst exercising

I am so sorry. I live in a small town, and have only been heckled once. It would be awful to put up with it all the time. I am so, so sorry.

I usually don't suggest headphones while on roads, but they're an option.

I strongly prefer exercising outside, and cycling is definitely my favorite, but a gym might be a safer place, emotionally, if there's one close enough and affordable enough to be an option. Before joining, I would definitely suggest asking about their negativity policy. If it's a gym where heckling is tolerated, it's a bad idea. Planet Fitness prides itself as the "No Judgement Zone" and I've seen the local one here kick out three people for heckling a kid who was having trouble with dumbbells (the weights, not the hecklers … though I guess it works either way).

Anyway, … Also, feel free to vent. You're doing something good, and those people are trying to make themselves feel better by taking it away from you. Please, don't let them. You're great, and they suck.

Maybe you need to lose some weight. But you can fix that, and you're working on it. But their attitudes need to improve, and they're not making any headway. When it comes to who's winning at life, you're so far ahead of them that in a just universe you wouldn't even hear them.

Carry on. Best wishes, and good luck!

Little jerks. Disgusting.

Pretty sure my baser nature would take over at this point. I'd at least consider shooting them the finger. Then, when you're a hotty and they're paying attention to you for a different reason, shut 'em down cold.

Eventually, I'd realize that they have little miserable little lives that cause them to act so badly, and I'd feel genuinely sorry for them.

Bottom line, don't let their hate keep you from accomplishing your dreams. Sorry you have to go through that, though. ((hug))

I live on the East coast of 'Merica and when I ran outdoors in the day (starting out in my health/fitness lifestyle) I never wore head phones so I could be in tune with my surroundings to help me stay distracted from me running (cause I didn't appreciate it at the time) I never got harassed but cat-calls and honks were at a constant that I had to get n mp3 (vs iPod-too big to carry )
And it worked. I cranked it up and ever since THAT day when I wear them I don't even notice. But it was pretty awful that year- that was years ago. It was just so awful but in the opposite sense that I wasn't getting called out for being fat but being objectified because I looked good to perverts while running. It was awful-I do feel your pain of harassment-any kind of it is just not right.

When you ignore something with determination to focus on what YOUR doing-it should eventually go away-meaning the teenagers-too bad you guys don't allow pepper spray out there-or do you? I would always carry one cause* if someone would just TRY to get me feel awful by hurting me (because I'm ignoring them) I would give them a HEALTHY dose of pepper! I never leave my house without some kind of defense. When i was little and had to walk to school alone I carried salt and a knife/or sharp object. I felt safe and I made sure know one would know about them.

Em_runs_away wrote: »

Yes it's a group of teenagers who are always there, I'm in Wiltshire, England. It's generally a nice place to live but this is getting me down. I think I will try to change my route so I can avoid them, I would happily go further if I don't get shouted at.

I had a feeling it was teenagers. They say teens say and do stupid things because their frontal lobes of their brain are still immature. Knowing this helps me to understand why they can be so disrespectful.

I would change the route and listen to music.

Em_runs_away wrote: »

It's not a gym it's outside.

Shake it off. You must. Don't let a few idiots win. They are losers, you are the winner in this story, no doubt about it.

I cycle to my run and the run twice round a park then cycle home.

That's fantastic! B R A V O ! ! !

Seriously... you've got your act together. Ignore the few cretins out there and know that the vast majority of people, if they notice you at all, are applauding you silently. When I was at my heaviest and saw someone out riding or running I wished I was them.

atypicalsmith wrote: »

Being polite is your best defense. Stop running, face them, give them a huge smile, and say, "Thank you so much for your comments!" in your best sweet voice. They will run away rather than answer you.

For a pack of teenagers in a public park who own their territory by harassing women, this is terrible advice. I'm sorry to call you out, but I really need to be clear about that.

For the OP, a pack of teens menacing the public is an early step towards later delinquency, and it would probably be a good idea to report it to the police's non-emergency number. Tell them the numbers of kids, time of day, location, and any identifying characteristics of the ones who are actually speaking to you, like the shoes and jacket and hairstyle. I hear mixed things about local police in the UK, but my top-tier police force takes a behavioral approach to crappy teenagers and posts someone there to make them move on, or tickets them for loitering so that they can identify them later if they assault someone or start trying to knock people like you off your bike. Those teenagers are horrible, but you are the adult and the one who is carrying yourself responsibly, and you have more power than you realize.

Ignore them! I know easier said that done sometimes. Know that you are doing the right thing by getting healthy. Some people are just downright nasty. Karma will come around!!

this is why i hate humans. horrible horrible people. don't let them stop you and make sure you turn this in to motivation