Gym Fat Mirrors

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socalrunner59
socalrunner59 Posts: 149 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Call me crazy...but the mirrors on one wall in my gym make me look fatter than the rest of the mirrors in the gym.
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Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Don't use that mirror.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    Fat mirrors/ thin mirrors are a thing. I remember my dance studio growing up the mirrors alternated.

    But another reason why I'm happy my gym has no mirrors.
  • kimiuzzell
    kimiuzzell Posts: 611 Member
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    Yup, I always try and pick my spot in front of one of the skinny mirror when doing combat. Woe betide anyone who makes me stand in front of the fat mirror....or even worse, in front of the join!!!!
  • BodyzLanguage
    BodyzLanguage Posts: 200 Member
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    It's all in your head.. Trust me. Don't make things difficult for yourself. *And if it does make you feel better just avoid the "fat" mirror lol. Simples.
  • Rachel0778
    Rachel0778 Posts: 1,701 Member
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    Not in your head at all, mine do the same thing (my old gym had "skinny" mirrors and I miss them).
  • socalrunner59
    socalrunner59 Posts: 149 Member
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    The responds that confirm a fat mirror experience made me curious...so I googled "are fat mirrors real"

    From an article on Apartment Therapy

    Another physics teacher, Dr. Ken Mellendorf of Illinois, explains it like this: "A completely flat mirror will show an image behind it of exactly the same shape and size as the actual object. Slight curvature along only one axis can make a person look fat or skinny. To make you look thin, your image needs to be compressed horizontally or extended vertically. Most mirrors bend over time top to bottom. If seen from the side, there is a slight curvature in the edge. The top and bottom edges are usually straight. Your home mirror can do this due to its own weight. If the center bulges out a little bit, your height will appear slightly smaller but your width will not be changed. This can make a person look a little fat."


    So I'm not crazy...
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    If they aren't installed properly then a slight bow of the center inward toward the wall will result in a thin mirror and a slight bow of the center away from the wall will result in a fat mirror.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Oh there are definitely fat and thin mirrors. There are a few stores where I don't try on clothes because their mirrors are really unflattering. It's like that episode of Seinfeld when he goes out with the woman who looks great in one light and then horrible in another.

    Last weekend we stayed in a hotel suite. I walked through the kitchen area, over toward the bathroom, and said "Oh my!" My husband asked what was going on and I said "this is the best mirror ever. I look great in it!" :smiley: It was a super flattering mirror for some reason.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Gotta love the distorting carnival mirrors.
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
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    I've definitely seen it at my gym. There's at least one mirror where if you look at it from the right angle you can clearly see a bit of distortion in the reflected object.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    It just means the mirror is old and bending or not properly mounted...they aren't actually fat or skinny mirrors
  • dreaming13000
    dreaming13000 Posts: 68 Member
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    I get rid of fat mirrors or ignore them all together lol, depends on their angle too, not just distortion. My Gma has a mirror that hangs at a slight downward angle, it's the perfect selfish mirror!
  • Delilahjudith12345
    Delilahjudith12345 Posts: 2 Member
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    try to focus on our workouts don't see yourself in mirrors fix a target everyday and take help from your trainers self motivation is must.
  • troytroy11
    troytroy11 Posts: 180 Member
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    The next time I travel and stay in a hotel I am bringing a level.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
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    I love this one mirror in my gym that I see when I run on the track. I look FABULOUS. I think that's a thin mirror.

    I think the one by the benches is pretty accurate.

    I have a very distorted view of myself because our bedroom mirror is a fat mirror.

  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    Growing up, my parents room had the only full length mirror in the house, and it was a fat mirror. Messed with my head something fierce.
  • denisemcgee547
    denisemcgee547 Posts: 6 Member
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    try to focus on a part of said mirror where you can see more than just you, there are always people bigger than you so they make you feel slimmer haha
  • futureicon
    futureicon Posts: 348 Member
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    socalrunner59 wrote: »
    The responds that confirm a fat mirror experience made me curious...so I googled "are fat mirrors real"

    From an article on Apartment Therapy

    Another physics teacher, Dr. Ken Mellendorf of Illinois, explains it like this: "A completely flat mirror will show an image behind it of exactly the same shape and size as the actual object. Slight curvature along only one axis can make a person look fat or skinny. To make you look thin, your image needs to be compressed horizontally or extended vertically. Most mirrors bend over time top to bottom. If seen from the side, there is a slight curvature in the edge. The top and bottom edges are usually straight. Your home mirror can do this due to its own weight. If the center bulges out a little bit, your height will appear slightly smaller but your width will not be changed. This can make a person look a little fat."


    So I'm not crazy...

    Exactly! So the moral of the story is yes, some mirrors make you look fat or skinny, but there's no deep seeded controversy on whether the gym, fitting room, or carnival fun house is trying to intentionally make you look fat or skinny. It's just a crappy mirror. Ha!
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
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    Look at it this way...you may think it makes you look "fat", but guys think it makes them look "massive," like your reflection in a car window.

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