Question:
I get so sick to death of seeing some members stare and laugh at the really FAT people in my gym. It makes me furious and it hurts my feelings for the truly obese people I see trying so hard. Today is not the first time I have seen and heard people snickering at this one lady who goes to my gym. Honestly, she weighs 400 pounds, if she weighs an ounce, and she doesn’t look to be more than 5 feet tall. But I see her at the gym *Every Single Day* that I am there too. She warms up for 5-10 minutes on whatever cardio machine strikes her fancy that day, and then she does weights. I’ve been watching this woman. One day she does back and biceps – 2 or 3 different exercises for each. The next day she does lower body work. She squats, ladies and gentlemen. She squats her little heart out. Then she works her hams and her calves, fitting in more glute work in between. The next day she does chest, shoulders, and triceps. Again, 2 or 3 exercises for each. And she doesn’t forget abs. She sprinkles that in among her routines as well. She uses some machines, but she loves the free weights. She also takes full advantage of various compound exercises like pull-ups. She can make that assisted pull-up machine SING. She varies her routine, too. Does this and that sometimes, but makes sure to hit her basic muscle groups at least twice a week. After her weights, she always goes back to cardio for about 20-25 minutes or so and does intervals on it, speeding up for a while, slowing down, speeding up, etc. She must listen to some pretty jazzy music on her headphones because sometimes it looks like she’s dancing! She shows up like clockwork. She concentrates. The look on her face while she’s lifting is one of steel, and you can tell just by looking at her that her every thought is dedicated to that weight and the muscles she’s using to lift it. Today I told her what I thought of her. How I’ve been watching her and how inspiring she is to me. Well, she started to cry! Then she became very animated and told me she’s lost about 35 pounds so far but that because she is so fat, her weight loss doesn’t "show" yet. She’s on a diabetes doctor-given diet that’s working for her. She told me I’m the first person who has spoken to her since she joined a bit over 4 months ago. Okay, I freely admit that I am the world’s biggest sap, and I cried too. Then we both started to laugh because we were both crying, and it was just so fun to be with her! You know, if you are very sick, you belong at the doctor’s office or in the hospital. If you are a religious church-goer and you’re not feeling too great about yourself and you want to make things right with God, you belong in church. And if you are ignorant and uneducated and you want to learn, you belong in school. So how come if you are very fat and you want to lose weight and be strong and you go to the gym, some people giggle at you and make secret fun of you? I mean, would it be more acceptable for my new friend to be sitting in McDonalds, stuffing her face with Big Macs? Or doing a few leg lifts in the privacy of her living room because she’s too fat to be seen in a gym? Where Do These Ridiculing People Want This Woman To Go?? *Where do they think her place is?* What is wrong with this scenario? I just don’t understand this at all. I know my new friend has seen and heard people making fun of her because I’ve seen her put her head down when it happens. But she’s buried that hurt and embarrassment and has shown up everyday. She’s in her gym, where she belongs because that’s where she wants to be and that’s where she knows she needs to be. I’m sorry for this rant and for this long post. But I just despise people who make fun of other people who are trying so hard to do something so good. I cannot comprehend the pleasure derived from it. I am so proud of my new gym friend, and I’m ashamed I never talked to her before this morning. – Beckie
Response:
As I read your post, the question lingering in my mind was –"Did you say something nice to her". When I finally read that you did, I wanted to clap for joy. You may have kept her from quitting that day, or on a future day that she may think, "it’s just not worth it". God Bless You, Nika
Response:
Beckie–What a great post! People can be insensitive idiots, unfortunately. To people like that, really big folks like your friend are supposed to stay hidden from the view of their delicate eyes. At least now your new gym friend knows she has an ally there. I’m sure that will make all the difference in the world. And maybe your post will inspire others here to reach out in a similar situation, if we see someone who could use a little support. :) Mardi
Response:
AMEN to that!!! I had a teenage boy come into my gym and laugh at me as I did my daily treadmill routine. I asked him why he was laughing and didn’t just move on to another section of the gym, when he replied that "he wanted to use the treadmill and with my being so fat, he figured I’d be exhausted pretty soon and off of the treadmill before anyone else". (and I’m not anywhere NEAR 400lbs,however to a teenager you are HUGE if you’re 30lbs overweight!) I hated to break his obnoxious little heart, but I stayed on that treadmill for 1 hour and outlasted him AND the other skinny little twits on the other treadmills!!! Gyms are not just for skinny people, and skinny does not mean fit or healthy!! Amanda
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I get so sick to death of seeing some members stare and laugh at the really FAT people in my gym. It makes me furious and it hurts my feelings for the truly obese people I see trying so hard. Today is not the first time I have seen and heard people snickering at this one lady who goes to my gym. Honestly, she weighs 400 pounds, if she weighs an ounce, and she doesn’t look to be more than 5 feet tall. But I see her at the gym *Every Single Day* that I am there too. She warms up for 5-10 minutes on whatever cardio machine strikes her fancy that day, and then she does weights. I’ve been watching this woman. One day she does back and biceps – 2 or 3 different exercises for each. The next day she does lower body work. She squats, ladies and gentlemen. She squats her little heart out. Then she works her hams and her calves, fitting in more glute work in between. The next day she does chest, shoulders, and triceps. Again, 2 or 3 exercises for each. And she doesn’t forget abs. She sprinkles that in among her routines as well. She uses some machines, but she loves the free weights. She also takes full advantage of various compound exercises like pull-ups. She can make that assisted pull-up machine SING. She varies her routine, too. Does this and that sometimes, but makes sure to hit her basic muscle groups at least twice a week. After her weights, she always goes back to cardio for about 20-25 minutes or so and does intervals on it, speeding up for a while, slowing down, speeding up, etc. She must listen to some pretty jazzy music on her headphones because sometimes it looks like she’s dancing! She shows up like clockwork. She concentrates. The look on her face while she’s lifting is one of steel, and you can tell just by looking at her that her every thought is dedicated to that weight and the muscles she’s using to lift it. Today I told her what I thought of her. How I’ve been watching her and how inspiring she is to me. Well, she started to cry! Then she became very animated and told me she’s lost about 35 pounds so far but that because she is so fat, her weight loss doesn’t "show" yet. She’s on a diabetes doctor-given diet that’s working for her. She told me I’m the first person who has spoken to her since she joined a bit over 4 months ago. Okay, I freely admit that I am the world’s biggest sap, and I cried too. Then we both started to laugh because we were both crying, and it was just so fun to be with her! You know, if you are very sick, you belong at the doctor’s office or in the hospital. If you are a religious church-goer and you’re not feeling too great about yourself and you want to make things right with God, you belong in church. And if you are ignorant and uneducated and you want to learn, you belong in school. So how come if you are very fat and you want to lose weight and be strong and you go to the gym, some people giggle at you and make secret fun of you? I mean, would it be more acceptable for my new friend to be sitting in McDonalds, stuffing her face with Big Macs? Or doing a few leg lifts in the privacy of her living room because she’s too fat to be seen in a gym? Where Do These Ridiculing People Want This Woman To Go?? *Where do they think her place is?* What is wrong with this scenario? I just don’t understand this at all. I know my new friend has seen and heard people making fun of her because I’ve seen her put her head down when it happens. But she’s buried that hurt and embarrassment and has shown up everyday. She’s in her gym, where she belongs because that’s where she wants to be and that’s where she knows she needs to be. I’m sorry for this rant and for this long post. But I just despise people who make fun of other people who are trying so hard to do something so good. I cannot comprehend the pleasure derived from it. I am so proud of my new gym friend, and I’m ashamed I never talked to her before this morning. – Beckie
Response:
I’ve been at a decent weight and also have looked like I do now which personally I do not feel is very pretty. Guess there are some people that think obese people are beautiful–I’m talking outside appearance–not the inside. You are treated differently when you look good (I don’t want to say skinny as I don’t like that word–makes ya sound like your a beanpole) vs being obese. Fortunately, I don’t let it bother me–I say if you don’t like me at 240 then thats your problem at not mine. Linda is inside of me at 240 and also at 140 although I do admit I feel better about myself at 140 vs 240. I know when I worked out at a gym years ago I told my trainer that your treated differently and she said that made her so mad. I say way to go to that 400 pound woman for doing something about it and not letting other peoples snickers and stares stop her!! Linda 265/243/140
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I get so sick to death of seeing some members stare and laugh at the really FAT people in my gym. It makes me furious and it hurts my feelings for the truly obese people I see trying so hard. Today is not the first time I have seen and heard people snickering at this one lady who goes to my gym. Honestly, she weighs 400 pounds, if she weighs an ounce, and she doesn’t look to be more than 5 feet tall. But I see her at the gym *Every Single Day* that I am there too. She warms up for 5-10 minutes on whatever cardio machine strikes her fancy that day, and then she does weights. I’ve been watching this woman. One day she does back and biceps – 2 or 3 different exercises for each. The next day she does lower body work. She squats, ladies and gentlemen. She squats her little heart out. Then she works her hams and her calves, fitting in more glute work in between. The next day she does chest, shoulders, and triceps. Again, 2 or 3 exercises for each. And she doesn’t forget abs. She sprinkles that in among her routines as well. She uses some machines, but she loves the free weights. She also takes full advantage of various compound exercises like pull-ups. She can make that assisted pull-up machine SING. She varies her routine, too. Does this and that sometimes, but makes sure to hit her basic muscle groups at least twice a week. After her weights, she always goes back to cardio for about 20-25 minutes or so and does intervals on it, speeding up for a while, slowing down, speeding up, etc. She must listen to some pretty jazzy music on her headphones because sometimes it looks like she’s dancing! She shows up like clockwork. She concentrates. The look on her face while she’s lifting is one of steel, and you can tell just by looking at her that her every thought is dedicated to that weight and the muscles she’s using to lift it. Today I told her what I thought of her. How I’ve been watching her and how inspiring she is to me. Well, she started to cry! Then she became very animated and told me she’s lost about 35 pounds so far but that because she is so fat, her weight loss doesn’t "show" yet. She’s on a diabetes doctor-given diet that’s working for her. She told me I’m the first person who has spoken to her since she joined a bit over 4 months ago. Okay, I freely admit that I am the world’s biggest sap, and I cried too. Then we both started to laugh because we were both crying, and it was just so fun to be with her! You know, if you are very sick, you belong at the doctor’s office or in the hospital. If you are a religious church-goer and you’re not feeling too great about yourself and you want to make things right with God, you belong in church. And if you are ignorant and uneducated and you want to learn, you belong in school. So how come if you are very fat and you want to lose weight and be strong and you go to the gym, some people giggle at you and make secret fun of you? I mean, would it be more acceptable for my new friend to be sitting in McDonalds, stuffing her face with Big Macs? Or doing a few leg lifts in the privacy of her living room because she’s too fat to be seen in a gym? Where Do These Ridiculing People Want This Woman To Go?? *Where do they think her place is?* What is wrong with this scenario? I just don’t understand this at all. I know my new friend has seen and heard people making fun of her because I’ve seen her put her head down when it happens. But she’s buried that hurt and embarrassment and has shown up everyday. She’s in her gym, where she belongs because that’s where she wants to be and that’s where she knows she needs to be. I’m sorry for this rant and for this long post. But I just despise people who make fun of other people who are trying so hard to do something so good. I cannot comprehend the pleasure derived from it. I am so proud of my new gym friend, and I’m ashamed I never talked to her before this morning. – Beckie
Response:
Forgot to say (a little spacey today as forgetting everything–lol) way to go Beckie and hugs to you for talking to that woman. I bet you made her day. Linda 265/243/140
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I get so sick to death of seeing some members stare and laugh at the really FAT people in my gym. It makes me furious and it hurts my feelings for the truly obese people I see trying so hard. Today is not the first time I have seen and heard people snickering at this one lady who goes to my gym. Honestly, she weighs 400 pounds, if she weighs an ounce, and she doesn’t look to be more than 5 feet tall. But I see her at the gym *Every Single Day* that I am there too. She warms up for 5-10 minutes on whatever cardio machine strikes her fancy that day, and then she does weights. I’ve been watching this woman. One day she does back and biceps – 2 or 3 different exercises for each. The next day she does lower body work. She squats, ladies and gentlemen. She squats her little heart out. Then she works her hams and her calves, fitting in more glute work in between. The next day she does chest, shoulders, and triceps. Again, 2 or 3 exercises for each. And she doesn’t forget abs. She sprinkles that in among her routines as well. She uses some machines, but she loves the free weights. She also takes full advantage of various compound exercises like pull-ups. She can make that assisted pull-up machine SING. She varies her routine, too. Does this and that sometimes, but makes sure to hit her basic muscle groups at least twice a week. After her weights, she always goes back to cardio for about 20-25 minutes or so and does intervals on it, speeding up for a while, slowing down, speeding up, etc. She must listen to some pretty jazzy music on her headphones because sometimes it looks like she’s dancing! She shows up like clockwork. She concentrates. The look on her face while she’s lifting is one of steel, and you can tell just by looking at her that her every thought is dedicated to that weight and the muscles she’s using to lift it. Today I told her what I thought of her. How I’ve been watching her and how inspiring she is to me. Well, she started to cry! Then she became very animated and told me she’s lost about 35 pounds so far but that because she is so fat, her weight loss doesn’t "show" yet. She’s on a diabetes doctor-given diet that’s working for her. She told me I’m the first person who has spoken to her since she joined a bit over 4 months ago. Okay, I freely admit that I am the world’s biggest sap, and I cried too. Then we both started to laugh because we were both crying, and it was just so fun to be with her! You know, if you are very sick, you belong at the doctor’s office or in the hospital. If you are a religious church-goer and you’re not feeling too great about yourself and you want to make things right with God, you belong in church. And if you are ignorant and uneducated and you want to learn, you belong in school. So how come if you are very fat and you want to lose weight and be strong and you go to the gym, some people giggle at you and make secret fun of you? I mean, would it be more acceptable for my new friend to be sitting in McDonalds, stuffing her face with Big Macs? Or doing a few leg lifts in the privacy of her living room because she’s too fat to be seen in a gym? Where Do These Ridiculing People Want This Woman To Go?? *Where do they think her place is?* What is wrong with this scenario? I just don’t understand this at all. I know my new friend has seen and heard people making fun of her because I’ve seen her put her head down when it happens. But she’s buried that hurt and embarrassment and has shown up everyday. She’s in her gym, where she belongs because that’s where she wants to be and that’s where she knows she needs to be. I’m sorry for this rant and for this long post. But I just despise people who make fun of other people who are trying so hard to do something so good. I cannot comprehend the pleasure derived from it. I am so proud of my new gym friend, and I’m ashamed I never talked to her before this morning. – Beckie
Response:
Great post! And thing is, if an overweight person is seen eating a sundae or has some kind of dessert item in thier shopping cart, they get snickered at that, too, so it’s like they can’t win. Overweight people are the one section of society that where it’s seems it’s okay to ridicule and discriminate against. I also wonder if this person was a man, there wouldn’t be anyone snickering. — Lisa B. 243/153.5/145
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I get so sick to death of seeing some members stare and laugh at the really FAT people in my gym. It makes me furious and it hurts my feelings for the truly obese people I see trying so hard. Today is not the first time I have seen and heard people snickering at this one lady who goes to my gym. Honestly, she weighs 400 pounds, if she weighs an ounce, and she doesn’t look to be more than 5 feet tall. But I see her at the gym *Every Single Day* that I am there too. She warms up for 5-10 minutes on whatever cardio machine strikes her fancy that day, and then she does weights. I’ve been watching this woman. One day she does back and biceps – 2 or 3 different exercises for each. The next day she does lower body work. She squats, ladies and gentlemen. She squats her little heart out. Then she works her hams and her calves, fitting in more glute work in between. The next day she does chest, shoulders, and triceps. Again, 2 or 3 exercises for each. And she doesn’t forget abs. She sprinkles that in among her routines as well. She uses some machines, but she loves the free weights. She also takes full advantage of various compound exercises like pull-ups. She can make that assisted pull-up machine SING. She varies her routine, too. Does this and that sometimes, but makes sure to hit her basic muscle groups at least twice a week. After her weights, she always goes back to cardio for about 20-25 minutes or so and does intervals on it, speeding up for a while, slowing down, speeding up, etc. She must listen to some pretty jazzy music on her headphones because sometimes it looks like she’s dancing! She shows up like clockwork. She concentrates. The look on her face while she’s lifting is one of steel, and you can tell just by looking at her that her every thought is dedicated to that weight and the muscles she’s using to lift it. Today I told her what I thought of her. How I’ve been watching her and how inspiring she is to me. Well, she started to cry! Then she became very animated and told me she’s lost about 35 pounds so far but that because she is so fat, her weight loss doesn’t "show" yet. She’s on a diabetes doctor-given diet that’s working for her. She told me I’m the first person who has spoken to her since she joined a bit over 4 months ago. Okay, I freely admit that I am the world’s biggest sap, and I cried too. Then we both started to laugh because we were both crying, and it was just so fun to be with her! You know, if you are very sick, you belong at the doctor’s office or in the hospital. If you are a religious church-goer and you’re not feeling too great about yourself and you want to make things right with God, you belong in church. And if you are ignorant and uneducated and you want to learn, you belong in school. So how come if you are very fat and you want to lose weight and be strong and you go to the gym, some people giggle at you and make secret fun of you? I mean, would it be more acceptable for my new friend to be sitting in McDonalds, stuffing her face with Big Macs? Or doing a few leg lifts in the privacy of her living room because she’s too fat to be seen in a gym? Where Do These Ridiculing People Want This Woman To Go?? *Where do they think her place is?* What is wrong with this scenario? I just don’t understand this at all. I know my new friend has seen and heard people making fun of her because I’ve seen her put her head down when it happens. But she’s buried that hurt and embarrassment and has shown up everyday. She’s in her gym, where she belongs because that’s where she wants to be and that’s where she knows she needs to be. I’m sorry for this rant and for this long post. But I just despise people who make fun of other people who are trying so hard to do something so good. I cannot comprehend the pleasure derived from it. I am so proud of my new gym friend, and I’m ashamed I never talked to her before this morning. – Beckie
Response:
I’m lifting my glass of water to you and to your new friend. Why don’t you get to know her a bit more, find out if she has internet access. Send her our way, and we can join you in cheering her on. Melissa 140/117/115
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I get so sick to death of seeing some members stare and laugh at the really FAT people in my gym. It makes me furious and it hurts my feelings for the truly obese people I see trying so hard. Today is not the first time I have seen and heard people snickering at this one lady who goes to my gym. Honestly, she weighs 400 pounds, if she weighs an ounce, and she doesn’t look to be more than 5 feet tall. But I see her at the gym *Every Single Day* that I am there too. She warms up for 5-10 minutes on whatever cardio machine strikes her fancy that day, and then she does weights. I’ve been watching this woman. One day she does back and biceps – 2 or 3 different exercises for each. The next day she does lower body work. She squats, ladies and gentlemen. She squats her little heart out. Then she works her hams and her calves, fitting in more glute work in between. The next day she does chest, shoulders, and triceps. Again, 2 or 3 exercises for each. And she doesn’t forget abs. She sprinkles that in among her routines as well. She uses some machines, but she loves the free weights. She also takes full advantage of various compound exercises like pull-ups. She can make that assisted pull-up machine SING. She varies her routine, too. Does this and that sometimes, but makes sure to hit her basic muscle groups at least twice a week. After her weights, she always goes back to cardio for about 20-25 minutes or so and does intervals on it, speeding up for a while, slowing down, speeding up, etc. She must listen to some pretty jazzy music on her headphones because sometimes it looks like she’s dancing! She shows up like clockwork. She concentrates. The look on her face while she’s lifting is one of steel, and you can tell just by looking at her that her every thought is dedicated to that weight and the muscles she’s using to lift it. Today I told her what I thought of her. How I’ve been watching her and how inspiring she is to me. Well, she started to cry! Then she became very animated and told me she’s lost about 35 pounds so far but that because she is so fat, her weight loss doesn’t "show" yet. She’s on a diabetes doctor-given diet that’s working for her. She told me I’m the first person who has spoken to her since she joined a bit over 4 months ago. Okay, I freely admit that I am the world’s biggest sap, and I cried too. Then we both started to laugh because we were both crying, and it was just so fun to be with her! You know, if you are very sick, you belong at the doctor’s office or in the hospital. If you are a religious church-goer and you’re not feeling too great about yourself and you want to make things right with God, you belong in church. And if you are ignorant and uneducated and you want to learn, you belong in school. So how come if you are very fat and you want to lose weight and be strong and you go to the gym, some people giggle at you and make secret fun of you? I mean, would it be more acceptable for my new friend to be sitting in McDonalds, stuffing her face with Big Macs? Or doing a few leg lifts in the privacy of her living room because she’s too fat to be seen in a gym? Where Do These Ridiculing People Want This Woman To Go?? *Where do they think her place is?* What is wrong with this scenario? I just don’t understand this at all. I know my new friend has seen and heard people making fun of her because I’ve seen her put her head down when it happens. But she’s buried that hurt and embarrassment and has shown up everyday. She’s in her gym, where she belongs because that’s where she wants to be and that’s where she knows she needs to be. I’m sorry for this rant and for this long post. But I just despise people who make fun of other people who are trying so hard to do something so good. I cannot comprehend the pleasure derived from it. I am so proud of my new gym friend, and I’m ashamed I never talked to her before this morning. – Beckie
Response:
I know my new friend has seen and heard people making fun of her because I’ve seen her put her head down when it happens. But she’s buried that hurt and embarrassment and has shown up everyday. She’s in her gym, where she belongs because that’s where she wants to be and that’s where she knows she needs to be.
Unfortunately you can’t change others, the only thing you can do is take solace in knowing that you are not part of that minority. It is unfortunate that she (or anyone) at your gym has to pay good money to be harassed by anyone, for any reason.
Response:
I also wonder if this person was a man, there wouldn’t be anyone snickering.
I doubt it. If anything, just a little more behind his back. ….. Bridget M. LC 7/12/2001 188/176/126
Response:
Beckie–What a great post! People can be insensitive idiots, unfortunately. To people like that, really big folks like your friend are supposed to stay hidden from the view of their delicate eyes. At least now your new gym friend knows she has an ally there. I’m sure that will make all the difference in the world. And maybe your post will inspire others here to reach out in a similar situation, if we see someone who could use a little support. :) Mardi
I thought that Beckie’s post was great too. It inspired me and gave me the push I needed to post in this group, after having just settled for reading the group for about four months. I’m new to the computer world, but find it very interesting, to say the least. More to the point, I’m very new to the dieting world. I am looking forward to all tips or any dieting techniques that I can find out about. I have many questions on dieting, but I guess it might be better to wait for those. I am 46 years old, and have never needed to diet before in my whole life. I’ve always weighed approximately 110 pounds, and since I’m 5 ft 4, I’ve always been satisfied with my weight. I have 7 children, and never had any problem at all losing the pregnancy weight after the births until my last child, who was a surprise to us 6 years ago. I now have this extra 30 pounds that I just cannot seem to get rid of no matter what I do. I’m wondering if others in here think that this could merely be due to my age? Is it harder to lose weight as one gets older? Perhaps since our last child was born when I was 40, it’s going to be impossible to lose this weight? Is this common? I don’t understand it, because I never had any trouble at all getting back down to 110 pds with my other children. I never even had to diet, it just went away with my regular eating habits. I admit that I do not exercise in the way of push-ups or working out at a gym. I do walk daily though. I’m wondering if I should join a gym, but would prefer not to as I live so far out of town that I don’t know if I could make such a trip each day. Does anyone have any suggestions? I still have 4 children in the home, so it’s not like I can afford to buy alot of exercise equipment. I don’t even know how much it costs to join a gym, so I don’t know if I can afford to do that. And while I’m not 400 pounds, as was the lady Beckie posted about, I still would hate to be laughed at if I did join a gym (assuming I could make it there often, which I seriously doubt). I don’t have the personality to be able to take being laughed at, I’d probably start crying, run out and never go back at all. I’ve always lived a rather isolated lifestyle, except for family and a few close friends, so maybe I’m just overly-sensitive, but I really don’t think I could handle being laughed at. (laughed with, yes, but at, no) Collette
Response:
I now have this extra 30 pounds that I just cannot seem to get rid of no matter what I do. I’m wondering if others in here think that this could merely be due to my age? Is it harder to lose weight as one gets older?
Yes, it does become harder to lose as you get older, partially due to hormonal changes, and partially due to the loss of metabolically active (i.e. calorie burning) lean body mass (LBM). *But* harder is not impossible. It just means you can’t rely on doing it the easy way. 
I admit that I do not exercise in the way of push-ups or working out at a gym. I do walk daily though. I’m wondering if I should join a gym, but would prefer not to as I live so far out of town that I don’t know if I could make such a trip each day. Does anyone have any suggestions? I still have 4 children in the home, so it’s not like I can afford to buy alot of exercise equipment.
Exercise is your first plan of attack here. Probably it’s all you need to get back down to your ideal weight, if your eating habits are good. Walking is great for starters. Suggestions: 1. Weight training. This is your best defense against fat gain and muscle loss. A gym is probably not the best way for you to start. A pair of adjustable dumbbells (2 handles, 4 collars, 4 plates each of 2.5 lbs., 5 lbs., and 10 lbs.) will cost about $50 and is a perfect apparatus for doing just about everything. If you have a sturdy coffee table, that can be a bench, or you can shop around for a second hand weight bench. 30 minutes of weight training, 3 x weekly, is ideal. And the dumbbells can be rolled under a bed or dumped in a closet for storage. Head to http://www.stumptuous.com/program.html and click on the all-dumbbell workout for routine ideas. I think the server is down at the moment, so keep checking. 2. Ramp up the intensity of your walking. What’s your walking speed: strolling, ambling, or booting it like your butt’s on fire? You should really be clipping along at around 4 mph. Do you have any hills? Try some hill walks, or stair climbs if you have any long sets of stairs. Either way, climb up, walk down, repeat. Every other day, do some more intense cardio than you’re used to. And while I’m not 400 pounds, as was the lady Beckie posted about, I still would hate to be laughed at if I did join a gym (assuming I could make it there often, which I seriously doubt). I don’t have the personality to be able to take being laughed at, I’d probably start crying, run out and never go back at all. I’ve always lived a rather isolated lifestyle, except for family and a few close friends, so maybe I’m just overly-sensitive, but I really don’t think I could handle being laughed at. (laughed with, yes, but at, no)
Nobody likes being laughed at. You sound like you live in the country. There are tons of cool ways to get exercise in the country. Gardening is awesome if you do lots of digging, wheelbarrowing, etc. I have some more ideas at http://www.stumptuous.com/noweights.html (again, give the server a little while to recover). Krista — http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html mistresskrista at home.com
Response:
Why don’t you get to know her a bit more, find out if she has internet access. Send her our way, and we can join you in cheering her on.
I fully plan on doing this, Melissa. She would *love* this group. I did mention Krista’s site to her this morning, and she said she’d go have a look-see. She does very well with her weights routine, but you know Krista’s site has so *many* different exercises that can be tried out to chase away any boredom that might set in. Myself, I love Krista’s site especially for when I’m getting tired of my routine. I can always find something there that I haven’t tried before. – Beckie
Response:
to her since she joined a bit over 4 months ago. Okay, I freely admit that I am the world’s biggest sap, and I cried too. Then we both started to laugh because we were both crying, and it was just so fun to be with her!
Beckie – Thank you so much for talking to her. You are a wonderful person. You made me cry too. Every time I walk into the gym I feel like I don’t belong there. When people look up and see me, I always feel like they’re laughing on the inside. Some days it makes me work harder. Other days it keeps me from going in. To have another person there would be a very conforting, and empowering thing. Thank you. Mieko
Response:
I get so sick to death of seeing some members stare and laugh at the really FAT people in my gym. It makes me furious and it hurts my feelings for the truly obese people I see trying so hard.
<snip Good on ya Beckie, for making friends! It makes me furious too when people in the gym put down others and make it a hostile space. One of the most important and transgressive things we can do sometimes is support other folks who are in a tight spot. Lots of folks feel insecure in the gym, which sucks because the gym should be an empowering and positive space. But we can all try to do whatever is in our power to spread the good karma. Congrats again Beckie. I bet you made her entire month. Krista — http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html mistresskrista at home.com
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I now have this extra 30 pounds that I just cannot seem to get rid of no matter what I do. I’m wondering if others in here think that this could merely be due to my age? Is it harder to lose weight as one gets older? Yes, it does become harder to lose as you get older, partially due to hormonal changes, and partially due to the loss of metabolically active (i.e. calorie burning) lean body mass (LBM). *But* harder is not impossible. It just means you can’t rely on doing it the easy way. I admit that I do not exercise in the way of push-ups or working out at a gym. I do walk daily though. I’m wondering if I should join a gym, but would prefer not to as I live so far out of town that I don’t know if I could make such a trip each day. Does anyone have any suggestions? I still have 4 children in the home, so it’s not like I can afford to buy alot of exercise equipment. Exercise is your first plan of attack here. Probably it’s all you need to get back down to your ideal weight, if your eating habits are good. Walking is great for starters. Suggestions: 1. Weight training. This is your best defense against fat gain and muscle loss. A gym is probably not the best way for you to start. A pair of adjustable dumbbells (2 handles, 4 collars, 4 plates each of 2.5 lbs., 5 lbs., and 10 lbs.) will cost about $50 and is a perfect apparatus for doing just about everything. If you have a sturdy coffee table, that can be a bench, or you can shop around for a second hand weight bench. 30 minutes of weight training, 3 x weekly, is ideal. And the dumbbells can be rolled under a bed or dumped in a closet for storage.
Will this cause me to lose weight or gain muscles? I don’t know much about dieting or exercising, and I just always assumed that lifting weights was for men and made your muscles larger. I don’t want large muscles, I want to lose weight. I suppose it sounds old-fashioned and shows my age, but doesn’t anyone jump rope or do jumping jacks anymore? Dance hard? Do the old sit-ups or knee-bends? I just simply cannot see myself lifting weights. How about jogging? Would that be better than my walking? (though I love walking, and hate running) Would any of these help or should I concentrate more on calories and fat intake? Head to http://www.stumptuous.com/program.html and click on the all-dumbbell workout for routine ideas. I think the server is down at the moment, so keep checking. 2. Ramp up the intensity of your walking. What’s your walking speed: strolling, ambling, or booting it like your butt’s on fire? You should really be clipping along at around 4 mph. Do you have any hills? Try some hill walks, or stair climbs if you have any long sets of stairs. Either way, climb up, walk down, repeat. Every other day, do some more intense cardio than you’re used to.
Actually, I must walk pretty fast, at least over 4&1/2 miles an hour. The only reason I know this is because since I walk it every day, I asked my husband one time how far I walk, and he drove it for me while checking the mileage. He said it was just alittle over 4 &1/2 miles and it takes me the same amount of time each day, which is 45 minutes. I really suck at math, but I guess that’s not just strolling? I know I that on the rare occasions I take my dog with me, I feel like I’m bored out of my mind because she goes so slow and wants to smell everything. Should I walk this same loop twice a day instead of once? I realize that exercise is helpful, but maybe I need more than that? Like calorie counting, or something. I’ve never done that, so I don’t really know if maybe just walking twice daily combined with counting calories would do the trick? Is it hard to count calories? So far, I’ve just cut back on my food intake, I haven’t ever counted actual calories. What do you think? Oh, and yes, there are hills. The loop I walk is a gravel road way up in the mountains where I live. So it’s up and down, and real curvy and winding. Up and down the stairs is something I never even thought of! I’ll try that, as surely that would burn calories rather quickly. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – And while I’m not 400 pounds, as was the lady Beckie posted about, I still would hate to be laughed at if I did join a gym (assuming I could make it there often, which I seriously doubt). I don’t have the personality to be able to take being laughed at, I’d probably start crying, run out and never go back at all. I’ve always lived a rather isolated lifestyle, except for family and a few close friends, so maybe I’m just overly-sensitive, but I really don’t think I could handle being laughed at. (laughed with, yes, but at, no) Nobody likes being laughed at. You sound like you live in the country. There are tons of cool ways to get exercise in the country. Gardening is awesome if you do lots of digging, wheelbarrowing, etc. I have some more ideas at http://www.stumptuous.com/noweights.html (again, give the server a little while to recover).
I do indeed have gardens, both vegetable and flower ones. I get alot of enjoyment out of both, but it hasn’t helped me so far to lose weight. I find that with both I mostly just end up either on my knees (flower beds) or bending over alot (veggie garden). My husband does all the tilling and digging, while I do the tending and weeding. It IS exercise, though I don’t really know if it counts? I don’t want to misrepresent myself or make it seem like I’m a do nothing. I’m very busy, nearly all the time, regardless of my isolated lifestyle. Same as always, which is why I do not understand why I can’t seem to shake this 30 pounds. I may not get out into town much, but I surely have my hands full here at home. I just don’t get it. My life hasn’t changed much, nor has my diet, in 30 some years. So why now is this baby weight still hanging on? Any ideas or thoughts are appreciated, so I thank you for responding. Collette
Response:
[rant snipped]
Beckie, this was a wonderful, heartfelt, inspiring, great post. Thank you so much for sharing this story. I know exactly where you’re coming from. I used to belong to this upperclass gym in Switzerland where only skinny chicks with tiny tops and bulging guys in muscle shirts were ‘accepted.’ it’s disgusting. you’re a great person, Beckie. you made this a wonderful and inspiring day for your new friend, i’m sure. and you are so right about what you say. *hugs* nina
Response:
Every time I walk into the gym I feel like I don’t belong there.
But if that’s where you want to be, then you belong there, Mieko. I wish everyone in this newsgroup belonged to one, single gym and we could all work out together. With all of us banded together, I would *dare* anyone else to look at us as if we didn’t belong. But you know, Mieko, although we are not at your gym with you, we are all waiting to hear from you here. – Beckie
Response:
And a great rant it is. Thanks for posting this. I did the same thing to a guy who was about the same weight as your new friend. No one had ever said a word to him and I thought he was very brave to come to the gym since so many fat people find it so intimidating. I would encourage him and tell him he was making progress. It is so sad that the very people who need it the most are not welcomed and encouraged by others. It takes great courage to come into a gym when you are not the perfect size let alone 400 pounds. If you go to a gym why not compliment someone on their good effort regardless of their size. Their effort may be better than the thin person who puts on her pretty exercise clothes and just looks good. Fat people have enough to conquer without others making it harder. Thanks again for this wonderful post. Roxan
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I get so sick to death of seeing some members stare and laugh at the really FAT people in my gym. It makes me furious and it hurts my feelings for the truly obese people I see trying so hard. Today is not the first time I have seen and heard people snickering at this one lady who goes to my gym. Honestly, she weighs 400 pounds, if she weighs an ounce, and she doesn’t look to be more than 5 feet tall. But I see her at the gym *Every Single Day* that I am there too. She warms up for 5-10 minutes on whatever cardio machine strikes her fancy that day, and then she does weights. I’ve been watching this woman. One day she does back and biceps – 2 or 3 different exercises for each. The next day she does lower body work. She squats, ladies and gentlemen. She squats her little heart out. Then she works her hams and her calves, fitting in more glute work in between. The next day she does chest, shoulders, and triceps. Again, 2 or 3 exercises for each. And she doesn’t forget abs. She sprinkles that in among her routines as well. She uses some machines, but she loves the free weights. She also takes full advantage of various compound exercises like pull-ups. She can make that assisted pull-up machine SING. She varies her routine, too. Does this and that sometimes, but makes sure to hit her basic muscle groups at least twice a week. After her weights, she always goes back to cardio for about 20-25 minutes or so and does intervals on it, speeding up for a while, slowing down, speeding up, etc. She must listen to some pretty jazzy music on her headphones because sometimes it looks like she’s dancing! She shows up like clockwork. She concentrates. The look on her face while she’s lifting is one of steel, and you can tell just by looking at her that her every thought is dedicated to that weight and the muscles she’s using to lift it. Today I told her what I thought of her. How I’ve been watching her and how inspiring she is to me. Well, she started to cry! Then she became very animated and told me she’s lost about 35 pounds so far but that because she is so fat, her weight loss doesn’t "show" yet. She’s on a diabetes doctor-given diet that’s working for her. She told me I’m the first person who has spoken to her since she joined a bit over 4 months ago. Okay, I freely admit that I am the world’s biggest sap, and I cried too. Then we both started to laugh because we were both crying, and it was just so fun to be with her! You know, if you are very sick, you belong at the doctor’s office or in the hospital. If you are a religious church-goer and you’re not feeling too great about yourself and you want to make things right with God, you belong in church. And if you are ignorant and uneducated and you want to learn, you belong in school. So how come if you are very fat and you want to lose weight and be strong and you go to the gym, some people giggle at you and make secret fun of you? I mean, would it be more acceptable for my new friend to be sitting in McDonalds, stuffing her face with Big Macs? Or doing a few leg lifts in the privacy of her living room because she’s too fat to be seen in a gym? Where Do These Ridiculing People Want This Woman To Go?? *Where do they think her place is?* What is wrong with this scenario? I just don’t understand this at all. I know my new friend has seen and heard people making fun of her because I’ve seen her put her head down when it happens. But she’s buried that hurt and embarrassment and has shown up everyday. She’s in her gym, where she belongs because that’s where she wants to be and that’s where she knows she needs to be. I’m sorry for this rant and for this long post. But I just despise people who make fun of other people who are trying so hard to do something so good. I cannot comprehend the pleasure derived from it. I am so proud of my new gym friend, and I’m ashamed I never talked to her before this morning. – Beckie
Response:
Welcome Collette, This will allow you to maintain as much muscle as possible while losing fat. You can’t get any better advice than Mistress Krista, go to her site and read ever thing you can there. Don’t worry you can’t get huge muscles doing this, women just don’t have enough male hormones without steroids to get huge. But lifting weights will enable you to keep burning calories at a higher rate than without lifting. Roxan
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Krista" I now have this extra 30 pounds that I just cannot seem to get rid of no matter what I do. I’m wondering if others in here think that this could merely be due to my age? Is it harder to lose weight as one gets older? Yes, it does become harder to lose as you get older, partially due to hormonal changes, and partially due to the loss of metabolically active (i.e. calorie burning) lean body mass (LBM). *But* harder is not impossible. It just means you can’t rely on doing it the easy way. I admit that I do not exercise in the way of push-ups or working out at a gym. I do walk daily though. I’m wondering if I should join a gym, but would prefer not to as I live so far out of town that I don’t know if I could make such a trip each day. Does anyone have any suggestions? I still have 4 children in the home, so it’s not like I can afford to buy alot of exercise equipment. Exercise is your first plan of attack here. Probably it’s all you need to get back down to your ideal weight, if your eating habits are good. Walking is great for starters. Suggestions: 1. Weight training. This is your best defense against fat gain and muscle loss. A gym is probably not the best way for you to start. A pair of adjustable dumbbells (2 handles, 4 collars, 4 plates each of 2.5 lbs., 5 lbs., and 10 lbs.) will cost about $50 and is a perfect apparatus for doing just about everything. If you have a sturdy coffee table, that can be a bench, or you can shop around for a second hand weight bench. 30 minutes of weight training, 3 x weekly, is ideal. And the dumbbells can be rolled under a bed or dumped in a closet for storage. Will this cause me to lose weight or gain muscles? I don’t know much about dieting or exercising, and I just always assumed that lifting weights was for men and made your muscles larger. I don’t want large muscles, I want to lose weight. I suppose it sounds old-fashioned and shows my age, but doesn’t anyone jump rope or do jumping jacks anymore? Dance hard? Do the old sit-ups or knee-bends? I just simply cannot see myself lifting weights. How about jogging? Would that be better than my walking? (though I love walking, and hate running) Would any of these help or should I concentrate more on calories and fat intake? Head to http://www.stumptuous.com/program.html and click on the all-dumbbell workout for routine ideas. I think the server is down at the moment, so keep checking. 2. Ramp up the intensity of your walking. What’s your walking speed: strolling, ambling, or booting it like your butt’s on fire? You should really be clipping along at around 4 mph. Do you have any hills? Try some hill walks, or stair climbs if you have any long sets of stairs. Either way, climb up, walk down, repeat. Every other day, do some more intense cardio than you’re used to. Actually, I must walk pretty fast, at least over 4&1/2 miles an hour. The only reason I know this is because since I walk it every day, I asked my husband one time how far I walk, and he drove it for me while checking the mileage. He said it was just alittle over 4 &1/2 miles and it takes me the same amount of time each day, which is 45 minutes. I really suck at math, but I guess that’s not just strolling? I know I that on the rare occasions I take my dog with me, I feel like I’m bored out of my mind because she goes so slow and wants to smell everything. Should I walk this same loop twice a day instead of once? I realize that exercise is helpful, but maybe I need more than that? Like calorie counting, or something. I’ve never done that, so I don’t really know if maybe just walking twice daily combined with counting calories would do the trick? Is it hard to count calories? So far, I’ve just cut back on my food intake, I haven’t ever counted actual calories. What do you think? Oh, and yes, there are hills. The loop I walk is a gravel road way up in the mountains where I live. So it’s up and down, and real curvy and winding. Up and down the stairs is something I never even thought of! I’ll try that, as surely that would burn calories rather quickly. And while I’m not 400 pounds, as was the lady Beckie posted about, I still would hate to be laughed at if I did join a gym (assuming I could make it there often, which I seriously doubt). I don’t have the personality to be able to take being laughed at, I’d probably start crying, run out and never go back at all. I’ve always lived a rather isolated lifestyle, except for family and a few close friends, so maybe I’m just overly-sensitive, but I really don’t think I could handle being laughed at. (laughed with, yes, but at, no) Nobody likes being laughed at. You sound like you live in the country. There are tons of cool ways to get exercise in the country. Gardening is awesome if you do lots of digging, wheelbarrowing, etc. I have some more ideas at http://www.stumptuous.com/noweights.html (again, give the server a little while to recover). I do indeed have gardens, both vegetable and flower ones. I get alot of enjoyment out of both, but it hasn’t helped me so far to lose weight. I find that with both I mostly just end up either on my knees (flower beds) or bending over alot (veggie garden). My husband does all the tilling and digging, while I do the tending and weeding. It IS exercise, though I don’t really know if it counts? I don’t want to misrepresent myself or make it seem like I’m a do nothing. I’m very busy, nearly all the time, regardless of my isolated lifestyle. Same as always, which is why I do not understand why I can’t seem to shake this 30 pounds. I may not get out into town much, but I surely have my hands full here at home. I just don’t get it. My life hasn’t changed much, nor has my diet, in 30 some years. So why now is this baby weight still hanging on? Any ideas or thoughts are appreciated, so I thank you for responding. Collette
Response:
I was just going to say this and you beat me too it. Tell her we are all waiting to her from her. Roxan
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m lifting my glass of water to you and to your new friend. Why don’t you get to know her a bit more, find out if she has internet access. Send her our way, and we can join you in cheering her on. Melissa 140/117/115 I get so sick to death of seeing some members stare and laugh at the really FAT people in my gym. It makes me furious and it hurts my feelings for the truly obese people I see trying so hard. Today is not the first time I have seen and heard people snickering at this one lady who goes to my gym. Honestly, she weighs 400 pounds, if she weighs an ounce, and she doesn’t look to be more than 5 feet tall. But I see her at the gym *Every Single Day* that I am there too. She warms up for 5-10 minutes on whatever cardio machine strikes her fancy that day, and then she does weights. I’ve been watching this woman. One day she does back and biceps – 2 or 3 different exercises for each. The next day she does lower body work. She squats, ladies and gentlemen. She squats her little heart out. Then she works her hams and her calves, fitting in more glute work in between. The next day she does chest, shoulders, and triceps. Again, 2 or 3 exercises for each. And she doesn’t forget abs. She sprinkles that in among her routines as well. She uses some machines, but she loves the free weights. She also takes full advantage of various compound exercises like pull-ups. She can make that assisted pull-up machine SING. She varies her routine, too. Does this and that sometimes, but makes sure to hit her basic muscle groups at least twice a week. After her weights, she always goes back to cardio for about 20-25 minutes or so and does intervals on it, speeding up for a while, slowing down, speeding up, etc. She must listen to some pretty jazzy music on her headphones because sometimes it looks like she’s dancing! She shows up like clockwork. She concentrates. The look on her face while she’s lifting is one of steel, and you can tell just by looking at her that her every thought is dedicated to that weight and the muscles she’s using to lift it. Today I told her what I thought of her. How I’ve been watching her and how inspiring she is to me. Well, she started to cry! Then she became very animated and told me she’s lost about 35 pounds so far but that because she is so fat, her weight loss doesn’t "show" yet. She’s on a diabetes doctor-given diet that’s working for her. She told me I’m the first person who has spoken to her since she joined a bit over 4 months ago. Okay, I freely admit that I am the world’s biggest sap, and I cried too. Then we both started to laugh because we were both crying, and it was just so fun to be with her! You know, if you are very sick, you belong at the doctor’s office or in the hospital. If you are a religious church-goer and you’re not feeling too great about yourself and you want to make things right with God, you belong in church. And if you are ignorant and uneducated and you want to learn, you belong in school. So how come if you are very fat and you want to lose weight and be strong and you go to the gym, some people giggle at you and make secret fun of you? I mean, would it be more acceptable for my new friend to be sitting in McDonalds, stuffing her face with Big Macs? Or doing a few leg lifts in the privacy of her living room because she’s too fat to be seen in a gym? Where Do These Ridiculing People Want This Woman To Go?? *Where do they think her place is?* What is wrong with this scenario? I just don’t understand this at all. I know my new friend has seen and heard people making fun of her because I’ve seen her put her head down when it happens. But she’s buried that hurt and embarrassment and has shown up everyday. She’s in her gym, where she belongs because that’s where she wants to be and that’s where she knows she needs to be. I’m sorry for this rant and for this long post. But I just despise people who make fun of other people who are trying so hard to do something so good. I cannot comprehend the pleasure derived from it. I am so proud of my new gym friend, and I’m ashamed I never talked to her before this morning. – Beckie
Response:
Welcome Collette, This will allow you to maintain as much muscle as possible while losing fat. You can’t get any better advice than Mistress Krista, go to her site and read ever thing you can there. Don’t worry you can’t get huge muscles doing this, women just don’t have enough male hormones without steroids to get huge. But lifting weights will enable you to keep burning calories at a higher rate than without lifting. Roxan
I must point out that with weight lifting as all else, YMMV! While I don’t get huge muscles I do get quite large muscles, quite quickly – after five weeks of moderate weight training I have noticeably put on muscles – particularly across my back and at the base of my neck – a couple of my shirt collars don’t do up. (I am female, I hasten to point out!) On the other hand I feel about 1000% better, my back has stopped hurting and I can lift up 14 and 18kg toddlers without batting an eyelid! I’ve also lost an inch and a half round the waist, and a bit round the thighs, with no change in weight. I accepted long ago that I was never going to be small and petite, no matter how I dieted, and I would rather be large and heavily muscled than large and flabby. My body’s reaction to weight training (and training for rowing) has always been like this – I understand, however, that this is unusual! do any of the weightlifting gurus have any explanation to my ability to build muscle? I do, even on the machines, do high weights and lift to failure, unlike most females one sees at the gym. Do I have an unusually high level of testosterone, or spectacularly well adjusted muscle fibres? Susan S.
Response:
I also wonder if this person was a man, there wouldn’t be anyone snickering. I doubt it. If anything, just a little more behind his back.
The only good thing in this scenario is that we guys are relatively oblivious to snickering. (Just ask my wife.) Don
Response:
As I have stated before, *I Hate People*. Because for the most part, they are assholes. With the exception of you, Beckie, and I am SO GLAD that you broke the ice with this woman. I bet you made her YEAR. I bet it was just what she needed. Maybe now you guys can be a support network for each other. You and I both know that she works out like 50 times harder than any of those other skinnier-than-thou losoirs at your gym, and has overcome so many more obstacles just to get there every day. This is really inspiring to me, and I have now resolved to extend the hand of friendship to a particular person at my gym. I just need to develop a personality first. Del
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I get so sick to death of seeing some members stare and laugh at the really FAT people in my gym. It makes me furious and it hurts my feelings for the truly obese people I see trying so hard. Today is not the first time I have seen and heard people snickering at this one lady who goes to my gym. Honestly, she weighs 400 pounds, if she weighs an ounce, and she doesn’t look to be more than 5 feet tall. But I see her at the gym *Every Single Day* that I am there too. She warms up for 5-10 minutes on whatever cardio machine strikes her fancy that day, and then she does weights. I’ve been watching this woman. One day she does back and biceps – 2 or 3 different exercises for each. The next day she does lower body work. She squats, ladies and gentlemen. She squats her little heart out. Then she works her hams and her calves, fitting in more glute work in between. The next day she does chest, shoulders, and triceps. Again, 2 or 3 exercises for each. And she doesn’t forget abs. She sprinkles that in among her routines as well. She uses some machines, but she loves the free weights. She also takes full advantage of various compound exercises like pull-ups. She can make that assisted pull-up machine SING. She varies her routine, too. Does this and that sometimes, but makes sure to hit her basic muscle groups at least twice a week. After her weights, she always goes back to cardio for about 20-25 minutes or so and does intervals on it, speeding up for a while, slowing down, speeding up, etc. She must listen to some pretty jazzy music on her headphones because sometimes it looks like she’s dancing! She shows up like clockwork. She concentrates. The look on her face while she’s lifting is one of steel, and you can tell just by looking at her that her every thought is dedicated to that weight and the muscles she’s using to lift it. Today I told her what I thought of her. How I’ve been watching her and how inspiring she is to me. Well, she started to cry! Then she became very animated and told me she’s lost about 35 pounds so far but that because she is so fat, her weight loss doesn’t "show" yet. She’s on a diabetes doctor-given diet that’s working for her. She told me I’m the first person who has spoken to her since she joined a bit over 4 months ago. Okay, I freely admit that I am the world’s biggest sap, and I cried too. Then we both started to laugh because we were both crying, and it was just so fun to be with her! You know, if you are very sick, you belong at the doctor’s office or in the hospital. If you are a religious church-goer and you’re not feeling too great about yourself and you want to make things right with God, you belong in church. And if you are ignorant and uneducated and you want to learn, you belong in school. So how come if you are very fat and you want to lose weight and be strong and you go to the gym, some people giggle at you and make secret fun of you? I mean, would it be more acceptable for my new friend to be sitting in McDonalds, stuffing her face with Big Macs? Or doing a few leg lifts in the privacy of her living room because she’s too fat to be seen in a gym? Where Do These Ridiculing People Want This Woman To Go?? *Where do they think her place is?* What is wrong with this scenario? I just don’t understand this at all. I know my new friend has seen and heard people making fun of her because I’ve seen her put her head down when it happens. But she’s buried that hurt and embarrassment and has shown up everyday. She’s in her gym, where she belongs because that’s where she wants to be and that’s where she knows she needs to be. I’m sorry for this rant and for this long post. But I just despise people who make fun of other people who are trying so hard to do something so good. I cannot comprehend the pleasure derived from it. I am so proud of my new gym friend, and I’m ashamed I never talked to her before this morning. – Beckie
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I must point out that with weight lifting as all else, YMMV! While I don’t get huge muscles I do get quite large muscles, quite quickly – after five weeks of moderate weight training I have noticeably put on muscles – particularly across my back and at the base of my neck – a couple of my shirt collars don’t do up. (I am female, I hasten to point out!) On the other hand I feel about 1000% better, my back has stopped hurting and I can lift up 14 and 18kg toddlers without batting an eyelid! I’ve also lost an inch and a half round the waist, and a bit round the thighs, with no change in weight. I accepted long ago that I was never going to be small and petite, no matter how I dieted, and I would rather be large and heavily muscled than large and flabby. My body’s reaction to weight training (and training for rowing) has always been like this – I understand, however, that this is unusual! do any of the weightlifting gurus have any explanation to my ability to build muscle? I do, even on the machines, do high weights and lift to failure, unlike most females one sees at the gym. Do I have an unusually high level of testosterone, or spectacularly well adjusted muscle fibres?
(sorry, posting pre-coffee, hope this makes sense) A lot of it is water retention in the first few weeks of training. People think they’ve bulked up, but it’s just intracellular hydration. I have yet to see a woman who wound up huge from weight training IF she lost bodyfat. You’d be amazed how much of your perceived bulk is bodyfat. I have naturally very large quads and calves, and I still lost several inches off my legs with training. Muscle mass gain actually happens quite slowly (to the chagrin of many a male teenager who wants to be Charles Atlas in a week). Female (non-drug using) bodybuilders who spend their time maximizing muscle gain still look very lean and wiry when they diet down to a lower bodyfat. But hey, even if you’re one in a zillion genetically, enjoy getting huge and being the envy of all of us weightlifting chicks who are less gifted. Krista — http://www.stumptuous.com/weights.html mistresskrista at home.com
Response:
jeeco — 
Panther if’n you’re doing a large dig out perhaps using a plow? if it’s smaller going over the ground a few times with a rototiller would work…or is the plow what the bobcat is? i’m used to the brands of "john deere" and "international harvester" for that sort of work I kinda expect that the dillos prefer warm weather too <G Sooooo, I suspect we’ll either do manual labor (hummmm no that would not be a "we") or we’ll rent the bobcat again in which case it will be a "we" effort. When it comes to digging I only do the flower gardens, and then only if I "have" too. I think Edith’s roses may have made it through the first winter! Not sure about one though. X-No-Archive: yes It would be cool if you could get them to dig where you want them to but the iron clad dillos like to dig *under the plants which isn’t helpful. I suggested to Andy that if we want the garden dug up then we should get a few pigs, place them where we want our next garden and let them go to work.<G We’re surprised we haven’t seen any gophers yet. Panther It would be kind of like inviting an amadillo into your garden. No thanks. They dig everything up. ????? porcupines are vegitarians…they eat plants…unless they’re small enough to pollinate my flowers i’ll let them stay in the wild where they belong and out of my carrot patch.. don’t mean to interfere but as you are gardening, do you know that you do want a porcupine in your garden??? those little animals are really good for a healthy garden!!!