I walk in to my gym to see a sign with a young, skinny, male overseeing a table. He is promoting the gym’s personal training services. I stop by to say hello and check things out (thinking there might be a great deal going on). He introduces himself and asks if he could assess me and my current health.
I pause. Knowing exactly where my current health status is. Knowing what the number on the scale says. knowing that according my BMI I am too short. Knowing all this… I oblige.
I step on the scale. He plugs in my information into another contraption to measure my body fat %. He plugs in more information.
Then proceeds to tell me I am fat.
As he rambles on he proceeds to tell me that if I put in hard work I would be able to rock a bikini by the end of summer. You should have seen his face when I told him that I was already rocking a bikini! He was floored.
You see. I didn’t need this reminder from a skinny, young dude. I already know the information. I don’t care how he viewed me. It isn’t important. How I see myself is the most important.
I know I am overweight.
I know I am strong.
Those tests are like the scale (and take weight into account). It gives me a base line of my current stats.
They ONLY measure that.
They do not measure my worth, my strength, or what I am able to do.
I can lift heavy. I can run long. I can run fast. I am healthy.
Those tests are very discouraging to me. They suck my happy out of me.
I am confident in my skin. Yes, I know I have some extra weight on me. Yes, I know I could be eating cleaner, smaller portion sizes, and overall better. But the thing is he doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know my history. He doesn’t know my future or goals. He just sees the numbers on a piece of paper.
I will say that it was a slap in the face just as much as it was a kick in the pants to get to working harder and recording my food. He didn’t do that. I decided it for me.
You see, I can’t and won’t make any changes for my health for someone else. I need to do it for me. I have recommitted to upping my workouts. No more comfortable workouts for me. I am going to take it up to the next level and feel the burn.
I am committing to myself to be the woman that I know I am.
Fit mom ready. Bikini body ready. Number on the scale ready. Minute per mile ready. Stronger per lift ready. Committed. Ready.
The dude reminding me that I am overweight did not remind me. He did not encourage me. If anything he deflated me. Discouraged me. But I like to prove people wrong. I like to be the under dog. I am back on track.
What some people say! I had a similar experience at my old gym. I was told that they could teach me how to lose the weight to get the rockin body I always wanted. Then I told them I had lost 60lbs on my own and was confident I didn’t need them to lose the rest. That was pretty much the end of that! (They also tried to tell me that by hiring a trainer I would be one of the cool kids at the gym, the envy of regular gym goers – conceited much?)
~Ang
Argh – I hate those anthropomorphic tests (height, weight, BMI, body fat %) and I always tell the gym staff that a much better indication of health and progress is things like VO2 max, sit and reach tests, and various strength tests. I can do absolutely no exercise at all and still fall within a healthy range for height, weight etc just because that’s my genetic predetermination yet we all know that not exercising is not healthy. Hugs! I have personally seen how strong, healthy and capable you are yet NONE of that guy’s tests were measuring those things.
Love, love, love this!
Yep, it stings to hear stuff like that, but way to keep it in its proper perspective. He’s no more your judge than the numbers on the scale. You. Got. This.
You are so right, those numbers don’t show the whole picture. You go rock that bikini!
I am SO with you on this. According to my BMI, I am “obese.” And yet I wear a size 8/10 and run half marathons and take martial arts classes at least 3-4 nights a week! I’ve never been healthier or more fit in my life. I don’t think the number on the scale truly captures who I am, and it probably never will…I think tests that only measure weight vs. height are useless, to be honest with you. Can I also just say how much I hate that pretty much every trainer I’ve ever talked to makes some sort of reference to wearing that bikini…as if that’s the most important thing in the world to women? I wear a bikini, and that’s just fine and dandy…but I’m MUCH more proud of crossing a finish line! 🙂
YESSSSS go woman!!! There is no perfect size, there is only finding FEELS best for you {assuming it’s healthy}. I remember the first time I went to Gold’s Gym, after I had lost most of my weight and he told me I was like 30% BF…nearly impossible but I left feeling horrid about myself. I was young and impressionable, now I’d kick him in the gonads
You are a fabulous woman for not smacking him. 🙂
Good for you for not letting him discourage you!! You got this! 🙂
What a great perspective that is so true! I love the way you responded and think you are motivated by all the right things. For me it’s mainly how I feel…better, happier, lighter (of heart but probably physically too!) and more ME when I move. Living a full and healthy life – that’s my motivation! Thanks for your awesome point of view. 😀
Those tests are ridiculous! He’s also probably the guy in the gym telling girls they shouldn’t lift heavy weights. Rock that bikini and be proud!!
Preach!
Did you really tell him you were rocking a bikini? You rock! I also envision you doing a handstand and walking past him up-side down. That would show him strong!
Yes! I totally did (with a bit of sass too). His face was PRICELESS… totally chocking on his words.
These stories make me so mad!!! People seem to forget there is a LARGE part of the population who would pass that test with flying colors and yet couldn’t lift a chair or run a mile! I too have problems with these tests since they just prove that being skinny is tops which in my opinion it’s NOT. I’ve been much skinnier in my life but couldn’t have accomplished HALF of what I can do now. Part of the problem with health in this country is people’s obessesion with skinny. Please I can rock a bikini and I like you am considered overweight. it’s annoying. Yes I have more work to do on myself but pshhhhhh….don’t let a runt with a clip board tell you what to do! Prove him wrong lady!!
This is so frustrating. Do people think that calling others fat will get them to buy trainer sessions? Or that a bikin is the ultimate goal for any woman? I have worn a bikini at only one point in my life. With my irish skin and “soft” belly I just have never felt 100% comfortable with a bikini. I want my arms to look fantastic in a tank top, and my calves to look awesome when I am wearing a pair of high heels. I would of smacked that stupid kid.
Get it! But take those rest days seriously.
OMG I love this and simultaneously want to punch that douche in the throat. Love you, sweetie – keep kicking ass and taking names and ignore the stupidity. <3
Great post, and good for you! I agree, it isn’t all about a number on a piece of paper. Health to me is more about lifestyle choices, goals, and overall wellness. Weight is only a small factor in the bigger picture.
First of all… WOW! Rude much dude? Second of all, I so want to be you when I decide to grow up. I am fat and I know I am but I got fat due to health problems and now that those health problems caused me to gain a ton of weight I have no idea where to start since I was in the ER last night learning that, Yay, me! I have some new health problems. The problems are all with my feet, legs and ankles so not being able to or minimally using those things really screws with your whole activity level and ability to get healthy.
This is a great post!! I love this view. It is so true, numbers on the scale, race times, our jobs, our kids, don’t define who we are. What’s important in my opinion is who we are in Christ.