Hey, fat guy

Someone on MyFitnessPal pointed us to Hey, Fat Girl last week, and it was seriously one of the best things I had ever read.  I felt like they were talking to ME in a way.  The post was brought up in a topic where someone was having doubts about going to the gym because of her weight.  I've been extremely blessed to be able to go to this gym at this point in time because the people there are pretty fantastic. No one makes rude comments.  If anything, people seem to go out of their way to come tell me when they've noticed I had a good workout, or they simply say hi, or smile at me.  It's very supportive and the gym is a safe place for me.

While I was there today finishing up my workout, a guy walked in.  Our treadmills overlook the gym and so I noticed when he walked in.  I feel like I need to say something to him.


Hey, fat guy.

You walked into the gym on a Sunday afternoon when almost every guy there is a weight lifter.  I'm not blind. I see how incredibly fit their bodies are.  I know they put a lot of work into looking that good because I see them there squatting, curling, lifting, pushing. They have six pack abs and well defined, muscular arms.  They carry milk jugs with water, and they're all over the gym doing their thing.  Some of them probably haven't eaten a real sandwich that wasn't fashioned out of a lettuce wrap in years.  Watching you walk past them was like watching a fluffy baby bunny walk past a pack of sleek, toned lions.

It took you a bit to come up the stairs to the cardio area.  I know how hard it is to walk up those stairs when you're carrying extra weight.  Your knees, like my own, probably creak with every step.  I watched you out of the corner of my eye while you got up on one of the machines.

I completely admire you.

It's not easy to be the biggest at the gym.  I'm always the biggest when I go in, and I'm pretty sure you and I are neck and neck in that department.  But you still came in.  You marched right past the weight lifters and got on with your workout.  Although you didn't stay on the machine long, you still did it.

When my own workout was finished, I noticed you in the basketball court.  Part of me wanted to come in and tell you that I loved that you were there today.  The other part figured you'd look at me like I was crazy. Which, you know, would have been okay since I get that look a lot.

I hope I see you there again sometime.  I hope one day you're there with the lions.