Anyone who's more of an 8-pound-weight kind of athlete knows that going to the gym can be a stressful experience. Physical exertion aside, there's the endless judgment coming from the physically fit people surrounding you — glares as you misuse the equipment, amusement at your struggle to keep up with 'basic' exercises, etc. And being physically fit doesn't make you immune from judgment — we attach all kinds of unflattering labels to people who commit hours and hours to exercise every day. It's no surprise that many people choose to avoid gym altogether.
But Stephanie Lynn Holdmeyer, a student at Missouri State University, decided to address all the unnecessary judgment after she and her boyfriend received harsh criticism over their work out habits.
The nursing student uploaded the following photo of herself at the gym, along with an important message to all judgmental gym-goers.
She started by mentioning her own experience with judgment at the gym, resulting in online bullying over her decision to wear a weight belt — which Holdmeyer wore while recovering from back surgery.
When Chris & I first started working out at the Rec, we were judged hardcore. Someone even posted on Facebook about the "buff couple" & how they "thought they're hot shit because they wear their belts all the time". This was about two months after my back surgery & I did indeed wear my lifting belt during almost all of my workouts for support.
But she knew this kind of judgment extended beyond her.
My point is, everyone gets judged. People don't bother to understand where you're coming from or why you do the things you do.
So she broadened her message and encouraged gym goers to withhold judgment and consider the circumstances of the people around them.
That overweight guy? Someone judges him because of his weight, but little do they know he's already lost 100 pounds & has changed his entire life around.
That guy with the skinny legs? He's had seven knee surgeries & he's currently trying to strengthen his legs. It's just a long hard process.
That skinny girl you think "really needs to eat"? She's actually super self conscious about her thin figure & has been trying to gain weight, but her metabolism is super high.
That kid who follows you around & watches everything you do? He looks up to you and wants to learn your workouts, he's just scared to approach you.
That girl with really bad form? She had to mentally prepare to enter the weight room because she was terrified of people judging her. She second guesses every exercise, but she's too intimidated to ask anyone for advice.
That buff dude you think is cocky? He grew up in poverty and working out was his alternative to drugs or alcohol. He's not cocky-just focused.
That woman taking too long on the equipment you want? She's a single mom exhausted from working two jobs & raising three kids. She's trying to push herself to finish her workout, but she needs a little extra rest between sets.
That old man doing strange exercises and talking too much? He decided to get a gym membership to stay active & socialize after his wife passed away last year. Talking to you makes his day & has helped his depression.
Her conclusion was simple, but powerful:
There's more to people than what you see. Instead of jumping to conclusions or making judgements, take a moment to consider someone else's perspective.
Don't judge a book by its cover.
Holdmeyer's post seems to have resonated — her plea has been shared over 42,000 times in just two weeks.
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She really nailed it with her post — these judgments, in addition to being mean and petty, hold people back from achieving their health goals.
People have even taken to the comment section to share their own circumstances that may cause judgment in the gym.
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Thank you, Stephanie, for calling us out. We needed it.
And hey, maybe we won't feel so bad about our weak attempt at the elliptical this week.