Do you ever feel bad.....

[gidget1978]

because you are in good shape? Thats another weird question for you to answer
And...do you think that people expect you to talk about working out and they don't want to hear it?

I went out last night with the girls and making fun wouldn't be the right word b/c they weren't making fun of me...I guess commenting would be a better word.
The girls I went out with last night found out that I had went for a 10 mile run yesterday and that was the topic for a little while. They weren't saying anything bad about it, more like..."geez, I got up today and got on the TM for 30 mins and now I find out that you did a 10 mile run" It kind of makes me want to crawl under a rock.And then at the same time, they start talking about working out and I don't chime in b/c I know that there are people out there who HATE to hear anyone talking about working out...so over the yrs Ive learned to just listen. If you want to ask me a question, go ahead, but Ill just listen for now "thanks".

Then we all get ready and go out. The club was FREEZING so I kept my sweater on. At one point I went to the bathroom and before I came out I took my sweater off cause it was really hot in there. When I come out one of the girls say "Holy crap...look at your arms" She didnt say it exactly like that but something along those lines. So of course, every girl sitting at the table turned and looked at me. Again...I didn't know where to go. I ended up putting my sweater on again b/c I felt ackward. Now...if it were warm there, I may have kept my sweater off but it was still freezing.
Its kind if a catch 22. You workout and its nice for people to notice but you don't want to draw attention to yourself at the same time. I know that none of them meant anything by it...they weren't rolling their eyes or anything but I just felt ackward.

Does anyone else feel this way sometimes? Now don't get me wrong...Im no Cathe but over the past couple of monthes, I have gotten more definition in my arms since losing all the baby weight. Anyway...thats it...thats whats on my ming today!

Lori

 

[fit_fairy]

Lori, you should have asked them if they had tickets to the gun show and then flexed your biceps!! }( }( LOL!! Hey, at least they were being complimentry about it. All I get are sarcastic remarks about how I eat (or won't eat the crap that everyone else does-mostly at work) and workout etc. I think ya just have to learn to take things that people say with a grain of salt and move on. Most of it's just envy anyway

[font color= purple size=+3]Catherine[/font]

http://www.rykat.org/forums/style_emoticons/default/arrowhead.png

http://www.picturetrail.com/fit_fairy

http://69.89.25.157/~extremf4/forums/images/smilies/chinup.gif

 

[Fit_mommy]

I like it when people notice how I look but at the same time I get embarrassed and find myself trying minimize my accomplishments. I'd hate for someone to think I was bragging or full of myself or something. My DH likes to brag about me. Every time I accomplish a new goal in running he's talking about it and now he's been telling everyone how I just got certified as a PT. He doesn't really talk about my physique to others but he tells me all of the time how great I look. Just last night I went to a jewelery party and a gal was there I haven't seen in years. As soon as she looked at me she said "Wow, you look great!". I got so embarrassed! LOL My friend chimed in and said "She just got certified as a PT!" so the girl says "Oh no wonder you look so good!". *blush* I don't talk about working out alot unless it's to a person I know is interested. My SIL has been into fitness for many years and has been a trainer for a couple of years now. Her and I could go on for hours if time allowed! LOL

 

[Jess_jugs]

I can totally relate!! It seems that I've had a few of these situations happen to me lately! I was at a cookout last weekend & my friends were teasing me as there were only white buns & they know that I don't eat white flour/ sugar. (I've never complained about it, I'll just bring my own stuff to eat!) And... I had made cookies so they were giving me grief over not eating any (hey, I'll make 'em but I don't eat 'em!). But there was someone there that didn't know me when I was heavy (70+ lbs ago) and she kept going on about how she'd never guessed that I'd ever been overweight. She was really interested in my eating/ working out. Then once I started talking about it (I'm like Wendy, I don't talk about fitness much IRL, that's why I love these boards!), I swear that everyone was listening to everything I said. And they roll their eyes when I tell them I get up at 4:30AM to run w/ my friends. Oh well, I love it and I'm getting to the point where I don't care what anyone else thinks about me. I'm much happier with the *new* me.

And I've noticed lately that in the grocery store it seems that everyone looks in my cart to see what I'm buying! Even the checkout people will ask me questions, I think it was Naturally More Peanut Butter I was stocking up on (they were out last time, so I bought 3 jars this time!), and she was asking me about it too.

Great job w/ losing the baby weight & show off those arms, girl!!!! My dh is always telling everyone how *buff* I am now. ;-)

 

[thebrain]

I've very often wondered if it was just me, or were people (friends, co-workers) were giving me strange vibes and looks when I tell them I work out , epsecially when I mention the usual 5:00am start time. I don't offer that info, of course. It usually just comes up in the course of conversation. I've defenitely learned to not talk about my work-out routine, except with someone who asks about it. Strangely enough, the only person who seems geuinely interested is a male co-worker, who is always impressed by my arms! I don't feel the need to talk with people other than my husband about my excercise habits, but I do find it odd that something that is such a big part of my life, and something I do to make me feel good, look better and hopefully live longer remains more or less a private matter! Oh well.

One other thing....I also shy away from all the crap at school (I'm a teacher) in the lounges, but I usually just blame a wheat intolerance on why I abstain. No one seems to give me a "look" when I say that!

 

[swayzepetsitting]

I enjoy talking about working out (that is why I come on this board ). However, I don't really like conversing about nutrition. I have found that usually people get offended, no matter what I say. They just don't want to give up their unhealthy ways and many of them act as if I am threatening their way of life.

I too get a lot of comments on my choice of foods at the grocery store. I just smile and say that I intend to live forever.

 

[JenL13]

I don't ever feel bad about it but I can relate on feeling uncomfortable sometimes. The people I know- friends, family, co-workers, etc... never say anything about it- sometimes I'll get the dang, your arms are getting bigger/more cut, etc... but usually in a nice way...

I have also in the past 4 years since working out like I do now snapped back at some people that have made "rude" comments to me- only people I know, not strangers! ;-) When I first started working out I'd get more comments like, "just skip working out it won't kill you", "oh, just eat it, not like it'll make you fat", and things like that. My response was, yes I KNOW that I CAN do whatever I want however i WANT to workout and I LIKE eating healthy- if I didn't then I wouldn't do it. I would say, I don't try to tell you that you need to workout/eat better so don't tell me what to do either. After a while it just became part of who I am and they understand.

As for others just in public, I get weird looks a lot, goes in stages though. When I'm hitting my upper body more my biceps will get really cut and big so when I'm out and about I do get looks but now I am used to it and just smile-most of the time nobody says anything, hoping they think if they do i'll throw a punch or something! ;-)

 

[angie_nrs]

I don't think most of us do it for the compliments/comments, but it is nice to know that people notice the changes. I do it b/c I want to feel good about myself and just feel good in general. I've noticed that strangers, like the folks at the grocery store, don't say anything b/c they don't really know me, and I really don't think about it when I'm there.

However, when I go out with friends, it seems the subject always seems to somehow come up. I try not to say too much b/c I think even though they may bring up the subject, they really don't want to hear about it. Do you know what I mean??? If you can't give them an easy way to do what you did, then they are just turned off by it. It is definitely a catch 22.

I too, like to come to the boards to chat about nutrition and working out b/c I know this crowd understands. Thank goodness for Cathe and Cathe.com! ;-)

Angie

 

[Barbara P]

Unfortunately, most of the time, the comments are made to make you feel bad because the comment maker feels guilty. It's not you, it's them, but they try and put it on you. I guess that's why I spend so much time on the boards (firm yayas, VF, cathe, various lists and other boards), and at the Y.


http://www.picturetrail.com/barbarap

 

[netsnotes]

Annette Bethel

I was telling my neighbor the other day, that I felt kinda of bad because (even though I am in shape, I still need to lose 10 and tone a little bit more) I had gone to workout at The Firm in Lexington. Most of the women were overweight, new to working out or beginners. I want to be more of an inspiration but one of the women got hot and put the fan right in front of my vision! So much for inspiration. I didn't get mad I got even. I lifted 25lb lat rows, 20 chest/pecs.
Annette

 

[lioness]

I have encountered so many different situations regarding my workout passion. When I was losing weight, I had stranges come up to me and ask me what I was doing to lose weight. These were either people in the building where I worked or at the grocery store. I had a butcher at the grocery store where I shop, stop and ask me what I was doing. I felt bad because he was a big guy but I just told him what I was doing. Also had a couple of clerks at the grocery store ask me why I bought such healthy food..duh..because I want to be healthy. The strangest encounter was a couple of weeks ago at the dentist's office. My dentist walks in and compliments my legs. I was wearing a knee length skirt and he said something like you have great legs and proceeded to discuss my legs while he was checking out my teeth. Very weird!! Next time I will remember to wear pants!!

 

[meredith]

I find it helps to have an attitude of "I'm just doing the best I can and I'm not perfect" and not try to convert people to my way of eating or exercise. If people say "boy, you must workout", I say that I try to fit it in a busy life. No way do I start telling them I get up at 4:00 am to do Cathe every morning, I have found from experience they just tune me out. Now, OP you weren't really in a position to have a conversation and I think you did exactly what I would have. But overall, I keep quiet about my obsession because really, it IS an obsession (albeit a healthy one).