Truffle Monster
Active member, Cyclist
Something that occurred to me tonight was many people (myself somewhat) are/were put off getting into exercise because they fear judgement. This fear of judgement for the most part is from “fit” people who may laugh or make comments about someone looking like a sack of custard etc etc.
I was a very fit and “buff” teenager and into my twenties and I exercised regularly but I never “put myself out there” and although I was a member at a gym I rarely went at busy times. Most of my exercise was done by myself so I never really interacted with anyone while exercising except at cricket training. I’m now older and wiser and exercising in public; when hiking mount lofty I’m right in the thick of things with the “fitness oriented community” shoulder to shoulder even though I mostly go there on my own and I’ve really noticed that the “fit” community are really not judgemental and are really very very supportive.
When a “fit” person sees someone struggling, battling away to make it up that hill they give a smile, a wave, a nod or a friendly greeting and some encouragement. I’ve not once witnessed any judgement. Further to this even though I’m very much an introvert and like to fly under the radar I find myself trying to dish out some encouragement when I see someone struggling. This is not a conscious decision; just something I find myself doing. I guess as a pay it forward kind of gesture.
The judgement and belittling really therefor if I’m existence at all must come from people NOT engaged in exercise or fitness. It must come from people who do not put THEMSELVES out there in the public eye, that do not try to better themselves in any way and if that’s the case does it really matter? What is someone’s opinion worth if they have never done what you are doing? If they have never experienced what you are experiencing?
It’s a strange realisation but logically any “fit” person has experienced somewhat what you are going through; no one was born with a 6 pack or 2% body fat. They worked at it at SOME point in their lives so why would they judge someone else for doing what they’ve already done?
I was a very fit and “buff” teenager and into my twenties and I exercised regularly but I never “put myself out there” and although I was a member at a gym I rarely went at busy times. Most of my exercise was done by myself so I never really interacted with anyone while exercising except at cricket training. I’m now older and wiser and exercising in public; when hiking mount lofty I’m right in the thick of things with the “fitness oriented community” shoulder to shoulder even though I mostly go there on my own and I’ve really noticed that the “fit” community are really not judgemental and are really very very supportive.
When a “fit” person sees someone struggling, battling away to make it up that hill they give a smile, a wave, a nod or a friendly greeting and some encouragement. I’ve not once witnessed any judgement. Further to this even though I’m very much an introvert and like to fly under the radar I find myself trying to dish out some encouragement when I see someone struggling. This is not a conscious decision; just something I find myself doing. I guess as a pay it forward kind of gesture.
The judgement and belittling really therefor if I’m existence at all must come from people NOT engaged in exercise or fitness. It must come from people who do not put THEMSELVES out there in the public eye, that do not try to better themselves in any way and if that’s the case does it really matter? What is someone’s opinion worth if they have never done what you are doing? If they have never experienced what you are experiencing?
It’s a strange realisation but logically any “fit” person has experienced somewhat what you are going through; no one was born with a 6 pack or 2% body fat. They worked at it at SOME point in their lives so why would they judge someone else for doing what they’ve already done?
