The Gym in January.

IT'S 2017 YA'LL! and this blog tonight is going to be a real thriller. It's about how to talk to me at the gym and what I need from everyone else at the gym. You know, as an overweight female during this prime gym going season. I'll put in a bullet point list to make everything as clear and concise as possible.

• leave me the fuck alone.

is that easy enough or nah? because based on my recent gym experiences, the answer is "nah" because apparently my being in the gym is cause for people to assume things. Starting with my initial joining, no matter that I said "no thank you" to your supplement package, your Laura-Lynn brand of crossfit classes, and your orientation where "a personal trainer will test your body fat percentage and show you how to increase your fitness routine." It doesn't matter that I explained in no uncertain terms that I don't NEED those things, nor do I WANT either of those things. I'm still expected to sit and listen to you tell me why I do. I know that as an overweight female, I apparently appear as uneducated, unmotivated, and in dire need of some help but let me set the record straight. I am perfectly capable of doing anything that I fucking want to. I spent quite some time working with a fantastic trainer who taught me what I needed to know to be successful in the gym. You know what's stopping me from being the next Dana Lin Bailey? Me. (and scoliosis, but that's not really the point.) The point is, I think big globo gyms could use a crash course in how to fucking LISTEN and RESPECT what people have to say. Do you really think you're helping someone just starting at the gym by trying to coerce them in to buying 300 dollars worth of supplements? because newsflash, you're not.

My next encounters have been with two different bros at the gym. 1 interrupted me to tell me that I was doing skull crushers incorrectly, which, no the fuck I am not. The other time I was interrupted was by another bro who told me that I should do my close grip rows differently, which no the fuck I will not. I don't know what about me working out with headphones in, screams "HEY GIVE ME POINTERS ON HOW TO DO THINGS I'M ALREADY DOING" but I wish I knew. I guess just being in the gym is cause for that. I get it, they probably had at least decent intentions, but I didn't see either of these dudes interrupt another dudes workout to give them some "friendly advice." I understand with the influx of people, there's a lot of encouragement to be nice to new people in the gym. There is a huge difference though, between an encouraging smile, telling someone "hey I saw you doing your squats and that was awesome!" and telling someone what you think they could be doing better when they didn't fucking ask you. I used to scoff at the lady's only room at the gym but now I love it. Because 97% of the time girls don't do that shit to each other, well I haven't had it ever happen to me.

So in conclusion, if you're a regular gym goer and you see someone new, by all means smile and say hello. You don't have to have a full blown conversation and get their training routine, mother's maiden name and street address. You do however, need to keep your trap shut about someone else's training routine unless you see someone doing something neck breaking dangerous. That is in the only time (in my humble opinion) you have any right to speak up and if they tell you to fuck off, then that's when you let natural selection take it's course and thank the gym gods that there will be a squat rack open soon.

may the gains be with you, and the gym bros leave you alone,
xoxo
-Nessie.