"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."
One woman's photo is going viral for its thought-provoking and powerful message against body shaming.
Stephanie Holdmeyer, a student at Missouri State University, shared a photo of herself after she was body shamed for wearing a weight belt at the gym that's since been shared more than 42,000 times on Facebook. She points out that after hitting the gym one day with her friend Chris, they were "judged hardcore." She also says someone at their gym reportedly went far as publishing a Facebook post criticizing them as thinking they were "hot s%&# because they wear their belts all the time." Holdmeyer went on to explain that she wears her weight belt because she had back surgery two months prior and needs it for support while exercising.
"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," she writes. "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."
Ultimately, her post highlights two important things: Health will look different to everyone — what's a healthy weight for one person might not be for another — and you never know what someone is going through or why they're at the gym. So before you body shame someone, take a step back and ask yourself if that's really the kind of person you want to be. "There's more to people than what you see. Instead of jumping to conclusions or making judgments, take a moment to consider someone else's perspective. Don't judge a book by its cover," she says.
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 s&%# 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.
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.
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.
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.
Reprinted from fitnessmagazine.com
Stephanie Holdmeyer, a student at Missouri State University, shared a photo of herself after she was body shamed for wearing a weight belt at the gym that's since been shared more than 42,000 times on Facebook. She points out that after hitting the gym one day with her friend Chris, they were "judged hardcore." She also says someone at their gym reportedly went far as publishing a Facebook post criticizing them as thinking they were "hot s%&# because they wear their belts all the time." Holdmeyer went on to explain that she wears her weight belt because she had back surgery two months prior and needs it for support while exercising.
"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," she writes. "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."
Ultimately, her post highlights two important things: Health will look different to everyone — what's a healthy weight for one person might not be for another — and you never know what someone is going through or why they're at the gym. So before you body shame someone, take a step back and ask yourself if that's really the kind of person you want to be. "There's more to people than what you see. Instead of jumping to conclusions or making judgments, take a moment to consider someone else's perspective. Don't judge a book by its cover," she says.
Read her entire post below.
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.
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.
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.
Reprinted from fitnessmagazine.com
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