It’s January, which means gyms the world over are packed with people onboard the ‘New Year, New Me’ train.
Whilst those four words are irksome to many, there can be no doubting that the beginning of the year is the perfect time to make a change … and really stick to it. Which is why it’s no surprise many people opt to begin workout programmes in the hope that they might change their bodies.
One such person turned to Reddit with the aim of obtaining advice when it comes to newcomers in the gym. Their question was met with a host of helpful responses, but there was one that stuck out from the rest. In fact, it shocked the internet …
When the person in question took to Reddit, they did so in the hope of getting tips on how to ‘fit in’ at the gym.
After all, it can be a daunting place for those who have never been before. I remember the first time I stepped into a gym; I remember the feeling of not being sure if I was doing things right, not knowing if I looked out of place, while everybody else seemed to know exactly what the score was.
In any case, one of the responses to the question at hand has stolen the internet’s attention, and it’s not difficult to see why …
The answer reads:
“Well… it happened. I was at the gym this morning and a group of two women and a man were very obviously laughing at/talking about another woman who was clearly new and nervous about being there. I didn’t realize that this was happening at first because I had my headphones in, but then I saw one of the women pull out her phone to take a video.
“The woman they were making fun of knew it was happening and was almost in tears… she got off the treadmill and went back towards the locker room. I put my weights back and followed her, told her to wait right there, and reported the group to the manager. When I went back to the locker room, the woman was crying and she quietly told me that she didn’t know what she was doing but was trying to learn.
“She explained that she had recently lost her parent to a weight-related heart attack, and the doctors said that she was headed down the same path if she wasn’t careful. I told her that we all start somewhere, and after talking for a bit, I told her that her somewhere starts today and helped her up. I asked her to finish working out with me and that I would help her learn what I know, because I was in her place a year ago. For the remainder of the workout… she had a smile on her face. In the end… three members got permanently banned today, and I made a new friend.
“The point of this is simple. I know we all get frustrated when the gym is busier at the beginning of the year, but it’s hard to really understand how much of an impact we can have on other people’s journeys. I have no doubt in my mind that this woman would not have returned to the gym if her only experience had been being made fun of. Please, PLEASE help others feel welcome… you don’t even have to talk to them. Just give them a smile or a nod. We’re all there to better ourselves, no matter how quiet or busy the gym gets. Spread the love and positivity, y’all. You could be changing someone’s life.”
Well, that certainly moved me close to the point of tears! It’s easy to get frustrated at the beginning of the year, but NO ONE should ever be made to feel like they’re being ridiculed for trying to better themselves.
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