So I'm finally feeling decent again. I started back at the gym yesterday.
Today while I was chugging away I witnessed a very sad reminder of how inadequate women feel.
I think I've shared before that I'm crazy about elliptical machines. I never thought I would find an exercise machine that I didn't hate. Did I say I love elliptical machines? :)
So today I was chugging away, doin' my thing.
Let me just take a moment to say... I AM NOT one of those skinny-mini people who a brisk wind would knock over. I do not look like I eat one lettuce leaf a day. I AM NOT the picture of health. I am the picture of what eating donuts for breakfast does to a person. Ya with me?
It took me some time to even be able to go into a gym. I feel embarrassed because my cute gymnast figure is long gone. I feel like a fat slob and it's hard to go in there where the lettuce eaters live.
Anyway... so I was in there chugging away, doin' my thing and I noticed the skinny-mini next to me checking out my numbers. I consider it generally rude to look over at someone else's machine display. This girl did it and wasn't shy about it at all. She then reached down and bumped up her numbers. I couldn't help it after a while. I looked over and she had put her resistance number one higher than mine. How sad is that?
I still can't decide what she was thinking to make her do that. Did she feel bad to be doing less than fatty-fatty-2x4 who was working out next to her? Does she thrive on competition and just needed to be "beating" someone? I'll never know. The thought that came to mind, though, was that women are so competitive with each other. Why do we do that to ourselves. Why the one-upmanship?
Just suffice it to say that you challenged her to better herself. Yeah, that's it. You gave her that extra umph she needed to push herself to the limit. And smile as you think about how she is feeling today---It's ok to set the standards for others to surpass. So tomorrow, just sidle up next to some little leaf girl and push your numbers up a bit.
ReplyDeleteHow's that for a challenge? ;)
I'll admit it, I've looked to see what other people are doing on the machines next to me! I try not to be a blatant turd about it, and normally that doesn't make me up my own workout. I think it's just a curiosity thing? Normally the thought process is, "That guy is 20 years older and 50 lbs. heavier and he runs so much faster. I have GOT to work out more."
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