Dealing With Rude People During Workouts

Many of us have to deal with this as we walk or run through our neighborhoods and parks. Some of us also have to put up with it at the gym. In fact, I'd venture to guess that the majority of us run into this problem more often than we'd like to admit.

What problem am I talking about? The rude people who think it's OK to ridicule or taunt larger people when they watch us exercise. The laughs and cat-calls, the crude comments, and general nasty behavior is uncalled for. For one thing, how do these people think we would lose any of the weight without getting up and working out...do they think that we can just sit in our house and imagine it away? Or do some of them really think we can unzip our "fat suits" like actors and actresses do for certain roles? We have to get out there and exercise for our health, and people of every shape and size have that right.

I remember one walking excursion when I went to a local park for a change of scenery. A car full of teenage boys drove past me, with all of them yelling comments at the same time...whale, cow, circus lady, you name it, they said it. I didn't say anything to them because their car was already halfway down the road, but I held my head up high and kept up my pace. Later on as I finished my hour long workout, a lady came up to me and told me I was doing a great job and to keep up the great work. I don't know if she was present at the time the boys drove by, but whether she was or not doesn't matter. She gave me a wonderful mental boost just when I needed it the most.

I still have ignorant people of all ages make comments, but I'm better prepared to deal with them now. Quite often as I walk or run by, they are watching me from the comfort of a lawn chair or standing outside smoking. I take into account that I'm working on my health as they sit on their butts or inhale their cancer sticks. If I'm in the zone I just ignore them and keep moving...but sometimes I wave or yell hello to them, which totally catches them off guard. I even had one man smash out his cigarette after I looked at it in his hand. He probably realized the irony of the situation, and I hope that moment helped him quit smoking for good.

In impassioned moments, I have yelled out, "Hey, at least I'm not sitting on the couch!" or something to that effect. Sometimes I'm listening to my I-Pod and the tunes drown out the rude folks, but if I'm not listening to music, I just concentrate on the scenery and the sounds of nature. I also think about how much stronger I'm getting every time I get out there and exercise!

I advise you not to let these people get to you. Sometimes it's difficult, but you have to train your mind so you focus on the positive and let the negative fade away. You can try some of the tips I mentioned, or if you have any other effective strategies, please share them so we can all help each other. Don't let anyone stop you from your journey to health and fitness...and if you see someone else doing their workout, cheer them on. You never know when it will help them on their journey!