Every time I see a fat person at the gym, I’m cheering for them so hard in my head. Mental high fives all day buddy.

“Have seen this way too often”

Dude! The gym I used to go to when I was still able to lift was brutal about that shit.

And I don’t mean towards the folks coming in to improve themselves. The guy that owned the joint was just a super gentle, kind person. But he was willing to make sure anyone there knew they could use the place free of bullshit.

It was a super friendly place for women and girls for one thing. The membership specified that as one of the things that was grounds for immediate revocation if membership. You didn’t harass other members, and it did apply to everyone. You know how some gyms get with women. It’s fucking ridiculous sometimes. But at his place, a woman could show up and know that not only would the owner and staff intervene if someone got annoying, that they’d never see the person again. Most of the regulars would step in as well.

He was also hell on wheels about people coming in that were out of shape, be it fat or really skinny. You do not fuck with someone trying to do better. It was printed out over the entrance to the weight area. Gym policy was firm on that, but you’d sometimes get some new meathead that came because it was known for having great support for power lifting that didn’t believe it.

And we didn’t stand for it either. It was always more of a low key , “not cool man, you can’t do that here”, and if they stopped, they’d eventually stop being watched like a rabbit in a wolf den. But if they didn’t, somebody would go get Paul, or whoever was on office duty, and any other regulars would be taking the beginner to the side and apologizing while someone else explained to the meathead that they just lost their membership and not to cause any shit.

Best fucking gym I ever went to. Everybody was super helpful and chill, but weren’t afraid to help hype you up for a big lift. And hype you up after one, as far as that goes.

Hell, when I first had to stop lifting heavy stuff and go for more of an overall workout, it was all support. And when I got hurt at work years later, Paul told me not to worry about membership fees at all. Just wanted me to know I could come in and do whatever my physical therapist wanted me to, no worries.

Loved that fucking place. It closed during COVID, and Paul couldn’t afford to open back up

I’m a fat guy currently going to a gym where nearly everyone is fit and built, and everyone has been nothing but kind and supportive. I’ve even had people come up to me and say they’ve noticed my progress and congratulated me (I’ve just hit 10% body weight weightloss if anyone’s interested).

I have literally never seen this at a gym.

I’m sure you haven’t

What is this fanfic about fat people being bullied at the gym? This never happens.

I’ve never seen even the slightest bit of negativity at the gym. Come to think of it, I’ve seen almost zero negativity between any strangers on the street in like 10 years.

I’ve had a few “gym-bro” friends and absolutely none of them ever shamed or made negative remarks about a fat person at the gym. Personally I feel a sense of pride when I see someone relatively unhealthy doing any kind of exercise, it takes effort when you’re not used to it!

Yeah I never understood people who fat shame people at the gym… It’s like making fun of someone for being addicted at a rehab clinic, it’s like making fun of someone for not having a job at a job interview… It’s lack mocking someone for having a problem in the middle of solving said problem.