My Own Trainer Called Me "Fatty"

My kids don't have school today and for once, they're sleeping in.  So I took advantage of the time to enjoy my coffee and browse some articles online.  And then I saw this.....

As I read more, I saw red.  It seems that a "fitness trainer" was at a baseball game and saw this woman in front of him.  So instead of enjoying the game, he spent his time taking her picture (without her consent) and watched everything she ate and then posted about it on his FB page.  What he didn't realize - had he taken the time to find out - was that this woman had a backstory and an amazing journey  -- starting at 400lbs and losing well over 150lbs....all on her own.  You can read her response here.

And then.....THEN....this so-called fitness trainer issued a statement saying that he was not going to apologize.  You can read the article here.

Yes -- I agree that there is an obesity problem in this country.  And you can have your opinion about what's your right to enjoy a game, a seat on an airplane, etc. while sitting next to an overweight person.  But that's not my point at the moment.

My point is this -- what gave that "trainer" the right to call her out at all?  Does he think that because he's an "expert" and a "trainer" that gives him the right to judge her?  What makes some trainers (and I KNOW there are amazingly AWESOME trainers out there) think that it's ok to shame & humiliate someone because they are overweight?  Do they think that's motivating?  Because let me tell you -- as someone who had a trainer once....it's not.

My trainer called me "fatty".  Yes -- you read that right.  My own personal trainer called me "fatty".  Texting me back when I told him that I couldn't make a session because the roads were too icy and I was not driving to the gym with my children in the car with me.

He replied.... "Boo Hoo -- get your ass to the gym, fatty"

I was stunned.  I was hurt.  And I was pissed.

I've been told my whole life that I was "overweight".  We call it "fat-shaming" now.  When I was a teen and even a young college-age adult, I was told by dance instructors, friends, and yes, even my own family that I was fat.  As I grew older, I knew it and took steps to fix it....hiring a trainer to help me.  I expected support from this trainer, encouragement, motivation.....and instead, I got name-calling.  The one person who was to help me through my journey turned on me.

I also heard a trainer say that he saw an overweight woman getting out of her car with a sticker on it that said "I don't run" and he replied, "Clearly she didn't"

Excuse me?  Do you know her?  Just because she doesn't run doesn't mean that she's not trying to get into shape.  You don't know what she does at home, at the gym, at the park.  Running is not the be-all, end-all of fitness.  I don't run -- but I busted my ass doing elliptical, kickboxing, and weight training.  And if anyone made that comment to me, their teeth would be meeting my right hook.

And the fitness industry wonders why more people don't go to the gym or hire trainers.

My trainer eventually did apologize, but only after I got in his face and let him have it.

To the "trainer" - You said that you never judged her or remarked about her character, but stated in your original post that she "clearly doesn't cares little about her health."  If that isn't judgment, then I don't know what is.  It's people like you, with attitudes like yours, that give good trainers a bad name.  You may be good at your job -- such as getting results for your clients -- but I believe you lack some serious empathy skills.  If I was your client, I would certainly take my business elsewhere.

To "B" - the woman at the baseball game - you GO GIRL!  Keep on doing what you're doing.  You are amazing and you are an inspiration.  Way to turn something around and make into something positive.  You are a role model!  Reach for that goal and don't let anyone.....not even Mr. Shark Fitness....stop you!