Motivational

Today, I was at a meeting of sort at my job, or more, at my employers main office, I dont work there, the people who dont do what I do, work there.
Anyway, I was there as a mandatory thing, to listen to some lady talk about the importance of listening.
She made alot of good points, and I now also know, that when people call me a good listener, it seems they were right... not that I ever doubted them thou :P

But during this meeting, and the exercise we also did, I came into a realization, of what I see alot of at the gym.
I read, and see, and hear, alot of people fearing to go to a gym to workout, the get fit, either by loosing weight, or gaining weight.
Fear that they might be laughed at, pointed at and shunned.
And even thou I was never fat, I get it. I've been thinn like a stick for most of my life, so I do understand that part perhaps better then the other. But I get it, I do.

There is nothing worse then being laughed at when trying to change your life, to turn everything on its head, and get it better, to start doing shit you've never done before. Even if you were to be 100% alone in a gym every time you get there, its still hard as hell to make the change.
But the reality, is far from what you think. The fear is real, but unnecessary.

Lets say that YOU, are in need of exercise, to loose weight. You are fat, like, seriously obese. Your life is shit and just getting out of a chair, makes you breath heavy. You are sick of it, you want change, you want a healthier life. You want to be able to go to the beach, and not make people vomit in their mouths. (slightly exaggerated perhaps, but a point has been made)

You reach down deep and find the courage to buy a membership card at a local gym. The fear of it all will either overwhelm you, of you find an ounce more of courage, and go to the place, with a gymbag full of stuff you think you need, but mostly, a shirt, pants or shorts and a pair of sneakers and hopefully, a water bottle.
As soon as you enter, you see a whole army of buff, fit and strong men and women. And here you are, a sack of blubber and sweat, and so far, you've only looked at the machines, that are everywhere.

But here's the good news.
There is nothing to fear.
Nothing. To. Fear.

I've seen it first hand, experienced it first hand.
I'll start with what I've seen. Now I dont remember when it was, but it was a few months ago or so. A very large woman, most likely over or close to 100 kilos, but with the height of an 8 year old girl, maybe a 14 year old, in other words, she was short, and pretty much as wide as she was tall. She was in need of loosing half her weight, at the very least.
My first thought when I saw here, wasn't 'look at that fat fuck', no its was more like; You go girl! You've done the right thing! I'm proud of ya!
And I have no idea who she was. Never meet here before, and shortly after, I started working out after work instead before to make me stress less, so I've never seen her again.
But I also saw, how she was using a machine slightly wrong, and someone else did too, luckely, someone with far more experience also saw this, and walked up to her, showed her how to work the machine, give her a pat on her back, and even thou I couldn't here their conversation, I did see her smile, him smiling and how she instantly, after what ever he said, gained a renewed batch of energy.
Before I left to hit the showers, I saw another guy, giving her a thumbs up, making her again, be filled with a new batch of energy.

I've seen this more since then, and before too. When people that are fit, are buff and have been working out probably several years, if not decades, see people start from scratch, they know how hard it is, they know what it's like to start with that unsure feeling deep down. Perhaps they had it differently, but in the end, they know. And they are damn proud of you for starting. For taking that first step to the life you want.

My personal experience, was when I was new too, I could barely lift the weights I wanted, but I didn't give up. I sat on a bench, red as a damn tomato in the face, lifting a barbel that had maybe 4 or 6 kilos on it.
I felt like a damn idiot from the moment I saw the bench, until the following happened.
I made eye contact with a guy, through the mirror, that was sitting on a bench next to me, and he could see how I struggled, and just as I couldn't lift the damn things any more, I droped them, and he gave me a smile and a thumb up.
That single gesture, that single acknowledgement, was enough to movivate me for the rest of the day, and the rest of the week, and it is still motivating me. And I can bet, that the fat girl, is still being motivated by the guy that talked to her.
Couse thats what guys and girls do at the gym, well, to be honest, I see more guys that motivate then girls, but thats just what I've seen so far.

So if you want to change your life. And you know, that a gym would be ideal for it. Then go, couse the people there, will love you and support you. You might never know their names, or see them anywhere else ever, but while you are there, you are among the best friends there is.

Cya