Don't Juuuuuuuudggge Me

I have learned a lot from blogging.
New recipes, new makeup, new workout gear.
New ways to get in shape, new ways to approach dieting, new ways to develop really tight friendships.
But there is one thing I have learned that is above all others.
Don't judge.

I'm guilty of it, of course.
But blogging has introduced me to people that I may not have been friends with in real life. Truth: we normally tend to build friendships with people who live similar lives to us.
But in the blogging world, you "meet" people and become friends with bloggers that can be really different than you.
Of course you have something in common, or else you probably would never be reading their blog...but people from different areas, different ages, and different sizes have broadened my perspective.

I think mainly I mean in the category of weight loss.
I've read so many blogs of people trying to get in shape and working hard to make it happen. But by looking at them, you would never know. This is what makes me want to go up to an overweight person in the gym, obviously there for the first time, and give them a high five!
Tell them way to go! Because walking in that gym was probably more difficult for them than you would think.

I was judged last night at the gym.
It wasn't hurtful at all. Because honestly, I know by looking at me, you can't tell that I work out usually 5 to 7 times a week.
You can't tell that I have honestly been working out for years.
You just see me, not hugely overweight but pretty dang chunky, in my tshirt and pants instead of fancy workout gear.
If you aren't in the gym when I get there and see me doing my thing, you would have no idea that I can probably jump higher than that girl over there in her size 0 workout pants. Or that I can do more situps than her, and more often than not, can probably run faster than her.

You would probably guess that I WAS for way too long that girl that would work out for an hour and then go eat pizza. Thank goodness I'm not her anymore though.

I took a strength and abs class last night.
I knew before going in there that the teacher was an old lady, like at least 400, but I also knew that she was hardcore.
And she was.
What I didn't know was how small the class would be. Only 2 other ladies. Welcome to Small Town USA. And they were older too.....but I've done the classes that all the young 'ens were in, and most of them don't work hard.
One of the ladies told me to get some weights, and she warned me that I should probably start off pretty light.
Now let's be honest, you NEVER know what you are getting into in these classes. For all I knew I was going to be holding those weights the whole entire time over my head, so I just listened. I got 3 lb weights. Which I'm sure a toddler could handle.

30 minutes into the class, all 3 of the ladies wanted to know what kind of normal workout I do because I made it look too easy.
They wanted to know where I took bootcamp and I didn't even mention the word bootcamp.
They made me get the 7.5 lb weights. And they made me lead a leg exercise.

They had judged me. Not in a bad way, just in a natural way.
This girl isn't tiny and she's new to this class, she must not know anything about working out.

I guess I showed them.
And you know what they showed me?
Some old ladies are hardcore.
I WILL be going back to that workout class.
And the cute young extrememly tiny instructor that I attended her class last week? It was so lame that I crossed through her name on my schedule to make sure I NEVER went back to that class again.

So next time you see a chunky girl in the gym, don't judge her.
She might work twice as hard as you.
Or it might have taken her a TON of courage just to get there.
And honestly, that girl over there in the size 0 workout pants? She might have been in a size 12 before she got in the gym.
You just never know.

After all, we are all just trying to become better versions of ourselves.
Us girls gotta stick together. :)

Happy Tuesday Y'all!
Sorry if this was too deep for you, I'll be back tomorrow with a less serious Weigh In Wednesday. Last chance workout tonight!!! Pin It Now!