Lifetime Letters
Dearest Lifetime Fitness Health Club:
I wanted to share some experiences I had in your club with various trainers. Years ago, I was a much stressed out single mom. I needed to lose quite a bit of weight, so I spent what limited free time and money that I had to join the club. During a session with a personal trainer, I was told to “keep working it because if you do, someday you are going to be HOT.” The trainer asked if I were single and then went on to say that I wouldn’t be for long if I kept working out. I never worked out with this trainer again, but that message stuck with me, especially when I saw so many women coming to the gym in full make-up, exercising almost frantically. I wondered how many of these women were working so hard, not for their own benefit, but because of this kind of message.
A year later, I was able to leave my stressful job and regained my health. I joined a new club, and began to run. I didn’t run to find a new boyfriend, to get skinny, or to have others think I was a success. I ran because I hadn’t been able to run since high school and it made me feel powerful and young. Unfortunately, I eventually had to return to the job that caused me to initially gain weight.
I joined your club again last month in an effort to regain what I had a year ago. Notice I didn’t say “lose”, I wanted to regain what I lost. I wanted to be able to run, swim, and feel healthy, young, and strong. I am not doing this to “get skinny”, find a boyfriend, or “be hot”. I come to your gym wearing an old t-shirt, sweats, and no makeup. When I first joined, I worked with a trainer who helped me to see that regaining my health was the most important thing. He encouraged me to work on relaxing activities for the time-being. I already was beginning to feel stronger, happier, and healthier.
Today I went to your trainer desk to sign up for a session. The woman at the desk asked me what my goals were. I told her that I had no goals other than to enjoy exercising right now. She looked at me with an odd expression and said, “You don’t want to lose weight? How about getting ready for next year’s swimsuit season?” I told her again that I didn’t have any goals other than what I stated. She added, “You don’t even want to tone up?”
I do love this club, and will continue to work out on my own. I feel that your trainers are being encouraged to prey on the insecurities of women. I can tell you; however, that there really is nothing that you can say that most overweight women have not heard before.
I told your trainer a half-truth. I told her that I was happy with who I am, but thanks for the offer. The truth is that I do wish I were about 30 pounds lighter and about 15 years younger. I wish I had more money and clearer skin. I do wish men thought I was “hot” and women thought I was a huge success. However, for right now, I’m happy to just be able to jog a little on your treadmills. I’m happy to swim and relax and just enjoy my time, and be glad I’m now at a stage in my life where the comments of your trainers strike me as attempts to play on my insecurities, rather than a horribly hurtful comment.
I wanted to share some experiences I had in your club with various trainers. Years ago, I was a much stressed out single mom. I needed to lose quite a bit of weight, so I spent what limited free time and money that I had to join the club. During a session with a personal trainer, I was told to “keep working it because if you do, someday you are going to be HOT.” The trainer asked if I were single and then went on to say that I wouldn’t be for long if I kept working out. I never worked out with this trainer again, but that message stuck with me, especially when I saw so many women coming to the gym in full make-up, exercising almost frantically. I wondered how many of these women were working so hard, not for their own benefit, but because of this kind of message.
A year later, I was able to leave my stressful job and regained my health. I joined a new club, and began to run. I didn’t run to find a new boyfriend, to get skinny, or to have others think I was a success. I ran because I hadn’t been able to run since high school and it made me feel powerful and young. Unfortunately, I eventually had to return to the job that caused me to initially gain weight.
I joined your club again last month in an effort to regain what I had a year ago. Notice I didn’t say “lose”, I wanted to regain what I lost. I wanted to be able to run, swim, and feel healthy, young, and strong. I am not doing this to “get skinny”, find a boyfriend, or “be hot”. I come to your gym wearing an old t-shirt, sweats, and no makeup. When I first joined, I worked with a trainer who helped me to see that regaining my health was the most important thing. He encouraged me to work on relaxing activities for the time-being. I already was beginning to feel stronger, happier, and healthier.
Today I went to your trainer desk to sign up for a session. The woman at the desk asked me what my goals were. I told her that I had no goals other than to enjoy exercising right now. She looked at me with an odd expression and said, “You don’t want to lose weight? How about getting ready for next year’s swimsuit season?” I told her again that I didn’t have any goals other than what I stated. She added, “You don’t even want to tone up?”
I do love this club, and will continue to work out on my own. I feel that your trainers are being encouraged to prey on the insecurities of women. I can tell you; however, that there really is nothing that you can say that most overweight women have not heard before.
I told your trainer a half-truth. I told her that I was happy with who I am, but thanks for the offer. The truth is that I do wish I were about 30 pounds lighter and about 15 years younger. I wish I had more money and clearer skin. I do wish men thought I was “hot” and women thought I was a huge success. However, for right now, I’m happy to just be able to jog a little on your treadmills. I’m happy to swim and relax and just enjoy my time, and be glad I’m now at a stage in my life where the comments of your trainers strike me as attempts to play on my insecurities, rather than a horribly hurtful comment.
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