I know you posted this 4 months ago, but I just read it. Thank you so much for saying this. There's this guy at my gym that keeps offering me advice, but after my latest discussion with him, it felt like he just wanted to preach and talk down to me. He was telling me that what I was doing was "wrong" and "completely useless".

I'm an overweight woman. I have self-esteem issues. I've been going to the gym 5 days a week since May of this year. I've lost 33lbs (from eating habit changes mostly), but my fitness has really improved and I'm really happy with the progress I'm seeing with the work I'm putting in at the gym. I can lift heavier, I can walk faster. If it's working, how can it be "useless"? Besides, just showing up to the gym and doing your best is FAR from useless.

The problem for me is that this man is visibly physically fit and I am very far from that. To try to even offer my opinion seems like it would be invalid, because "obviously it's not working for me, because I'm so fat". I felt so bad from being talked down to, that I cried my way out of the gym. I don't deserve to feel like that at all.

I've always looked at fitness as something that is very individual. Everone likes to exercise in different ways. I feel it's very important to do something that is fun for you, so that you keep going. And if that fun thing is getting you results, then I think that's the best kind of routine to have.

Reading this post of yours helps me feel alot better about my encounter with that man. It made me realize that that's exactly what he's doing. He's trying to show off that his way is the only right way, which is a pretty bad attitude to have.