A health and fitness club can be an intimidating environment for some and no one wants to be watched and ridiculed while they work out.
One woman who discovered she was a target of three gym bullies penned the most empowering open letter to the women who made fun of her, reports British Glamour.
READ MORE: Body shaming, fat shaming and vicious gossip
She titled the letter posted on Reddit, "The overweight girl at the gym," and opened with a direct statement: "I'm the fat girl."
According to the letter, It was her first week at the gym and she had noticed three other women who exercised after working hours just like her.
"Today I found out they have been snap chatting pictures of me and making fun of me, but I don't mind," she began.
"I'm glad that you haven't gone through what I've been through. I used to be in shape, I broke my hip and had to give up all exercise.
Then my grandma got sick and I took care of her full time, I couldn't leave her alone because I had no help, so I gained more weight," she revealed.
According to her.ie she continued, talking about emotional eating and self-love: "Then she died, and I ate my feelings and gained more weight.
I don't hate myself, or my body. I love who I am, and that took me my entire life to be able to honestly say those words. I love myself," she confessed.
"It really sucks that society, and your parents raised you that it was okay to try to hurt someone that's trying to better themselves instead of trying to lift them up but I'm not mad.
Thank you for reminding me to keep pushing after I had a really long day," she added.
READ MORE: Woman takes a novel approach to body-shaming internet trolls
Body confidence coach Michelle Elman wrote a compelling Instagram letter addressing fat-shaming at the gym. She underlined the importance of making the gym a fat-friendly environment. "Never laugh at anyone in a gym, ever," she reiterated.
A child therapist commented on the open letter on Reddit, highlighting how some adults do not grow out of the bullying stage.
“Yes... this is horrible. I am a therapist for children and see bullying incidents like this so often. The sad part is that many people don't grow out of this bullying stage... and then become adults.
They take the easy route to make them feel better for whatever insecurities they have,” she said.
One woman sent her an encouraging message letting her know that she is not the only “non-model” at the gym.
READ MORE: “I went from the overweight girl who couldn’t exercise to a spinning instructor”
"I'm the girl whose skin is hanging off her all over the place.
At my last gym there was a gorgeous woman whose shoulders and upper arms would make a dude jealous; gorgeous to my eyes but obviously not in it for the svelte femininity aspect.
Another woman had somehow misplaced one of her legs (her replacement was pretty cool looking though).
Another worked out in a hajib. We're out there. The sisterhood of the non-models at the gym. We're with you,” she reassured her.
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