i find it odd, to say the least, that participating in physique sports automatically means that you are no longer allowed to be treated with respect and common courtesy.
it would be grossly inappropriate for someone to walk up to a plus-sized woman and proceed to tell her exactly how plus-sized she appeared to be. however, most physique athletes will tell you that they don't get the same courtesy. for whatever reason there is absolutely nothing inappropriate about pointing out how off-season an athlete gets. case in point, i was doing cardio when another member interrupted me to tell me that i had put on weight. like somehow the extra 50 lbs escaped my notice?
a dieting friend was told that her meal looked like dog food. dog food?!!! we have all seen some rather unusual ethnic fare and we know better than to disrespect someone's meal. why is that courtesy not extended to the physique athlete? why is it okay for someone to practically stick their nose in my plate and announce that they couldn't eat that? clearly no one is asking you to and if you'd be so kind as to move your fat head, then i can, because i actually want too.
or how about the people who talk about you in the change rooms? how they would NEVER want to look like THAT. first of all weight training does not make you deaf, we can still hear. i remember being introduced to a potential client at the gym. she was in her mid-50's, i am fairly confident she had never been to the gym before. while looking at me with disgust, she told the consultant that she did not want to end up looking like THAT. before me was a soft buttery physique, with a jiggly belly and with hips wider than her shoulders. now i know that i would never want to look like that, but i do have enough respect for my fellow man to keep my opinion to myself.
dave, who's routine i choreographed, told me about a time when he was training before the show. he was in the final stretch and was quite lean and quite vascular. apparently he had the pleasure of trying to do his set while some idiot was loudly demanding to know what steroids he was taking. isn't that the equivalent of dave asking the guy how many donuts it took to look like that?
not even in the comfort of my own home am i safe. my mother has an issue with how my clothes currently fit my off-season frame. even though i have assured her that i am losing weight, although i am told not fast enough. i am down about 15 lbs likely with another 10 lbs to go before i am happy. either way mother has been giving me the gears and/or poking me in the stomach. fun? not so much.
to 'help' she has been trying to buy me clothes and/or give me her hand-me-downs. she doesn't understand that it's not easy to shop for a muscular physique. it is my body and i often won't know what will or will not fit me. she also refuses to acknowledge that styles that appeal to her are likely not going to appeal to me. to be honest this whole experience just makes me feel self conscious and like utter crap. my father in his quest to be helpful suggested i start shopping at one of the plus-sized stores. ouch.
