#30 - You're So Fit

Today’s words: Tacky, Train, Improve, Set goals

Word count: 597

Summary: Just because someone is thin doesn’t mean they don’t need to exercise. Thin doesn’t equal healthy.

“I’ve already got three overweight people this month, one’s borderline obese, so they are more of a priority, sorry.” The personal trainer who was in the middle of using a rowing-machine looked up and said that to me before focusing ahead again.

I’ve had friends say this before, but for it to come from a professional? I stood in front of her. “Why am I less of a priority?” I knew what she was going to say: something along the lines of, ‘You don’t look like you’re struggling to get fit,’ or, ‘But you’re thin.’ 

She gave me a look as if it should be obvious and smiled at me. “You’re the perfect size.”

Was that supposed to flatter me? “There’s no such thing as--”

Stopping, she caught her breath and dabbed her forehead with a towel that rested on the floor before resting it across her shoulders. “Do you know how many people want to look like you?” she gestured toward me. “Pretty much everyone; I’m not exaggerating. Every other day they come, and every other day I set goals for them and you know what? Often they fail. You’re extremely privileged, girl,” she stood up with effort as if she’d said something profound that took a burden from her shoulders. “Please realise that.”

“You know, my friends always say that I’m lucky because I don’t need to exercise…”

“Exactly.” A perplexed ‘then why are you in my gym?’ look.

“Do you only train people to look a certain way or to reach a certain weight? Is that what being fit is all about for you? Being fit fit?” I traced the outline of my body and wiggled my hips. “Being nice to look at, yeah?”

“My students are struggling with their size.”

“That wasn’t what I asked.”

She rubbed the back of her neck and took the towel away, transferring it to one shoulder instead. “Okay…tell me, why do you think you need training?”

“Do you really think it’s your job to decide if someone needs training or not? Can you tell, just by looking, who needs exercise and who doesn’t? Even the fittest athletes continue to train and improve themselves, isn’t that right?”

“Yes, for their jobs.”

“You’re missing the point entirely.” I could have punched her but one, that would definitely destroy my chance of getting trained and two, my punches probably felt like gentle nudges. “I haven’t really exercised since P.E. lessons at school – which were about ten years ago, I’ll hasten to add – and I am extremely unfit. I think I know my own body a lot better than you.”

She bit her bottom lip and was about to retort when I put my hand in front of me.

“No. Even if I were pretty fit, fitter than you, you have no right to write me off. There is no limit to how fit someone can be, it’d be like telling me to stop eating fruits and vegetables because I’m already healthy enough. I had the courage to come down here in a tacky, old Nike tracksuit, admit that I needed some help, and you’re going to stand there and say that because I look like society’s definition of ‘perfect’ that I should go away?” The words eagerly came out before I could stop to take a breath. “Now…” I took a breath in, “I’ll ask you one more time, can I set up an appointment, please?”

She looked dumbstruck. Yes, I was going for that. “…What days can you come in?”

Ding ding ding. 

Me: 1 Personal trainer: 0