comfortable

[forgotten_aria]

I'm part of a FB community that is supportive of people of every body type to exercise without the idea that they are doing that exercise to lose weight. Reading it makes me think about my own struggles with some of the issues people people in the group are struggling with and I just wanted to write those down.

First, I am so lucky to have found a Taekwondo dojang where I feel comfortable to attend. Most of the people in the group talk about how hard it is to just show up at the place where they exercise because they feel like they will be judged. I sometimes feel like that when a new student shows up, but with the existing students, I know that they know I'm going to work hard. Sometimes there are things I can't do very well (or at all because of my knees) and now I can take that in stride because I know my TKD school just wants everyone to be the best person they can be and will support that. This is not a competition.

Second, I think one of the worst things about being fat shamed growing up is made me feel like I couldn't do athletic things UNTIL I lost weight. That sports and other physical activities were only for thin people. I wish I could tell my younger self that it wasn't true. That not to say I didn't do physical things growing up (diving and soccer) but I think it was always in the back of my head that I could never be *good* at my weight so it wasn't worth trying.

Anyway, I'm super pleased this community exists. It's really amazing to watch people support each other from where ever they are to becoming more active. The group has people who run marathons to people who are trying to just walk down the block. There is good on the Internet.

Comments

[kelkyag]

<warm fuzzies>

[coraline]

I'm so glad -- that's totally what your internet should be for.