An Open Letter To The Unhealthy Woman At The Gym

You are a distraction. 

I decided I would walk to the gym today. I walked 1.8 miles from my apartment to the gym. I was going to then do my incredibly intense workout, only to walk the 1.8 miles back home. So I did. I got to the gym already feeling accomplished of a task I hadn't even completed yet. I was feeling determined to push myself even harder tonight than I did on Tuesday doing this workout. I walked in, swiped my little UPC barcode from my phone, weighed myself before putting my stuff in a cubby and asked for a 10 pound medicine ball. 

At first I didn't see you. I was in my own zone, motivated by the energy of my walk there. And then, as I was setting up the little station for myself, I saw you. And then I watched you for a while. Physically, you were visibly unhealthy. You were not only extremely overweight, but I could see the strain your weight was having on your legs and your ankles. You were with your trainer doing some side step-ups. Step-ups are in my workout. However, the step you were using only came up to your ankle, while mine either comes mid-calf or to my knee. And you were struggling. It was hard for you. That was the last exercise of your workout. Your trainer told you that you had done a great job, and you followed him out. I started looking around the gym and saw more of you. There was another overweight woman on the bike, and another one doing some weight machines. There was an unhealthy man walking too. This isn't gender exclusive. 

Then I realized...I used to be you. People couldn't necessarily see the strain of my weight in my legs and ankles, and I could most definitely do leg lifts higher than my ankles. But if I had continued with my unhealthy habits, by the time I was your age, I could have easily become that person. I want to applaud you. I want to encourage you. I want to motivate you to keep going. 

You are stronger than you know. You have begun an amazing journey to be healthier, one that will change your life forever. There will be days that you want to give up. There are days that I want to give up. There are days that I start my workout and desire to give up because I just don't want to do it. Keep going. Keep pushing yourself. Don't let yourself get discouraged by the voice in your head telling you that you can't. It's just simply not true. Rest if and when you need to. But whatever you do, don't give up. It will be worth it. 

Set realistic and attainable goals. Set goals that you are able to accomplish in the next month. Set progress goals and keep track (I'm preaching to the choir here because I'm literally the worst at tracking progress). Set non-scale goals - ones that make you feel better, stronger and healthier. But also, set goals that seem impossible. Dream big. Audrey Hepburn said "Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, "I'm possible." YOU. CAN. DO. IT. Again, don't listen to the voice telling you that you can't. Fitness is not only physical, but mental. Your body won't go where your mind doesn't push it. Don't give up. It will be worth it. 

 Don't get discouraged. Don't feel intimidated or self-conscious about what you are struggling to do right now. It's ok. Don't be discouraged when you look around and see the lady hanging upside down in the middle of the TRX (that legit happened tonight). Don't be discouraged when you see the navy seal of a man doing a million push-ups. When you see all the people standing around gossiping, don't think that it's about you, even if they give you dirty looks - they are self-absorbed and most likely don't even know they are giving you dirty looks as they gossip about their friends. In those moments, smile at them, wave, and push yourself even harder. But don't give up. It will be worth it. 

Know that I think you are amazing. You have amazing strength to reach out and change your health. We have wonderful trainers at our gym. Great job for using them. I have seen your trainer with other clients and he does a great job. I can't wait to watch you get healthier and stronger. I can't wait to meet you at the gym again, to see you reach your realistic and attainable goals. I can't wait to watch you do the things that you believe are impossible for you. Come back often. And don't give up. It will be worth it. 

I want to leave you with some truth. You are faithfully known and cherished by the same God that knows and cherishes me. You are beautiful now, and no matter what goals you do or don't accomplish, nothing is going to change that. As we look to Good Friday tomorrow, I couldn't help but see Jesus in you. I don't know if you love Him or not, but I do know that He loves you. A whole lot. In fact, tomorrow we recognize His death on the cross, and on Sunday we get to CELEBRATE the fact that He is Risen and alive. Hebrews 12:1-2 gives us the picture of our faith as a race.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Just like our health, our faith has a course to complete and a race to run. We are commanded to run the race of faith with endurance. We are commanded to keep pushing, no matter how hard it gets, no matter what gets in our way, no matter how we feel about life that day, we have to keep pushing. Why? Because Jesus. Jesus endured (there's that word again) the cross, and is now sitting at the right hand of God. He is who we are to look to for everything because He is the author and finisher of our faith. He came to endure the cross, the shame and the weight of our sin with joy because He had the Father with Him. It was worth it. 

So, my friend, run your race of health with endurance. Don't give up. Even more than your race of health, run your race of faith with endurance. Don't give up. It's hard. But I can promise you, it will be worth it.