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Oh, the Projections! Dealing with Your Fitness Haters

projecting, fitness drama

Be prepared to put your confident dukes up!
Credit: StrykerImages

So you’ve decided to make your health a priority. You work out consistently. You shovel as many healthy foods down a day as you can muster. You feel good. You look good. You treat yourself good. But watch out, Ms. Good. The haters are gonna pop up faster than a zit after a chocolate binge.

Whatever do you mean, Tish?! How could someone hate on something so positive as getting your health together?! Trust me. It’s possible and happens ALL. THE. TIME.

Here’s a prime example: I went to an office farewell party last week. I hadn’t even sat down yet when a woman who I used to work with cornered me and asked if I was still “obsessed” with working out. I immediately twitched because she wasn’t flippantly using the word obsessed to describe my passion and attempts for trying to be a fitter and stronger me. She was being snarky.

The best thing about snark though is that it’s pretty easy to spot, and once you do identify it, you can then proceed to chalk it up to someone’s projection of their own perceived insecurities or issues (real or not) that have absolutely nothing at all to do with you.

Making sure you remain active and fit (I try to get in at least three workouts a week. If I can move most days of the week, I’m a rock star!) isn’t the same as working out five times in a day while starving yourself and festering in the dangerous zone of body hatred. Remember this when you’ve established a consistent workout schedule and you’re bouncing all over the place with endless energy. The meanies will comment, but you have to shake the negativity off. You have to remember that people LOVE to project, especially when it comes to health and wellness.

As for me … I laughed it off and told her I was still in love with feeling good. That shut her up pretty darn quick. The haters are gonna hate, y’all. Just remember that people love to project and keep it moving … literally!

Have you experienced this type of Negative Nancy once you’ve gotten into your fitness groove? How did you deal with the subtle (or maybe not so subtle) jibes? Help your fellow FBGs reading this out! —Tish

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