Things to Not Say to a Female Lifter

[Hannah82]

Mom - "ur quads look like hams"

At family potluck
"So I can eat all this and get skinny like you if I start lifting heavy right?"
Cue Berstare
"Only if ur burning more than you stuff ur face with"

Usually the skinny comments piss me off the most cuz I was skinny BEFORE I started lifting. I bust my ass to not be just "that skinny bish"

"Oh well u work out all the time soooo"

I also hate how all of a sudden ppl are insecure around me and assume I think I'm better than them and are defensive to anything I might say regarding pretty much anything. I had one girl I was speaking to just turn around mid convo and talk to someone else. Like wtf, I feel like going full Hannibal on ppl w/no manners. Swear to GAWD!

[superja]

Usually the skinny comments piss me off the most cuz I was skinny BEFORE I started lifting. I bust my ass to not be just "that skinny bish"

Ugh this. Yeah, there was a point in time I was skinny... 40lbs ago!

The don't lift you'll look like a man one is always great because... you're implying men that don't lift look like women? k.

Also "real women have curves" or whatever. No actually, you know what real women have? Vaginas. That is the qualifier.

[sy2502]

Also "real women have curves" or whatever. No actually, you know what real women have? Vaginas. That is the qualifier.

Not related to lifting but it drives me up the wall when anyone uses "real men" or "real women" as if it was something people have to work at, and confirm constantly. I was born a woman, I am a real woman. I could be wearing suit and tie and shave my head, I am still a real woman, nothing I do will ever change that.

[fitfinealways]

Why do you need to workout? You are already fit.

[kimm4]

Every time my husband expects me to lift something super heavy around the house and when I can't, I get "I thought you lifted". Makes me want to make him a knuckle sandwich.

That's funny!

I'm always the first person to get called when family/friends are moving. I hate moving...

I've been asked quite a few times to flex or can I feel your arms, shoulders, back, etc?...It's women though, never men...

[Artemisia510b]

Another thing that pisses me off is when fitness (esp. for women) is equated with weight loss or fat loss. You still need to eat right and exercise, even if you're bulking or maintaining, you know.

[sy2502]

Why do you need to workout? You are already fit.

Oh yeah that's another one that sets the jimmies on the path to rustling...

Also:

Why would you be watching what you eat? You are already skinny. (yeah, I'd like to stay that way)


You want to lose weight for your competition? You don't have anything to lose.

[fitfinealways]

This is not much for women at the gym anyway. Just treadmill and a bit of a cardio. Why pay for gym?

[AnnieRhi]

"You lift weights? Don't start taking drugs. And don't get too big."

I got this from both my father, and my best friend. I couldn't decide whether I was more pissed off that they even felt like they needed to say that, or that they were implying that everyone who likes weights must be either considering or already on enhancers.

[courtzbv]

Why do you need to workout? You are already fit.

Yes! I hate when I'm at gym and a guy will come up to me "Why are you here? You're already fit."

Yeah because if I stop going I'll stay fit. Morons.

[sy2502]

Oh, I have got a new one fresh out of the oven. This is from my boss's boss: "Have you had any hormonal changes since you started lifting?"

Uh... you mean have I started peeing standing up boss?

[SkinCoffin]

"You lift weights? Don't start taking drugs. And don't get too big."

I got this from both my father, and my best friend. I couldn't decide whether I was more pissed off that they even felt like they needed to say that, or that they were implying that everyone who likes weights must be either considering or already on enhancers.

I got this from my father too. I like to think he's just pissed that his daughter lifts heavier than him haha.

[sahipps]

Oh, I have got a new one fresh out of the oven. This is from my boss's boss: "Have you had any hormonal changes since you started lifting?"

Uh... you mean have I started peeing standing up boss?

Wow, inappropriate much?! So I was looking at the comments section of this post on the site, and this guy went off saying that this list and the pictures that went with it perpetuated unrealistic expectations for female lifters. That this list was actually allowing women to think they COULD get "too big" and that women who receive this the most are just those that do it with ster**ds. I wanted to punch him through the screen. Normal women get this crap everyday!

[shesprints]

I think the reason people make some of these comments is that they want to give themselves an excuse for not working out by dissing the exercise/those who do it.

For instance: "Oh, you shouldn't run/squat; it's bad for your knees."
Translation: "I'm too lazy to run/squat and my knees are my excuse. How dare you remind me of my deficiencies."

By the way, though, I readily admit that running is pretty rough on the body, at least when performed at a competitive level. But it's not bad for your knees and neither is squatting.

[lizdaly]

I actually have had almost no problems, despite being in a country infamous for machismo and being the only female that lifts in my gym. The guys at my gym are a bit surprised at first, but then friendly and very helpful. But today I did have a run-in with machismo at the gym. I was so proud of myself because I completed two sets of two reps of dead-hang chinups (a record for me). On the third set, I could only do one rep without cheating. The guy I was sharing the bar with told me the reason I was "too weak to do chinups" was that I needed to eat more, and proceeded to tell me all about healthy nutrition (aka: lots of red meat in Argentina). I'm bulking and eat as much as I want.... and hit my protein requirements without eating red meat. But my Spanish is too terrible to reply intelligently. Womp womp.

(PS, to avoid any silly comments: I don't eat red meat because I don't like it. Not because of any health/moral/whatever beliefs.)

[Kcabo]

Thanks for the aware thread

[MsChievous]

"Women aren't meant to have muscles, it's bad for them." Seriously my mother (whom I dearly love but…) said this.

I have flu and two people have already said it is because of my "diet and training." Really? Despite the fact that it's doing the rounds at the moment and two other members of my family are ill? Maybe this training business is catching.

[sahipps]

"Women aren't meant to have muscles, it's bad for them." Seriously my mother (whom I dearly love but…) said this.

I have flu and two people have already said it is because of my "diet and training." Really? Despite the fact that it's doing the rounds at the moment and two other members of my family are ill? Maybe this training business is catching.

I swear, Mom's might be the worst! My mom wouldn't stop telling me how big I was getting until she came to see me then she was like, "Oh sarah, you're not eating enough!" haha

[nycag04]

Just mentioned to someone that I'm going to NPC Eastern USA tomorrow (just watching - so excited!). This conversation followed:

her: oh you're into that?
me: love it
her: i know some people who like that stuff. do you want to compete some day?
me: maybe some day...i'm so not there yet, though.
her: i think i'd have to "bulk" (she definitely would (as most people would), she is tiny). i tried lifting in college for a couple months, but i got too big for my clothes because i build muscle SO easily. aren't you afraid you'll get stretch marks?

so. typical. i really like this girl, but it's like...ok, i'm gonna go back to the internet now. lol.

[bizarrosaurus]

My family is afraid I will snap my back and thinks I'm progressing too fast (I tried to explain the concept of newbie gains to them but it doesn't stick -besides I'm taking it relatively slow).
My brother thinks "protein shakes" is code for steroids. (semi srs)

My female friends don't really care and my male friends are super supportive (they started greeting me by yelling my name and flexing their biceps).

[Meraviglia2]

So I recently wrote an article for Spotmegirl.com about the 10 Things Not to Say to a Female Lifter. Here's the site: spotmegirl.com

The 10 were:
Don't get to big
You look like a man
All you do is talk about lifting
You're only in fit cause you work out all the time
I don't lift because I don't want to get huge
Can you tell me how to get rid of this
Won't you miss your boobs
Don't you want a life?
Can I feel your muscles
Do you take steriods

What other things should a person never say to a female lifter? Also, if you have something you'd like to see on the site, lmk. We do features on our FB page as well.

YOU LOOK LIKE A MAN!! Lol that one was great, I can't even imagine one so stupid to say such a thing!

[AutumnHB]

YOU LOOK LIKE A MAN!! Lol that one was great, I can't even imagine one so stupid to say such a thing!

or, "aren't you afraid you'll look like a man?"
I get that one from my aunt and grandma a lot. my grandma says she "stayed skinny by lifting all the heavy pots in the kitchen."

[Cardioconvert]

If you lift too heavy you'll damage your uterus.



Seriously heard that, you can't make chit like this up.

HAHAHA

Well, when I was in grade school, we girls weren't allowed to triple jump (aka "hop, skip, jump) because our uteruses might fall out. Pesky things just falling out like that

[nycag04]

Well, when I was in grade school, we girls weren't allowed to triple jump (aka "hop, skip, jump) because our uteruses might fall out. Pesky things just falling out like that

This is hilarious.

[thepowerwithin]

Not that I talk about creatine, but I once was caught by a friend in the act of mixing it in my little shaker thingy and she asked what it was. I answered creatine. Chick freaked out on me, thinking I was taking roids.

I didn't even....

[sy2502]

Not that I talk about creatine, but I once was caught by a friend in the act of mixing it in my little shaker thingy and she asked what it was. I answered creatine. Chick freaked out on me, thinking I was taking roids.

I didn't even....

OMG that reminds me... I have a giant tub of creatine at home so to avoid carrying that brick around I put some in a ziploc baggy that I put in my gym bag. I always feel a little funny producing a baggy of white powder in public...

[gobbles23]

OMG that reminds me... I have a giant tub of creatine at home so to avoid carrying that brick around I put some in a ziploc baggy that I put in my gym bag. I always feel a little funny producing a baggy of white powder in public...

lol! Me too, and I keep it in my purse with a 1/2 teaspoon thrown in the baggy as well....I don't even mix it, I just throw half a tsp in my mouth and follow up with water...at work...when no one's looking...

[sy2502]

lol! Me too, and I keep it in my purse with a 1/2 teaspoon thrown in the baggy as well....I don't even mix it, I just throw half a tsp in my mouth and follow up with water...at work...when no one's looking...

Bullchit! I know you lay it down in 2 lines and then snort it with a $100 bill!

Feel the creatine working!!!

[thepowerwithin]

Guilty of the little white baggie of unknown white substance in the good ole purse

Geez. Don't people know what vanilla protein powder looks like

Dang.

[sahipps]

HAHAHA

Well, when I was in grade school, we girls weren't allowed to triple jump (aka "hop, skip, jump) because our uteruses might fall out. Pesky things just falling out like that

THIS just made me lol haha a pesky things haha

Yeah when girls say they built muscle just too easily and quickly, I just stare at them. Then I remember how to be polite and just say, "ah, yes I see."