About Rebecca Eckler
Rebecca Eckler has had an on-again-off-again relationship with the gym for years; she's had more personal trainers than boyfriends and more gym memberships than credit cards. Find out about the good, the bad and the ugly in her weekly blog, Locker Room Confidential.
The Female Seal of Approval
locker room confidential: compliments at the gym canada
(Feb.20.12)
Women have always loved compliments. But as It turns out, compliments are even better when they come from women. Even better than that, are compliments that come from other women at the gym.
I remember one of the nicest compliments I have ever received was a long time ago, when an acquaintance told one of my friends that she “hated me” because of my triceps. What she meant, of course, was that she was envious of my triceps. I glowed for days after that compliment and that was from someone I barely knew.
The other day I arrived early for my personal training appointment and watched as my trainer worked with a woman whose body was fantastic. She looked strong and lean and, well, I was jealous of her body. After, when it was my turn, I told my trainer that I loved his other client’s body.
“You should tell her that next time you see her. She hates her body.”
Shocker! A woman who doesn’t like her body. “Nah,” I told him. “You can tell her I said that she looks amazing next time you see her.”
I didn’t know this woman from a hole in the wall and am in fact quite shy when it comes to talking to perfect strangers. In any case, the following week my trainer told me he passed on the message to his other client and she was thrilled!
Of course she was.
Like I said, there is nothing better than hearing a compliment about your body…from another woman…at the gym. Now, because I’ve seen how happy it’s made people, I’m making more of an effort to tell other women at the gym how good they look. It’s such a small thing, but it goes a long way.
Tell me: have you ever been complimented at the gym? If so, has it been one of the best compliments you've ever received? And do you ever compliment anyone at the gym, woman to woman? Share!
Follow me @rebeccaeckler.
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