When Did Working Out Become About Losing Weight?

BEWARE this post is going to be a bit rambling, sorry. There's a lot to get out.

I'm pretty fit and workout a lot. I'm not trying to lose weight, in fact I would actually like to put on some muscle. I don't know how much I weight, I don't really care to know. I know I'm healthy, and I workout to get stronger and be fitter.

So I was kind of heart broken when I was on my run yesterday morning and when paused at a stop light and the girl next me turns and goes "You don't need to lose weight." She meant it as a compliment (I think), but I felt the urge to defend myself and tell her I was, in fact, training.

When did it become safe to assume that anyone who is working out is trying to lose weight? Maybe I just like the feeling I get from it. Maybe I just like running, okay, maybe not, but you get the point. And why do I need to defend myself?

I think it has something to do with the fact I've constantly been told I'm too skinny--- mind you I'm 5'10" and roughly 145lbs, not overly small for my frame. A big part of it has to do with where I was raised, I was a lot smaller than a lot of the girls in New Hampshire, but I was never too skinny for me. That has haunted me for a long time. I hate the being called skinny, I don't comment about my weight or that of others (at least to their face). I don't like talking about it.

I workout to get better, to feel better, to de-stress. And I believe that is why you should workout.

                                                                          (Source)

So if you ever see me at the gym or out running, no I'm not doing it because I'm unhappy with my body. No I'm not trying to lose weight, I'm trying to get stronger, to get faster, to increase my endurance.

Join me-- exercise because it's good for you, not because you "have too."

Steph