Gym Employee Confronts Lady About The Way She Smells While Working Out
"How is one supposed to spend two hours at the gym and not be stinky?"
4 PM production / Shutterstock A frequent gym goer was dumbfounded after an employee informed her that other members had complained about her.
Perhaps what was even more baffling were the specific complaints people had been reporting to the managers.
Gymgoers had allegedly complained to managers about the woman’s smell while she was working out.
The woman, a member of Planet Fitness, shared her most recent experience at the gym which was later uploaded to TikTok.
According to the woman, as she was leaving the gym, she was approached by a male employee. He pulled her aside and told her that other gymgoers had been complaining about her recently, specifically about the way she smelled.
“He was like, ‘Oh you know, several members have complained to managers about the way you smell,’” the woman confessed.
She was left astounded by the employee’s reports. “I’m at the gym,” she said, noting that it is a normal place for one to sweat excessively, especially if they are pushing their bodies to the limit while exercising.
The employee claimed that he understood the woman’s reaction, and told her that the gym managers had received numerous complaints from people about her scent and had sent him to deliver the news to her. However, the woman was confused as to what exactly her fellow gymgoers expected her to do.
“Am I supposed to not be stinky at the gym?” she said, adding that she believed that Planet Fitness was supposed to be a “judgment-free” zone. “I’m very confused as to how one is supposed to spend two hours at the gym and not be stinky.”
Some people agreed with the woman that her smell should not be a concern for others while working out.
“If I’m not mistaken, isn’t Planet Fitness a no-judgment zone?” TikTok user @itsalways_something_ pointed out in a video response to the woman. She included a screenshot of a Planet Fitness membership promotion that read: “Live from the no judgment zone: mapping the sonic ecologies of southeastern Wisconsin’s Planet Fitness locations.”
In many of their advertisements, Planet Fitness promotes themselves as “The Judgement Free Zone.” It is certainly not a place where one would expect to be confronted about their sweat smell.
However, other people argued that if multiple people complained about the woman’s scent, it was likely due to poor hygiene and not just the result of sweat.
So, while Planet Fitness might be a "Judgment Free Zone," that doesn't mean that they can simply ignore the comfort of other members if they have legitimate complaints. Other TikTok users were quick to point this fact out and even went so far as to blame the woman for the situation she found herself in.
“Sweat does not equal stinky or funky,” one TikTok user commented.
“You don’t get approached by management about smelling sweaty at the gym. This had to be a next-level epic funk,” another user wrote.
While working out, there are reasons beyond sweat that can cause one to have an unpleasant odor.
"Odor comes as a result of the combination of sweat, sebum, extended time between cleansing, and the interaction of bacteria, yeast, and protein on the skin," Francesca Fusco, M.D., of Wexler Dermatology told Shape.
Bacteria can also live on gym equipment, especially if it is not properly sanitized, and can worsen the overall smell of the person working out and the gym itself.
Photo: RAW PIXELS Ⓜ︎ / Canva Pro
Most important, however, is to arrive before a sweat session clean, and that includes wearing fresh workout gear, so the likelihood of increased body odor is greatly reduced.
Thankfully, there are solutions one could take before a workout to reduce body odor.
Using soap in the shower, applying deodorant, and even staying hydrated can improve one’s scent significantly.
Still, if you are in the middle of an intense workout and notice the smell of your own sweat, do not let it deter you from achieving your fitness goals! You are pushing your body to its limits, and it is normal to shed a few beads of perspiration while doing so.
Bring a sweat rag with you to the gym and continue working hard!
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.