The worst question ever...

If you are a woman and struggle with being overweight, you probably already know the question mentioned above.

Here's how it went down.

My favorite Cardio class at the Y is filled with woman of all ages and all fitness levels. The drill sergeant, Roseann, is known for badgering the students and insisting they jump higher, go lower, move faster, etc... She is my hero. In fact, she may be the only person I have ever wished I was. She is over 55 and sucks the marrow out of life like a crazy woman. She makes me push myself to a level of discomfort that no one in their right mind would choose to endure.

After a painfully delightful hour and a half of Roseann I was feeling like a champ. Smelly, soaked, and sore. One of my class mates approached me, commenting on the particular intensity of the day's class and how it appeared that I was "working really hard."

"Are you pregnant?" she inquired, as if she was asking where I was grabbing lunch.

The walls started to close in, my ears started ringing, my heart racing. My secret was out: I am fat. Overweight is more pc, but when strangers are mistaking you for having a bun in the oven, let's just call a spade a spade.

With a huge smile on my face, I responded politely, "not yet, but I intend to go that route again. Unfortunately, I carry my weight in my middle section and people often assume I am(great with child)."

She sunk into herself and I felt so bad for her. I was doing my best to cackle my way out of the awkward situation. I tried to assure her that I was not at all offended and in truth, I wasn't. I just didn't want her to be embarrassed. I knew she was kicking herself for even going there, no matter how much I tried to put her mind at ease. All she did was identify unwelcomed excess weight as something positive. There are worse things.

In the middle of aerobics today, she approached me (mid jump) and told me she has felt sick to her stomach since it happened. I told her not to give it another thought. I haven't missed a day at the gym since and I have her to thank.