The gym.

Love it or hate it, the majority of us go (or at least make the ambitious attempt to).

Going to the gym, or just working out in general, is good for everyone, regardless of body type. I'm no doctor, but we all know that exercise releases endorphins that contribute to feeling good.

Though we all have different perspectives on the gym and actually going, perhaps one hindrance to our gym efforts is a common gym fear: being judged.

We worry about what others think of us as we conduct our workouts in the gym, and we worry about what others think about our physical appearance. And out of our fear of judgment, we too turn around and judge others.

We judge the larger individuals who are there working out – the same ones who, when we see them out in public, make us think to ourselves that those are the ones who should be there.

We judge the thin ones and joke that they should be somewhere eating a burger instead.

We judge those who aren't gym frequenters and laugh at their lack of ability to lift any more than 10 pounds on the shoulder press machine.

We judge the "big bodies" and gym rats for being "too muscular" and lifting the heaviest of the heavy weights.

On the opposite end of the large or "big bodied" spectrum, I am a quite thin individual who often gets made fun of for having "noodle arms." In an attempt to build up these "noodle arms" that I am often criticized for, I go to the gym to work on them. While there, I get questioning looks and have even gotten rude comments in regards to my lack of strength and muscle.

Why yes, I'm aware of my weak arms, and that's why I'm here. So you criticize me for having them, and you criticize me for working on them…what is my other option?

50% of the people we judge at the gym are the ones who we see in public and think that they should be making improvements on their body and going to the gym, and the other 50% we judge are the ones who are the way they are because they go to the gym.

So no matter how we judge someone, it's a constant losing battle.

Different people go to the gym to obtain different goals: some seek weight loss, some seek muscle gain, and some simply go because working out makes them feel good. While goals vary from person to person, one thing does remain constant among all gym-goers: their goal is not to impress you. Consistently, your goal of going to the gym is not to impress or satisfy others (or at least it shouldn't be).

The gym is a place to improve yourself, and for others to improve themselves according to their goals.

So stop the gym judgment: you don't know what the person on the treadmill next to you is looking to achieve.