This is a bizarre story, but apparently Carrie Underwood’s fitness trainer, Erin Oprea (a very busy working mom I would presume), got a workout in during her son’s soccer game by bringing a jumprope with her and using it as she watched. I’ve been to kids’ soccer games and this sounds like a much more productive way to pass the time than sitting around making small talk with the other parents. From what we can tell, Erin was standing off to the side and wasn’t bothering anyone – except for a douchebag dad who decided to publicly shame her by posting her picture online and claiming that she was looking for attention. Yes, a-hole she was trying to highlight what a lazy judgmental jerk you are and she succeeded.
So Carrie Underwood got word that her trainer was publicly shamed and she posted the guy’s original comments and called him out on it. Now it’s a national news story.
On Erin’s blog she gives more background on this story and explains that she tells her clients to get workouts in wherever they can. She also posted the comments from Facebook on that guy’s mean post and everyone defended her, except for that same idiot who doubled down.
I’m a single working mom and I would have almost no time to work out if I didn’t work from home. I don’t know how people who work outside the home manage, and I still have to fit workouts in at odd hours and different times of the day. Whenever I see someone out running or doing fitness outside I give them some silent encouragement because it must be hard to deal with people thinking you’re seeking attention by trying to stay healthy. When people make obnoxious comments like this they’re like crabs in a bucket trying to drag other people down with them.
I really like how Erin addressed this on her blog:
This is exactly why many people don’t embrace an active lifestyle in ordinary situations: They are worried that they will draw attention and, even worse, ridicule. Keeping yourself active and healthy in any way you can should be cheered and admired! I would love to see the day when there are more people running laps around the soccer field than there are people just sitting and watching. (Keep in mind: If you want to kick back and watch the game from the bleachers, I don’t judge.) Everyone has to find time in their busy schedules to get their workouts in.
Bravo. So many people are too scared to do exercise outside, I know I’m intimidated by it, and I like how this woman called this guy out and how Carrie stood up for her.
Look who joined me for my workout last night, Ghost! He's so sweet and healthy. Ghost has come so far. #rescuedogs pic.twitter.com/ufoghXRngf
— Erin Oprea (@ErinOprea) February 19, 2016
Yay!! I'm so glad you got it @carrieunderwood!! Check it on Amazon for a new healthy you in 2016! #fit #4x4Diet pic.twitter.com/KKO9zeBmJQ
— Erin Oprea (@ErinOprea) February 9, 2016
Because clearly, the only reason why someone would workout is to get attention from men.
On the bright side, this dude had his question answered for him.
Yes, because a person quietly off to the side jump roping and not bothering anyone screams attention, yet the helicopter parents screaming at their kids/coaches/rival teams/other parents are the wallflowers.
Exactly. From my years as a baseball mom, I can think of numerous egregiously attention-getting things parents do at games and none involve discreet exercise or fitness routines.
And what’s really rich is a lot of those middle aged dads who’d criticize this clearly don’t include fitness in their daily routines. I was actually worried about some of the baseball dads — constant screaming combined with a lack of fitness did not seem good for their health. I really expected one to keel over one day.
Women are expected to be thin and beautiful, but heaven forbid it a man sees them working for it.
EXACTLY. Everything must be effortless to be considered ‘sexy’ apparently.
I’ve done this and been pretty self conscious about it. Good for her.
We get it, d*bag. She’s out of your league.
What a productive use of her time!thats a fanastic idea (and her arm muscles are amazing!)
Arm muscles. I was just thinking the same thing. I would love for mine to be that defined and shapely.
Unfortunately, a-holes are everywhere. You just have to learn to go about your business and ignore them.
That being said, good for her. This woman is a celebrity trainer. I’m sure her schedule is jam packed with people demanding her time every day. There are only so many hours in a day and way too much to do. Good for her for multi-tasking. Odds are she could easily hire a nanny to take her kid to soccer and skip it, but she’s found a solution that lets her get in her workout and be present for her kid.
Uhhhhh… wow. This pisses me off on so many levels. I have four kids and especially when they were young, just about the only way I could get my workouts in was to do them when they were at their sports practices! I feel fortunate that no one ever gave me any grief – and as a matter of fact – I would often find that other moms would start doing it too after they saw me. I’m not sure when people got it in their heads that being a good parent means staring/shouting/encouraging/whatever at their kid for an hour and a half at soccer practice. As if living up to society’s b.s. standards isn’t hard enough as a mom and/or a woman, now this kind of moronic crap. Rant over.
I don’t typically stay around after the first or second practice with my children or grandchildren (unless I’m involved in the practice). I see too many of the players running to their parents when something goes wrong (no matter how little it is). This is one time to give your child some independence.
This guy completely deserves the lesson coming at him.
Good for you Rachel! I always walked laps around the fields or neighborhood where my stepson had practice. That way I got my workout in but was still close enough if he got injured or practice got cut short for some reason. I got a few weird looks but eventually everyone seemed to accept it. Sometimes I also used it for a slower walk while chatting with my friends on the opposite coast. You have to get you time in there somewhere!
I remember a woman complimenting me for being so “brave” because I was reading a book while my son was sitting on the bench during a practice. It was hitting practice and I would watch when it was his turn. She told me she just didn’t think she could be that brave in front of all the other moms. I still can’t believe it. I would love to have a practice someplace where I could walk while he plays.
I would be willing to bet that they guy who posted this is an overweight leech, a normal person wouldn’t feel the need to do this unless they were looking for attention for themselves. Plus he likely posted it to make himself feel better as he was prob leeching – she’s an attractive woman who takes care of herself, nothing to be ashamed of.
Social Media is one of the reason i don’t like exercising in public – anyone can take a picture and posts it on their SM accounts, usually with the intention of making you the subject of ridicule.
Good for Carrie and Erin for calling the idiot out. The naming and shaming game on Twitter works both ways you moron.
What does he mean by “wants attention”?Jeez what a bunch of immature bullies. I mean he says they were pretty much sitting there making fun of her? Crazy.
Just to nitpick on her blog title a bit- she didn’t get “bullied”. Let’s not toss around bullying for every assholish thing that happens to us. That aside, it’s great and inspiring to see someone use that otherwise idle time to get some activity in! She could be sitting on the bleachers like the rest of us, but she is using that time to her advantage! This guy is clearly a total wanker, shaming and ridiculing her for something we all could do to improve ourselves. I couldn’t imagine how I would feel being shamed like that for trying to be healthy (and it’s her job, so she’s leading by example!!)
shaming and ridiculing are bullying.
@kay Agree 100%
Agree @Kay – shaming is definitely a form of bullying.
So is name calling, and on the blog, if you look at the comments to his original post, he goes on to call her a “butter-face”. The guy is an as*hole and a bully.
@kat – Whatever the reason (i.e., “it’s her job”) Erin had for fitting in some exercise where she’d otherwise be sitting on her butt is not the point. (And, yes, she was “bullied.”) I’ve been in her shoes. Loved watching my kids improve their skills at practice and enjoyed seeing them play on numerous teams (without screaming my head off at them or the officials, because why?).
At baseball diamonds, hockey rinks and basketball courts where other parents would either sit and watch or conduct business on their phones, I would either be doing triceps dips (bleachers), wall-sits (ice rink wall), or calf raises while watching just about any of the boys’ games. Walking around the fields or facilities was a warm-up or cool-down. If/when anyone gave me a side eye I could give just about two sh*ts. “If the kids are getting their exercise then I’m getting mine,” was my thought. Ahhhh, I look back on those days with longing. Never was I in such great shape. Good for Erin!
(Having to make someone else feel bad with put-downs just shows what a low opinion this guy has of himself. I pity him.)
Good grief. I used to go to my nephew’s soccer games, and I would have totally welcomed a woman simply jumping rope. Parents screaming at each other and at the coaches and referees as if the kids were in the freaking World Cup rather than a local soccer league ruined the experience for everyone. I bet the guy who posted this is one of the screaming types.
Well, why didn’t he go and tell her she looks “ridiculous”? He did not have the guts, huh? Erin is a former Marine BTW.
Wow that is so much worse than mom’s who talk on their cell phones the whole time or parents who bring all their reading material or laptops and never look up. I use to take laps around the park, because just sitting there made me crazy.
I am a walker. I walk in my neighbourhood with my dog. When walking, as said dog is sniffing, I might stretch, shake, even execute a couple of dance moves. When I walk in the forest, I might sing, yodel even. I make a fool of myself regularly. Most of the time I get grins, giggles and thumbs up! Sometimes, I get a judgmental passerby. All I can do is send them love, because they obviously don’t have enough if they feel a need to call me out. I’m fat, trying to increase fitness and if I didn’t have a dog I’d probably be housebound. Dancing makes me happy and increases my metabolism. Better than just standing there in a daze waiting for the dog to take care of her business. Before my knees went south, I used to love jumping rope. Fun and fast. YOU GO, GIRL! I’ll be behind you, way, way, far away behind you, but I’ll be there, encouraging you every step of the way. Take care of it whilst you have it! Losing it, hurts. Best foot forward.
you sound like you’d be a fun workout partner!
“All I can do is send them love, because they obviously don’t have enough if they feel a need to call me out.”
How right you are. You’ve got a great attitude. (I love it, yodeling – how fun!)
It’s weird that it bugged him to the point that he needed to vent about it. I mean, why would it bother him that much?
With some people, it’s all about them. She was doing it in his line of sight, for goodness sakes! 🙂
Clearly, he’s in the wrong here. I would be torn between ignoring him (so he gets no attention from this) and responding the way she did.
Because he hates himself and feels guilty for not keeping up his own exercise?
No happy person talks like that.
Good lord, the guy actually called her a butterface in his follow up. If that was my husband, he’d be sleeping on the sofa for a year. If he’s divorced, I can certainly understand why.
#ByeFelipe
+1 and the part about the other guy’s wife knowing that he recognizes a woman from behind?! He really upped the ante there & showed just how big his douche flag flies.
I really hope all the moms show up and jump rope in front of this guy at the next game. That’s exactly what I would do. I will NEVER understand why people get so outraged by what other people do. This woman jumped rope and an adult man was so offended that he took pictures of it!?! He has issues.
I always think that outraged party must be bored or dissatisfied with their own choices because why else would you care that much someone is doing jump rope? And yeah, I would join in and workout if I was a mother at the game.
Regarding your comment below you should totally give jump rope a try! It’s inexpensive and really great exercise. I would do it if I wasn’t a DD.
Also, her body is incredible! Maybe I need to start jumping rope!
Completely terrible that this man thinks this woman is exercising for his and other men’s attention. Gross and misogynistic.
He’s just the worst kind of person, isn’t he? He clearly has some of his own issues and is projecting them onto her.
It’s gross of him to photograph her and share it without her knowledge or permission, and even more gross of him to assume she’s trying to get his or anyone else’s attention.
She was clearly staying off to the side and minding her own business, something this jerk should try sometime.
This guy’s obviously a complete jerk. Who s she hurting? Jumping rope, off to the side of the field, is hardly attention seeking. To be honest, I love my children and fully support their extracurriculars, but they can be mind numbingly boring to attend multiple times a week, all year long, for more than one child. Getting a workout in is a great idea. There was a Mom who used to plunk a mat down and do Pilates mat exercises, at my daughter’s group, indoor tennis lessons. That was a bit much, but I would have never considered shaming her on social media or in person for that matter. At least she wasn’t chugging wine from a travel cup, or screaming at the other parents.
Hanging out endless hours at the park with my toddler, I’ve taken to doing squats, lunges, whatever to get a little movement in. But I do always feel self-conscious. And this is exactly why: I know there’s bound to be some idiot who is giving me the judgmental side-eye.
Yeah, nice shot of her a$$. I can clearly see why you are so disturbed. Would you want some random dude taking pics of your wife without her knowledge??
I love how she reacted to it. Good for her, and she makes an excellent point about finding creative opportunities to be active.
What kind of a loser takes a picture of a random person to post on social media?
What a great role model this guy is to his kid/s!!!! Making fun of another parent on you child’s soccer team & posting on social media. Real class act buddy!
Bravo to Erin & Carrie for calling this jackass out. We live in a society where there is an epidemic of overweight people & bullying…..so let’s make fun of someone for being healthy & post for all to see. Ugh!
I honest to God had no idea someone might think I was trying to get attention when I run outside. Oh well. To hell with anyone who thinks my exercise is for anyone but me.
My young person did sports. Omg did I ever try to not go. Not that I dont love this child, but the parents were the worst and practices were boring. I always admired the one mom who said eff it, and did walkies or joggies.