Rachel's Injury (Part 4) (Patreon)

Rachel walked into the gym with a mix of nervousness and determination. It had been two weeks since her doctor's visit, and she had finally gathered the courage to step back into her old lifestyle. She had come up with countless excuses to delay her return. She needed new gym clothes, and when those came in the mail she was too tired, or had a headache. And of course, there was no point starting her diet before she was back at the gym. Today, however, she had no more excuses left.

As Rachel approached the reception desk, her former colleague, Stacey, was fully engrossed in a lively phone conversation, her attention focused on the person on the other end. Rachel cleared her throat, trying to grab Stacey's attention.

"Excuse me, Stacey?" Rachel spoke up, her voice slightly shaky.

Stacey, briefly glancing up, initially assumed Rachel was just another new member.

"One moment, please. I'll be right with you." She said.

Rachel patiently waited, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, feeling a mix of nervousness and anticipation. Finally, Stacey ended her phone call and turned her attention to Rachel.

"Alright, how can I help you today? Are you looking to sign up for a new membership?" Stacey asked, finishing her phone conversation.

Rachel's heart sank for a moment, but she mustered up the courage to correct Stacey.

"Actually, it's me, Rachel," she said, her voice betraying a hint of vulnerability.

Stacey's voice filled with genuine surprise. "Oh! Rachel, it's you! I... I didn't recognize you. How is your leg?"

Rachel felt a pang of embarrassment as she noticed Stacey's gaze fixated on her bloated midsection. She knew her physical transformation was hard to ignore.

"My leg is better now, thank you. It's been a long recovery."

"Of course, I'm glad to hear that. Welcome back! Let me check you in."

Rachel proceeded with the check-in process, feeling a mix of self-consciousness and determination. She was aware of Stacey's lingering gaze, unable to hide her surprise at Rachel's changed appearance.

As she walked away, Stacey couldn’t help but stare at her inflated rear, and tree trunk thighs. “I can’t believe she let herself go like that” Stacey thought to herself. “She’s huge! She looks like one of her old clients…”.

As she made her way towards the exercise area, Rachel caught glimpses of her reflection in the gym mirrors. The sight of her plump figure emphasized by the tight-fitting gym clothes brought a surge of self-consciousness. But instead of letting it discourage her, she used it as motivation to push forward.

Rachel stepped into the empty gym, her heart pounding with a mix of determination and anxiety. The empty space amplified her self-consciousness, as if the walls themselves were judging her.

Deciding to start with sit-ups, Rachel positioned herself on the mat, trying to recall the technique she had once mastered effortlessly. With a deep breath, she attempted her first sit-up, but her weakened abdominal muscles protested. She barely managed to lift her upper body a few inches off the ground before collapsing back down.

Frustration surged through Rachel's veins, and she couldn't help but cast a glance around the deserted gym, hoping no one would witness her struggle. She wiped the sweat from her brow, a mixture of exertion and embarrassment. She felt like a mere shadow of her former self, and it gnawed at her.

Ignoring the burning ache in her muscles, Rachel pushed herself to try again. With each attempt, her body trembled, and beads of sweat formed rivulets down her flushed face. She couldn't believe how quickly her fitness had deteriorated during her time away.

Her mind raced with negative thoughts, berating herself for letting her body reach this state. How had she let herself slip so far? She wished she had never let laziness and indulgence take hold of her. But in that moment, all she could do was confront the harsh reality of her diminished fitness, one failed sit-up at a time.

Rachel's gym clothes clung to her sweat-drenched body, adding to her discomfort. She could feel her breath coming in ragged gasps, her lungs struggling to keep up with the demands she was placing on them.

The gym's emptiness offered no solace, no comforting words of encouragement. It only amplified Rachel's frustration and embarrassment.

“At least no one's here to see me embarrass myself” She thought.

Feeling defeated by the struggle of the sit-ups, Rachel moved on to the nearby treadmill, hoping for a small victory to lift her spirits. She set the speed to its lowest setting, just a gentle walk. As her feet made contact with the moving belt, she couldn't help but notice the increased friction and the uncomfortable sensation of her fattened thighs rubbing against each other.

Every step she took caused her thighs to jiggle and her belly to bounce. It was a stark reminder of how her body had changed, how the excess weight had altered her once-toned physique. The mirror in front of her reflected a body she hardly recognized, a body that felt foreign and burdensome.

With each passing minute, the treadmill's monotonous rhythm matched the beat of her racing heart. Four minutes in, and Rachel was already gasping for breath. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, mingling with a mixture of frustration and nostalgia. She remembered a time when she effortlessly ran on the treadmill for thirty minutes or more, followed by a full weights workout. Those memories felt like distant echoes, mocking her current state.

Unable to catch her breath and feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over her, Rachel made the difficult decision to stop the treadmill. She stepped off, her legs feeling wobbly and weak. Her body slumped onto a nearby bench, and she sat there, panting heavily, her chest rising and falling with each breath.

As she sat there, a flood of memories and emotions overwhelmed her. She recalled the days when the gym was her sanctuary, a place where she felt strong, capable, and in control. She remembered the exhilaration of pushing herself to new limits, the satisfaction of feeling her muscles burn after an intense workout.

But now, as she looked around the gym, those memories seemed distant, almost unreachable.

Gathering her determination, Rachel approached the rack of dumbbells and selected a pair of 6 kg weights. Less than half of what the old her would have used. Positioning herself with the weights in hand, she began the shoulder raises, lifting the dumbbells upward, focusing on form and control.

For the first few repetitions, she managed to lift the weights with some effort, feeling a glimmer of hope. But as she reached the ninth repetition, a wave of fatigue washed over her, causing her arms to tremble uncontrollably. She strained and pushed, desperate to complete just one more lift, but her muscles betrayed her, turning into jelly.

Feeling utterly exhausted and disheartened, Rachel made the difficult decision to call it a day at the gym. The realization of her diminished fitness and the frustration of her failed attempts weighed heavily on her. She couldn't help but feel defeated as she packed up her gym bag and headed towards the exit.

As Rachel wearily made her way towards the exit, her ears caught snippets of a conversation at the reception desk. Stacey was once again engaged on her phone, and Rachel couldn’t help but overhear her conversation.

"Oh my god, you won't believe who came back to the gym today. Remember how Rachel injured her foot? Well, she’s back, let me tell you, she's gained a ton of weight. I didn’t even recognise her at first, she’s huge."

As Rachel walked past the reception desk, Stacey's voice trailed off abruptly, caught off guard by Rachel's presence. Stacey's eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and awkwardness spreading across her face.

"Uh... Rachel, I… How was your workout?” She stammered.

Rachel ignored her, walking past without a word. She tried to hide her exhaustion, but in her hurry dropped her towel. As she bent over to retrieve it, a loud ripping sound echoed through the room. Her heart sank as she realized the sound had come from her pants. She froze in disbelief, feeling the fabric give way under the strain of her movement.

Stacey, unable to hide her amusement, stifled a giggle behind her hand. Rachel's face turned scarlet with humiliation, and her eyes welled up with tears. She quickly straightened herself, holding back the urge to burst into tears.

As Rachel hurried out of the gym, she could hear Stacey's laughter echoing behind her. It felt like a punch to the gut, further eroding her already fragile self-esteem. The tears she had fought so hard to hold back finally escaped, streaming down her face as she made her way to the exit.