British actress Jameela Jamil has won praises on social media after putting a body-shaming stranger at the gym back in his place.
In a Twitter post last week, Jamil recalled the offensive encounter with a man during a recent visit to the gym.
When I told him I was happy with my body, he looked both surprised and slightly sorry for me. Never walk up to someone and tell them how much better they could look. Youāre not being nice, youāre shaming them for the way they currently look. Youāre also being extremely weird. pic.twitter.com/FeYBluU0vw
ā Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamil) September 12, 2018
According to Jamil, she was about to leave the gym when the man approached and asked her about her workout.
When she told him sheās been cycling to help with her anxiety, the man started preaching.
āI was just leaving the gym and a man I did not know approached me and asked me what workout I had just been doing. I told him Iāve been cycling [because] I have anxiety, thatās why I come to the gym,” Jamil said.
āHe decided to tell me without prompt that he sees me around and he always thinks, āAh, what a shame! She could look so amazing!āā
The man tried to sell Jamil ādifferent thingsā she can do to āimproveā her body.
āSo essentially, [he] walked up to me and body-shamed me in the middle of a gym.ā

Jamil, who has become an advocate of body positivity in recent months, slammed the uncalled commentary.
āDonāt do that. Donāt walk up to someone and impose your belief of what you think they should look like onto them. Donāt do that to women, donāt do that to men, donāt do it to anyone, ever.
āThis is why I think so many people who want to exercise donāt because theyāre afraid of being judged at the gym. I donāt like walking around now thinking that people [will be] looking at me and analyzing and thinking what I should and shouldnāt look like.ā

āThe Good Placeā star encouraged others to ignore such people.
āF**k those people. Donāt stop yourself from going to the gym because of these stupid people, who they themselves are clearly slightly insecure, which is why theyāre even thinking about you like that.
āIf theyāre thinking about you like that, theyāre thinking about themselves like that. F**k those people.ā

Jamil launched a campaign called āI Weighā in April to encourage womenās self-worth.
Born to an Indian father and a Pakistani mother, she has also spoken against racism, having been bullied for her color as a teenager.
To her fansā delight, Jamilās follow-up response — involving a burger — summed up everything she had said.
To the man that body shamed me in the gym yesterday… 🍔#ohwellbruv pic.twitter.com/YdJTVYkF4n
ā Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamil) September 12, 2018
People thanked Jamil for her encouragement and shared their own experiences.
Thanks for thinking about how body shaming affects larger people too. Had a guy I DO NOT KNOW come up to me on the street and tell me he was PROUD OF ME for walking. As if I lose sleep at night wondering if strangers are disappointed with my exercise habits. The gall!
ā Nikki Bailey (@NikkiBaileyCom) September 12, 2018
This is my biggest fear of going to the gym. I suffer from awful anxiety and Iām sure that if I could get the confidence to go to the gym it would help me so much but I am paralysed by fear at the thought of being judged for trying!
ā VerityJay SpeaksOut (@VJaySpeaksOut) September 12, 2018
Yes! Women too. I was pumping gas once w/ my baby in the car when a woman came up to me & told me I could have any man I wanted if I started her program. When my husband came out from the gas station just as my baby started cooing in the car, she actually got angry with me!
ā Nadine Castro (@NadineCastroPhD) September 12, 2018
As an overweight man with mental health issues that have included an eating disorder, I have, my entire life, had people(young and old) jeer at me and shout āyouāve got bigger tits than my mum/gf/wifeā. Iād like to turn around and explain that my weight gain is a symptom of…
ā Intolerant Gay Leftie (@AJwesome) September 12, 2018
I think you are amazing and beautiful. LOVE, BB 😊😘🦄
ā Brooklynn Prince (@thebrooklynnk) September 13, 2018
Jamil returns to āThe Good Placeā on Sept. 27 at Netflix.