Woman struggling with body image gets interrupted mid-workout by a stranger — and it stayed with her all day

Zahra Mourtada, known on Instagram as @alivewithzahra, wasn’t expecting a moment of affirmation when she walked into the gym that day. As a fitness coach and content creator, she’s used to being seen, but not always kindly. That morning, she was in the middle of what she called a tough "body image day." Then an older woman walked up to her, struck up a conversation, and what started as a casual exchange quickly turned into something Mourtada would never forget.

The woman looked at her and asked if she was training to be a firefighter. Zahra was caught off guard by the question until the woman gestured toward the ropes Zahra was working with and told her that it was "so cool." "Then [she] complimented saying I look amazing," Mourtada shared in the on-screen text. The woman asked if Mourtada was a trainer, and when she nodded, she stood stunned and amused. She also told her about a moment she'd recently shared. "She told me how she and her friends were at a park the other day, and were trying to do dead hangs," Mourtada wrote.

The woman admitted she had only lasted half a second, but she wanted to reach three seconds. Zahra laughed and encouraged her. "I told her I’ll help her get to 10 seconds," she said, showing her where in the gym she could practice. As she prepared to leave, the woman turned back for one final remark. "She told me to take care of THAT body," Zahra wrote. She was visibly moved, adding, "She made my day." In her caption, Zahra opened up about why the moment meant so much. "Just like you, I’m human. I have my struggles, insecurities, and moments of doubt. The only difference is I have a large following, which brings both incredible support and relentless scrutiny," she wrote.

She explained how being a fitness creator who doesn’t filter herself comes with criticism. Most of the time, she said, she blocks the troll or laughs it off, but some days, it hits harder than others. "This past week was tough, and I had to remind myself that these skewed opinions mean nothing," she said. Just like Mourtada, many adult women constantly deal with body image issues, and these struggles often go unspoken and under-researched. A review published in the journal Women & Therapy highlights that while most body image studies focus on teens and young adults, adult women face a unique set of pressures, like aging, weight gain, and shifts in body shape.

That's why the woman's words hit home for her. "Her kindness hit me deeply. She saw me — the real me — not for some idealized standard but for my strength and presence. It reminded me of why I’m here: to help change the narrative about what fitness looks like," she said. She ended with a message for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t belong in the gym, or anywhere else. "Your body, your story, and your value aren’t up for debate. Strength is more than aesthetics, and you are already powerful."

People were moved by this beautiful interaction and shared their reactions in the comments. @lisaladida wrote, "I don't want men complimenting me. I want an elderly lady to compliment me." @carmelaaaaaaaaaaa added, "She’s so proud of you and doesn’t even know you, it’s so cute." @shannablue commented, "Her body is my GOAL! Imma get started after Girl Scout cookie season." 

You can follow Zahra Mourtada (@alivewithzahra) on Instagram for more fitness content.