Gym size discrimination

brittnicoledav

if they were to ban overweight people somewhere people would be livid, just saying.

brittnicoledav

And what is gonna happen when the fat ppl get skinny? Are they going to kick them out?

THIS ^^

BandForAlyAnne

i see both sides to the argument. but i can say as a plus sized woman, i have not joind a gym because i fear the looks. just thinking about walking into a gym by myself gives me serious anxiety. so i understand the concept, but banning fit people is too far. i think just saying they cater to plus sized is enough.

UrbanRunner81

I work out at a planet fitness and there are PLENTY of Skinny people there...

I meant in a "shun people who have worked towards strength and fitness" kind of way, e.g., removing dumbbells heavier than 55 lbs and all barbell benches, "lunk alarm", etc.

I go to planet fitness. Never head the lunk alarm go off. dumbbells go up to 60 lbs but the barbells can go hella higher.

geojeepgirl

So...if you lose weight you get thrown out? I'm not sure I understand the concept, or rather, I'm not sure they thought this all the way through.

They're crazy to do this, once you reach your goal weight, you're let back into the wild where you'd join another gym because you no longer qualify as fat?

In a perfect world, they'd be out of business in a year.

A gym is a private club that charges a membership fee and can choose who it wants as members. I have no problem with that. I think it's a wonderful idea to have gyms that cater to specific clientele, it gives people the option to go where they feel most comfortable working out.
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I dont know if I would necessarily agree with them going out of business. I would think they would be bringing in new members all the time to offset anyone who left. (In reality we really are not talking about a shortage here .. YET!)

Im going to go with the saying... you cant please everyone everytime... I think this is an interesting concept and it will be fascinating to see the results after a couple of years.

LovingLisa2012

So...if you lose weight you get thrown out? I'm not sure I understand the concept, or rather, I'm not sure they thought this all the way through.

my thoughts exactly

auroranflash

That's a fantastic idea. A gym that lots of people belong to but no one ever uses the equipment

They'll save a ton on their insurance premium, that's fo sho

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

It doesn't make sense to me at all. Gyms are just like any other business that involves money & whatever your size is, you're still paying them a membership fee. Therefore rejecting "skinny" people will not only make them incompetent but also they'll lose money when their seemingly once fat members now become skinny. It won't do any good on their business.

MizSaz

Am I seriously the only recovering fat girl who has NEVER been verbally abused while working out?

cds2001

Don't agree with not allowing the skinny ones in. Anyone should be able to go to the gym. But, the reason I do not go to a gym anymore is because I was always the only fat one in there and got tired of the looks of disgust from others.

dragonfly__

Well that is just stupid! One motivator for me IS the super girl on the treadmill next to me.... I want to look like her so I push myself to look like her!

nymthiriel

I wish they had something like this here. I stopped going to my gym at the college because I would always get snide looks and remarks from the other girls there. It's probably due to a low maturity level of most college-goers at a private institution, but it's still disheartening to try and change your life, but hear, "Omg, that's so nasty, why is she even trying," when you're trying to do something for yourself.

EDIT: That's the reason I started running and doing everything solitary...

xlolitabandita

I looked at the gym's website, and it seems to be more of a bootcamp. You work directly with the trainers at all times and pay based on how many days you're going to attend (and it's expensive!). In that context, I can understand much better why they have restrictions. It's one thing if it's a normal gym where everything is doing their own thing; it's another if trainers are there to work with a specific group with common issues.

Thanks for clarifying! We have a gym similar to his near my house. It has group training classes for different types of people. it doesn't have equipment or anything, just boot camps. It makes sense that for a bootcamp you wouldn't want people of varying degrees of fitness in a class, and it makes sense to have beginner or advanced. It also makes sense that they would want these bootcamps to ctarer to a spcefic group of people.

AmelodyAngel

That's crazzzy! I will be first to admit that sometimes being in the gym and seeing all the "skinny" people in their little outfits causes me to give them the side eye a little bit, but no one knows their struggle or how far they have come or worked. They may be in there just trying to maintain.... who are we to discourage that. I say look the other way or use that as a form of motivation. Don't Hate, Motivate!!!

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

Don't agree with not allowing the skinny ones in. Anyone should be able to go to the gym. But, the reason I do not go to a gym anymore is because I was always the only fat one in there and got tired of the looks of disgust from others.

I'm so sorry you have to undergo that. I'd never experienced being treated like that even when I was still obese. It only means that those people aren't working out properly because if they do, they would be busy with their workouts that they shouldn't had the luxury of staring at you in disgust. But not all gyms are like that.

JulieH3art

Isn't it good for heavier people to make slimmer friends? I thought a change of environment could affect your lifestyle and eating habits.

Buttons7611

People should be their own motivation or else you are destined to fail.

mrmanmeat

It's their business. They should be allowed to cater to whomever they want.


So many people have their panties in a wad.

peles_fire

Maybe the gym needs two separate sections, like we used to have for smoking and non smoking? They could open up the fat people's gym on one side of the street and when people reached the cutoff point, they would be neatly funneled to the skinny folks gym across the street. That way, the gym could keep their business.

As a very large woman, I have to say I am not unmotivated by being around skinny/fit people. I figure we both motivate each other in opposing ways. They look at me and think "I never want to look like that" and do extra reps, and I look at them and think "I so wanna look like that" and do extra reps. Symbiotic relationship really.

As for people who make comments. F*&% em. Say whatever you want to say about me, my double chins, my flabby butt, my jiggling Buddha belly. I don't care. I am there to get healthy and screw anyone who tries to bring me down.

I liked the post that said she is there to work out and not be social. I am the fat maniac next to you, listening to my ear buds and my own inner voice and ignoring all else!

KiwiKim25

I can understand the hazy area the gym will have to deal with once members lose weight and become 'skinny', but I also understand the idea behind this in the first place.

Both friends and family (including myself) have run into the bad attitudes of insensitive people at the gym towards overweight people (granted, not the majority of people are) . For those of us with social anxiety, not only is it mortifying/humiliating, but also makes working out in public detrimental for our mentality towards ourselves and fitness.

I know plenty of people who would sign up with the idea that it would be a safe haven where you can get fit.

I hope the company finds a way to navigate the grey areas and still find a way to help those people that are obese and embarrassed of themselves and wanting to make a change, to find a safe place to exercise and make that journey to health.

plbrown81

When I first officially joined a gym I got to know a bunch of the people who went there all the time. I became good friends with the owners, along with quite a few members. It become a really supportive community that helped push me to my goals. I left because we moved, and it was really difficult to leave those people behind. I would have been devastated to be kicked out because I finally met my goals!

On the other hand, I started out at a weight many people have set as their goal weight (153 lbs) and I have never REALLY had to deal with the "wtf" looks. I'm overweight, but I've never dealt with the same sort of discrimination that people who are truly obese have to deal with. I can understand wanting a comfortable place to workout (like Curves for women). I just disagree with the mentality that skinny people should be banned as well. There are some very healthy skinny people at my gym that help inspire me to KEEP ON MOVING.

Just my 2 cents.

RilantheFirebug

I would like to submit The Oatmeal's spot on take on people at the gym (nsfw language) - http://theoatmeal.com/comics/gym

mrmanmeat

Maybe the gym needs two separate sections, like we used to have for smoking and non smoking? They could open up the fat people's gym on one side of the street and when people reached the cutoff point, they would be neatly funneled to the skinny folks gym across the street. That way, the gym could keep their business.

As a very large woman, I have to say I am not unmotivated by being around skinny/fit people. I figure we both motivate each other in opposing ways. They look at me and think "I never want to look like that" and do extra reps, and I look at them and think "I so wanna look like that" and do extra reps. Symbiotic relationship really.

As for people who make comments. F*&% em. Say whatever you want to say about me, my double chins, my flabby butt, my jiggling Buddha belly. I don't care. I am there to get healthy and screw anyone who tries to bring me down.

I liked the post that said she is there to work out and not be social. I am the fat maniac next to you, listening to my ear buds and my own inner voice and ignoring all else!

Or, maybe, they can just be as is. If that's the clientele they want to cater too - so be it.

yo_andi

I actually like having the super-fit/skinny crowd at the gym. Your bet your big ol' butt I'm going to work harder when some 105 lb sorority brat is deadlifting 30 lbs more than me.

(Use of 105 lb sorority brat is a gross generalization but my gym is across the street from Boston U, so the general clientele consists of, well, 105 lb sorority brats :laugh:)

Jadzea42

I think Gym membership cost should be based on a sliding scale. The more you weigh the higher your BMI the less you have to pay!:laugh: .Whatever it takes to get rid of the Obesity epidemic!

nymthiriel

I would like to submit The Oatmeal's spot on take on people at the gym (nsfw language) - http://theoatmeal.com/comics/gym

HAHA! This made my day.

Lula16

bump to read later

jching29

That entire article was terribly written and obviously full of bias.

That bit aside, I think my ultimate goal for that gym would be to have my membership revoked... "You're too fit and skinny to be here anymore! Get out!" "Yes ma'am! Thank you, ma'am!"

GFab

Am I seriously the only recovering fat girl who has NEVER been verbally abused while working out?

No, I have never had a problem either. And it keeps me motivated and my competitiveness comes out.......my fatness is my motivator to change, no matter who is around...skinny, fat, short, tall....it doesn't matter. I wouldn't last long at a gym like that....

Jessamine

I can see why the idea is a good one in theory, but I don't see how it will be a good business model.

I've seen/heard enough "skinny people" making nasty comments at "fat people" to see how a gym like this would be a welcome place for many. How do they enforce it without stepping on toes? How do they keep their client base when they lose their weight? How do they define "fat"? It's so subjective!