Gym size discrimination
Replies
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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....
I have never been either. And I have never noticed disparaging looks from people either. Or maybe I just don't notice, because, well I'm working out and stuff.0 -
Honestly, if looking at other people's bodies makes you feel bad about yourself, you're already half losing. Your internal thoughts are YOUR responsibility, no one else's. You choose to either ignore everyone and focus on yourself, or use those other people for motivation and inspiration.
They certainly have a right to create/attend this gym, but I'm not really sure it will do ANYONE any good in the long run...0 -
Exactly. That's sometimes how people fail, looking to other people and trying to determine how to/not to be. I don't go to the gym because I get bored, not because I hate seeing women thinner than me. I'm currently participating in a company-sponsored bootcamp program and love going three times a week -- the variety is great, the classes are not too crowded; and everyone there could care less what the next person looks like. I also just purchased UFC trainer for my Wii and going to get into that.. Everyone has to find their own motivation to get on the road to physical and mental health; if it's a gym that caters to larger people, so be it.
Support comes in all forms
AA caters to Alcoholics
NA drug abusers
Half-way houses to some who are trying to get back on their feet
Overeaters Anonymous to..overeaters
People have to understand that there is a market for just about everything; some will fail and some will boom. If it pisses everyone off so much, open/join a gym that you feel caters best to you.0 -
I think it's ridiculous for a gym to ban skinny people and only allow overweight people. I know I'm overweight. I don't need my gym to constantly remind me that I'm fat. I think that would bring morale down way more than allowing skinny people to workout there as well. And another thing, I use the skinny people as help towards my goal. I'll ask people what exersizes they do to stay fit, how to use certain machines, what they eat...anything that might be helpful to me on my journey. I already know how the overweight people got there, I don't need their help.0
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You would think skinny/fit women would motivate them. I know when I'm working out and I see a hot and fit woman working out too, I push that much harder because I want to BE that woman.
Also, I have NEVER seen a skinny/fit woman make a nasty comment to a bigger woman in a gym.0 -
Maybe it's just me, but my morale would suffer if every single person in my gym was obese. If every person huffing and puffing on the machines was huge, eventually I would lose the mental connection working out to lose weight. I'd stop believing working out helped anyone. Who would I look at and think to myself, "If I work out as hard as that guy over there, eventually I can be as ripped as he is"?
This was my thought process 100%! If someone's a turd, they should be asked to leave (regardless of size), but otherwise, I look at people and say "that person has the legs I want, or the abs, or whatever," and it encourages me to work harder. Also, and I've been guilty of this myself, people need to quit being so intimidated by the very fit folks. Most of them are quite nice and willing to part with some helpful tips/techniques. You never know, they might have been where you are when they first started.0 -
The gym by our home is nuts.
The owners are hugely obese as are most of the workers and half the trainers.
I just don't get it. Whatever....:huh:0 -
Hahaha, this is hilarious to me! One thing we must do is admit that its not the gyms that keep plus sized woman or people in general out of them, its our self image, lack of confidence that keep us feeling uncomfortable in 'skinny' people gyms. LOL Its just easier to point the finger at someone else rather than self.
Now that being said is this new gym discriminating I would say no as long as the advtersie appropriately they will get what they want. No different than curves who is exclusinve to woman and no men allowed right. Whats the difference really. I would be more concernded with this gyms plan for the women after they drop weight even more are they encouraging them to drop the weight or happy as long as they stay over weight. There are so many other more important rationale to consider other than should the skinny people who cant come to the gym be upset, im sure they could careless!0 -
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....
I have never been either. And I have never noticed disparaging looks from people either. Or maybe I just don't notice, because, well I'm working out and stuff.
THESE!
Planet Fitness junkie here. Everyone to the super skinny to the supper big works out at the PF I go to. Although I'm busy working out and have the personality that I don't give a BLEEP what people say/think about me... nothing has been said to me, nor have I been given the evil eye. The skinny girls make me work harder, the bigger girls make me realize how far I've come as I cheer them on
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Interesting discussion....
The way I see it, if this is pushing more "larger" people to get active and get to the gym then I fully support it, assuming the right supports are in place for their specific client base. I would hope that as part of that gym's service to their client, they will employ staff who have experience in helping these types of people with weight loss programmes and fitness regimens. This would make sense to then "ban" the "skinny" people, because the staff are experts in obsesity and diet and fitness for the largley overweight what help could they be to the "skinny" person wishing to lift heavier or run futher?
Boxing gyms are specifically designed around training a boxer, weight lifting gyms are designed around the weight lifters. This isn't discriminatory, these places are filling a training need (and a profitable gap in the market)
HOWEVER...
If this gym is basically just a gym, with regular gym staff and regular gym classes, then it does toe the line into discrimination.0 -
The company can do whatever it wants, this just seems foolish.0
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shouldn't it just be a weight loss clinic then? I don't understand what would happen after they lose the weight0
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On a long enough timeline, anyone that goes to gym will become "a skinny person"0
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Weight discrimination of any kind is wrong...
I thought that the purpose of working out is to help us life a more healthy life...
I have to admit that I have been on both ends of the weight spectrum... 11 months ago, I weighed 393 lbs... This morning I weighed in at 186.2 lbs... I lost the weight in order to live longer -- not to get accepted by the messed up thing called American culture...0 -
I have to admit, before I joined the gym I was quite intimidated. I was afraid of the 'looks' or what have you. I even worked out at off peak times because I didn't want to see many people. I was morbidly obese when I started going and sure I experienced 'looks' but I think that a lot of the 'looks' were in my head. I felt gross and fat therefore if someone looked at me I assumed they were thinking what I felt. In reality, I can't read minds, I don't know what they were thinking. It may not have been a disgusted look at all, maybe they just happened to look my way. Granted, there are always childish and mean people out there (like the guy that threw out the term 'fattie,' thanks for that BTW:indifferent: ) and I am lucky I didn't experience anything more than percieved harrassment.
I think this might be the type of gym to get women started, lose a little weight, gain a little confidence and then join a more hardcore gym. Most of the intimidation of a gym comes from within the person, maybe this can be like a stepping stone or starting point. :flowerforyou:0 -
The fit people at my gym motivate me to work harder....it is a ridiculous notion anyhow.0
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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.
My gym is mostly overweight people and I'm the one getting looks of disgust. Or leers of lust from the bros in the weight room. But i go anyway, cuz I won't gain weight at home.0 -
As someone who had the "fear" of going to the gym and being mocked/stared down etc, for being so big and out of shape, I can understand how this would make it comfortable for people. I don't see any problem with it, but like many of you, I question what happens when one is in shape and healthier? Where do you go from there?0
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Don't they know its not the size of the Boat but the motion of the Ocean? Errrr wait.....wrong thread....Yikes this just got awkward0
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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....
I have never been either. And I have never noticed disparaging looks from people either. Or maybe I just don't notice, because, well I'm working out and stuff.
THESE!
Planet Fitness junkie here. Everyone to the super skinny to the supper big works out at the PF I go to. Although I'm busy working out and have the personality that I don't give a BLEEP what people say/think about me... nothing has been said to me, nor have I been given the evil eye. The skinny girls make me work harder, the bigger girls make me realize how far I've come as I cheer them on
I, also, have never been given so much as an awkward look. Perhaps I command respect
and look badass enough that people don't want to mess with me (doubtful). In fact I've gotten a lot of really encouraging comments, and a lot of compliments on my progress. Really I have never run into nasty people who are rude based on my weight really anywhere in life.
In regards to the subject at hand though, it's their right to have whatever clients they want, but I personally think it's a little off.0 -
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....
I have never been either. And I have never noticed disparaging looks from people either. Or maybe I just don't notice, because, well I'm working out and stuff.
I honestly think a lot of it is in their head,its never happened to me either0 -
They have an update to this original article here: http://blisstree.com/look/quit-expecting-body-equality-when-fat-only-gyms-are-such-a-double-standard-780/
Personally I think a gym should be for everyone.0 -
I don't like the statement that they will bring down morale, but the gym should be allowed to choose whoever they want to cater to. Similarly, I wouldn't have a problem if a gym catered only to skinnier people (although I feel like that may be a stupid idea financially).
Discriminating against any paying customer is a stupid idea financially.0 -
That's ridiculous. On the other hand I'm not sure who'd be offended exactly.
Lol this. Yea its discrimantion ... but hey if fatties wanna hang with only other fatties, remind me why i should care. Sounds like the gym would be filled with treadmills and crosstrainers anyway.
Oo 1st post. Back to the calorie counter for me...
Pretty sure comments like yours are the reason big people have anxiety about going to the gym... :noway:0 -
So what happens? You're a "plus size" client, and you work out there for 2 years, drop a lot of weight, and now you look awesome... I guess they kick you out?0
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Interesting discussion....
The way I see it, if this is pushing more "larger" people to get active and get to the gym then I fully support it, assuming the right supports are in place for their specific client base. I would hope that as part of that gym's service to their client, they will employ staff who have experience in helping these types of people with weight loss programmes and fitness regimens. This would make sense to then "ban" the "skinny" people, because the staff are experts in obsesity and diet and fitness for the largley overweight what help could they be to the "skinny" person wishing to lift heavier or run futher?
Boxing gyms are specifically designed around training a boxer, weight lifting gyms are designed around the weight lifters. This isn't discriminatory, these places are filling a training need (and a profitable gap in the market)
HOWEVER...
If this gym is basically just a gym, with regular gym staff and regular gym classes, then it does toe the line into discrimination.
No, it's not discrimination.0 -
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.
After you work out,you are supposed to go eat at the Steak and Shake behind the sauna.0 -
To offer a different viewpoint. As a 'big girl', I've gone to the gym only to have fit women tell me I didn't belong there or some very snide comments at my lack of ability (as have many people on this site). It's soul crushing and demotivating. So, if I could go to workout at a place that offers the same amount of training, cardio and strength training, while being in an environment filled with people who have similar goals to mine as well as know the position I'm in, then I'd love to go. Especially when you start to see the people around you reach their goals. That would push me to continue to reach mine.
I think it's meant to be supportive. That and, when first working out, it can be intimidating getting on a treadmill for your cardio next to a ripped woman who is running like a cheetah at 18 mph.
Your 1st sentence is why I haven't been in a gym in over three years. I was there to work out, but for others I was there to make fun of. So I purchased some fitness DVDs and have been using my Wii to work out.0 -
Lol this. Yea its discrimantion ... but hey if fatties wanna hang with only other fatties, remind me why i should care. Sounds like the gym would be filled with treadmills and crosstrainers anyway.
[/quote]:frown:
that is exactly why she started the business
I personally think its a wonderful idea, Just like Curves, the only difference is Curves didn't set a limit but it was designed for heavier women.
Although I think its a great idea, I don't agree with putting down any other group , a compromise where they offer classes to fitter individuals would be good, but then it would alienate there target demographic.0 -
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...
This is the exact reason this gym exists. Well, this and other snide comments folks have made in this very thread.0
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