Gym size discrimination

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  • plbrown81
    plbrown81 Posts: 32 Member
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    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
    RilantheFirebug Posts: 207 Member
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    I would like to submit The Oatmeal's spot on take on people at the gym (nsfw language) - http://theoatmeal.com/comics/gym
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
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    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
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
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    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
    Jadzea42 Posts: 20
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    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
    nymthiriel Posts: 42
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    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
    Lula16 Posts: 628 Member
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    bump to read later
  • jching29
    jching29 Posts: 163
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    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
    GFab Posts: 75
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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....
  • Jessamine
    Jessamine Posts: 226 Member
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    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!
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
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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.
  • chocl8girl
    chocl8girl Posts: 1,968 Member
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    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...
  • Buttons7611
    Buttons7611 Posts: 4
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    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.
  • phtbtmgrl
    phtbtmgrl Posts: 29
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    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.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
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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.
  • kealey1318
    kealey1318 Posts: 290 Member
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    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.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    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:
  • mrsvatitagain
    mrsvatitagain Posts: 275 Member
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    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!
  • sheila569
    sheila569 Posts: 269 Member
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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 =)
  • kirsty_mc
    kirsty_mc Posts: 35 Member
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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.

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