I know it's not Tuesday yet, but...

[emmybean]

Jun 25, 2012 12:31:13 GMT -5 2vermont said:

For those that are okay with a place banning the skinny people, I'm assuming you'd also be okay with places that ban the fatties?

Sure. I don't have to have a membership there.

[statlerwaldorf]

Jun 25, 2012 12:30:04 GMT -5 2vermont said:

Jun 25, 2012 11:02:08 GMT -5 @septimus said:

Isn't this what Curves is for?

This is a good question. Ithought that there were places that dealt with this (without officially banning anyone).

I thought Curves was just a 30 minute circuit workout and not a full gym. They have you stay on a machine for a couple minutes and then march in place and then another machine.

[dev22]

Jun 25, 2012 11:07:55 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

I love seeing larger people at the gym to be honest. It really gives me a swift kick in the butt.

Like, fat people make you want to work out harder so that you will never look like them?

'Cause I am trying really hard not to be offended if that is what you are saying.

[dev22]

Jun 25, 2012 15:43:40 GMT -5 @bunnybean said:

Jun 25, 2012 15:21:04 GMT -5 dev22 said:

Like, fat people make you want to work out harder so that you will never look like them?

'Cause I am trying really hard not to be offended if that is what you are saying.

I took it more like larger people have a harder time and have a lot to overcome (mentally and/or physically) just to get there, and if people who are having to work harder are able to do it, so should she be able to.

Ok, I hope that is the case. If so, I TOTALLY read it wrong, and was like, WTF?! lol

[mudslide]

Jun 25, 2012 11:02:08 GMT -5 @septimus said:

Isn't this what Curves is for?

Curves is for women.

[basilosaurus]

I'm a skinny person who isn't in great shape, so I get totally intimidated at the gym. I feel like people look at a me and make assumptions about how hard a workout I'm capable of, just from my size, and I'd be nowhere near those expectations. Especially since most of the gyms I've gone to are military, so they're full of grunting gym rats. I intellectually know probably no one notices, but it doesn't stop my brain from freaking out about it.

If I do see a larger person, it's motivating in the sense that it's a reminder that my only barrier to getting in shape is my own self. Seeing one of your gym rats running for hours just makes me think it's out of reach b/c I'll never get to that point, but seeing a relatively normal person working out is relate-able to me. It's not an anti-fattie thing in the least. I assumed that's what iammalcomx meant.

[gpw]

Jun 25, 2012 15:21:04 GMT -5 dev22 said:

Jun 25, 2012 11:07:55 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

I love seeing larger people at the gym to be honest. It really gives me a swift kick in the butt.

Like, fat people make you want to work out harder so that you will never look like them?

'Cause I am trying really hard not to be offended if that is what you are saying.

that's kinda how I'm reading it, too...but I will admit to hating the "good for you!!" looks I got at my old gym. Drove me nuts. The gym I go to now is so small and they've only seen me the way I am now doing the heavy lifting, that I don't get those sorts of looks. I did before, though..and I got people actually coming up to me and saying "good for you!" A LOT at my old place..and that was when I'd been there for awhile and was probably more fit, albeit bigger, than they were.

Anywho, I guess I don't really have a problem with this type of gym, per se. I mean, I guess the market will determine its fate. I do think it's dumb, though; and for what it's worth, I know it's hard walking in for the first time and being intimidated and fat...really, really fat.

[cookiemdough]

Jun 25, 2012 15:21:04 GMT -5 dev22 said:

Jun 25, 2012 11:07:55 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

I love seeing larger people at the gym to be honest. It really gives me a swift kick in the butt.

Like, fat people make you want to work out harder so that you will never look like them?

'Cause I am trying really hard not to be offended if that is what you are saying.

Come on this is Meredith we are talking about, I am pretty sure that is not what she was saying.

[lyssbobiss, Command, B613]

If all they are doing is attemping to appeal to a larger (physically) clientele, I have no problem with it. I'd much rather go to a Shapes or a Curves than a Gold's Gym. Is Shapes even around anymore?
To answer a previous question, mostly Curves does a 33-minute hydraulic circuit training thing. Some locations offer some classes though, if they have the funds and the interest and the trainers. Seems like Shapes is kind of what this place may be going for.
You know what I miss? Jazzercise. That was fun AND I wasn't the fattest one there.

[dev22]

Jun 25, 2012 18:55:42 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

Jun 25, 2012 15:21:04 GMT -5 dev22 said:

Like, fat people make you want to work out harder so that you will never look like them?

'Cause I am trying really hard not to be offended if that is what you are saying.

Come on this is Meredith we are talking about, I am pretty sure that is not what she was saying.

I fully admitted I could have read it/taken it wrong earlier in the thread when BB told me how she read it.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Jun 25, 2012 19:16:30 GMT -5 lyssbobiss, Command, B613 said:

You know what I miss? Jazzercise. That was fun AND I wasn't the fattest one there.

There's a jazzercise place like 10 minutes from my house.

[meshaliuknits]

Jun 25, 2012 19:37:37 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Jun 25, 2012 19:16:30 GMT -5 lyssbobiss, Command, B613 said:

You know what I miss? Jazzercise. That was fun AND I wasn't the fattest one there.

There's a jazzercise place like 10 minutes from my house.

We have one down the street. It used to be next door to a pastry shop.

[2vermont]

Jun 25, 2012 11:12:27 GMT -5 @angryharpy said:

Jun 25, 2012 11:10:32 GMT -5 @dontcallmeshirley said:

Nowhere in the article did I see that they were specifically banning skinny people, but my mind is elsewhere right now and I may be failing at reading comp.

I think catering to a specific clientele is just fine. I am always one of the biggest people at my gym (and I'm currently wearing around a 14-16, but that's the case even at an 8-10), and if people wanna stare or judge, they are free to be tools and do so.

The Canadian gym at the opening of the article was said to only be open to overweight people. The American gyms mentioned all just said that they market to overweight people and specialize in helping people with 50+ pounds to lose.

The latter doesn't bother me one bit. The former is stupid.

Sorry guys. I also had a reading comp fail. I seriously had to go back a few times to figure out what was going on in this article. Way too many names and places for my feeble mind.

I would agree that the ones that cater to the overweight are fine. However, I'm not terribly comfortable with a business that bans a group of people.

[2vermont]

Jun 25, 2012 18:44:16 GMT -5 gpw said:

Jun 25, 2012 15:21:04 GMT -5 dev22 said:

Like, fat people make you want to work out harder so that you will never look like them?

'Cause I am trying really hard not to be offended if that is what you are saying.

that's kinda how I'm reading it, too...but I will admit to hating the "good for you!!" looks I got at my old gym. Drove me nuts. The gym I go to now is so small and they've only seen me the way I am now doing the heavy lifting, that I don't get those sorts of looks. I did before, though..and I got people actually coming up to me and saying "good for you!" A LOT at my old place..and that was when I'd been there for awhile and was probably more fit, albeit bigger, than they were.

Anywho, I guess I don't really have a problem with this type of gym, per se. I mean, I guess the market will determine its fate. I do think it's dumb, though; and for what it's worth, I know it's hard walking in for the first time and being intimidated and fat...really, really fat.

I'm confused ... do you like when you get the "good for you" looks/comments or not? If so, why? I would think that this is a nice gesture.

[foundmylazybum]

This makes it sound like fat people are self loathing and have low self esteem--- and that's a stereotype we should be going with bc hey. They need their own gym to hide from judgment of others.


It also stereotypes skinny people as workout obsessed, judgmental assholes.


Both great impressions.

[marie427]

Even though I'm okay with this idea even as a formerly-overweight skinny person, you know what people need to do at the gym? Stop looking at everyone else and focus on your own damn workout. Anyone putting in a hard effort at the gym will not be focused on your workout, and if they somehow are, they are douchebags. It's hard to focus on what other people are doing when you're lifting weights or running on a treadmill (and ensuring that you don't fall off).

[dev22]

Jun 26, 2012 6:20:48 GMT -5 2vermont said:

Jun 25, 2012 18:44:16 GMT -5 gpw said:

that's kinda how I'm reading it, too...but I will admit to hating the "good for you!!" looks I got at my old gym. Drove me nuts. The gym I go to now is so small and they've only seen me the way I am now doing the heavy lifting, that I don't get those sorts of looks. I did before, though..and I got people actually coming up to me and saying "good for you!" A LOT at my old place..and that was when I'd been there for awhile and was probably more fit, albeit bigger, than they were.

Anywho, I guess I don't really have a problem with this type of gym, per se. I mean, I guess the market will determine its fate. I do think it's dumb, though; and for what it's worth, I know it's hard walking in for the first time and being intimidated and fat...really, really fat.

I'm confused ... do you like when you get the "good for you" looks/comments or not? If so, why? I would think that this is a nice gesture.

Because it is incredibly condescending.

[Deleted]

This thread is reminding me that I made the commitment to drag my fat ass to the gym for something called Powerstrike this morning. It's like kickboxing on steroids. The skinny, pretty ladies at my gym LOVE it, particularly with this one (young, male, cute) instructor. The only reason I mention it is because I'm going to have to stare at myself in that mirror doing things that make my flabby self look even dumber.

Onward into the breach! ;D

[2vermont]

Jun 26, 2012 8:27:58 GMT -5 dev22 said:

Jun 26, 2012 6:20:48 GMT -5 2vermont said:

I'm confused ... do you like when you get the "good for you" looks/comments or not? If so, why? I would think that this is a nice gesture.

Because it is incredibly condescending.

That's incredibly unfortunate because I'm thinking it's not meant that way. I have definitely thought it and I think it's more of a "way to go, I respect you for working so hard" kind of comment/thought.

[foundmylazybum]

Jun 26, 2012 8:27:58 GMT -5 dev22 said:

Jun 26, 2012 6:20:48 GMT -5 2vermont said:

I'm confused ... do you like when you get the "good for you" looks/comments or not? If so, why? I would think that this is a nice gesture.

Because it is incredibly condescending.

Is it an assumption to think that the " good job" has an attached " good job for working out fatty?" attached to it? Bc uh... I know gpointe in particular kicks ass at things like spinning. Seems like a " good job" could be " good job for kicking ass at... Weights, spin, treadmill whatever"

Good job is actually not condescending. The attached meaning YOU assumed makes it so.

[somersault72]

Jun 26, 2012 8:45:40 GMT -5 foundmylazybum said:

Jun 26, 2012 8:27:58 GMT -5 dev22 said:

Because it is incredibly condescending.

Is it an assumption to think that the " good job" has an attached " good job for working out fatty?" attached to it? Bc uh... I know gpointe in particular kicks ass at things like spinning. Seems like a " good job" could be " good job for kicking ass at... Weights, spin, treadmill whatever"

Good job is actually not condescending. The attached meaning YOU assumed makes it so.

This fat (and slow) girl is in a running group. There are runners all across the board. Most of the people in the group are awesome and when they say "good job" "keep it up" or whatever I feel like they are not being condescending. However, I've found as a whole the running community is a pretty welcoming group.

I used to belong to a gym, but I never paid much attention to my fellow gym goers, and just figured they weren't paying much attention to me either. Perhaps that was just wishful thinking on my part. I never really felt subconscious or anything.

I understand wanting to have a gym that caters to the overweight/obese, but it just doesn't seem practical to me. Do they weigh you when you walk in the door or something?

[dev22]

Jun 26, 2012 8:45:40 GMT -5 foundmylazybum said:

Jun 26, 2012 8:27:58 GMT -5 dev22 said:

Because it is incredibly condescending.

Is it an assumption to think that the " good job" has an attached " good job for working out fatty?" attached to it? Bc uh... I know gpointe in particular kicks ass at things like spinning. Seems like a " good job" could be " good job for kicking ass at... Weights, spin, treadmill whatever"

Good job is actually not condescending. The attached meaning YOU assumed makes it so.

Well context makes a difference, obviously. If I just did something kick-ass then a good job is great. If I am fucking walking on a treadmill and someone walked up and said "Good for you", then totally condescending. Even if not meant like that, it would FEEL like that. I am at the gym 4 days a week - being on a treadmill is not a fucking achievement.

[gpw]

Jun 26, 2012 8:45:40 GMT -5 foundmylazybum said:

Jun 26, 2012 8:27:58 GMT -5 dev22 said:

Because it is incredibly condescending.

Is it an assumption to think that the " good job" has an attached " good job for working out fatty?" attached to it? Bc uh... I know gpointe in particular kicks ass at things like spinning. Seems like a " good job" could be " good job for kicking ass at... Weights, spin, treadmill whatever"

Good job is actually not condescending. The attached meaning YOU assumed makes it so.

It is an assumption. I understand that people mean well, which is why I don't generally say "thank you" and move on. Still bugs me in the "YOU DON'T KNOW ME!!!" kind of way. I will admit to being too sensitive on this matter. My workout partner is always saying "you rock" and "way to go", but we say this to each other... she knows me and my limits. It's different to me. When random people just give me the look or say something, I get all "YOU DON'T KNOW ME!!" It's not fair, and I know that.

Once when I was still working out with the hot trainer there was an older woman working out next to me (older than me...not like elderly). I was doing some new things with heavier weights and it was really challenging. I tended to attract attention when I was working with the trainer because A. he's smokin' hot, B. because many times he had me doing things that made me look ridiculous and C. people take "mental notes" on things to do so they don't have to pay their own money for a trainer (they also like to ask questions during other people's sessions...I shot that down quick). Anyway, I was struggling a bit, and this woman next to me with her teeny tiny weights doing something that didn't seem like it was going to have any sort of positive effect looks at me and says something like "good for you, if you keep at it you'll see results!" Um...what? Results like your skinny arms that are barely strong enough to bring that cigarette up to your mouth? No, thanks. Of course, that was the dialogue in my head...I just looked at Mike and he gave me the "PLEASE don't say anything to embarrass me" look so I just finished my set. Could she have just meant well? Probably. Did if come off condescending? Yes.

Am I too sensitive to these sorts of things? Yep.