I don't know about the rest of you, but going to the gym with the robochicks and foul mouthed jocks always made me uncomfortable. Maybe these people could start a franchise in the states. I hope the link works.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/gym-bans-skinny-people

Robbie

Link doesn't work ...

But I did find THIS article.

The article is right, that is reverse discrimination. What's worse is, they are striving to become that which they discriminate against....ironic.

And what happens when the obese people lose weight - are they then asked to leave the gym because they were successful?!?!?!? Just plain dumb idea to me!

I think the intention is well-meaning. I've been trying to get my husband to come to the YMCA with me to go for a swim. He really needs to start working on his leg strength as he's supposed to have a knee replacement in the next 10 months or so.

He's on a low-carb diet now (we both are, LOL, but I have the advantage of having my sleeve!). And he wants to lose about 75 lbs. But at the moment he's very unhappy with his body and is too embarrassed to go to the Y!

So there's proof that guys have the same body-image issues as we ladies do.....this "no skinnys allowed" policy would give him the peace of mind to go to the gym and start working on his health.

All that being said though, I agree. It is reverse discrimination, and it absolutely is ironic that the members would essentially be working hard to get themselves "kicked out" of the gym.

Allowing companies to discriminate against anyone opens up the ability to interperet the policies they decide upon unfairly.

I hate to say it, but they will fail if they do not let the more trim, athletic people in - what do you do for trainers?

Hmmm...somewhere there is a solution, I just don't think this is it.

Ok I am going to play devil's advocate here. I used to go to a local gym that will remain nameless. It was a popular atop in town full of all kinda of people. My hubby and I got a membership so I could attempt to lose weight (this was a couple of years ago). So Iet with a trainer ..and started with wind sprints on the treadmill and I can run for a big gal..and it isn't pretty but It can be done.. So toile a long story shorter ..one of the staff was staring at me..so I shot her a dirty look and so she turned her back to me and started staring at me in the mirror like I couldn't tell what she was doing with her back me..hello ..I am not blind..I can see your face in the mirror! So I was so embarrassed and felt so sad I never went back. I now go to a gym that caters to the "older" clientele..I am not bothered there and the staff is great and my trainer is great. I think it's all in where you feel comfortable. So for me, I understand and personally experienced why this gym was made. Do I think it will be successful? I don't know..maybe..maybe not..but if it gets people moving who wouldn't otherwise..I guess it would be worth a try!

I swear ..please forgive the typos..I am getting used to my new phone! I promise I graduated high school and normally can spell and form sentences pretty well!

Ok I am going to play devil's advocate here. I used to go to a local gym that will remain nameless. It was a popular atop in town full of all kinda of people. My hubby and I got a membership so I could attempt to lose weight (this was a couple of years ago). So Iet with a trainer ..and started with wind sprints on the treadmill and I can run for a big gal..and it isn't pretty but It can be done.. So toile a long story shorter ..one of the staff was staring at me..so I shot her a dirty look and so she turned her back to me and started staring at me in the mirror like I couldn't tell what she was doing with her back me..hello ..I am not blind..I can see your face in the mirror! So I was so embarrassed and felt so sad I never went back. I now go to a gym that caters to the "older" clientele..I am not bothered there and the staff is great and my trainer is great. I think it's all in where you feel comfortable. So for me' date=' I understand and personally experienced why this gym was made. Do I think it will be successful? I don't know..maybe..maybe not..but if it gets people moving who wouldn't otherwise..I guess it would be worth a try![/quote']

With all due respect, you do understand that your reasoning is kinda tainted by the fact that your reaction to the woman staring was not a healthy decision for you, both physically and emotionally? Why should one person staring stop you from going where you want to go? You might have reminded her of her dead sister or something like that.

Now I might have went over and asked her what she was staring at. I guarantee she would never stare again. But you could have just ignored her and went on living your life. Who cares what she thinks?

Please understand this is not an attack on you, nor a criticism. Just an observation that the gym in the original post was created largely to protect people from their own feelings of embarrassment and low self esteem. It's enabling, not healthy.

I understand your position completely and don't take it as an insult at all. Everyone is entitled to their believes and opinions! Of course, my view was very jaded in this topic. But, their are people out their who state the very same reasons why I won't go back to this gym. I wouldn't have minded the staring, but this woman was a staff person doing the staring. So for me personally, I then knew that this wasn't the place for me. More power to the people if that is the type of gym/business they want to start....if that's the clientele they want to cater to and there is a need to be filled, I don't see a problem with it. I am sure there more gyms in the area where everybody else can go! Would I go there?? Probably not because I enjoy workin out with my husband, but I personally would choose another place because of their policy..I don't think I would point a finger and say stop discriminating against my hubby. Maybe I am more a capitalist in that respect..they found a need and filled it. JMHO!

With all due respect, you do understand that your reasoning is kinda tainted by the fact that your reaction to the woman staring was not a healthy decision for you, both physically and emotionally? Why should one person staring stop you from going where you want to go? You might have reminded her of her dead sister or something like that.

Now I might have went over and asked her what she was staring at. I guarantee she would never stare again. But you could have just ignored her and went on living your life. Who cares what she thinks?

Please understand this is not an attack on you, nor a criticism. Just an observation that the gym in the original post was created largely to protect people from their own feelings of embarrassment and low self esteem. It's enabling, not healthy.

You said that way better than I could have.

Maybe it's because I'm older or something else, but I don't really give a damn what people think. I probably would have flipped her off in the mirror with a smile, but that's me. Okay, since she was staff I would have asked her if she had a question or a tip. My mother used to be all consumed by what people thought of her and ... oh brother!

Don't let what people say here dissuade you from doing what you need to do either. We are strangers.

All this said, I think the idea of a skinny prohibited gym is a bad idea. I want to learn from people who are getting it right and it is discriminatory. There is no US and THEM. There is only us.

I don't go to gyms because I find them tedious and boring. I like to hike and bike and swim. I also lift hand weights (from 4 to 25 pounds) in front of the T.V. They don't get my money when I can get fit for free.

More power to the people if that is the type of gym/business they want to start....if that's the clientele they want to cater to and there is a need to be filled' date=' I don't see a problem with it. [/quote']

You make a valid point. It is a blurry line between catering to one group and discriminating against another. The only problem I see with it is it opens the door for a "skinny people only" gym. I don't feel that would be right at all.

But it reminds me I've had a business idea in my head for a long time that caters to overweight people. I've been building and working on bicycles for a long time as a pretty serious hobby. One thing I've had to learn how to do is build bikes that would stand up to someone obese without being so heavy they wouldn't roll. I got pretty good at this, I even build my own frames. So someday I'd like to start a business building heavy duty bikes that perform like regular bikes for folks who are serious about cycling, but are heavy. There are not many people doing that. I'd also like to build bikes for people that are not all that serious about cycling, but want to ride and need a stronger bike than what they can typically find. So many people who can't run, or even walk very far could ride a bike and improve their health....they just need the bicycle.

I just finished a trike for my 70 year old mother in law and she's loving it.

Anyway, back to the regular thread.

You make a valid point. It is a blurry line between catering to one group and discriminating against another. The only problem I see with it is it opens the door for a "skinny people only" gym. I don't feel that would be right at all.

But it reminds me I've had a business idea in my head for a long time that caters to overweight people. I've been building and working on bicycles for a long time as a pretty serious hobby. One thing I've had to learn how to do is build bikes that would stand up to someone obese without being so heavy they wouldn't roll. I got pretty good at this, I even build my own frames. So someday I'd like to start a business building heavy duty bikes that perform like regular bikes for folks who are serious about cycling, but are heavy. There are not many people doing that. I'd also like to build bikes for people that are not all that serious about cycling, but want to ride and need a stronger bike than what they can typically find. So many people who can't run, or even walk very far could ride a bike and improve their health....they just need the bicycle.

I just finished a trike for my 70 year old mother in law and she's loving it.

Anyway, back to the regular thread.

This sounds like a wonderful idea. I loved my bike when I was small enough to ride one safely. PM me when you have a business plan and start looking for investors.

Robbie

LOL....I will. Meanwhile if you still want to ride, let me know and I will be happy to PM you some suggestions of bikes you could ride right now, or I'll post it right here...I don't care. Depending on what type of riding you want to do and how much money you wanna spend there are all kinds of alternatives out there. I was still riding right up till surgery at 400 pounds. Now, the last time I did any serious riding, I was about 305 riding the MS150. I hope to ride it again next year and be below 300 by then.

You said that way better than I could have.

Maybe it's because I'm older or something else' date=' but I don't really give a damn what people think. I probably would have flipped her off in the mirror with a smile, but that's me. Okay, since she was staff I would have asked her if she had a question or a tip. My mother used to be all consumed by what people thought of her and ... oh brother!

Don't let what people say here dissuade you from doing what you need to do either. We are strangers.

.[/quote']

Yeah that's what I was thinking when I read the thread, I would flip her off, then if she kept it up we would have a discussion after she was done. I have never worried about what people thought, self confidence was never an issue. My gym is a college gym, there are a lot of skinny girls, but everyone there is self absorbed and never give me a second look hahaha.

Canada has a new gym, Body Exchange, that caters exclusively to plus-sized women. They even go so far as to ban skinny people because they “bring down morale” of the overweight clients. Some say it’s a great way for overweight people to feel comfortable enough to exercise, but it’s really reverse discrimination at its finest.

Touting themselves as the “only fitness and adventure company exclusive to a plus-size clientele” Body Exchange offers fit camps and personal training that combine strength training with cardio workouts in a “welcoming and supportive environment.” As founder and CEO Louise Green told TheProvince.com, it’s a ”safe haven.”

Safe haven from skinny people, it appears.

Green said that they strive for plus-sized groups where people feel they are with peers:

Many of our clients have not had successful fitness pasts so I can see the anxiety before we get started and I can see the relief and happiness after we finish. People are often too fearful to become active. There wasn’t a model that offered camaraderie. I used to walk into fitness classes where nobody would even say ‘Hi.’ This has got to be fun or it’s not going to work.

So skinny people are rude and unfriendly?

As one client, Lisa Schaffer, put it, in other gyms there were “tiny little Lululemon people running around.” At a size 22, she didn’t feel she was represented.

Body Exchange clients are screened over the phone, and those who don’t fit the plus-size criteria are not accepted and told to go elsewhere, according to Green:

The presence of that person in our program will bring down morale.

The presence of that person? Isn’t that just outright discrimination? Like any other gym would be able to screen and ban obese people because they didn’t fit in or they might be too distracting? Come on.

I certainly understand that people like to work out with like-bodied peers sometimes. And no one wants to feel judged or discriminated against because of their size-especially at the gym where we are often at our most vulnerable and unclothed state. But to go so far as to ban skinny people is just wrong.

In addition to stereotyping that skinny people are just “tiny Lululemons” who are rude and distracting and serious morale suckers, what happens when these women lose weight? Are they kicked out of the program and told they are then too thin to come back? And what about the instructors? Are they also only allowed to be fat?

This brings up a lot of questions, but mostly, it just reeks of reverse discrimination. And we’re never going to win the body wars if we continue to divide ourselves and pit one group against another.

Read more: http://blisstree.com/live/obesity/canadian-gym-wrongly-bans-skinny-people-because-they-bring-down-morale-721/#ixzz1yZJjFwT0