To think we need fat only Gyms

[TaylorQuifft]

I feel really demotivated and pathetic when i'm on the running machine doing a walk and the fit women next to me is practically sprinting 5K.

I think its a great business plan. Aibu

[YeOldeTrout]

maybe you could issue everyone with blindfolds so they can't see each other (& then the insecure would worry about who grunted loudest being fitter)

[GummyBunting]

You could just concentrate on your own treadmill until you're the one sprinting 5k?

[WorraLiberty]

I'd like to know who gets to decide whose fat and how?

Look how many times on MN someone legitimately says they're a fat size 12 and they need to lose weight.

Cue lots of people turning the caps lock on and shouting "SIZE 12 IS NOT FAT! OMG IF THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK OF YOURSELF, YOU MUST THINK I'M A BIG FAT BLOATER!"

Yet the person is still fat, but they just happen to be a size 12.

[BikeRunSki]

My gym has a "ladies only" room and a "beginners" room. I have no idea how this works, because I mostly use the pool, and use the main gym when I do use the gym. Despite my screen name, I am neither lithe or that fit (screen name came before children!).

[GoodbyeToAllOfThat]

I'd like to know who gets to decide whose fat and how?

Ok, well again being that I'm seemingly invisible on this thread, I shall impart my Radio 4 wisdom (there was a segment on this some months back). The NHS refers obese patients to gyms that are "fat friendly". There's quite a lot of evidence that people who are very overweight wills stick to an exercise regime if they don't feel ostracised at the gym.


I doubt that many gym-bunnies would be lining up, it's entirely self-selecting.

[Plomino]

The really fit people don't care what level you are on the treadmill , they are too much in their zone to even notice . The almost really fit too , unless you're me, who is trying to work out what to make for dinner, whether all the bills have been paid , and trying to remember when the animals were last wormed . That and bitterly resenting the fact that I'm having to work twice as hard as my younger colleagues to maintain the same level of fitness.

I had a serious accident, that meant I put a lot of weight on, and left my fitness levels on the floor . Id never been to a gym in my life , I'd only ever run outside, and I used to do that in the dark. Still do , even though I am fitter now than I was before the accident. But I gritted my teeth, and yes ,at first I was the slowest person there . But not for long . You get faster , in a fairly short time . Other new people join, who have to start from the beginning . And one day, OP, you become the person the new starters are looking at , thinking " I'm never going to be that fit " . Really . There is always going to be someone fitter than you , but there will also be someone slower .

The fact that you're there at all, is the hardest stride out of the way.

[ShadowStar]

Worra Maybe the fat only gym would have to be split into several areas. Size 12-16 in room A, size 18-22 in room B, size 24-28 in room C, etc etc. Possibly with separate entrances so that someone who's size 30 isn't intimidated by a size 16 gym goer.

Personally I would hate to go to a gym if I knew they'd boot me out if I achieved my fitness / weight loss goals. The thought of having to start all over in a gym that allowed thinner people, build new relationships etc would be a disincentive to trying to lose weight at all.

[Lurkedforever1]

Yy to who would run them, doubt there's a big supply of overweight unfit trainers around.
Wouldn't that be obese only though goodbye? And yet there are plenty of people whose bmi comes in as overweight or even in the healthy range that nevertheless are fat and using your theory would be intimidated by the toned and fit people.

[WorraLiberty]

Yes, but who gets to decide whether someone is fat enough to join or not?

BMI is a poor indicator of whether someone is fat or not, as you can often have a very healthy BMI but still have a huge stomach.

[formerbabe]

I've been fat and thin...I've been to many gyms, posh and not so posh!

They are not intimidating. There are fat people, thin people, people in the middle, young people, old people and I've seen people in there recovering from injuries. People barely seem to even glance at each other, let alone speak to each other or pass comment.

[Runningupthathill82]

The mind boggles as to how this could work in practise. I'm fat when I'm a size 12. Really, I am.

But presumably if I joined a "fat gym" then the size 16s would think I shouldn't be there. And the size 20s would think THEY shouldn't be there. The size 24s would want the size 20s out. And you'd end up with nobody being welcome in said gym aside from one very obese person who would then lose weight and have to ban themselves. Or something.

It's making my head hurt just thinking about it. Best everyone sticks to concentrating on our own exercise in the gym, and not the size of those around us, I think.

As an aside, I don't even notice what other people are doing in the gym, so couldn't tell you if the clientele are mostly fatter or thinner than me. I'm too busy concentrating on my own runs/weights/whatever to worry about other people.

I therefore hope that I don't intimidate other people when I run fast on the treadmill. I don't give a toss about how fast they're running, so it'd be odd, I think, if they were focusing on me.

[GoodbyeToAllOfThat]

Thank you worra

I think it's more like obese people need a place to exercise and feel that they are not being judged. Isn't that something that we can all agree with?

[GoodbyeToAllOfThat]

Seriously, how many people on this thread have been obese and at the same time, have been to a gym?

I think that would be incredibly tough. I am a flabby kind of skinny person and I feel incredibly self-conscious at the gym.

[RJnomore]

If its BMI then most bodybuilders would meet the requirements as their bmi is classes as obese. And a lot of rugby players etc etc...

[RJnomore]

I have goodbye.

[hollieberrie]

I am a skinny size 8. My friend is a size 18-20. We entered a 5k charity run together. She absolutely caned me. I was . I dont judge so much any more! ;)

[PurpleDaisies]

I think it's more like obese people need a place to exercise and feel that they are not being judged. Isn't that something that we can all agree with?

I do agree with this. But feeling judged at the gym isn't necessarily to do with the BMI of the person next to you. It is all about your own insecurities. If this fat gym existed and you were larger than some of the other fat people there you still might feel judged. Better to find a nice friendly gym where you can work out without paying attention to anyone else.

[southeastastra]

get your arse out of the gym and just walk

gyms are for pratts

[WorraLiberty]

I think it's more like obese people need a place to exercise and feel that they are not being judged. Isn't that something that we can all agree with?

I think that would depend on the individual and their confidence, as obviously not all obese people lack confidence.

However, I'm not sure that would necessarily help the OP. She hasn't said she's obese (she might/might not be) but she's certainly lacking in confidence.

Personally I imagine the woman on the treadmill next to her, was probably so busy doing her own thing, she would't have noticed who was around her.

But again, that doesn't help if someone lacks confidence.

[Runningupthathill82]

Goodbye - I'm not obese, but my sister is. Probably morbidly so. And I know she doesn't give a flying fuck what other people think, when we go to the gym for step, or aerobics, or body pump etc together.

She's just proud that she's doing something positive for her health, and having fun at the same time. And you know what, nobody bats an eyelid when she's there, shaking her thing, getting into the steps.

In fact, people are more likely to be looking at me as, even though I'm slim, I spend most step classes utterly confused, unable to follow the choreography, and almost ending up flat on my arse.

[chiruri]

I've been overweight/borderline obese at a gym. Funnily enough going to the gym regularly helped change that.
It's not the other members' problem if you're self-conscious, so why should they be banned?

[WorraLiberty]

PurpleDaisies said it much better than I did!

[formerbabe]

Seriously, how many people on this thread have been obese and at the same time, have been to a gym? I think that would be incredibly tough. I am a flabby kind of skinny person and I feel incredibly self-conscious at the gym

I'm overweight, I don't feel self conscious at the gym.

[LongHardStare]

I think a fat-friendly gym is a great idea.

Probably wouldn't need any criteria at all as several posters have said (and those who don't like the idea have chosen to ignore).

[ShakesBootyFlabWobbles]

Until I got injured earlier this year I was a size 16/18 running about 18 miles a week and could knock out a 10k. I could join the fat gym when I'm recovered and you'd still end up walking on a treadmill with a fat woman pushing out a 30min 5k next to you.

Agree with earlier comments, this is an esteem issue not a fat issue.
Yabu.