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

Gyms in the uk have far far more fat people than fit people IMO.

Why is everyone so angry? Just chill out. Op has not said she wants to eat your granny! Why can't we just have a discussion without unkindness.

I think great idea. Much easier would be to have back at the gym sessions or after baby sessions or overweight sessions in existing gyms?

I'd like it if there was one big gym with many different areas and sessions so we all work out in relative peace and harmony, a few sessions could be,

Post natal,
Over 50's,
Beginners,
Intermediate,
Body builders,
Early morning,
Late evening,
Teens,

I'm not a fan of segregation on any level though so that's just my personal preference.

sunshine who is angry? Must have missed that bit, I read it all as a discussion.

Lots of big chain gyms do have beginners sessions, female only rooms, post natal classes etc.

The problem is its a not a workable business. A huge amount of new gym members stop going within months. Gyms don't just survive off the membership fee. They survive by people coming regularly and spend extra bits here and there. Buying a bottle of water, or using the towel service or the odd coffee.

If you go to the gym regularly then, eventually you would be no longer welcome at the gym or new members would feel intimidated by you.

If the gym itself was segregated into certain people only allowed in at certain times, lots of people wouldn't join because their set time may not be at a suitable time for them.

I agree with the majority of posters, it's a self esteem issue.

I am obese and after the first few sessions at the gym, I rarely notice anyone else.

I found this cartoon quite funny though theoatmeal.com/comics/gym

I'm a size 10/12 but very wobbly with a nasty stomach. I wouldn't class myself as fit or slim! I won't go to the gym because its full of slim, fit men and women. I would definitely go to a gym full of "normal" sized people.

I won't go to the gym because its full of slim, fit men and women. I would definitely go to a gym full of "normal" sized people

This is completely ridiculous. I've never been to a gym which only has fit and slim people in it. There are people of all shapes and sizes. Even if it was full of gym bunny's, why would that intimidate you?

Many years ago where i used to live the local pool (LA not private) had plus either size 18 or 20 (cannot remember exacty) plus womens swimming and aqua arobics on certain nights. I think there should be alot more of that they go on about obesity crisis but ive had people make vile comment to me in the street clothes i dont fancy my chances of not having comments in a mixed pool

The Oatmeal nails it again :)

I have never had any conversations with anyone in the pool eatwithaspoon because I wear ear plugs and a swimming hat (recurrent ear infections). Also if you go at laned swim times people are just there to swim and I can't imagine anyone calling out at you. Mostly I am just trying to keep count of my length number and remember what stroke I should be doing! It's rotten people have behaved so badly to you in the street but try not to make assumptions based on them. That's how they win and most people are nice really!

Have you thought about trying aqua aerobics? Many obese people I know use it as a gentle route back into exercise and the classes are normally completely full of larger ladies, even if they aren't advertised as such.

I think the gym is intimidating for many first time users; I don't consider myself fat, although I'm at the top end of the healthy weight for my height.

It took a lot of courage to join my local gym. I was convinced it would be full of people sniggering in a corner saying 'look at her, she's doing it wrong, oh my god she can't even do five minutes on the treadmill, she's flitting from piece to piece of equipment and obviously doesn't know what she's doing and what is she wearing?'

It wasn't. In fact, no-one really gave a shit what I was doing. There are people that are fitter than me lots of them and people who are less fit than me.

I don't think its a fat issue, rather a fear of the unknown.

I also think a 'special' gym for fat people is a step to far and perpetuates the idea that fat people should be treated differently and are not a part of 'normal' society.

*too

?
My ideal gym would be very large with many separate areas, so that if you want to do 'lying on the floor legs in the air' type stretching / yoga it doesn't have to be in full view of leering men in the weights room ?

nah - its a rubbish plan. as your fat customers get fit you'll have to ban them!

im so lucky that i live somewhere where it is pleasant to run so i don't need the gym. i do reckon people must snigger at the fat bird huffing and puffing along the prom nut fuck em. i managed 10k last week. im a size 20.

You need to stop worrying about what anyone else in the gym is thinking and just concentrate on you.

Gyms are always intimidating no matter what size you are. I'm size 10 and fit and when I was a gym member I would worry about whether the fit muscle men were criticising my form when I was lifting weights. Eventually I just got on with it because generally those types are too busy watching their biceps or trying to outdo the next muscleman to worry about what anyone else is doing.

earphones can help you to focus on what you're doing and screen out other people

I would love topurple the trouble is the bigger you get the harder it is to build up courage to do it, no exercise the bigger you get so a vicious circle. I know Im fat i dont need some fuckwit in Morrisons making a speical effort to come over and tell me. Sometimes i have to gather all my strength to leave the house and go out knowing people are judging me lazy, greedy etc no way am getting most of my clothes off in public

Maybe something like a specific confidence session, so folk that are nervous, new to gym, unfit, fat or with specific health issues could go & feel less intimidated.

I'm actually really grateful I no longer have self esteem issues from some of the attitudes on this thread. I'm not a gym person nor do I swim for anything but fun, I exercise differently. Nevertheless when the cast comes off my leg I will need to use a gym regularly short term. As someone who never stored fat but had just enough lean muscle not to be scrawny, due to not exercising my muscle has mainly gone and I'm currently super super skinny. Which means that despite being used to random rude remarks and funny looks on my size, being ultra thin makes me fair game for even more. Nice to know that when I get to take my puny ass to a gym, not only would it be ignored by many of the normal (overweight) people if I had self esteem issues, because only fat people are allowed them, but now I will be assumed by several overweight people to be there in my capacity of skinny judging bitch and therefore they wish I wasn't allowed in at the same time. How pleasant.
In actual fact, being overweight does not give anyone a monopoly on self esteem, and I can honestly say that both in previous exercise and when I go to a gym, I won't be remotely interested in anyone else appearance. Having low body fat does not make me go about judging people purely on their physiche, so it would be nice if people with excess body fat didn't assume I'm judgemental based on my physiche.

No. People come in all shapes and sizes, even at the gym. You don't need to look at people if you don't want to feel demotivated by their appearance; concentrate on what you're doing and give others their privacy.

Wow! People on here are really over thinking this! Most people are so wrapped up in themselves and their own lives, they don't give a flying fuck what you're wearing, how big/small you are or how fast you're going at on the treadmill.

Do people really take that much notice of others? I go, stick in my MP3 player, do my workout and come home. I only notice other people if it's busy and the machines I want are all taken.

Having set times for different things would be a nightmare, it would put people off joining as unlikely to match when they can go.

Sprinting by definition is running at a pace which can only be sustained for a short time
If you are a slow runner your sprinting pace can be the same as the long distance pace of a faster running.

I suspect that is what the PP who mentioned 'sprinting a 5k' was alluding to?

ie her jogging pace is the same as my flat out pace