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

No but I understand what you mean.

I went to a gym a few years ago, and yes I was probably one of the biggest there and I was a bit mortified but no one looked down at me or anything because of it and it helped me lose weight quickly being surrounded by fit people. I think being surrounded by other fatties is no incentive at all. Just focus and get on with losing the weight.

Wrt to people who've had horrible things said to them in the streets etc which is just cruel, I'd say people (at least while in the gym) mostly don't notice anyone else or if they do have more of a "fair play for exercising where you can attitude"

I think if gyms started sectioning off times or restricting others access for specific groups then others would start to notice and probably resent it a bit.

For my gym I pay the same membership as everyone else, all I want is to put my headphones in and get my sessions in, if I was being denied access at certain times in favour of other members who pay the same membership then id most likely be looking for a new gym.

No I don't think we should have fat only gyms.

No one sprints 5k

You can be fat and fit, I run sporting events and some of the people I've seen taking part in Standard (long distance) tri's are obese but can complete in reasonable times, they however, would have better times if they didn't carry as much fat.

Most people who are the slim, athletic types you see running or working out in gyms look at the "fat" people (if they aren't too busy concentrating on themselves) think...GOOD FOR YOU!

But many fat people won't go to gyms for fear of being judged. Fat only gym sessions would boost the number of people doing exercise, and that would be a positive.
There is a guy in the US who runs exercise classes for fat people. He gets people going who are very obese and offers the option of sitting only exercises.
Surely anything that increases peoples take up of exercise is good?

So once you're fit and lost the weight, you have to stop going?

Have you thought that some of those fit people on the gym may have been fat in the past?

Most fat people are never slim again. But it would still be good for them to have a place where they feel supported to exercise.

Assuming that everyone else in the gym is judging you for being overweight is itself pretty judgemental.

Wish I had such mind reading powers!

But just telling people that no one will judge them doesn't work. The fear still stops people going.

But that's just it - it's fear and insecurity of the individual, which is not the fault of the other people using the gym (unless they have been personally abusive of course)

The point is to encourage people to do exercise.
As I said upthread I go to an exercise class for people with severe disabilities. Most of these people would not go to an ordinary gym or exercise class. So anything that gets them exercising is a positive.

problem is.. that you go to fat only gym and make friends. then you lose weight, get kicked out of the fat only gym and lose your friends who arent yet slender enough to feel comfortable in a mixed gym

Gyms aren't about making friends though. I never made any friends at the gym. They are about taking exercise.

Explicitly "No judgement - all fitness levels welcome" sessions would be good then, as it's not defining the issue purely on weight or BMI.

I think it is naive to say people just need to stop thinking that people are judging them. We live in a society where we are encouraged to judge the obese (as contributing to the drain on the NHS) which is very counterproductive.

All fitness levels and ability levels welcome. Sometimes it is not fitness that is the issue, but disability that means you look as if you are unfit.

Yes, good point morall, good to make that explicit.

Cystic fibrosis means that you will be puffing with a low level of exertion, that means you look like a couch potato.

Morall that's spot on. I was a skinny v fit woman before I got symptoms of hypothyroid & RA. First being hypoT made me get fat & my metabolism ground to a halt then all the medications I had to take made me really fat & caused bone thinning & muscle wastage. if I can make it to 5pm without needing to sleep I'm impressed. I can now exercise on cardio machines for ages but it took me a very long time to build up and I sacrifice a lot of other things to be able to do that. You just never know what the person on the exercise bike next to you is going thro. Being supportive helps no end!

I have come across judgemental people in the gyms, mostly fairly young females during the school /college holidays - there's nothing worse than hearing them sniggering about my wobbly bum or how big my knees are (cos y'know swelling should be invisible or something). I also had an older woman always come exercise next to me all the time & overheard her in the loo tell her friend she thought it made her look better being next to me... So I ramped it up a few notches to give her a proper workout! She didn't come near me after that. Rheumatologist not chuffed at pushing myself but was great fun and worth it to see her wither away.

I totally understand why people with no confidence stay away from gyms and especially classes. I love the idea of chubbies gyms but it's impractical and unworkable and as so many have pointed out wouldn't solve the esteem issue BUT I do think sessions for people with low self confidence and classes for complete beginners and people with health conditions/ disability are great ideas