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Body Exchange wants women to focus on fitness, not weight loss. So why are thin girls banned? | Source: Shutterstock
Sort of, but it really depends on how you look at it. Body Exchange caters specifically to overweight women, describing itself as a “safe haven” for those without svelte, model-type figures. Body Exchange founder, Louise Green, says that thin women hurt morale of the overweight gym patrons and made them less likely to actually hit the gym and work out. She founded her new gym, Body Exchange, for overweight women to work out and feel motivated among their similarly sized 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,” Green told The Province. “People are often too fearful to become active,” she added. “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.”
While that doesn’t sound like it goes against anyone of a below-average size, Green explained that everyone who joins Body Exchange is screened over the phone–and if you’re too thin, you’re not in. Green insists, “The presence of that person in our program will bring down morale.”
We can see why someone out of shape or overweight may feel a little insecure in a spin class next to a triathlete or Victoria’s Secret model, but is it really fair to ban someone for being lean if you wouldn’t ban someone for being obese?
Of course, the article may have taken some quotes out of context and omitted a few, as many often do. But the piece presents Green’s statement that no one said “hi” to her in her fitness class alongside the point that she doesn’t allow thin women in Body Exchange, which sorta makes it sound like the thin women she encountered were vain, rude, and uncaring, doesn’t it? And that’s not necessarily cool. (And really, why couldn’t she say “hi” first? Maybe these people are just shy.) Additionally, Green herself says that the mission of Body Exchange was to get women to be active and healthy–and that weight loss was just a pleasant bonus. It’s a little hypocritical, then, to dismiss thin women from the workout club just for being thin. Not all thin people are in shape or active!
Obviously, we love anything that gets girls moving, healthy, and appreciative of their bodies–and we adore that Body Exchange and its owners are committed to getting women to embrace themselves as they are. But that also entails accepting and embracing others as they are, too. It also comes down to a level of personal responsibility, self-worth, and stereotyping: Remember those body judgments we all make? Situations like these may not help them go away, because they stress the differences and divisions that we create for ourselves as women. If seeing a thin woman in the gym lowers someone’s motivation to work out, they likely weren’t that determined in the first place. If you need to prejudge others to try escaping judgment yourself, there’s something not right there.
Do you think Body Exchange is being unfair by banning thin women? Or do you think Body Exchange is creating a more supportive environment for overweight women? Would you join a gym like Body Exchange? Tell us in the comments!
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a gym like this will help over weight people want to go because of the fact that everyone in there is like them. there will be no skinny athletes working out next to you, silently judging. there are other gyms around for skinny people as well. just for the mere fact that it will help boost the confidence for someone to get into a healthier state makes it a good thing.
I agree that gyms should let skinny people come it just like weight watchers it’s not only fat people who don’t know how to eat healthy
im pretty skinny and i think this so fair my mom is over wieght and i listen to all my classmates give me crap about it and make fun of her because she is a teacher at my school. my mom is my hero and i have to told people to shut the fuck up when they say stuff about my mom. she wants to lose wight but doenst have any over wight friends to work out with. she cant get motivated to do it. sometimes we ride bikes and i always feel bad because i have more energy and its easier for me i feel like i hurt her feelings when we do stuff together. its makes me cry cause i love my mom so much and i want her to reach her goal and be skinny. to me she is perfect no matter what wieght she is but i think she would be happier and feel better about herself if she was skinnier. i would love for her to go to a gym like this one where she would have the self esteme to work out hard like she wants to do. she could be with people like her that just want to feel better about themselves. i wouldnt care that i couldnt go with her. if it made her happy thats all that matters. my best friend that has been my best friends since second grade is a little over wieght but hates working out infront of people because she is made fun of alot. i loved the look on her face when she lost 4 pounds after i practically forced her to do track with me now she is going to do it every year. my mom is harder to motivate though. i really wish there was a gym like this where i live. i would use all my savings for her to go if it would make her as happy as my best friend.
I think this gym is an amzing idea! I’m not exactly the skinniest girl, and i hate going to my gym because of all those perfectly toned women. i’ve resorted to going at night when its pretty empty, im know im supposed to be confident and okay with myself but i still wish my town had one of these gyms!
Being overweight myself and having joined regular gyms before I totally get where this is coming from! It’s intimidating seeing all the really fit, in shape girls at the gym working out and you do feel as if they are judging you, not just women but men too. If there was a gym like it in my area I think i’d join because i’d honestly feel a lot more comfortable around other bigger people, knowing they’re not going to judge me and vice versa. I have absolutely nothing against the fitter people wanting to keep in shape but if they’ve never known what it’s like to be overweight and insecure, they can’t really pass judgement on the idea of a gym for larger people. Personally I think it’s a brilliant idea!
Ok, this just pisses me off. I understand what the woman is saying but that’s just wrong! I’m very skinny, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be aloud to EXCERCISE! And if I don’t say “HI” to someone, that makes me rude, and vain?! That’s just messed up. Size shouldn’t matter at all! It’s not anyone’s fault that they were born a certain weight.
I agree completely
I disagree. I completely understand where they are coming from. Just because your skinny doesn’t mean you can’t excercise! They simply made another gym specifically for overweight people, and I think it’s a great idea! I also believe that just because YOU don’t say hi, it doesn’t mean you specifically are vain or rude. But, it’s easier to expect that from a skinnier person because they are usually more proud of themselves, because they aren’t overweight. Being bullied about weight quite a bit as a child, I remember it was mostly skinny girls and the popular guys who were with them. I have been to a number of gyms where I have even been made fun of as a teenager/adult by people for my weight. I don’t think it should be viewed as a place where skinny people are rejected, but a place where larger girls can feel completely comfortable while working out. Generally if you see a bunch of skinny girls in a yoga class or workout gym, you compare yourselves to them, and feel even more uncomfortable with yourself than you already did. Therefore I can know from personal experience where they are coming from.
I understand the criticism of this article, however, I am an overweight girl and even though I am not technically denied access to any gym for my size, I feel rejected and very intimated by those who are in shape. I don’t think people should view this as a “no skinny chick” place, but rather a place for people to be able to get in shape, not stay in shape, just until they feel comfortable enough to be able to exercise with a variety of people. Girls who have never had a weight problem do not understand the intimidation and the fear behind working out in a gym. I personally feel that the idea behind this gym is positive and would be very beneficial to overweight women who honestly want to make a change in their lives.
I understand exactly where you’re coming from.. at the gym I used to go to, people will even laugh at you if you’re not really in shape, or lack stamina.. I am barely overweight, but I had a girl act like the machine was broken after I got off because my ” a** was too big for it”.. I am so scared to exercise outside of my house.. I wish we had a gym like this in my area!!
That is such a good idea! I’m a bit overweight and all the other girls at school were skinny and I wasn’t, so I was always terrified to do gym or anything because i didn’t want to look stupid. It would have been so much better if everyone else was overweight like me because I could concentrate on how well I was doing instead of how silly I looked.
So your saying if i was old enough to even go to A GYM I WOULDNT BE ALLOWED TO GO TO THAT ONE BECAUSE IM SKINNY?Well i think thats discrimination and im very upset!
Why would you be upset? Its probably 1 gym in the whole area that does that. its not like there are no other gyms that everybody can go too … -.-
I think this is totally fair! And to all the people saying “oh if a gym didnt allow overweight people in the gym there’d be a huge thing on it” well hell yeah there’d be a huge thing on it, gyms were basically created so that people could lose weight and be healthier! This gym was made to, like, build self esteem for overweight people and help them be comfortable with there body and stuff, the last thing they need is someone with a perfect body strolling around
And so the person who goes to the gym in order to maintain that “perfect body” should be not allowed in? The way everyone is putting it is as if these smaller girls are evil and shouldn’t be in gyms because why should they be? Maybe if those girls stopped going to gyms they’d be big.
so i personally think that if there was a place that overweight people weren’t allowed in, there’d be a huge thing on it—which there should be. with that said, there should be a huge thing on this because *no one* should be not allowed to do something because of their size. no matter if theyre small or big, it’s not fair.
I don’t think it’s fair, but it’s honestly not hurting anyone, so why not?
There are plenty of gyms around that are open to skinny people, I’m sure.
The flaw about this rule, though, is that if you’re exercising to lose weight, you’ll obviously get less fat until you’re skinny, and then what? You get banned too? It’s just too silly/absurd, and like Angel said, if they were banning all fat people, everyone would be in a ridiculous rage. It’s like people just assume that because you’re skinny, your life is easier. I’m the type of person that is extra-skinny, so I still get crap from a lot of people and others put me down, saying shit like, “you’re an anorexic bitch” and it’s TOTALLY okay because “I have it easier anyway”. Makes me frown because it IS NOT TRUE. The only image accepted by society is the one where you still have a cute ass and a nice pair of boobs, and not all skinny girls have that.
Everybody thinks because were skinny were autimatically anorexic!Like seriously?No i dont think i am
I really love this comment
OK, that’s fine. but if you are going to start a gym for overweight people, you should start some program for people like me who are horribly underweight and desperately trying to become normal.
i was a pre mature baby so growing up a small girl was hard
but a good guy is alwayss the ones who doesnt care what you look like on the outside
they look deep within your heart
miya
I think it’s super fair. Larger women are always desciminated against from clothing choices to jobs. This allows for a better support system with people who have similar troubles as you do. So often super skinny girls don’t understand what it’s like for those who aren’t naturally skinny, and a lot seem to think bigger girls are just lazy, which isn’t the case. Now I’m not super skinny, or obese, but I definitly struggle with weight and I think this is a great idea. There are plenty of other gyms and the skinny girls who complain are only doing so because they are use to getting what they want and don’t understand the other side of the scale. It’s honestly kind of annoying always being around them especially when they call themselves “fat” and stuff, meanwhile you’re just trying to become a better you and get healthier.
That’s not fair! I am quite skinny, but only through eating healthy and playing tons of sport, and training. So does that mean if I want to go to this gym to keep fit, I can’t? I see where they are coming from, and if people really want to be separated for different body shapes, can’t we just have 2 different sections in the same gym. I still think that would make people self concious because you would have to decide wether you are in the ‘skinny’ or ‘overweight’ group. What about the inbetweeners?
yeah that doesn’t seem like such a healthy environment. what happens to the overweight people who finally lose the weight. are they then banned from the gym?! sounds like a mess if you ask me and a terrible idea. @angel very good point!!!
I love the idea!! I know that sounds mean, but I am overweight and I see where she is coming from. When I had gym in school my whole class was full of athletic beautiful girls. I was the only one who was over weight. I felt out of my skin and horrible. Some people are like,”That should make you want to get heathly more.” IT DOESN’T. It makes me want to curl up with a dark chocolate candy bar. We all know discrimination is wrong, but if alittle discrimination now could help some one through the rest of there life. Wouldn’t that be better? There is plenty of gyms that would except the ‘thin’ girls that this one gym is not leting in. Let the big girls have a place were they don’t feel so bad about themselves.
Yes they might end up closing it down. but just think if it was you and a Lil overweight and your at the gym surrounded by skinny people. Your not going to want to work out just because of the fact you will feel like all of the skinny people are around judging you because of you weight. You want to be in a place where you fit in…..at least I know I would.
I would join that gym. I’m not exactly the thinnest person- I’m chubby- so it’s only natural that I’m a little insecure about thinner people. When I was in gym class when I was in school, I would lay back a bit, but if there was a gym for overweight people I would join in a heartbeat. I know that it doesn’t seem fair, but there are PLENTY of other gyms.
And if someone ever made a gym that doesn’t allow overweight people you know it would be a huge topic until they closed it down.