Fat Fitness.... Fitting in, when you feel like you already don't fit.

...... addressing the elephant in the fitness room. And it's not you.

Obesity affects over 40% of North Americans, and has been classified by the CDC and World Health Organization as an epidemic. Healthier food options are more expensive, many people live in "food deserts" and less desirable, calorie dense food is cheaper and readily available - combined with sedentary lifestyles, the new culture of working from home and increased use of screens has added to the pounds packing on and the rise of preventable chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Most people know that in combination with good nutrition, regular exercise is an important component in a healthy lifestyle. That being said, MANY people are intimidated walking into a gym or fitness club, especially being overweight. I myself, being 315lbs at one point in my life, felt like the elephant in the room anytime I walked into a gym. Everyone around looked like the perfect picture of health. They were skinny or super fit and you can see all their muscle fibres in their arms, the girl going batshit on the elliptical looks like she could go all day on that machine with the sweat dripping, the buff guy in the weight area grunting so loud you can hear him half way across the gym. The trainers looked like they belonged on the cover of Maxim, the pamphlets have models that represented "fitness", the women in the spin class all have the best athletic wear and have been going to that class so long that they've bonded with the instructor who knows them right down to their shoe size.... you get my drift. Then there was me: the elephant in the room, the new fat kid in the class, that no one seemed to know how to talk to.

You immediately feel judged. The instructor assumes because of your larger body habitus that you have to modify everything, without knowing what you're actually physically capable of doing, or you sense your presence has immediately put a damper on the class, and you'll have to spend the next 30 mins to an hour trying to keep up because you already feel guilty of holding everyone else back. Whenever you heard the instructor talk about modifications, you immediately think it's because of you - and feels like an exclusion. It feels like you should just hang out at the back of the class, so that you're not in the way, and your rear end isn't right in that other person's face if you have to bend over. On the other side of the spectrum, you might have club administrators following you around trying to sell you a personal trainer package in a quest to make you their next make work project.

Finding fitness that works for you can be tricky, especially if you are overweight. For me, I opted for home workouts which worked very well for me, but for many reasons it's not an option for others. If you've had this experience before going to a gym, maybe this blog can help you overcome the gym jitters and also help people in the industry recognize exclusive practices that need change and develop more inclusive ways to help others feel comfortable looking for a fitness club or gym.

It's important to find a fitness club or gym that is inclusive even BEFORE you get there. Look at their advertising. Is everyone skinny and fit? Or do they have good representation of different body types and shapes? What about the staff and trainers- are they all cookie cutter in physique, or has the company hired trainers who are a little curvier but are still very good at delivering results and promote health. Some facilities, will not hire people who don't look the part - but are more than qualified and capable to lead that kick ass group fitness class. I am really grateful I work for a facility that hires trainers of all shapes and sizes, doesn't focus on perfection, and everyone who walks into the room feels like they are on a level playing field, because guess what - I got curves. Most important, What's the overall vibe? Is the environment conducive to making you better as a whole - physically, mentally, emotionally, with focus on health and positive changes , or are they focused on just getting that perfect booty or bicep flex?

Body size does not dictate health, or ones ability to exercise. Many fitness clubs are starting to figure this out, however some have room for improvement. There still seems to be this level of arrogance in the fitness industry that fitness and health is a cookie cutter physique or meal plan. I'm here to say it is not, and I'll fight you on that if you disagree with me. If feeling like starting up at a fitness facility is giving you the jitters, let me help you narrow it down. Find a place that is going to ask you "what is your why", that is not going to assume because you’re overweight you automatically need that modification, that doesn't expect you to keep pushing yourself to injury because you need to prove you can do it - even if it's not safe for you to keep going, but will push you to show up and do your best. Find a place where the fitness instructors aren't all a shapely size 2, and celebrate having staff in all shapes and sizes who can relate to the clients. Find a place that values you as a whole person, what your day was like and not suggest how many calories you should be eating without taking the time to know if you have an underlying eating disorder, or mental heath challenges.

Being the elephant in the fitness room, is not your problem to resolve - its up the fitness room to remove the expectations that will make you.. the elephant … feel like it's part of the herd.

xoxo

Amanda