Breaking Barriers

Sarah Le Brocq Founder and Director All About Obesity

The fitness industry has long been a space associated with ideals of peak physical fitness, lean bodies, and intense athleticism. While these attributes might appeal to some, this narrow definition of health and wellness has excluded many people – especially those living with obesity. For these individuals, the fitness industry is often an intimidating and unwelcoming environment, marked by stigma, judgment, and a lack of inclusivity.

As someone who has personally struggled with these issues, I know how damaging this can be. Growing up on the island of Jersey, I had a wonderful childhood. But as I entered puberty early, I began to feel different from the other girls. My body developed much earlier than theirs, and I started to fixate on my weight. By my early teens, I was already attending slimming groups and attempting very low-calorie diets.

A sample of 24,951 referrals, where obesity was identified as a medical condition, was analysed, showing an average weight loss of 10% over a typical 12-week period. In a second group of 94,650 referrals, which focused on weight measurements regardless of medical conditions, the average weight loss over 12 weeks was 2.9%. This suggests that when obesity is specifically selected as a condition at referral, the average weight loss is greater.

For those living with obesity, fitness spaces like gyms and even online communities are daunting. Rather than promoting health for everyone, these spaces tend to elevate a narrow standard of physical beauty – one that prioritises lean, muscular bodies and ignores the diversity of body types. As a result, many people living with obesity feel uncomfortable or unwelcome.

Here are a few reasons why the fitness industry remains a challenging space for people with obesity:

1. Body Shaming and Judgment: People with larger bodies often face judgment in gyms and fitness spaces. Unsolicited advice, stares, or outright ridicule can make working out a stressful experience. 2. Lack of Representation: When you don’t see people like yourself in advertisements, fitness classes, or even among the staff at a gym, it’s hard to feel that you belong.

3. Misguided Health Assumptions: The fitness world tends to promote the idea that health equals thinness. This narrow view ignores the complex factors –biological, psychological, societal – that contribute to obesity and overall health.

4. Equipment and Facility Limitations: Gyms are often not equipped with facilities designed for larger bodies. From small benches to narrow mats, these physical barriers add another layer of discomfort.

Creating an inclusive fitness industry If we want to create an environment where everyone feels welcome in the fitness world, significant changes must be made. We need to shift the narrative so fitness is about health, mobility and mental wellbeing—not about achieving a specific body type. We also need to create accessible spaces, actively combat the stereotypes surrounding obesity and recognise the emotional toll that weight stigma takes on individuals. Building supportive communities in fitness spaces can help people feel more comfortable