At Downsize Fitness gyms, skinny people need not apply

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At Downsize Fitness health clubs, the treadmills are wider, the head trainers are weight-loss veterans and new members must be at least 50 pounds (22.7kg) overweight.

It's all about creating a more welcoming environment to battle the bulge and drop the excess weight.

Francis Wisniewski, a hedge fund manager, started Downsize Fitness in 2011, when he was struggling to lose weight and found himself intimidated by one-size-fits-all gyms.

His inspiration came from the hit television reality show ‘The Biggest Loser’.

"We wanted to make it the ‘Biggest Loser' in real life," he said. "Most people would be successful if they could spend 15 weeks just exercising. In real life, we have jobs. You go to the gym one hour, five times a week and change your diet."

The gym provides nutritional counseling, and the equipment is built for heavier people.

"A lot of equipment supports only up to 350 pounds (about 160kg)," he said. "Ours is over 600 (272kg). And our personal trainers are used to working with overweight people. Two of our head trainers have lost over 100 pounds on their own."

Wisniewski said people can lose 22kg in six-to-12 months of training.

"We didn't want people who need to drop 20 pounds for a wedding," he added.

Gary Liguori, an expert in exercise science with the American College of Sports Medicine, called Downsize Fitness a unique behavioural approach for getting people active because they don't have to worry about being self-conscious.

He said, historically, overweight people have not been successful with exercise and it's not unusual for them to feel intimidated at gyms.