Gym Tells Woman She's Too Fat for Workout Equipment

By Amanda Taylor, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A metro woman said a gym she joined told her to stop using certain equipment because she was too overweight.

Five months ago Sandra Ruiz gave birth to her son but with that came some extra weight she wanted to get rid of. Ruiz said she weighs about 385 pounds.

"I'm tired of being fat because when I go to the store, I can't find clothes that fit me. I haven't worn jeans in a year," Ruiz said.

Ruiz joined Mademoiselle Fitness Center in south Oklahoma City. During one of her visits, Ruiz said a worker approached her while she was on a stationary bike and told her to get off.

"The lady said I couldn't get on the machines because we are overweight," Ruiz said. "Everybody was watching seeing what was going on, and I got very sad because I'm so emotional about my weight right now."

She said the gym told her she could instead use their aerobics room to walk in, but Ruiz said if she wanted to just walk she would do that outside for free.

Ruiz said that's what she is now doing and why she wants out of her contract and doesn't feel she should have to pay their cancellation fee.

"If ya'll didn't want big people to get on your machine, ya'll would have told us, and if we would have known, we wouldn't have come here," Ruiz said.

The owner of Mademoiselle Fitness Center said Ruiz had been informed from the start that there were certain pieces of equipment she couldn't use for her own safety, and also because of the equipment's weight limit. Ruiz said she was never told that.

The owner said they also made up a workout program specifically for her including water aerobics, but she was "like a kid in a candy store," saw all the equipment and wanted to try it all right then.

The owner said two weeks ago he had already decided to let her out of her contract and now because of the unusual circumstances, he's also waiving the cancellation fee.