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An American chain of gyms that accepts only members with at least 50 pounds to lose has opened its first location in Canada. The chain, Downsize Fitness, aims to create a welcoming, stigma-free, communitybased environment for people who feel intimidated by mainstream gyms.
"We focus on functional fitness," says Kishan Shah, president of Downsize Fitness, which also has locations in Illinois and Texas. "Most people are concerned with, 'Can I get up offthe floor? Can I bend down and touch the floor? Can I fit into an airplane seat without a seat belt extender? Can I keep up with my kids?' They don't want to look like bodybuilders."
Promoting extreme weight loss is not the focus at the Canadian gym in Orléans, Ontario. "It's based on getting people healthy, and one of...