Biased viral post seems to have originated from Amory fitness center

AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) – A Facebook post representing Muscle Maxx Gym in Amory appeared to be unapologetic, stating: “If you are a fat person, we ask that you do not ask for a shirt. The honest truth is we do not want you representing us in public.”

The page then commented and stated that the post was directed to a few oversized members and said that some of them were as big as cars.

The next comment mentioned a probationary program that started on January 1, 2023, for its obese members.

After the comments sparked outrage among gym members and locals alike, calling it discriminatory and an act of body shaming, the page withdrew its statement.

Thomas Battaglia, the general manager at Anytime Fitness in Tupelo, said his gym focuses on making their clients comfortable in their own skin.

“If you have a lot of self-body issues if you can address that and love yourself, then that’s what we’re here about. A lot of people get on the scale and are like ‘I want to lose an x amount of weight’ or something like that or they starve themselves. We don’t work that way. We just want you to love yourself so whatever that weight is, that doesn’t matter,” said Battaglia.

Battaglia said if clients already met their fitness goal then they wouldn’t need a trainer.

“If you had the motivation, if you had the body image that you love, and you were just fired up with your life, you wouldn’t need somebody to help you get there. So our goal is to go above and beyond to make you feel comfortable with yourself, your body, and how you act every single day. And just look in the mirror and go ‘I love myself.’ So instead of being a certain weight, just being happy and healthy is our main objective,” said Battaglia.

Muscle Maxx Gym reached out to WCBI after several attempts and the 6 p.m. airing of the story. Crystal Justice, the owner of Muscle Maxx, reached out and said she was hacked.

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