Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Some kind of ventilator

There was an anorexic girl at the gym last night. It was really disturbing.

She was cranking away on the elliptical a couple machines down from me.

She looked to be in her early 20's, and she weighed approximately 75 - 80 pounds. Her waist was about the same circumference as my thigh. Her legs were no bigger than my forearm.

Living in the town I do, which is littered with athletes and very, very fit people, I see trim, thin ultra-runner types every day. (Even in my own house.)

This girl was not one of those people.

She was definitely in the throes of an eating disorder, body dysmprphia, whatever.

Like I said, it was disturbing.

It made me wonder what, if any, moral, ethical or other obligation a fitness club has toward her.

"Sorry, you can't use our facility to kill yourself."

I wonder what I would do in that situation.