A fitness instructor said she was left speechless after being told by a woman that she was "too fat" to be a good coach.
Zara Groves, 51, was "shocked" when a friend told her a woman, who was a potential customer, saw a photo of her and decided not to sign up with her.
She said that the comment caused her to have a 'little cry'.
The fitness instructor, from Llandudno, Wales, was surprised that her skill and expertise was dismissed so easily and that her experience of working in the industry for over 20 years was overlooked, reports the Daily Post.
She has worked all over the world including Asia, Europe and Australia and runs her own fitness company, Zara Groves Fitness.
Zara said: "My friend who told me about what the woman said was mortified when she realised how upset I was.
"Apparently the woman knew all about me and was going to sign up to one of my online courses, but then saw a photo of me on social media and instantly dismissed me as she thought me too fat, and so as a result I couldn't possibly be a good trainer."
The next day Zara dusted herself down and decided to post about what happened to her on Facebook.
"In my Facebook post I say clearly I know I'm not fat, I'm a size 12 which isn't fat at all," said Zara.
"I may have put weight on since my 20s but the thing is I'm 51 now and I'm also peri-menopausal.
She continued: "I'm just really shocked about how judgemental people can be and also how harsh.
"I'm very body confident, I really am but I know some younger fitness trainers who would have felt crucified by someone not going to them because they were deemed fat.
"I've had some of them contact me saying similar things have happened to them and how horribly upsetting it has made them feel.
"I think people have a very unrealistic vision of how women and fitness trainers should look, some seem to think we should all be like waifs."
Zara added: "Just because I'm not a stick doesn't mean I'm not a good trainer, I know I am as I'm still in the business 20 years on.
"And the thing is with me I keep it very real and natural. I have not had Botox, fillers, fake boobs or a bum lift, other instructors do that even if they are only in their 20s it's important to me to try and keep things realistic."
