Well, I guess I qualify as one of the "obese, old people" that have been refered to in several of the posts here. I'm fairly new to the Curves form of workouts...and I like it. Has it reshaped my body? Not yet. Have I lost inches? Not yet. Do I feel better than I did before I started working out?? You betcha!!! Was I inactive by choice?? No way! A regular gym was useless to me. Not only was it to hard on my "old" joints, but the people who need it the most are made to feel self concious. You see, I'm a strong believer in people finding out where they fit and what their bodies can handle. For some that may be a regular gym, for others it may be exercise at home and still others it may be curves. If your trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, it's just not a match. Same thing with any workout routine. If it's not for you, fine. Find what is for you. But try to keep in mind that calling what someone else finds helpful "a joke" or insinuating that it's only good for the very obese, old, lazy, couch potato type, may be offensive to those who have finally found something that makes them feel good and maybe just a little bit younger. Some people may outgrow the usefullness of the curves form of workout, some may find it's exactly what they want. To each their own.