Is this some kind of misguided attempt at motivating people or an effort to be body-positive?

Since leaving Mitte for Kreuzberg and then Neukölln in early August I have gone almost daily to Elixia, a gym with multiple locations around Germany that is eerily similar to Equinox Fitness in NYC (except in a small number of very significant ways).

The class schedule is way smaller and overall the classes are less rigorous and the trainers/instructors less precise in their instructions (though in their defense it must be noted that vielleicht verstehe ich nicht alles). Also, there are inevitably different levels I, II, and III for each type of class, but I have yet to discern any meaningful difference among the levels.

I have gone several times to the "Hot Iron" class, which, apart from sounding like a cosmetology/hair styling/wafflemaking course (as opposed to the free weight workout it actually is), always has the same soundtrack. The first song on this soundtrack is "Big Girl" by MIKA.

Here are the lyrics:

Walks in to the room
Feels like a big balloon
I said, 'Hey girls you are beautiful'
Diet coke and a pizza please
Diet coke I'm on my knees
Screaming 'Big girls you are beautiful'

You take your skinny girl
Feel like I'm gonna die
'Cause a real woman
Needs a real man here's why

You take your girl
And multiply her by four
Now a whole lotta woman
Needs a whole lot more

Get yourself to the Butterfly Lounge
Find yourself a big lady
Big boy come on around
And they'll be calling you baby

No need to fantasize
Since I was in my braces
A watering hole
With the girls around
And curves in all the right places

Big girls you are beautiful (x4)

repeat xa million

Okay, now everyone in Berlin speaks English, so they can´t use the ole "oh, no one really understand the lyrics anyway" excuse. This means that someone made the very deliberate choice to make this the leading song in an hour long exercise class. What a curious choice...

Mika's official site is here. CLICK AT YOUR OWN RISK. I believe you can even hear the song at the site, but be forewarned, it's an eyesore and it very nearly made my internet cafe computer explode. I don't think Mika has made it big in the States yet, but he's touring to Luxembourg! (okay, and all over Western Europe)