I WAS A CLEAN-EATING INFLUENCER AND IT RUINED MY HEALTH

How many times have I seen and read this narrative!

This Influencer was running a female-focused health and fitness title. She had amassed more than 700,000 followers. She appeared on the cover of Women’s Health numerous times and scored lucrative endorsement and book deals.

She is now calling out toxic diet culture and its impact on young women. All this under eating and doing too much exercise, left her body is in a state of stress and affected her ability to have children. She has now added 10kg on her slight frame to regain her health.

“I bear a lot of responsibility for perpetuating a potentially damaging narrative” she now says.

Please don’t fall into the trap, believing everything that you see on social media and equating your self-worth with a number on the scales. I’ve been in the industry for over 25 years and it saddens me that the business of ‘Health & Fitness’ is actually not that. Social media has made it far from that. I’m now in my 50’s, yet all my knowledge and experience, is overlooked by a more youthful trainer.

Red Flags in our Industry:

– Unlimited Training.
– Demonising of food.
– Long Fasting.
– Drinking lots of water.
– Huge reduction in calories.
– No carbs.
– Juice This.
– Don’t eat fruit.
– PT’s who have never had a trainer.

Being lean doesn’t automatically mean you are healthy! Health is complex and looks very different for everyone. Just because someone looks like they train, doesn’t necessarily equal optimal health. Similarly, just because someone doesn’t match your perceived version of “fit”, doesn’t mean they aren’t.

Avatar for Machaela Dwyer

Machaela Dwyer

Owner at HUSTLE STREET Training Hawthorn