Why I stopped doing “Body- Shaming” Workouts

When will we ever be good enough for social media? Those few seconds when the Wi-Fi stops working maybe.

2020 was a year for most of us to lose some weight and get back to shape. I followed a program combining quantified nutrition and strength training workouts and lost 12 kgs in total. Later on, YouTube workout videos help me keep this streak saving a lot of money on gym membership and proving that I can workout in the lousiest of pyjamas.

According to Sports England, YouTube had 73% of fitness video views since last April. Influencers like Chloe Ting, Pamela Reif, Lily Sabri, Hana Milly etc. hit phenomenal subscribers and million views. My issues began when this video started coming up dealing with specific issues

“Exercises to reduce hanging belly fat in 7 days”

“Arm exercise for getting rid of those pesky bat wings “

“Lose muffin top fast”

I felt attacked and did them all.

There appeared to be no end to the defects I had. Did I miss the normalising part of “nicknaming“ our bodies?. Was I still Cady Heron at heart, who believed having a bad breath in the morning was the only worst thing about her (hello, Mean Girls )

I could not return to these videos after repeating them a few times.

Let me admit it – consistency is my work in progress skill.

When I followed up a year of decent diet and training, I was the first one surprised. what was stopping me?

The before and after result videos did not help either. The truth – I simply did not enjoy performing these exercises. It was a reminder of the impossible beauty and fitness standards all over again. No matter how cute they sound (muffins, hello!)

Spot reduction woes

I would abandon all reason when a best friend’s wedding is coming up or when we are planning for a beach vacation. I have always struggled with accepting my arms, which by the way has always been the subject of incessant trolling since my teens.

I would run to add arm workouts with the actual “flabby arms tag“ to my routine and I would look at the muffin top I have been ignoring. As always I would stop midway with some excuses.

The Insecurity Perspective

Fitness and overall well-being require a holistic approach – good food, sleep, stress control and workouts. A few years ago, the toxicity of gym workout quotes was called out. It’s time we change the narrative.

Fitness is not a fix for defects that do not even exist in the first place. It is a lifelong journey. Can we work on promoting a healthy lifestyle without resorting to “fat-shaming”?

Again, the promise of short term results should not continue quietly reinforcing this.

We will never fit these standards and that is OK.

Final Thoughts

My childhood memories of crying myself to sleep thanks to the comments from relatives concerned about my weight and my parents agreeing with them. A decade later in my later 20s, I simply laugh off this advice. We are starting to have healthy conversations on body positivity and accepting our bodies.

So, I am choosing to not fall for yet another version of the body standard definition again.

What is in a name you might ask me?

How about videos with different title and phrases?

Get toned abs, rounded booty, arms like a certain celebrity, an hourglass figure – will they solve the problem for me?

Well, giving a fix always means something is lacking in the first place. No world play can hide that.

A little bit of care in naming the videos would certainly make a difference.

Until then, I choose my battles starting with selecting my workout videos titles, thank you.