I Almost Joined Beachbody

I am going to start this off by saying I do not have an eating disorder. I can’t imagine how hard than must be for those that struggle with that pain everyday. However, like many women/men, I have struggled with my weight and body image my entire life. I’ve cried in the mirror. I’ve tried diets and different work outs. I’ve counted calories and weighed myself. I’ve been super thin, and I have been bigger. I have envied my friends that are “naturally thin”. I still do. I have finally gotten to the point where I don’t obsess over my weight everyday. I don’t regret what I eat, or try to make up for eating too many calories.

With this quarantine, people have begun online workouts. I follow several women that are Beachbody coaches. They make it super appealing by catchy slogans and yummy looking protein shakes. They make it look easy because the workouts are short, and they use preworkout supplements to get energized before a workout. They show before and after pictures showing off their results and “proving” this program really works. They also make it appealing because they do a lot of things as a team. They make connections and friendships and gain a bunch of followers by using clever hashtags.

I wanted to join because of the connections and friendships. I wanted to join because I want so desperately to look good in a bathing suit this Summer. I wanted to join because I have gained a lot of weight in the past two years.

I was so close to signing up, but my brain kicked in and said “Danielle, this is unhealthy for you.” Their “challenges” require you to workout daily. A lot of people claim to not miss a day of working out. I’m not perfect, and I know I can’t commit to working out everyday. Because of a chronic illness, some days I struggle to get out of bed. I knew if I accepted one of those challenges and couldn’t workout everyday, I would feel less than. If you do their nutrition program, you have to track what you eat. I have make progress with my body image, but I know if I would’ve joined, I would’ve regressed. I can’t afford to regress. My brain can’t be consumed by how many calories are in everything I eat. Someone once told me I should be a Dietitian because I could recite the nutrition facts in different foods. Though not required, I would’ve felt pressure to post before and after photos. I don’t need the world seeing my body. Especially when I am still trying to accept it how it is.

Beachbody and other programs of this nature worry me. Why? Because they are harmful to those with eating disorders and those at risk for developing an eating disorder. According to NEDA, 30 Million people in the U.S. suffer from eating disorders. Eating disorders are one of the most deadly mental illnesses. I have seen several articles and posts lately saying the quarantine has been especially hard for those with eating disorders. The two reasons I’ve seen across the board are loss of control and triggering exercise posts.

If you haven’t struggled with body image and disordered eating, these programs might be for you. However, they sure ain’t for me.

ReplyForward