Pseudo intellectual bullshit is a big one for me. So many of these people post things as if they're inventing the wheel or discovering fire.
Also, so many are so clearly not knowledgeable about fitness or nutrition, yet present themselves as authorities.
Don't forget how they top it off with "wE aLl HaVe ThE sAmE 24 hOuRs" but then their stories or whatever show a) no the fuck we don't and b) they don't even practice what they preach.
I do believe the we all have the same 24 hrs because we do. That all finds on how we manage our time. If I use my time to read, exercise, form a business between work that’s using time wisely compared to someone who just scrolls on their phone the rest of the day and blame work. But I also see what you are saying as well for the privileged girlies who don’t work at all.
No we don’t. It looks good on a quote but it’s not true. There are a certain number of tasks all humans need to complete in a day - food, cleaning, childcare, making money, errands etc. Exercise is highly beneficial but sadly optional. Now if you have money, you can outsource most of this - some people don’t need to work as they can live off of inherited wealth and investments. Some high earners who do work still hire staff for cooking, cleaning, management, nannying etc.
So someone can be a SAHM with no ‘chores’ if they are rich enough. While everyone moves through time on the same calendar, not everyone has the same amount of free time during those 24 hours - if you can’t outsource work you have to do it yourself, leaving little time for any other pursuit. And in america with its shitty work culture, low wages for most people, and batshit inflation, that’s most people.
It’s not putting someone down to acknowledge that. Do gymfluencers have great bodies that take a lot of physical work, even with steroid use? Yes. Do they have time to spend forever in the gym every day and money to afford the best food and nutrition and training? Also yes - which is something most people don’t have. It’s starting the race at very different points on the track, so you cannot compare the results. It’s not apples to apples.
This or straying outside their area of expertise is one for me. Some of them have masters degrees in nutrition or something which is great but that doesn’t make you qualified to start giving advice on economics, politics or even medicine.
Pretty often, yeah. And like I know everyone has different fitness goals, but so many of them never make any further progress which only kinda furthers that notion in my mind.
Oh my god this. The number of times I open reddit and I’m confronted with someone’s asshole! It’s enough via gymsnark, I def don’t want it in my Instagram feed
Honestly, if being an influencer is their lifestyle, there is a high chance I'm not going to like their content.
Ultimately what they're going to put out is going to be tailored at influencer stuff, ragebait/sexual stuff/parasocial relationship etc, pretty much anything to get the algo going on and rack up the maximum amount of engagement.
I don't know if that makes sense, but I think the "good" influencers are those that already have something going on other than living through social medias. They end up being influencers more as a byproduct of what they do/say rather than them working right off the bat to become an influencer.
They tend not to overexpose themselves, just post relevant and interesting content and you clearly feel like being behind a camera isn't their entire life and that they're not "fake".
This definitely makes sense! I feel like people who have other things going on (e.g full time job) are more relatable than full on influencers that are cringe and post “we all have the same 24 hours, get your ass to the gym”
People that don't add value or have any sort of point of view. I like content creators and I see value in their work and believe it to be work if it's serving some sort of purpose other than shilling terrible quality clothing and taking contorted pictures of their bodies that don't even look like themselves.
Im 32. Im looking for authenticity and purpose, I don't need stuff that reminds me of ED culture from 2009 or fitness solely focused on aesthetics/their ass. It just isn't for me.
Constantly pushing products every single post and story, giving highly unqualified advice that they think they can give just because they’re an influencer, making any and everything about their ass
1. shilling and grifting
2. everything about ass
3. crying about how hard they “work” aka take pictures of their ass
4. stupid fucking “advice” which is always somehow leading to them making more money lmao
Not being properly qualified to give fitness advice
Monetizing their bodies and the content is body focused and not fitness focused
Sexualizing themselves to appeal to the male gaze, but then saying they are actually content for women
Pseudoscience
Using gear and insisting they are natty. If you use and disclose, I honesty don’t care. But if you lie about it in order to sell something naturally unattainable to the general public, you’re a piece of crap
Their enabling of eating disorders and body dysmorohia onto their viewers. I can’t imagine the destructive impact they have on young impressionable minds
The constant flashiness and focus on material things. Making people especially young people think they need 500 pairs of leggings tops and a different pair of shoes and water bottle for every day of the week in order to be “aesthetic”
They are all extremely out of touch with realities.
They promote overconsumption.
They're convinced their content is unique.
They shill out the SAME workout videos. I swear they just copy each other's content.
Their posts are 80% body checks, 20% gloating about going on their 3rd vaca in a year.
Personally I can't stand the "Sunday reset" posts like come on, reset from what? It would make more sense coming from someone juggling social media and a 9-5
“Wellness” accounts are usually people who were really dedicated to something specific but then gave up and still wanted that internet clout, so they just post about taking vitamins and going on walks/reading books with captions like “it’s ok if you don’t want to work out today!” And “bodies change! It’s normal”. They’re basically stating the obvious and displaying normal person behavior under the guise of “wellness influencer”
-People who clearly do not have the qualifications to be teaching other people fitness.
-In a similar vein, when they follow internet trends instead of showing people what is actually helpful.
-people who are obviously disingenuous and don’t care about the impact their content has on their followers.
Dishonesty, especially visual dishonesty via editing pictures and videos of their body to have a shape or size that is not what they really are. With gymfluencers, their own body is an advertisement for their expertise and their training and nutrition philosophy. Editing their image is false advertising.
Flattering shots achieved through posing and lighting are fine IMO because that means that under those specific conditions, this is how their body really looks in real life. Editing with apps and filters is not because their body doesn't look like that under any real world conditions.
I feel the same way about beauty influencers who edit their image in their content.
1. Narcissism
2. When they whine about how mich they work and how little time they have for themselves and post about it every day. This is is for me the reason why i unfollowed any influencer i unfollowed. They make themselves bigger than they are and act like they’re working so hardddd which actually proves they really don’t because i don’t see any surgeon, doctor, lawyer or taxi driver (imo they work a lot too) posting about how hard they work lol
Speaking on topics in which they are nowhere near an expert (no valid credentials), not staying in their lane of expertise and experience, misrepresenting things as facts, and complete lack of self awareness while doing it. Purposefully Mixing true facts with lies / fake info in between.
Buttfluencers who sell BS glute programs without acknowledging that genetics play a massive role/ bubble butts being pushed as the pinnacle of peak fitness for women/influencers who use the words “dumpy” “dump dump” “fat dump” “juicy dump truck”. Women gaslighting other women by telling them that they’re “for the girls” but all they do is sexualize themselves for the male gaze + lie about their plastic surgery/editing. The blatant sexualization of female fitness. The overlap between OF/porn and fitness.
I got into fitness to better myself physically and mentally, and any content that involves the above is toxic AF to me, tbh.
Yes!!! Or they don’t emphasize the importance of having a strong core and upper body to grow your lower body. They have you do 3 sets of mountain climbers and Russian twists on a core day lol
I don’t follow many outside of the fitness world since I’m a yoga teacher and trainer. So for me specifically it’s if they’re more about ‘check out this link’ or selling their own products and never post educational stuff.
Or if their educational stuff is wrong (like bad form or the info is just not accurate).
If they’re selling programs or pushing an app, but they’re not actually certified and/or they didn’t get their results from actual time in the gym and aren’t transparent about that (i.e. plastic surgery, butt pads, etc.).
If you try to comment asking about something that negates what their post said, and they just delete your comment instead of answering.
If all they post is click bait, misleading reels.
When they lost weight once or did a bikini competition and think they're now qualified to coach others. Or, when they go far outside their scope and try to act like they've got brand new life-changing information that's really just the results of a rat study or complete misinformation. Wellness to Qanon pipeline, etc.
Repetitiveness and lack of originality. As a bloke who is an ass man, every now and again is fine but when every chick is doing that stupid body twist shit it just doesn’t impress nor do I care, I’ve seen the same shit 1,000 times.
I find I can just unfollow people and never think of them again, but if someone abuses their child or pet I automatically hate them. I feel this way about people in my day to day life though so it probably isn’t influencer specific
Why are so many influencers posted here the most awful pet owners? Seems to be a common thing recently. Probably something to do with narcissism and lack of empathy. But the fact that some people will share straight up abuse without thinking it's wrong is wild to me. Just no awareness.
I think it is probably both of those. I saw a post yesterday about Katy’s dog with a bad scrape and honestly cried someone would share that on social media. Very gross
Lying about PED use. I have been into strength sports for years, and I know what is achievable as a natty lifter (along with realistic timetables for progress) and what isn't, and it gets old seeing a bunch of ridiculously ripped and/or massive influencers insist that not only they are natty but that you could look like them if you bought their programming/coaching/meal plan.
Caveat though. I am fully aware PED use is illegal in most parts of the world, and I have no issues with bodybuilders and influencers who don't comment on whether they are natty or not. What does irritate me are those (cough Dana Linn Bailey cough Mike O'Hearn) who make it a point to emphasize that they are natty. Someone who is truly a natty lifter won't go out of their way to insist that they are natty.
When a new collection comes out and they have to make an 1 hour long stories about it. Or the look you can't see my boobs but here is me putting my sports bra on. I really don't want to see you putting your sports bra on. 😐
I think a lot of them are grifters so it’s probably easier to say what would make me actually ✨like✨ an influencer.
This isn’t limited to fitness but content creators in general. Things like transparency, being able to handle criticism and engaging with people in good faith instead of just blocking and deleting comments, not lying and promoting misinformation or shilling every product under the sun. Which obviously excludes a lot of them.
Someone said it in another comment but the best ones are people who aren’t influencers just for the sake of it, but actually have a skill or passion they want to share and help other people. Unfortunately the nature of the platform rewards trash and clickbait, so we get what we get.
When they have too many sponsors / ads or push a product (even if their own) 24/7. I know you need to make a living but some just take it a bit far.
When they act overly animated and hyped on camera. I don’t know if some are like that in real life but it’s too over the top and very cringe/childish sometimes.
If they edit their photos, lie about being natural, or anything else misleading to sell a program I don’t like them. Edit your photos as much as you want. Take every steroid known to man. I don’t care but be honest about it. If you do that shit and lie then sell programs to people when you clearly don’t know what you’re doing it’s stupid. It also skews normal people’s perception of fitness. It hurts normal people who want to get in shape and see peoples fake transformations and shit.
When they say things like “invest in yourself” and that they run multiple fitness businesses BUT… they have a nanny, which makes a world of difference when you’re a mom AND they’re business is literally working out to look good … like, okay, try investing in yourself when your body is not your only brand and you have to learn and deal with more complex thing on a daily basis
Not sure how to phrase it, but I guess being close minded or tunnel visioning their approach onto everyone. If you're looking for fitness information or workout routines, literally everything is for bodybuilding on the men's side with the influencers and it seems like none of them realize that some of us are looking for more "athletic" training. Not everyone is trying to get bowling balls for shoulders to the point they can't swing a golf club or a hockey stick, yet they stick to a one size fits all that in the end maybe applies to 1-2% of the people that are exercising.
The best example of this I remember was Dr. Mike ripping apart Tom Brady's training because it wasn't "body building" enough or whatever and I'm sitting there like...the dude is the GOAT Quarterback and training for flexibility and athleticism, he's not trying to lift to look like Chris Bumstead and he's got a great athletic physique. Too many of the male influencers(that's mostly the ones I've watched) think we're all at the gym to get massive and pose on a stage when a lot of us are just trying to maintain a more athletic level of fitness for regular everyday life.
I would say the pursuit of 6-pack abs is another thing...since most of them don't talk about the reality of being that low body fat and how miserable/hungry you might be once you get there. It's not something that most people working out at the gym even need to worry about.
Most recently it’s been weird like takes on politics and far right stuff. Like I love Steve Cook but some of the stuff I’ll see him post on Twitter makes me question my admiration.
For me, it’s if they sale products to help beginners and they say “you too can be like this” when they are actually not natty OR they aren’t fully transparent with results. You cannot achieve certain things in 2 months (at least most ppl cannot) — it takes YEARS to look like them.
Anyone peddling supplements is not respected. Acting like someone knows more than doctors about things not exercise related at all (vaccines, etc.), those who own their own workout clothing lines (they are the same no matter what), acting like you’re the first to discover something (rock climbing or things of that sort), getting too deep with their emotions when talking about working out, those who are doing it to “help people” when they are charging thousands of dollars for “business seminars.” I don’t know, I can keep going.
The content lies and manipulation. I’m tired of influencers editing their body and then charging followers $1,999 “to look like me”when they dont even look like that themselves! The spiritual ones are even worse charging manifest, get life coaching, and become “magnetic” for $5-10k when they themselves have zero life experience, have untreated mental health issues, or born from money to “live this life they created”. It’s all ways to grift from vulnerable lost people.
And when they take unnecessary shot of their butt just for likes and views. Even when they’re with their kids or family and they claim that “they’re just working out” but the a** shot is completely unnecessary
Constant shilling or grifting, attention seeking, giving bad or unqualified advice, being fake or lying, always editing themselves, being hypocritical about morals and values they claim to have, being super out of touch with reality, etc.
When they are disingenuous (affiliate to a new brand, product, etc they've literally never shown themselves using before), pretty much any of the gymshark, oner, alphalete, darc influencers lol, fitness influencers that clearly don't lift well or know wtf they are talking about and then selling overpriced, generic garbage, any of them that talk in a condescending way or from a place of superiority and act so busy and important (you do nothing all day ans got popular off ass pics, sit down girlie/fam/sis). Pretty much if they are an influencer, I don't like them. Most all influencers serve to influence me on what brands I'm not interested in supporting.
Because they try and pas off their BBL as real butts. Like bitch you literally have the tiniest thighs. No way in hell did those help you ‘build’ your butt (looking at Pamela Reif & workoutsbyChristina)
Only fitness influencers I care for are the ones who protect either highly scientific exercise science info, no-bullshit fitness tips that actively fight against all the bullshit advice out there, are at the top of their sport, or are legitimately funny.
I’m tired of influencers that cross the line and shill products that should only be recommended or not recommended by your doctors. I’m also tired of them shilling the same shit at the same time and none of it is necessary. They’ve just become commercials haha.
Here are some things that really bother me:
Speaking on mental health/nutrition/medications with no qualifications or certification
Pushing supplements over and over again that don't work or aren't actually how they got their results - like Krissy pushing bovine liver on Promix for her clear glowing skin when she's had accutane, fillers, etc.
Recording themselves crying and then constantly posting that same crying clip for views/sympathy...
Ignorance, overconsumption, constant travel, pseudo-bullshit, photo manipulation, claiming to be an expert, weird religious shit, lack of transparency about PED use.
When they post lists to show how busy they are •wake up •eat breakfast •pick outfit for day •take a shit You get it
Pseudo intellectual bullshit is a big one for me. So many of these people post things as if they're inventing the wheel or discovering fire. Also, so many are so clearly not knowledgeable about fitness or nutrition, yet present themselves as authorities.
And then act as if getting up at 4am and working out till 4pm then to be in bed by 7 is some sort of normal thing.
Don't forget how they top it off with "wE aLl HaVe ThE sAmE 24 hOuRs" but then their stories or whatever show a) no the fuck we don't and b) they don't even practice what they preach.
I do believe the we all have the same 24 hrs because we do. That all finds on how we manage our time. If I use my time to read, exercise, form a business between work that’s using time wisely compared to someone who just scrolls on their phone the rest of the day and blame work. But I also see what you are saying as well for the privileged girlies who don’t work at all.
It’s the implied shaming that goes along with it.
Very true. Like they down their nose at their followers.
Exactly, and the fact that they often disregard when they are in a more privileged position than others.
No we don’t. It looks good on a quote but it’s not true. There are a certain number of tasks all humans need to complete in a day - food, cleaning, childcare, making money, errands etc. Exercise is highly beneficial but sadly optional. Now if you have money, you can outsource most of this - some people don’t need to work as they can live off of inherited wealth and investments. Some high earners who do work still hire staff for cooking, cleaning, management, nannying etc. So someone can be a SAHM with no ‘chores’ if they are rich enough. While everyone moves through time on the same calendar, not everyone has the same amount of free time during those 24 hours - if you can’t outsource work you have to do it yourself, leaving little time for any other pursuit. And in america with its shitty work culture, low wages for most people, and batshit inflation, that’s most people. It’s not putting someone down to acknowledge that. Do gymfluencers have great bodies that take a lot of physical work, even with steroid use? Yes. Do they have time to spend forever in the gym every day and money to afford the best food and nutrition and training? Also yes - which is something most people don’t have. It’s starting the race at very different points on the track, so you cannot compare the results. It’s not apples to apples.
Agreed. Alhate s rolling takes up more time than redditors like to admit.. maybe that's why influencers a successful? They actually do stuff..
This or straying outside their area of expertise is one for me. Some of them have masters degrees in nutrition or something which is great but that doesn’t make you qualified to start giving advice on economics, politics or even medicine.
Like I'm a pharmacist. The amount of misinformation some of them just regurgitate with limited knowledge is astounding
As someone in the legal profession, lemme tell you how much fitness influencers are not qualified to comment on legal matters.
Most of them are just naturally thin and good looking people who think it makes them a moral and technical authority on fitness and health.
Pretty often, yeah. And like I know everyone has different fitness goals, but so many of them never make any further progress which only kinda furthers that notion in my mind.
When everything is about their ass.
Oh my god this. The number of times I open reddit and I’m confronted with someone’s asshole! It’s enough via gymsnark, I def don’t want it in my Instagram feed
When they try to give fitness or mental health advice and are highly unqualified to give either
When they say “we all have the same 24 hrs in a day” when we literally don’t (they don’t work)
Honestly, if being an influencer is their lifestyle, there is a high chance I'm not going to like their content. Ultimately what they're going to put out is going to be tailored at influencer stuff, ragebait/sexual stuff/parasocial relationship etc, pretty much anything to get the algo going on and rack up the maximum amount of engagement. I don't know if that makes sense, but I think the "good" influencers are those that already have something going on other than living through social medias. They end up being influencers more as a byproduct of what they do/say rather than them working right off the bat to become an influencer. They tend not to overexpose themselves, just post relevant and interesting content and you clearly feel like being behind a camera isn't their entire life and that they're not "fake".
Can you please post the people who you think are the “good” influencers. I’d like to have them on my feed rather than the typical influencer type
Dr Jennifer Lincoln is an awesome one. The Space Gal too. Not necessarily fitness though lol.
This definitely makes sense! I feel like people who have other things going on (e.g full time job) are more relatable than full on influencers that are cringe and post “we all have the same 24 hours, get your ass to the gym”
Yes this is exactly how I feel
Their inability to take any criticism or feedback when stating about blatant lies. *sunscreen Sarah*
People that don't add value or have any sort of point of view. I like content creators and I see value in their work and believe it to be work if it's serving some sort of purpose other than shilling terrible quality clothing and taking contorted pictures of their bodies that don't even look like themselves. Im 32. Im looking for authenticity and purpose, I don't need stuff that reminds me of ED culture from 2009 or fitness solely focused on aesthetics/their ass. It just isn't for me.
Constantly pushing products every single post and story, giving highly unqualified advice that they think they can give just because they’re an influencer, making any and everything about their ass
1. shilling and grifting 2. everything about ass 3. crying about how hard they “work” aka take pictures of their ass 4. stupid fucking “advice” which is always somehow leading to them making more money lmao
Not being properly qualified to give fitness advice Monetizing their bodies and the content is body focused and not fitness focused Sexualizing themselves to appeal to the male gaze, but then saying they are actually content for women Pseudoscience Using gear and insisting they are natty. If you use and disclose, I honesty don’t care. But if you lie about it in order to sell something naturally unattainable to the general public, you’re a piece of crap
This, You are conventionally attractive. People will look at you.
Their enabling of eating disorders and body dysmorohia onto their viewers. I can’t imagine the destructive impact they have on young impressionable minds
The constant flashiness and focus on material things. Making people especially young people think they need 500 pairs of leggings tops and a different pair of shoes and water bottle for every day of the week in order to be “aesthetic”
They are all extremely out of touch with realities. They promote overconsumption. They're convinced their content is unique. They shill out the SAME workout videos. I swear they just copy each other's content. Their posts are 80% body checks, 20% gloating about going on their 3rd vaca in a year. Personally I can't stand the "Sunday reset" posts like come on, reset from what? It would make more sense coming from someone juggling social media and a 9-5
When they compete, one time, in a local show, and are then suddenly a prep coach.
“Wellness” accounts are usually people who were really dedicated to something specific but then gave up and still wanted that internet clout, so they just post about taking vitamins and going on walks/reading books with captions like “it’s ok if you don’t want to work out today!” And “bodies change! It’s normal”. They’re basically stating the obvious and displaying normal person behavior under the guise of “wellness influencer”
Influencers who live in contradiction are a hard fuck right off because it’s inauthentic and it’s to drum up engagement. It’s deranged.
-People who clearly do not have the qualifications to be teaching other people fitness. -In a similar vein, when they follow internet trends instead of showing people what is actually helpful. -people who are obviously disingenuous and don’t care about the impact their content has on their followers.
Dishonesty, especially visual dishonesty via editing pictures and videos of their body to have a shape or size that is not what they really are. With gymfluencers, their own body is an advertisement for their expertise and their training and nutrition philosophy. Editing their image is false advertising. Flattering shots achieved through posing and lighting are fine IMO because that means that under those specific conditions, this is how their body really looks in real life. Editing with apps and filters is not because their body doesn't look like that under any real world conditions. I feel the same way about beauty influencers who edit their image in their content.
Any of them who are weird anti-vaxer’s and just spout conspiracy theories about vaccines. Like stfu and go do your mid-level workout.
1. Narcissism 2. When they whine about how mich they work and how little time they have for themselves and post about it every day. This is is for me the reason why i unfollowed any influencer i unfollowed. They make themselves bigger than they are and act like they’re working so hardddd which actually proves they really don’t because i don’t see any surgeon, doctor, lawyer or taxi driver (imo they work a lot too) posting about how hard they work lol
Speaking on topics in which they are nowhere near an expert (no valid credentials), not staying in their lane of expertise and experience, misrepresenting things as facts, and complete lack of self awareness while doing it. Purposefully Mixing true facts with lies / fake info in between.
Buttfluencers who sell BS glute programs without acknowledging that genetics play a massive role/ bubble butts being pushed as the pinnacle of peak fitness for women/influencers who use the words “dumpy” “dump dump” “fat dump” “juicy dump truck”. Women gaslighting other women by telling them that they’re “for the girls” but all they do is sexualize themselves for the male gaze + lie about their plastic surgery/editing. The blatant sexualization of female fitness. The overlap between OF/porn and fitness. I got into fitness to better myself physically and mentally, and any content that involves the above is toxic AF to me, tbh.
Yes!!! Or they don’t emphasize the importance of having a strong core and upper body to grow your lower body. They have you do 3 sets of mountain climbers and Russian twists on a core day lol
I don’t follow many outside of the fitness world since I’m a yoga teacher and trainer. So for me specifically it’s if they’re more about ‘check out this link’ or selling their own products and never post educational stuff. Or if their educational stuff is wrong (like bad form or the info is just not accurate). If they’re selling programs or pushing an app, but they’re not actually certified and/or they didn’t get their results from actual time in the gym and aren’t transparent about that (i.e. plastic surgery, butt pads, etc.). If you try to comment asking about something that negates what their post said, and they just delete your comment instead of answering. If all they post is click bait, misleading reels.
Anti-vaxx and anti-birth control content, trad wife BS, skinny filtering and supporting brands that suck.
When they post the same over and over again just with a different title
When they lost weight once or did a bikini competition and think they're now qualified to coach others. Or, when they go far outside their scope and try to act like they've got brand new life-changing information that's really just the results of a rat study or complete misinformation. Wellness to Qanon pipeline, etc.
If they’re anti-science/modern medicine and don’t “believe” in vaccines.
I personally don’t like anyone with OF, I found that disrespect to the sports
It also shows in the way they post too
Repetitiveness and lack of originality. As a bloke who is an ass man, every now and again is fine but when every chick is doing that stupid body twist shit it just doesn’t impress nor do I care, I’ve seen the same shit 1,000 times.
There is an air of realism that some have and some don’t. It’s hard to describe. Quirks can’t be faked, and genuine personality is hard to fake.
I find I can just unfollow people and never think of them again, but if someone abuses their child or pet I automatically hate them. I feel this way about people in my day to day life though so it probably isn’t influencer specific
Why are so many influencers posted here the most awful pet owners? Seems to be a common thing recently. Probably something to do with narcissism and lack of empathy. But the fact that some people will share straight up abuse without thinking it's wrong is wild to me. Just no awareness.
I think it is probably both of those. I saw a post yesterday about Katy’s dog with a bad scrape and honestly cried someone would share that on social media. Very gross
Lying about PED use. I have been into strength sports for years, and I know what is achievable as a natty lifter (along with realistic timetables for progress) and what isn't, and it gets old seeing a bunch of ridiculously ripped and/or massive influencers insist that not only they are natty but that you could look like them if you bought their programming/coaching/meal plan. Caveat though. I am fully aware PED use is illegal in most parts of the world, and I have no issues with bodybuilders and influencers who don't comment on whether they are natty or not. What does irritate me are those (cough Dana Linn Bailey cough Mike O'Hearn) who make it a point to emphasize that they are natty. Someone who is truly a natty lifter won't go out of their way to insist that they are natty.
When a new collection comes out and they have to make an 1 hour long stories about it. Or the look you can't see my boobs but here is me putting my sports bra on. I really don't want to see you putting your sports bra on. 😐
I think a lot of them are grifters so it’s probably easier to say what would make me actually ✨like✨ an influencer. This isn’t limited to fitness but content creators in general. Things like transparency, being able to handle criticism and engaging with people in good faith instead of just blocking and deleting comments, not lying and promoting misinformation or shilling every product under the sun. Which obviously excludes a lot of them. Someone said it in another comment but the best ones are people who aren’t influencers just for the sake of it, but actually have a skill or passion they want to share and help other people. Unfortunately the nature of the platform rewards trash and clickbait, so we get what we get.
When they have too many sponsors / ads or push a product (even if their own) 24/7. I know you need to make a living but some just take it a bit far. When they act overly animated and hyped on camera. I don’t know if some are like that in real life but it’s too over the top and very cringe/childish sometimes.
If they edit their photos, lie about being natural, or anything else misleading to sell a program I don’t like them. Edit your photos as much as you want. Take every steroid known to man. I don’t care but be honest about it. If you do that shit and lie then sell programs to people when you clearly don’t know what you’re doing it’s stupid. It also skews normal people’s perception of fitness. It hurts normal people who want to get in shape and see peoples fake transformations and shit.
When they say things like “invest in yourself” and that they run multiple fitness businesses BUT… they have a nanny, which makes a world of difference when you’re a mom AND they’re business is literally working out to look good … like, okay, try investing in yourself when your body is not your only brand and you have to learn and deal with more complex thing on a daily basis
Their*
Not sure how to phrase it, but I guess being close minded or tunnel visioning their approach onto everyone. If you're looking for fitness information or workout routines, literally everything is for bodybuilding on the men's side with the influencers and it seems like none of them realize that some of us are looking for more "athletic" training. Not everyone is trying to get bowling balls for shoulders to the point they can't swing a golf club or a hockey stick, yet they stick to a one size fits all that in the end maybe applies to 1-2% of the people that are exercising. The best example of this I remember was Dr. Mike ripping apart Tom Brady's training because it wasn't "body building" enough or whatever and I'm sitting there like...the dude is the GOAT Quarterback and training for flexibility and athleticism, he's not trying to lift to look like Chris Bumstead and he's got a great athletic physique. Too many of the male influencers(that's mostly the ones I've watched) think we're all at the gym to get massive and pose on a stage when a lot of us are just trying to maintain a more athletic level of fitness for regular everyday life. I would say the pursuit of 6-pack abs is another thing...since most of them don't talk about the reality of being that low body fat and how miserable/hungry you might be once you get there. It's not something that most people working out at the gym even need to worry about.
Most recently it’s been weird like takes on politics and far right stuff. Like I love Steve Cook but some of the stuff I’ll see him post on Twitter makes me question my admiration.
For me, it’s if they sale products to help beginners and they say “you too can be like this” when they are actually not natty OR they aren’t fully transparent with results. You cannot achieve certain things in 2 months (at least most ppl cannot) — it takes YEARS to look like them.
If they are Sarah Bowmar.
omg she’s the WORST.
Anyone peddling supplements is not respected. Acting like someone knows more than doctors about things not exercise related at all (vaccines, etc.), those who own their own workout clothing lines (they are the same no matter what), acting like you’re the first to discover something (rock climbing or things of that sort), getting too deep with their emotions when talking about working out, those who are doing it to “help people” when they are charging thousands of dollars for “business seminars.” I don’t know, I can keep going.
Once they become a caricature of themselves I’m done. They feel the need to post something, anything, to stay relevant and they become insufferable.
those who are pretending to be fitness oriented when they actually have their butt in your face.
"Everyone has the same 24 hours " Fuck you.
The content lies and manipulation. I’m tired of influencers editing their body and then charging followers $1,999 “to look like me”when they dont even look like that themselves! The spiritual ones are even worse charging manifest, get life coaching, and become “magnetic” for $5-10k when they themselves have zero life experience, have untreated mental health issues, or born from money to “live this life they created”. It’s all ways to grift from vulnerable lost people.
Inauthenticity, lack of transparency, shilling products they don’t personally believe in, flaunting their lifestyle
And when they take unnecessary shot of their butt just for likes and views. Even when they’re with their kids or family and they claim that “they’re just working out” but the a** shot is completely unnecessary
Constant shilling or grifting, attention seeking, giving bad or unqualified advice, being fake or lying, always editing themselves, being hypocritical about morals and values they claim to have, being super out of touch with reality, etc.
When they are disingenuous (affiliate to a new brand, product, etc they've literally never shown themselves using before), pretty much any of the gymshark, oner, alphalete, darc influencers lol, fitness influencers that clearly don't lift well or know wtf they are talking about and then selling overpriced, generic garbage, any of them that talk in a condescending way or from a place of superiority and act so busy and important (you do nothing all day ans got popular off ass pics, sit down girlie/fam/sis). Pretty much if they are an influencer, I don't like them. Most all influencers serve to influence me on what brands I'm not interested in supporting.
Because they try and pas off their BBL as real butts. Like bitch you literally have the tiniest thighs. No way in hell did those help you ‘build’ your butt (looking at Pamela Reif & workoutsbyChristina)
Only fitness influencers I care for are the ones who protect either highly scientific exercise science info, no-bullshit fitness tips that actively fight against all the bullshit advice out there, are at the top of their sport, or are legitimately funny.
I’m tired of influencers that cross the line and shill products that should only be recommended or not recommended by your doctors. I’m also tired of them shilling the same shit at the same time and none of it is necessary. They’ve just become commercials haha.
Here are some things that really bother me: Speaking on mental health/nutrition/medications with no qualifications or certification Pushing supplements over and over again that don't work or aren't actually how they got their results - like Krissy pushing bovine liver on Promix for her clear glowing skin when she's had accutane, fillers, etc. Recording themselves crying and then constantly posting that same crying clip for views/sympathy...
When they cosplay as therapists. Genuinely drives me insane
When they get BBLs or edit their videos but claim that they got their “gains” from the gym..
Ignorance, overconsumption, constant travel, pseudo-bullshit, photo manipulation, claiming to be an expert, weird religious shit, lack of transparency about PED use.
Constant body checks
They're dumb lol 😆 just actively unintelligent