Chalene Johnson is the creator of popular workout programs Turbo Kick, Turbo Jam and Piyo Fitness. I enjoyed taking those classes so much that I got certified in the Live Format.
If you’re familiar with the fitness company Beachbody, then you may recognize Chalene from the infomercials that have been airing for the last several years.
In those infomercials, Chalene Johnson appears as the very picture of fitness. Ripped abs, tiny waist, and strong arms.
In a YouTube video (linked at the end of the Blogpost), Johnson admits that those infomercials put her in an unhealthy place and she made the decision to no longer do consumer fitness videos. Johnson goes on to share tht for now she’s left the fitness industry.
Her story is familiar to many of us who have worked in fitness.
Behind the scenes of the videos where she appeared to be the picture of fitness, Johnson admits she was barely eating and exercising for 3-4 hours per day.
“I was afraid of real food. I was doing lots of pre-workouts, energy drinks, bars, and shakes,” she shares.
Realistically, Chalene Johnson says that she didn’t really have the time to eat because she was always going to another workout.
Didn’t that seem crazy? Not really because everyone around her was doing it too.
I can relate because I got caught up in the “fitfam” hype of several years ago where you exercised 6 -7 days per week, lived on(No sugar) energy drinks, chicken breasts, broccoli, and protein shakes. (Read my Blog Post on why I handed in my fitfam card on social media at the end of this post)
The Industry takes its toll…
From the very start of her fitness career, Chalene Johnson said she didn’t feel that she belonged in fitness and that she always felt like an imposter because she felt like she was not pretty enough, not fit enough, and not tall enough
“Once I got into consumer videos that took a toll on my confidence because people like to comment on everything,” she says in her video.
Other people’s comments are one thing but what we tell ourselves is the bigger issue. Geneen Roth calls this, “The Voice”. It is the inner critic that constantly tells us that we aren’t pretty enough, not fit enough, not good enough, and don’t belong.
I believe most women that work in fitness can relate to feeling like an impostor at one time or another. I’m not naturally thin and nor do I have a naturally athletic figure. I’ve been heavier and I’ve been leaner. I always felt tough to teach classes and train people when I’ve been on the heavier side because you do feel like an impostor especially when you see trainers who have ripped six-pack abs and look like the epitome of fitness but then you learn later on they don’t think were enough either.
An interesting side note is that even when I was at my leanest, my business wasn’t more successful. In fact, I always did well regardless of my weight because my focus was on HEALTH/WELLNESS and not dieting.
It is never enough
As I stated earlier, Chalene Johnson looked like the epitome of fitness in her videos. When I was an instructor starting out, I thought that she looked amazing and I wished I could get to where she was.
Even looking like the epitome of fitness wasn’t enough because Johnson says there were comments from the crew on the set of her videos about how she should pull her pants up to avoid fat rolls or certain angles so her skin wouldn’t crinkle.
Someone even went to Chalene’s husband and told her that her video would sell better if she were leaner.
At that time, Chalene Johnson says she weighed 114-115 lbs on a 5 foot 2 frame but there it was. That’s the moment she n felt like the impostor had been revealed.
The voice of her inner critic asked what she was doing in fitness because she didn’t belong. She was not lean enough.
Something had to be done but what? How could she get back at people making these types of comments?
Johnson decided the best revenge was to lose weight. She ate even less food and exercised even more. She lost 6-8 lbs but all her muscle and energy were gone. Her hair was falling out and she was in a fog.
Chalene had hit rock bottom health-wise but the reaction to her new leaner physique was the opposite of the rock bottom she was experiencing.
“Girl you look amazing! What are you doing?”
When I was getting extremely lean my family was becoming concerned because they saw how cranky I was, how tired I was, and my strict eating routine. Yet on the outside, I was receiving lots of affirmation and compliments.
Like Johnson, I was confused because I knew I did not feel my best and this was unsustainable but there are lots of compliments and perhaps now I was at the place where I looked the part.
I don’t blame people for their compliments and affirmation because as women we’ve been conditioned ourselves to compliment weight loss. We think if we lose weight, then we’ll solve many of our problems.
Just to confirm that being lean did not solve my problems because that wasn’t the main issue.
No matter how lean one gets, it will never be enough as long as you don’t feel as if you’re not enough.
The very picture of fitness and unhealthiness
After hitting rock bottom health-wise, Johnson told her followers that she was taking a step back and decided to have a health check-up.
The results of her nutritional labs showed she was nutritionally deficient and her brain scan showed that she was sleep-deprived along with showing signs of cognitive decline.
The very picture of fitness was unhealthiness.
This is not an anomaly. In my time looking behind the curtain of the fitness industry, it becomes obvious that a lot of it is not about health specially if you’re involved in the competitive bodybuilding and fitness scene.
Most people do not understand that it takes people at least 4-5 months to get the lean physiques on the stage and there are also drugs, diuretics, and other unhealthy means to achieve an award-winning physique. Yes, even for those in bikini competitions who are the least muscular physiques.
It is not about health. It is about looking a certain way. Sadly this appears to catch up with people as there are many stories of those in bodybuilding and fitness dying at early ages.
Leaving fitness to pursue health
Chalene Johnson admits that when she got into the fitness industry that she didn’t know anything about health/wellness. She knew about business/marketing and that is why she was able to create a fitness empire.
She made the decision to leave the fitness industry in order to pursue health.
When I decided to give up dieting and overexercising for good, I also decided that my mission was to pursue health/wellness with the goal of living a full life. We need more trainers who are training clients to live healthier lifestyles so that they can enjoy their lives as they age.
As a woman in her 40’s, I’m not interested in being super lean. I’m interested in maintaining strength and having the energy to live my very full and adventurous life.
I also want to share this tidbit with anyone reading this: Being super lean or getting to your “perfect” weight isn’t going to solve all of your problems.
Pursuing health by eating real food, exercising, getting enough sleep, forming healthy relationships, and living a life full of meaning and purpose is what will give you the right mindset to begin to address your problems.
Take it from those of us who have seen behind the curtain.
Sometimes you have to leave fitness behind to pursue your health.
Further Resources
Why I handed in my #fitfam card on social media
Click the Link below to hear the full YouTube video from Chalene Johnson
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