A plus size woman has hit back at cruel trolls who tell her to get to the gym - and her epic response is sure to stop them in their tracks.
Despite the onslaught of online bullies demanding she exercises more, Rhiannon Dudzik has got the last laugh as she's already a fitness instructor. She's proud of her size 20 body and wants to dispel the stereotypes around plus size women in fitness.
The 34-year-old has had an "on-and-off" relationship with the gym for as long as she can remember. She lost three stone in 2018 for a friends wedding, but then put it back on, so decided to become a part-time fitness instructor so she could also lose weight "sustainably".
Rhiannon, from Somerset, teaches three cardio based dance sessions a week alongside her own gym routine - but she often gets vile abuse online despite her healthy lifestyle.
"As much as the gym can be an intimidating place for a plus size person a lot of the [negative] comments come from social media. Online there is a lot of negativity about being a plus size fitness instructor or just being plus size in general," she explained.
However she uses the negativity as motivation to educate others, as people often don't realise she is a qualified fitness instructor. She added: "Just because I am plus size doesn't mean I can't do it." Rhiannon's goal is to inspire people to start loving their bodies no matter their size.
Rhiannon was asked to be a bridesmaid in 2018 and said it gave her a "kick up the backside" to lose weight, but after the wedding had put it back on. She explained: "I lost around three stone through a calorie deficit and pushing myself too hard exercising. That was not a sustainable way to lose weight and I soon put the weight back on.
"I then started looking at ways that I could sustainably lose weight through the gym," and in July 2021 she became a qualified instructor." Rhiannon was asked to cover a cardio fitness class she had attended herself and said it became apparent she was "leading from example" in the class.
"I was at the front, being plus size, struggling with everyone else - it made people feel comfortable. I got a lot of messages from people who were less mobile, larger or older, that it was inspiring for them to see someone more normal do it. That is what has kept me going for so long."
Rhiannon said that when she holds her classes, she makes sure people understand it's more about having fun and moving their bodies. The instructor said: "I think it is important to me because I love feeling that I have inspired people to start moving their body. There have been people come to my class that are new and maybe wouldn't have stepped into the gym before and that is what keeps be going. It is nice to see people enjoy themselves and have fun."
Her motivation is her wedding in 2025, and she hopes to lose five inches from her waist before the big day. Rhiannon said: "I don't focus too much on weights, I hope to lose five inches but at the same time I am not putting too much pressure on myself. If I lost five inches that will put me back to where I was before." However she said if she doesn't, there is "no drama".
Rhiannon insisted that the fitness industry has "come a long way" in terms of female representation but they still have a long way to go. She said: "I think women are making their own mark in the fitness industry now. I do feel that there are a lot more men than women PTs but women are starting to dominate the field which is refreshing to see.
"I only hope that continues to grow. What I do find, is the negative comments come from males but also people who would see themselves as a fitness instructor."
Rhiannon is on Instagram at @Rhiannons_way.
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