Gina Heslop
Hayley, a British fitness influencer and trainer, started her fitness journey as a teenager. She was naturally skinny and was bullied for her thin frame. To build confidence, she began lifting weights with her father, and this passion for fitness grew over time.
As Hayley got older, she pursued a degree in sports and exercise science, eventually becoming a personal trainer and a high school PE teacher. However, her life took a drastic turn when she decided to compete in bodybuilding after a tough breakup. Bodybuilding brought her success, but it also led to unhealthy habits. Hayley became obsessed with maintaining a lean physique, training twice a day and following strict diets. This obsession took a toll on her physical and mental health, leading to a condition called amenorrhea, where she lost her menstrual cycle for three years.
Realizing that her health was at risk, Hayley made the difficult decision to step away from bodybuilding and focus on recovery. She knew she needed to gain weight and reduce her training intensity to restore her health. This meant deleting calorie-tracking apps, changing her fitness goals from staying lean to getting stronger, and allowing herself to enjoy foods she had previously restricted. As she gained weight, Hayley began to embrace her body’s natural changes and started to appreciate her body for what it could do, rather than just how it looked.
As Hayley’s relationship with her body improved, she began sharing her recovery journey on social media. She posted side-by-side photos showing how different her body could look depending on factors like lighting and posture. These posts, labeled “Instagram vs. Reality,” resonated with many of her followers, especially women struggling with body image issues. Hayley’s honesty about her own “flaws,” like cellulite and stretch marks, helped to destigmatize these natural aspects of the human body.
In addition to her social media work, Hayley became an online coach specializing in female health. She helps women struggling with disordered eating and other body image issues. One of the most rewarding parts of her work is helping women regain their menstrual cycles, a sign of overall health. Hayley emphasizes the importance of body fat for female health and encourages her clients to focus on long-term wellness instead of short-term aesthetic goals.
Hayley also understands the impact social media can have on body image. She carefully curates her social media feed to avoid triggering content and advises her followers to do the same. She speaks out against quick-fix diet products and promotes a balanced approach to fitness and nutrition.
At the core of Hayley’s message is the belief that our bodies are amazing for what they can do, not just for how they look. She encourages her followers to embrace their bodies in all their forms and to focus on inner strength and well-being.
