A plus-size fitness instructor has claimed cruel online trolls urged her to “hit the gym” because of her size 20 frame.
Rhiannon Dudzik, 34, has been dating Jim on and off for as long as she can remember.
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In 2018, she lost three stones after being asked to be a bridesmaid at a friend’s wedding.
Rhiannon quickly put on weight again and wanted to learn how to lose weight “sustainably”, so she trained to become a part-time fitness instructor.
Size 20 Rhiannon currently teaches three cardio-based dance sessions a week alongside her gym routine.
She says she receives a lot of abuse online. Many of them are from men in the fitness industry who tell them to go to the gym or call them fat.
Despite the negative comments, Rhiannon’s goal is to inspire people to start loving their bodies, no matter their size.
Rhiannon, from Bath, Somerset, said: ‘Gyms can be an intimidating place for plus-size people, but a lot of the (negative) comments come from social media.
“There’s a lot of negativity online about being a plus-size fitness instructor, or being plus-size in general.
“What makes it even more motivating is that when I post about being plus size, people comment things like, ‘Go to the gym,’ or call me fat.
“What they don’t realize is that I’m a certified fitness instructor. Just because I’m plus size doesn’t mean I can’t do that.”
Rhiannon was asked to be a bridesmaid in 2018. This helped her lose three stone, but she quickly regained the weight after the wedding.
Rhiannon said: “When I was asked to be a bridesmaid for a friend, I worked out my butt to lose weight.
“I lost about three stone due to a calorie deficit and over-exercising.
“It wasn’t a sustainable way to lose weight, so I quickly gained it back.
“Then I started looking at ways I could sustainably lose weight through the gym.”
In July 2021, Rhiannon became a certified fitness instructor. She was then asked to cover a dance cardio fitness class that she had been attending for several years after the teacher went on maternity leave.
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Rhiannon said, “It quickly became clear that I was setting an example in class. I was leading the way, being plus-sized, and struggling with everyone else. It made people feel safe. “It was,” he said.
“I’ve gotten a lot of messages from people with less athletic ability, bigger people, and older people saying they were inspired by seeing more normal people doing it.
“That’s what kept me going for so long. When I give classes, I try to get them to understand that it’s about having fun and getting your body moving.”
Rhiannon teaches three cardio-based sessions a week, as well as doing personal training sessions and hitting the gym outside of that.
She said she is still on her fitness journey and hopes to lose five inches from her waist by her 2025 wedding.
Rhiannon said: “I’m not too obsessed with my weight. I’d like to lose another five inches, but at the same time I’m not putting too much pressure on myself.”
“If you lose five inches, you’ll be back to normal. If you can do that, great, but if you don’t, there’s no drama.”
