“You don’t realize how miserable you are until you’re free of what’s making you miserable,” says Jalyssa Brown, a women’s online coach who runs the body positivity platform @fitwithjalyssa. 

For Jalyssa Brown, what used to bother her the most was her pants size increasing, a softer belly, and whether the light would reflect the cellulite on her body.

A year ago, Jalyssa, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, changed the focus of her content. Instead of concentrating solely on fitness, she now shares messages of body positivity with her audience, drawing from her own experience.

Jalyssa Brown shared how her mental and physical health improved after changing her relationship with her body

Image credits: fitwithjalyssa

Image credits: fitwithjalyssa

One of the most-viewed clips on her Instagram shows her transition from an incredibly toned physique to her embracing a more natural appearance.

“I was exhausted from the constant pressure I placed on myself to look my best and also felt like I was playing a role instead of being authentic.

“People will continue to comment on how I used to look better, but they’ll never know the feeling of chasing a body that isn’t meant for you.”

Jalyssa told Newsweek that she used to consume 1,400 calories a day and work out six times per week.

“I am 5 ft 7 in [1.70 m], so that is very, very low for me (and for the majority of women). I felt tired, out of control, and dependent on fitness to feel good about myself.”

Your daily calorie needs depend on different factors, including sex, height, weight, age, activity level, and medications. In general, women aged 26-30 require between 1,800 to 2,200 calories a day, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Jalyssa used to exercise six days a week and only consumed 1,400 calories daily

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Jalyssa | Womens Online Coach (@fitwithjalyssa)

Jalyssa sought professional help when her obsession with her body image made her hit rock bottom. 

“I decided to face my fears about gaining weight and eating,” she said. In the past two years, she has gained 20 pounds (9 kilograms), a number she feels is both the result of and the reason for having “the best relationship” with her body.

Research has found exercise addiction to be closely related to disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and body dysmorphia, explains Melissa Ertl, a psychologist and postdoctoral research fellow at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

“Thanks to body-positive movements, there is an increasingly mainstream understanding of the hugely detrimental mental health impacts of sizeism and fatphobia,” Dr. Ertl notes. 

“Poor body image continues to be a factor that is linked with exercise addiction and disordered eating behaviors.”

“People will continue to comment on how I used to look better, but they’ll never know the feeling of chasing a body that isn’t meant for you”

Image credits: fitwithjalyssa

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Jalyssa | Womens Online Coach (@fitwithjalyssa)

Connecting with size-inclusive communities and media that promote body positivity is crucial, as it helps people see their bodies not through the societal lens of an “ideal body” but as something to be appreciated, cared for, and worthy of esteem, she adds.

“On the other side of restriction, guilt, and shame is the possibility of self-acceptance, empowerment, and body peace.”

Though Dr. Ertl says there’s no known peak for exercise addiction, she recommends seeking help from a mental health professional when you notice that exercise has an outsized or unhealthy importance in your life.

“At my lowest, I was miserable. My clothes didn’t fit; I had no energy, and my cheeks were sunken in,” she shared on her Instagram page, @fitwithJalyssa

Image credits: fitwithjalyssa

Image credits: fitwithjalyssa

Additionally, it’s important not to view caloric intake as something linked solely to body image but to understand it as providing the body with what it needs to function and stay healthy.

“Your body requires a certain amount of calories just to maintain basic functions like breathing, circulating blood, and repairing cells,” explains James Cunningham, a health and fitness coach from London, England.

“When you don’t get enough calories, you’re also likely missing out on essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals, which can affect everything from your immune system to your bone health.”

Jalyssa gained 20 pounds (9 kilograms) and eats five meals a day

Image credits: fitwithjalyssa

Image credits: fitwithjalyssa

The key is to find a balance that allows you to enjoy your workouts and meals without feeling deprived or stressed, Cunningham stresses.

For Jalyssa, that balance is strength training twice a week and attending a yoga class two days per week. She also takes time to walk 3 miles (5 kilometers) to the beach.

“I feel so in control. If I don’t feel like working out, I simply won’t, but I always remember to eat my five meals daily! It’s such a freeing feeling.

“I wanted to talk about how I’ve transitioned from this typical fitness influencer who only posts about how to become skinny to someone real. I show my real issues, my real story, so people can not feel so alone.

“My Instagram is a safe space for everyone of all shapes and sizes!” she shares.

Rather than concentrating solely on fitness, she now shares messages of body positivity to inspire others who may be in the same position she was in two years ago

Image credits: fitwithjalyssa

Her social media followers have certainly welcomed this change. 

“So proud of you. I’ve been following you for so long, and you look like the happiest you ever have here for this beautiful, whole version of you,” one user wrote.

“I love the change so much. Being part of the fitness community can be so toxic at times!” another commenter said.

A separate fan summarized why they followed Jalyssa: “You show fitness and healthy living while still promoting balance and self-love.”

A woman who had a similar experience to Jalyssa’s thanked her for openly sharing her journey of self-appreciation.

“As someone who has recently restored their weight after the same thing, these videos heal me,” she wrote. “Thank you for posting. I couldn’t agree more. I finally have energy again & nothing in the world is worth feeling that way.”

People praised Jalyssa’s change and her healthier relationship with her body

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