‘THE MESSAGE WAS NOT TO WOMEN’ FRANKIE JUST GYM IT ADDRESSES ‘LOOK AT YOUR STOMACH’ POST

Fitness trainer Frankie Just Gym It was forced to issue a statement after his message on health and fitness was blown out of proportion. For the better part of the weekend, the trainer dominated the social media space after a photo of him holding a placard which read, “Look at your stomach. Are you happy.” went viral.

The statement irked many including digital strategist Nonnie Maingi who called out Frankie’s move, accusing him of body shamming. “Your body is not an enemy, you can be happy and still work it because happiness is not contingent on body size. Be honest that it is societal judgement and people like this that make you unhappy and not your belly. And if you choose to change it, don’t pay people who are hell bent on body shaming you and pushing fat phobic narratives,” wrote Nonnie. 

Her sentiments were echoed by fashion blogger Maureen Bandari who discouraged body shamming, further advising women to work on their weight willingly and not because of being body shamed. “Free my girlies from the shackles of fat phobia so that they don’t comment, “You are shouting haha gosh” on body shaming nonsense,” she wrote. 

Adding; “Work on whatever you want to work on your body by choice. Choose to exercise, choose to eat right, hell even choose lipo if you want bu on your own terms. Not because people shame you for it.”  

Reactions on social media forced Frankie to issue a statement where he clarified that the message was not directed to women, adding that he was addressing the high rate of young people getting lifestyle diseases. “I totally understand your sentiments, however, I think this whole thing has been blown out of proportion.

I think I should have elaborated my statement. The rate at which we are having young people are getting lifestyle diseases is alarming. The message put across was not to women (not sure where that narrative stemmed from) it was to everyone who is willing to do something about the state of their health,” wrote Frankie.