I was scrolling Instagram a few weeks ago when I came across a video that stopped me mid-scroll.
A woman in her 60s, with gorgeous silver hair, was giving fitness advice from her bathroom while getting ready for the day. She felt inspiring, relatable and real.
After watching a few seconds of her video, I noticed something felt off, and it turns out….she’s not a real person.
She’s an AI-generated influencer. A completely fabricated person, built to look believable and give advice that gets engagement.
There were hundreds of comments asking her for tips, thanking her for her advice and sharing how inspired they were.
This is the new world we are living in.
This influencer isn’t real. But the influence she’s having is very real. And that concerns me.
I’ve spent 15+ years in the online wellness space.
I’ve watched the industry evolve from airbrushed magazine spreads to Photoshop to Instagram filters and body shaping apps to now…AI avatars that most of us can’t even identify as fake.
The tools continue to evolve, but the goal has stayed the same: sell you something by making you feel like you’re not enough.
Most wellness brands show an ideal version of reality in the name of effective marketing.
And we know this, we’ve been seeing it in ads for years.
But that doesn’t mean we aren’t affected by the content we consume…
The “before and afters” are often edited or fabricated.
The bodies are altered.
The “results” are staged.
Advice and testimonials are coming from people who may not even exist.
(ai-generated before and after found in Instagram)
I don’t say this to scare you or to be cynical, but instead to remind all of us to be wise consumers so that we aren’t misled in our genuine pursuit of health.
So what do you actually do with this?
A few things I’d encourage you to sit with:
Notice how content makes you feel. If you consistently leave a feed feeling worse about yourself, unsubscribe and unfollow.
The goal of a lot of wellness content is to create a problem so they can sell you the solution. Or it’s often meant to be so aspirational that it taps into your insecurities in a way that makes you feel something. If it leaves you feeling negative, you don’t have to keep consuming it.
Look for the real. Real practitioners. Real bodies. Real stories. Real results that are sustainable, not spectacular.
The algorithm may not prioritize this content, but we’re out there – sharing genuine content in order to make an impact.
Engage with it, like it, save it, share it – doing so will train your algorithm to show you more REAL people and sustainable advice.
And if you’re still unsure, check their links, website and Trustpilot reviews.
(I am so proud of Lindywell’s trust score!)
Be skeptical of perfection. The more polished something looks, the more worth questioning it is. If it sounds too good to be true, do a little extra research.
Real wellness is messy. Real bodies change slowly. Real progress isn’t always shown in a dramatic before and after photo.
Trust your gut. If something feels off, it probably is.
When I started Lindywell back in 2009, I wanted to create change.
I was tired of being lied to and feeling terrible about my body because it didn’t match the photoshopped images in magazines that weren’t even real.
I was tired of unrealistic workout plans that required 2 workouts a day and a heavy dose of guilt and shame in order to be “healthy.”
I wanted to create something different.
So I made a commitment from day one: keep it real.
That means showing real, diverse bodies in our content.
Not using filters that change the way I actually look (trust me, in a sea of Facetuned faces, wrinkles stand out, and I’m trying to be okay with that).
Not making false promises. Not showing you an “ideal” lifestyle but a real one, one that works in the middle of carpool and exhaustion and all the things you’re actually navigating.
Sometimes I watch my Pilates workouts back and cringe a little. The wobble on the mat, the hair sticking straight up out of my ponytail, the extra baby weight…
But in those moments, I remind myself that my mission with Lindywell has never been about showing perfection or trying to pretend that I am.
My mission has been to show up, as I am, imperfections and all, so that you feel permission to do the same.
At the end of the day, I’d rather you trust me than be impressed by me.
And the same goes for the Lindywell brand as a whole.
In a world that’s increasingly fake, I hope you know that Lindywell is committed to keeping it real. 💛
What is one thing that makes you hesitant to trust a brand right now? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
25 thoughts on “Are AI Influencers Giving You Fitness Advice? What Every Woman Needs to Know”
I absolutely appreciate Robin’s authenticity and giggle along with her “being real” on the mat: the “oops, there goes my water bottle,” or “I’ve lost count” comments keep it real and put mat time in perspective!
This resonated so much with me Robin. As a traveling working mom of two who just turned 47 I find myself always searching for the quick fix. The older I get though, I find myself craving strength and wellness more than the trendy beauty looks that I now find myself giggling at watching “influencers” on social media. I have come to want to be the best version of myself with the aim to set that example for my 13 year old daughter to (hopefully) follow. This after years, even decades, of not being comfortable in my own body. It really is a journey and your platform has allowed me a flexible program to follow to the point that I can’t wait to hit the mat every day! I am SO THANKFUL for you and Lindywell! I also want to tell you I thoroughly enjoy the way you keep it real. I’ve always gravitated toward people who are able to be their authentic selves and not fake it to make it. You are my people! Seriously though, thank you for writing this. I think even at my age I have under-appreciated the sheer amount of AI “bodies” we’re faced with on social media. This gives me pause and I will be talking to my daughter about this more as she enters the world of social media in the next couple of years. Who knows, maybe our society will finally reach a boiling point and turn away from all of the fake everything we are doing to our bodies. I have already gone down that road when I had my implants removed in 2018 realizing the example I was setting for my daughter. (sorry for the TMI but if it inspires one other woman it’s worth me saying it) My beautiful daughter has extensive scarring on her chest and abdomen from numerous life saving open heart surgeries as an infant and a child. I want more than anything for her love her body, battle wounds and all! As mothers, and women in general, we must learn to love the body God gave us. We must set a better example, a REAL example, for those younger women who come behind us. After all, we are fearfully and wonderfully made!
Well said!!! Totally agree!
Thank you for your info ! I have been with these people for years !!! I am. a Certified instructor with NCSF on Strength and Fitness!! They have reached out to us about them!!! I love hi ow Robin operates her classes ! They are very real ! I love her, and enjoy her classes Susie Van Buskirk
Thank you so much for sharing with such honesty and vulnerability, Jenni! We share in your hopes and dreams for your daughter and future generations. And we already know you’re doing an amazing job caring for yourself and your children! Cheering you on!
Simply spot on! Thank you Robin. 🤗
So glad this resonated for you, Bernice!
Yup! Love Lindywell and all that is real about it!
We’re so glad to hear this, Meg, and we’re glad you’re a part of the Lindywell community!
I’m thankful for this group that I’ve been a part of since March 2020. I’ll be 73 in a few months but I feel healthy and proud of myself sticking with such a great program 🙌 Thank you Lindywell♥️
We’re celebrating the way you’re caring for yourself too, Karen, and wishing you a happy early birthday!
Thank you for keeping it real, Robin. I have been a member for several years and feel stronger and more settled every time I get on the mat.
We’re so glad you’re here, Sharyl, and we’re cheering you on both on and off your mat!
I joined this app a few months ago with a special that was going on, and I’m so glad I did! I’ve always been interested in Pilates and I feel the classes are challenging but achievable . I’m learning about my body and after a practice I can feel it! I like the calendar to follow but also like that you pick a practice that’s different if you want something different. I think that Robin keeps it real and relatable while giving pointers about the exercise or how to hold your body etc. There is so much misleading information out there that it can be confusing and you don’t know to believe, but with this app I feel I can trust the information and I’m doing something that is good for me and that I feel good about. Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing, Michelle, and for being a part of the Lindywell community! We love to hear how you are enjoying your membership and we’re celebrating all of your hard work and the way you’re caring for yourself!
Robin – I will forever choose you for all of those reasons. Even in a season where Pilates is not calling me as regularly, I keep my subscription – to support your mission and to know that you and your team of fabulous real women will be there waiting for me.
We are so thankful that you are a loyal part of the Lindywell community, Mimi, and we’ll be here to support you through every season of your journey!
Thank you so much for being so honest, inspiring and real!! I was just thinking about this yesterday. I have friends who help me along life’s journey. Now that I am 5 years with Lindywell, truly I can say you’ve been one of the most inspirational women in my life as well! I look forward to my workouts every single day!
We’re so thankful that you are a part of the Lindywell community and glad that you made the decision to join in 2020. We’re honored to be a part of your journey and we’re cheering you on, Joni!
I have never felt misled, or given conflicting information here at Lindywell. I enjoy getting on the mat, doing a workout or two, maybe a breath work also, and then get encouraged!
Thank you Limdywell!!
So glad that you feel this way, Kate, and we’re celebrating the way you’re caring for yourself. Cheering you on!
And THIS is one of the main reasons why so many of us LOVE Lindywell!!
We appreciate you sharing this sweet sentiment, Jen, and so thankful that you’re a part of the Lindywell community!
Lindywell was the best decision I made for my health because it is real and it works. For the first time in my life I’ve been consistent with exercise and feel motivated to stick with an exercise routine because it’s sustainable. Love that the Lindywell app removes decision fatigue. It’s because I can just open app, tap the scheduled exercise routine for the day and begin that makes it doable!
Love this, Laurel! Thank you so much for sharing! We’re so glad that you’re a part of the Lindywell community and we’re cheering you on!