Imagine building a million-follower fitness empire, only to realize you were part of the problem. That’s exactly what happened to Madalin Giorgetta.
She was once a top fitness influencer, promoting the “perfect” body. But a life-changing experience forced her to question everything.
Now, she’s a nutritionist with a powerful message about body image, self-worth, and the dangers of diet culture.
Her story will make you rethink your own relationship with health and fitness… and it might just surprise you.
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A Fitness Journey That Sparked an Online Empire
In 2016, Giorgetta was running a social media business with her sister, barely exercising, and eating poorly. Encouraged by her then-boyfriend, she decided to prioritize her health. She started using a popular fitness app created by Kayla Itsines, a leading trainer at the time. After six months of consistent workouts, she shared a before-and-after photo online.
When Itsines reposted her picture, Giorgetta’s following skyrocketed by 10,000 overnight. Inspired by this sudden exposure, she began sharing her fitness progress and advice, despite having minimal training experience.
“I became a fitness person by accident,” Giorgetta admits. Soon, she was creating her own fitness programs to meet the growing demand from her followers.
Shaping the “Perfect” Body—and the Industry
By 2017, Giorgetta had crafted her first workout guide, which emphasized weightlifting over traditional cardio. It was a hit. Her program resonated with the rising trend of muscular, curvy physiques—a departure from the thinness idealized in earlier fitness trends.
Her fitness empire expanded rapidly. She launched a fitness app, partnered with major brands like Gymshark, and left her social media business to pursue influencing full-time.
But success came with pressure. “My body became my business card,” she explains. Achieving and maintaining the perfect figure consumed her thoughts, fueling an obsessive fixation on her appearance.
Little-known fact: Studies show that about 80% of women feel dissatisfied with their appearance after viewing edited images on social media, underscoring how platforms can distort self-perception.
Behind the Glamour: The Mental Toll of Influencing
Despite her growing income and popularity, Giorgetta struggled mentally.
“I’d spend hours perfecting photos, trying to hide flaws, and comparing myself to other influencers,” she says. Each post became a measure of her self-worth. The validation she craved wasn’t from money—it was from likes, comments, and sales.
She also noticed a troubling pattern in her audience. Many wanted to replicate her body, but their admiration came with unrealistic expectations. “I was promoting the idea that your body wasn’t good enough as it was,” she reflects.
A Turning Point: Questioning the Industry
Everything changed in 2019. A visit to her sister in San Francisco introduced her to psilocybin, a psychedelic that Giorgetta credits with opening her mind to new perspectives.
She began questioning the ideas she had built her career on, especially the messages behind diet culture. Shortly after, an article about the inefficacy of dieting deeply resonated with her.
“I realized diets don’t work for most people, and I was part of the problem,” Giorgetta says, referencing studies showing that up to 95% of diets fail long-term.
Her fitness content, though not overtly diet-focused, included language like “get leaner” and “no excuses.” She now saw it as promoting harmful ideals.
Radically Changing Her Platform
Determined to undo the harm, Giorgetta overhauled her messaging. She stopped promoting weight loss, ended partnerships with brands that excluded plus-size clothing, and refused to endorse “lean” products.
Her content shifted to anti-diet advocacy, sparking backlash.
Followers unfollowed in droves. Comments turned hateful. Influencer colleagues distanced themselves. “It was isolating,” Giorgetta says. “People thought I was shaming them for using fitness apps or dieting.”
This criticism pushed her to seek credibility. She enrolled in a nutrition degree program, dedicating herself to understanding the science behind food and body image.
Little-known fact: Around 20% of dietitians report being influenced to enter the field due to struggles with their own eating habits, highlighting the personal nature of nutrition careers.
Finding Balance as a Nutritionist
Today, Giorgetta is a certified functional nutritionist working remotely with clients. Her approach centers on whole foods and sustainable habits rather than restrictive diets or weight loss.
Her social media presence remains, but it’s no longer about her body. Instead, she shares educational content aimed at debunking myths about health and fitness.
The transition wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. “I’m proud of who I’ve become,” she says. She recently started going to the gym again after a five-year break. “I exercise now because it feels good—not because I need to look a certain way.”
A Lesson in Letting Go
Looking back, Giorgetta wishes she hadn’t cared so much about external validation. “Likes and followers don’t define your worth,” she emphasizes.
Her story is a reminder of how easy it is to get caught in the pressures of social media—and how liberating it can be to break free.
