Who is Chloe Ting?
In the fitness community, tensions have been on the rise, particularly in the aftermath of the emergence of Chloe Ting, a creator of at-home workout content. With the pandemic keeping people indoors and limiting access to traditional gyms, Ting’s popularity skyrocketed, as many sought a convenient yet effective way to stay in shape. Ting’s platform features quick workout sessions ranging from 10 to 30 minutes, covering a wide range of body parts, including glutes, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), abs and more. Additionally, she offers workout programs on her website, which allow people to select their preferred goals, such as achieving a flat stomach or developing larger glutes and follow her suggested plans.
Ting’s plans incorporate both active days and rest days, with well-organized calendar schedules that include links to the relevant videos for each day. She also frequently provides modifications for beginners. However, despite the accessibility and cost-effectiveness of her channel and programs, controversy lingers around Ting’s reputation, primarily due to her video titles.
Ting Controversy
The fitness community has been divided in their opinions about Chloe Ting, particularly regarding her use of misleading video titles. Despite including a disclaimer before many of her videos that acknowledges the unrealistic nature of the timelines in her titles, many viewers still feel misled by the hype. For example, one of Ting’s most popular videos, titled “Get Abs in 2 WEEKS,” has garnered 496 million views, leading many to believe that achieving defined abs in precisely two weeks is a realistic goal. When these results do not materialize, it can lead to frustration and disappointment among viewers.
Gloria Song, a fellow fitness YouTuber, shared her perspective on Ting’s content in her video titled “Why I Stopped Doing Chloe Ting’s Workouts….” Song explained that while she did experience weight loss from following Ting’s programs, her personal goals went beyond just losing weight and fat. She aimed to achieve a “slimmer waist and bigger hips,” as well as “thinner, slimmer legs.” However, Song found that Ting’s programs were not ideal for individuals who wanted to “tone” or sculpt their bodies to their liking.
According to Song, Ting’s workouts were difficult and burned a lot of calories per session, but they did not produce the results she desired. In fact, Song claimed that her body would bloat after the sessions, which was not what she wanted. As a result, she switched to doing Pilates as her main form of exercise and incorporated more stretching into her routine. She also emphasized the importance of cardio in her fitness journey, stating that “finding her own cardio” and changing her eating habits helped her get closer to her goals.
More Backlash
In a video titled “Chloe Ting, the Truth!? [YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS!],” another fitness content creator named Mr. London defended Ting against the backlash she received for her video titles. While acknowledging that Ting’s titles may be considered “clickbait-y,” he pointed out that this type of content is endemic to YouTube as a platform. London also noted that many of the people sending hate to Ting are seasoned fitness influencers themselves, rather than the beginners who need motivation to start a sustainable workout routine.
According to London, Ting’s success is due in part to her ability to connect with her target audience: non- or low-active individuals who need a boost to get started on their fitness journey. He emphasized that Ting’s channel is focused on getting people moving, and that her workouts are designed to be accessible and manageable for beginners. In this way, Ting’s content serves an important purpose in the fitness community by encouraging more people to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
London also shared that he feels indirectly targeted by the backlash toward Ting, given that his content is similar to hers. He and Ting both create timed, follow-along workout videos with similar titles and he believes that despite the clickbait-y titles, they provide valuable content that benefits viewers. London emphasized that defined abs are ultimately achieved through a combination of factors, including performing cardio, eating nutritious food, and maintaining a calorie deficit, and that their workouts are designed to supplement those efforts.
London further pointed out that people with varying body fat percentages and different fitness levels watch these videos and the two-week timeline mentioned in Ting’s video titles is a goal tailored for those with a lower body fat percentage.
The YouTube Fitness Community
The fitness community is a hotbed of debate when it comes to the best workout practices. Unfortunately, many influencers seem to have a narrow-minded approach, touting their workout methods as the only way to achieve results while denouncing other forms of exercise. This can create a confusing atmosphere, particularly on platforms like Tiktok where videos are short and overwhelming. The constant barrage of conflicting advice can make it difficult for beginners to navigate and customize a routine that works best for them. Information overload often leads to beginners giving up on working out altogether, much like having too many assignments to complete at once can cause people to procrastinate.
Stephanie Lange, a professional makeup artist who champions mental health in fitness, addresses the problem with influencers in her video “fitness influencers are the worst.” She points out that some “fit-fluencers” promote “undereating, overexercising and restrictive dieting,” highlighting the potential harm this can cause. Lange mentions Kayla Itsine and her program “The Bikini Body Motivation & Habits Guide,” acknowledging the range of her workout programs while criticizing the program’s title as problematic since everyone can feel good in a bikini, regardless of their body size. Another issue with fitness influencers she points out is the use of images of themselves in program thumbnails instead of showcasing realistic progress of people who have followed their programs. This misleading practice can create unrealistic expectations for viewers and undermine the progress made by those who do follow the programs.
Unrealistic Standards
Many fitness influencers showcase bodies that are the result of years of hard work, consistent effort and even genetic advantages, which is often not reflected in the short term results promised in their titles. Moreover, the carefully angled thumbnails and contorted lighting used in these videos create an unrealistic representation of the everyday body. Lange emphasizes that each person’s body is unique, and even if they follow these influencers’ guides religiously and maintain a calorie deficit, they may not look like them due to differences in bone structures and genetics.
The lack of personalization in some influencers’ monetary programs is a major concern, particularly for beginners who may not know what kind of workout plan is best suited for their individual needs. Lange cites the case of Brittany Dawn, an influencer who was sued by the state of Texas for providing all of her subscribers with the same generic workout plan and advice, charging them between $92 to upward of $300 per month. This lack of attention to her subscribers’ unique needs is a clear example of influencers taking advantage of their followers.
So, while much of the criticism aimed at Ting is exaggerated, there is still a need for greater honesty and vulnerability in the fitness community. Influencers often profit from the insecurities of beginners, and misinformation continues to be a problem on social media platforms, hindering the knowledge of beginners. By recognizing that different individuals have different requirements and workout needs, the fitness community can evolve into a more harmonious and welcoming space for newcomers.
