What is your reaction to Before/after photos of people progressing toward their fitness goals, Beachbody posts, etc.

[Mimm]

Before and afters in ads, I dismiss as almost certainly being fake or at the very least, enhanced with photoshop.

 

I have someone on my Facebook who posted before and after of himself shirtless in the bathroom mirror. He looks good and I'm happy for him that he's reaching fitness goals. (Though his wife posted about this gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, happiness free cheesecake she made over the holidays, which made me think, "So not worth it!") ;)

 

If I had someone posting constantly, like multiple times a week, about their diet or fitness routine, with or without pictures, they'd be unfriended or unfollowed (depending on if I wanted to keep them around).

[MrsWeasley]

I have never had a friend who posted those kind of photos who weren't involved in MLM.

[heartlikealion]

I am not considering Beachbody (but have 2 Beachbody coaches on my FB feed so I am constantly see those posts)  but I am considering a kind of health coaching. I have lost 60 pounds since my max weight which was before my cancer diagnosis almost 5 years ago. People who see me regularly comment how strong I look now. I really like the word "strong."  I have really increased my fitness level and feel better pushing 60 than I have since I was in my 30s. I used to be an athlete and a lot of that is coming back. Our family has a strong history of Alzheimers and right now, pretty much the only thing that neurologists agree on is that vigorous exercise is the best prevention and the only thing that can roll cognitive decline back some. (The drugs merely slow it down by several months.) I would like to help others and am kind of playing around with the idea of a second career maybe as a health coach, maybe in exercise physiology or something. 

 

I have a "secret" FB group of women friends which is focused on health goals but I wondered if it would be inspiring or obnoxious to post a before and after photo. 

 

I see. Well, if I was looking at the photos and wanted to take them seriously I would like to see a normal pose in the before, not a "I am so unhappy and my hair is a mess" vs "I came out of the salon and got my teeth whitened" LOL