Alice Living: I thought life would be better if my body were smaller

In his book give me strengthPersonal trainer and influencer Alice Living reflects on the worst moments of her career – from severely restrictive eating habits to overtraining her body. With over half a million Instagram followers, Living pulls back the curtain on what happens when a “perfect” digital lifestyle turns toxic.

speaking on well enough podcastLiving told the host emily lavinia She easily fell into the trap of believing that life would be better if her body were smaller.

“When I first started my fitness journey, I thought, ‘Life would be better if I had a smaller body,'” he said. “My body shrunk, I got lots of praise, and I accepted everything. I continued without realizing that what I was doing wasn’t healthy.”

Her background as a dancer led her toward strength training, which initially felt like a revelation. “It was incredible,” she said. “Getting stronger felt like a great challenge and a good way to support a healthy body.” That experience evolved into a career as a personal trainer and eventually a content creator.

At the time, social media was “a homogenous fitness space” focused on weight loss, she said. “Mainly, everyone’s number one goal was: You exercised to lose weight,” she explained. “There weren’t the nuances that we have now, where you exercise to get stronger or for your brain – those conversations just weren’t happening.”

Over time, the image of perfect health they projected online began to unravel.

“I thought I was at my peak health, but my periods weren’t regular. I was tired all the time. I was having terrible mood swings,” she recalled. “I had to ask myself: Is what I’m doing really healthy, or am I just striving for this ideal body at the expense of everything else?”

Admitting that he had misled followers was a difficult step. “Then to say, ‘Actually guys, I got it wrong’ – that was a tough moment.”

Living has since become known for its honesty, challenging “body goals” and volatile fitness trends. Nevertheless, she remains a standout in a field that continues to reward aesthetic perfection.

Fitness expert Shakira Akabusi, who joined the Living on Podcast, said social media can make health the same for everyone. “Whether we like the term ‘fitness influencer’ or not, the most important thing is to share knowledge while understanding that health is unique to the individual,” she said. “Whatever training or eating plan you adopt may not work for someone else – and that’s where it gets tricky.”

He said the modern obsession with delivering fast results undermines genuine well-being. He said, “Everyone wants something right away: eight-week abs, quick recovery. But real health takes time. We’ve lost the ability to feel our health – we’re relying on numbers.”

Akabusi encouraged listeners to move away from metrics. “If you lose fat and gain muscle, the number on the scale may go up. That doesn’t mean you’re failing. We need to get rid of this notion of just getting the numbers up,” he said. “Fitness has really taken off the joy – it’s become a daily chore. The body was made for movement; we need to make it a part of our lives again.”

The episode also explored how social media shapes attitudes towards well-being, the role of athletes as role models and how to start a fitness journey from the beginning. The two guests discussed the growing trend of weight loss medications and the connection between exercise and mental health.

“What are we doing here?” The living one asked. “Is it all about thinness, or are we actually helping people be healthy? And what does health really mean?”

listen to the episode Here And watch the full episode on YouTube. Well Enough is available wherever you get your podcasts.

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