How to Handle Online Hate About Your Fitness and Body

Hannah: But it's been insane to me. I've lost so many followers, which is okay, because I think a lot of people that did follow me didn't follow me for motherhood. A lot of people were following me for the Hannah Eden that showed up through Iceland and went f***ing monster mode, and that's okay. There are things we can't relate to at this stage. But I caught myself questioning, should I post this? Is this what my audience wants to see? And then I had this rude wake-up call: that's not how you got here. You never curated yourself to fit inside of someone else's box. You just did what was true and aligned to your life.

So right now I'm pregnant. Right now I'm going through this. So this is something that I need to stay true to, and if that means there's loss on some sides, that's great. But the engagement's gone up, because the people that do relate are far more interested in this truth, in this reality, in this experience.

But I've had so much hate, dude. I've had so much mean stuff, and I'd be lying to say that it doesn't affect me. Like, what are you doing to your child, because I'm still doing box jumps or I'm still doing intense exercise. You're going to kill your baby. Some freaking brutal stuff. And it's like, times have changed. I'm a fitness professional. I would never do anything to put my unborn child's life at risk. I'm trying to navigate that whole world and grow that thick skin again, because I haven't had that much hate on social media ever. But it's wild to hear and see what some people will say. It's kind of crazy.

Nikkiey: Keyboard ninjas, man, they're out.

Hannah: It is. It sucks.

Nikkiey: But at the same time, you really know yourself and you're very strong in understanding who you are. And I think what you just shared there is really inspiring. I know I felt that way, too. I have some freaking trolls who are like, you're on steroids. I'm like, wow, it's just such hardcore stuff that comes out from the pipeline. Or I look like a man. I'm like, okay, cool. What are you struggling with?

Hannah: Right, right, right. And honestly, looking at that whole concept, which I have done a lot of inner work on, I think there's a lot of projection of fear of what someone is unable to do themselves. So they just doubt that you'd ever be able to do it, too. So there must be steroids involved here. That's not possible. No, no, no, it is. It just takes a lot of really hard work and discipline that maybe you're not willing to put in to see your body or your results get there.

So I'm trying to switch that and have empathy rather than anger. Because at first, you're like, f*** you, how dare you come at me like that? But it's like, no. Maybe in my case, someone has lost a baby. And that's something that I don't ever understand, and that's maybe why this anger is coming out. Or maybe they let themselves go during their pregnancy and gained 50 pounds and got gestational diabetes, and they regret that and resent anyone that didn't. Who knows? We don't know what that person's going through. So rather than shutting down or becoming hard towards it, I'm trying to soften and just understand that everyone is going through their own experience.

Nikkiey: And you, man, that is a higher you. That is how everybody should be and operate from. But it's hard. And I get that, too.

Hannah: Yeah, it's so hard.