Delhi woman, body-shamed for viral muscular photo, claps back at trolls: ‘Unbelievable hate’ | Trending

Fitness coach Aanchal Aneja, 23, recently shared a “before and after” picture on social media to showcase her fitness journey. However, instead of the expected encouragement, she received a barrage of hateful comments. The image shows a Delhi-based 23-year-old fitness coach who received hate for her muscular photo. (X/@AanchalXIV) “When it comes to training chest, I stick to three movements,” she wrote. The photo where she is seen flexing her muscles was captured earlier this year in January. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! People flooded the post’s comments section with mean and hurtful reactions. Some trolls stooped to body shaming her, even comparing her appearance to a man. Aneja, originally from New Delhi, has always been motivated her parents’ dedication to fitness. After working at Decathlon for her first job, she started her own coaching business where she trains individual clients. How did Aanchal Aneja react to the online hate?While Aneja admits to feeling discouraged the negativity, she cleverly turned the situation to her advantage. “The trolling actually led to 25 new client inquiries, and I’ve already converted three into clients,” she revealed in a telephonic interview with HT. Aanchal Aneja’s message to the trolls?“Keep hating, because it’s only making me more popular. Just remember, hard work is the key to success. If you want something, put in the effort.” Two days after the initial post, Aanchal addressed the trolls in a follow-up post. “I got a lot of hate for a picture showing my muscles,” she wrote. “While the hate itself didn’t bother me, I was disappointed that no one paid attention to the informative content in the caption,” she added. She clarified the picture, explaining that the one in question was taken during winter when she weighed more. “I was bulking up, and I actually enjoy bulking phases. The comments motivated me to consider another bulk soon! It’s funny how a woman bulking up can apparently shatter the egos of so many men,” she concluded sarcastically. Aneja acknowledged facing trolls offline but maintained, “I’m used to it, and most people don’t even realise they’re doing it. I’m passionate about fitness and healthy living, and that won’t change.”