Thinnes is a prison.

There is a trend I’ve been seeing across social media for some weeks now and it really, really grinds my gears.

De-bulking, it is called.

Women who have previously worked hard to build a decent amount of muscle mass actively trying to lose it by avoiding the gym and stopping heavy lifting.

There are so many problems with this message I’m unsure where to start, but here we go.

For a start, the language. Referring to muscle as ‘bulk’, which implies it is big, heavy, cumbersome, unfeminine. That having muscle makes you appear these things and this is a problem to be corrected.

I won’t get into concerns about looking bulky because that’s a whole new topic for a different day, but implying muscle is making you look unfeminine and you should get smaller is the crux of the issue.

Thin is in and I hate it.

More often than I used to, I see content aimed at helping women get small. A swing back from when it used to promote strength and a more body positive approach. Pilates and yoga are being pushed as exercises to achieve a smaller build. A shame because these are great forms of movement  for many reasons beyond changing your body shape and as a complement to resistance training rather than a replacement. GLP-1 medications being used by people who don’t really need them to achieve a slimmer body. It’s sad.

I can tell you from experience that being too thin sucks. Kate Moss was wrong. Almost everything tastes better than being cold, hungry, missing out on fun with your friends and looking tired 24/7. Having more muscle has made my life (and the lives of everyone I train) better.

Muscle has so many protective benefits for your health, ESPECIALLY for women. Excuse the capital letters, I’m very keen to get this point across.

Women start with less muscle mass than men and are less exposed to training for strength and performance. We have lower bone density, which decreases further as we hit menopause and oestrogen levels drop. Across genders, muscle mass declines as we age and we must work harder to hold on to it. Building and having muscle mass is absolutely vital for maintaining our independence across all stages of life.

I see the effects of this in my older clients. Those who train regularly and have done throughout their lives are more independent, able to do more things and have a higher quality of life. Increased muscle mass is often a by-product of strength training, the benefits of which include improved cognitive function and neuroplasticity, better coordination, improved force production and stability to our joints. Stronger people recover better from injury, illness and setbacks.

Increased muscle mass is also linked to better cardiovascular health, bone density and immune system function. It regulates insulin sensitivity, meaning it helps your body manage the energy you take in from food more efficiently. You’re less prone to massive swings in energy across the day, a function that is important for weight management and also linked to being active.

Another glaring issue I see with this trend is half the women peddling it are benefitting from their previous background in lifting or building that ‘bulk’. The retired bodybuilders turned Pilates fanatics did not build those arms and glutes on the reformer, sorry to break it to you. It will, however, help them sell their new fitness programme (their body) to you. Problematic because irrespective of what you do, your body isn’t going to look like theirs.

I’m all for taking a step back from obsessive gym culture, counting macros and chasing abs. However, actively suggesting women should ‘de-bulk’ is harmful to the vast majority of women the algorithm will push that message out to.

For most people, building a bit of muscle helps them to achieve their aesthetic goals without looking big. Building some muscle and losing body fat is what achieves a ‘toned’ physique. Whilst Pilates and yoga are excellent for stress relief, balance, stretching, core strength and stability, they are not great for toning as they don’t work your muscles hard enough to encourage them to grow. Nor do they load your bones enough to increase bone density, a benefit we get from exercises like lifting weights, running or playing sport.

99.9% of us gals are never ever going to be so jacked people mistake us for Olympic gymnasts, a girl can dream. However, we can build muscle in a way that makes us look, feel and perform better.

I feel so passionately about this because the message of staying thin holds us back. It holds us back from enjoying our lives, pursuing our passions, being our true selves. A bit of bulk is the key to living your best life.

Thinness is a prison and strength is freedom.