Fitness YouTuber Chloe Ting on how she stays motivated and deals with detractors

Chloe Ting (CT): I’ve been working out for about six years now, and my journey started because I wasn’t in a good place mentally. I suffered from panic attacks and anxiety, and also had a history of being bullied at work so I ended up taking a break from work. With more time to spend on self-care, I gained an interest in fitness and I was just drawn to getting myself physically stronger. This then had a huge positive impact on my mental health. Besides that, I’ve also suffered from gut-related health issues, which have impacted my quality of life, but thankfully I’m in a better place now, both mentally and physically, and using my platform to spread positivity and self-love.

CT: It varies a lot as being a content creator on YouTube is demanding enough, and I do more than just YouTube. I create free workout programs on my channel that take weeks of planning, training, filming and editing.

Then there’s non-fitness related content like food recipes which I enjoy making and sharing on my platforms. I also live-stream on platforms like Twitch and have other offline projects to work on. I guess there’s a framework for creating content, but it evolves a lot due to the many changes happening on social media platforms.

CT: I used to have a smaller frame, had very little muscle, and didn’t have much body confidence. I think I’m at a place now where I’ve gotten physically stronger, and to a point where I’m happy and content. I do create goals for myself from time to time, but these are smaller, performance-type goals like being able to perform specific exercises or movements, or improving my flexibility.

CT: It’s become a routine for me to work out in the morning, and checking that off early in the day makes me feel accomplished as I move on to my next task of the day. I think everyone’s strategy to stay motivated is a little different. You have to identify what would work for you and give yourself time to build up that familiarity in your schedule so that it becomes a natural routine.

CT: Burpees for sure, as it’s such an effective exercise, but there are lots of modifications you can add to it to make it more fun.

CT: I think everyone has moments where they might cast self-doubt on themselves or their bodies, especially with how social media has been known to have a negative impact on our mental health.

In the past, I would just give myself a social media detox, and focus on doing things that make me happy as well as being kind to myself.

CT: I’ve positively impacted the lives of millions of people around the world. It’s something I’m proud and humbled to be able to have done, and the same goes for any other content creator out there creating positive content.

Being on social media for several years has taught me to not value negative opinions from someone who either barely knows me and my values, or is hiding behind anonymity. If you’re contributing positively and are actually helping people out there, there really isn’t any valid reason to be concerned with negativity.

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CT: Definitely chocolates and it’s not something I’ll ever get sick of!

CT: I’d advise anyone starting out to go at your own pace. Starting out can be very overwhelming as there are things to consider such as your diet, your form, your consistency, etc. The one thing you need to focus on as a beginner is your mindset.

You need to be committed to this and be able to identify what is possible for you today and what is your limit. Some people go cold turkey and jump on a diet or start intense exercises, and there’s no sustainability with that. Start small, make incremental changes, and build strength over time and it’s all a gradual process.

CT: People often judge me for my looks and being a top creator on YouTube attracts a lot of detractors who want to pull you down. People often don’t know that I’m a lot more mature than I look, have years of qualifications and certifications in different fields, and I spend a lot of time learning new things from different industries.

My team isn’t just running a YouTube channel, there’s a lot more work that goes on behind the scenes with product development, brand consultation, and more projects in the works.

CT: The main platform that I focus on is YouTube, so naturally, I follow a lot of YouTubers who inspire me. So there isn’t a single person that inspires but it’s more of a collective group of content creators out there who make a massive impact in the world, and I guess I relate to these people.

This article was first published in Singapore Women’s Weekly.

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