I was fat-shamed for being a curvy PT – insecure haters say I have zero muscles and I'm unfit, I love proving them wrong
A PERSONAL trainer has hit back at hateful trolls who branded her "unfit with zero muscles" - and proved just how strong she is.
Eilish Toal, 29, runs SHE Coaching - which stands for stronger, healthier and empowered - in Glasgow and has 42 clients on her books.
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The midsize fitness fanatic can deadlift 100kg, does burpees for fun and has completed three gruelling Hyrox competitions.
But she admits it's "easy to get imposter syndrome" when she reflects on her thriving role as a PT.
She told Fabulous: "I was really worried about how other personal trainers were going to perceive me for such a long time.
"But I think it's got to a point where I know the value that I'm bringing. I know what I'm doing for girls, so I think it's absolutely incredible.
"There's a lot of girls who have never been bigger, which is fine, but obviously until you've lived in a bigger body, it is kind of impossible to know how it moves, if that makes sense."
Eilish, from Glasgow, was always the "bigger kid" in class as a youngster and was in age 10 clothing by the time she was seven-years-old.
Fast forward to her first communion in primary school and she had to wear an adult's size 10.
She said: "Then I went to high school, played basketball, but I was still bigger.
"I think I pushed friends away, if a guy ever said they liked me, I was absolutely not believing that, and I just constantly put myself down."
She then found herself in a vicious binge eating cycle until she was 25 and decided to overhaul her lifestyle.
The former radiographer started her health journey while she still worked for the NHS.
She admits that she 'fell into pretty terrible habits' during lockdown and decided to throw herself into her love for the gym instead.
'I love working with people and I decided to become a personal trainer", she said.
"I decided that at my heaviest weight. I thought I have always wanted to do this and I'm not going to let it [my weight] hold me back.
'So I lost some weight over the next year and then I finally finished the PT course in January 2023.'
She's seen huge success in her job so far, using her own previous struggles and curvier figure to support her clients with more than just hip thrusts.
But she admits there is still a stigma around bigger people in gyms.
She said: "They don't feel like they're welcome. I think bigger people do get treated differently than folk in smaller bodies.
"People really need to widen their thoughts and realise that there are people who just don't feel comfortable in the gym."
Troll takedown
And people on social media can be just as narrow-minded about fitness.
Eilish was recently hit with a cruel message under one of her workout videos, which read: "Girl you have zero muscle, look v unfit, overweight. Personal trainers should be neither of these things, it's ridiculous."
But she expertly clapped back at the "insecure" troll and educated them on the true meaning of being fit.
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In a video addressing the hater, she said: "Gal, I do not know what you're so deeply unhappy about, but no one is that mean and nasty without having some sort of insecurity.
"Overweight? Yes, I can agree with that, but no muscle and very unfit. I Absolutely cannot.
"I implore you, please come and train with me for a day because I can assure you it's not f***ing easy.
"I could take the easy way out, but I love training hard. I've completed two Hyrox competitions at the men's weights, Hyrox doubles, and I've completed a solo Hyrox. I can run and I can lift some fairly heavy s***.
"Again, am I the strongest person in the world? No. I am certainly not the leanest, but I certainly am NOT unfit.
"In a world of girls supporting girls, this is absolutely gutting to see and I cannot believe the hate that's coming from you.
"I've worked hard at bettering myself for years and this is why I'm a good coach.
"And this is why people gravitate towards me because I am NOT the usual personal trainer. I will completely agree with that. However, that does not make me a bad personal trainer.
"I do have muscle, I do have strength, and I do have fitness and I show people that they can have that too."
Eilish's video quickly racked up 69,000 views on her TikTok page (@eilish_shecoaching) with people applauding her "perfect response".
Gym support
And many nervous gymgoers have insisted she would be the dream personal trainer to work with.
One said: "Honestly I wish there is more PTs that represented what the majority of females look like! You look incredible."
"I would be more inclined to go to this woman for personal training, also serving body", wrote a second.
A third agreed: "The way I would feel SO comfortable knowing I was working with someone who has felt things I've felt and struggled in ways I have."
A fourth chimed in: "You'd be my number 1 pick if I could afford a PT. Your body looks like something I would aim to achieve, others are so unrealistic for me."
A fifth pointed out: "Being fit is a testable measure, 'looking fit' is a bs beauty standard that is constantly changing. You're killing it girl and you're helping me try and get back into fitness."
And a sixth echoed: "Being fit and looking fit can be two totally different things! You are absolutely smashing it."
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The support has left modest Eilish overwhelmed - but has motivated her to help as many women as possible build healthier habits and their self-confidence.
She said: "The pressure on people is massive, so if I can help, if I can show someone, one person, that they don't have to be that much under pressure, I'm more than happy to.
"A lot of my clients are wanting to lose weight, but we're looking at sustainable and long-term ways of doing that, and still living your life. It's not a fad, it's general lifestyle changes.
"It's all about knowing you deserve better, and changing that narrative. It's small steps, it's little bits at a time, but it makes such a difference.
"And for me, it's celebrating their wins. Everyone's wins are different. So for someone it might be 'I've not binged this week' and that is absolutely incredible.
"It's about how you feel, it's not just 'have you lost weight'."
She continued: "Everyone's got different goals. Not everyone trains to look smaller or be smaller.
"I love the fact that I'm not small and lean, and I can still look at myself, and find love. It's total self-acceptance.
"Traditionally, personal training has always been to look a certain way, but it's not everyone's goal.
"I want to be the change in the industry and I want to be able to help as many women as I possibly can, and men. Men suffer as well.
"I'm actually just really excited to see what the rest of the year brings, because I hope this is the start of the big girl fights back, the Big Girl Takeover. That's what we're going for."
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