[brightcove:5603078603001 default]
If you follow Ashley Graham on social media, you’re no stranger to the supermodel’s fit-stagrams. Graham constantly posts inspiring videos of her workouts at go-to gym The Dogpound, where she does everything from boxing to strength training.
But some of Graham’s followers, or should we say trolls, are constantly hating on her exercise game. On Sunday, the body-positive activist took to Instagram to share a little known secret about her workout posts.
“EVERYTIME [sic] after I post a workout video I get get [sic] comments like..’You’ll never be skinny so stop trying,’ ‘Don’t workout too hard, you’ll get skinny,’ ‘You still need your fat to be a model,’ ‘Why would you want to loose what made you famous,'” Graham wrote in her post.
In typical Graham fashion, she shut down the haters by explaining her reasons for hitting the gym so hard. None of them have to do with losing weight; instead, “feel good,” “get rid of jet lag,” and “clear my head” made Graham’s list. And the model knows what she’s talking about, because research backs up these and other health benefits of exercise.
RELATED: Ashley Graham Shares a Bikini Hack That Will Save You From Dreaded ‘Halter Ache’
To her point about feeling good: a sweat session can boost levels of the hormones endorphins, plus reduce stress and anxiety. A 2014 study also found that hitting the gym can improve memory, since aerobic exercise was linked to an increased hippocampus, the area of the brain that controls memory function. Regular exercise keeps your heart healthy, and as Graham noted, makes your body flexible, which can improve blood circulation.
While it’s totally fine to hit the treadmill or weight rack to slim down, if weight loss isn’t your objective, you’re hardly alone—you have one of the world’s most famous models in your corner.