A woman has been dubbed a “monster” online after revealing her muscular physique, but doesn’t care what others think.
When Lisa Cross started bodybuilding 20 years ago, she didn’t expect for the hobby to change her life entirely, including her career and online presence.
At aged 15, the now professional female bodybuilder recalls suffering from an eating disorder due to feelings of body dysmorphia.
In a bid to overhaul her dangerous lifestyle, which started to cause hair loss and other health complications, she decided to start working out at the gym.
Soon, she fell in love with training and nutrition, and now, she’s won various competitions, including becoming a British champion in 2010.
But the 44-year-old has suffered some backlash as a result, especially online, where she’s been dubbed a “monster” and the “Hulk” for her muscular physique.
“I’ve had people tell me: ‘get back in the kitchen’ or ‘looking good Dave,'” Lisa, from Plymouth, told NeedToKnow.online.
“These negative comments say much more about the person who has made them than they say about me.
“No one has ever said anything negative to my face, so I think they only feel emboldened by the anonymity of the Internet.
“I know they would never be brave enough to say anything to my face and I don’t pay them any heed at all.
“Many people don’t want to look like me, but I do feel that my social media serves as an outlet for people who know they don’t have the courage or discipline to work hard and make positive changes in their lives.
“It’s not my fault they can’t get fit or eat healthily.
“People who are happy and successful in their lives don’t have time to troll others. I’m very happy, successful and invincible.”
Growing up, she recalls the pressure to do well in school resulting in an eating disorder. In a bid to take control over her life, she turned to restrict her diet.
At her lowest, she weighed only seven stone and wore children’s clothing made for eight-year-olds.
Soon, her mental health took a hit and she became a recluse, as well as suffering from chest pains, but upon her hair falling out in clumps, she knew something needed to change.
Speaking about the ordeal, she said: “I have no idea how many calories I was eating per day, but it was a constant battle.
“It was a difficult journey initially because I had forgotten how to eat, but my body was craving food.
“At university, I started going to the gym and each day, I would do around three hours of cardio, where, after a while, I noticed no change in my physique.
“I started resistance weight training instead, though I had no clue what I was doing and it wasn’t until I went to live and work in Japan, that my journey really began.”
Thanks to her then-boyfriend, she learned all about the correlation between nutrition and training and in 2009, she competed in her first competition.
Now, apart from her previous awards, she’s also competed and won her second professional show within the US and has a muscle mass of 94kg.
In a bid to keep her physique in tip-top shape, she eats up to eight meals per day, only three hours apart, including lean meat and liquid greens.
In a clip, which has racked up 26.3 million views and over 1.4 million likes on TikTok, she can be seen flexing her muscles.
Users flocked to the comments to share their thoughts, but not everybody was kind with their words.
“New fear unlocked,” one person said.
Someone else added: “No just no.”
“What is that,” another user commented.
Demi McKean said: “This isn’t normal,” followed by a skull emoji.
“Imma be sick,” someone else commented. [sic]
Lisa added: “It’s benefitted me immensely and I only have to think about what the alternative would be if I had remained [the way I was].
“It’s difficult to remember your mental and emotional state all those years ago, but I view myself to be the most mentally tough and emotionally stable person I know.
“I’m a true believer that if something doesn’t break you, it’ll only make you stronger.
“It’s no longer a career, only an expensive hobby and lifestyle.
“I’m still learning about training and nutrition and it’s a never-ending process, but I’m proud of my journey.”
