Health and wellness influencer Janelle Rohner is under scrutiny after revealing she used the GLP-1 medication Ozempic as part of her weight loss regimen, despite previously promoting natural methods to her 5 million followers.
In an emotional YouTube video posted on April 23, 2025, Rohner, 37, disclosed that she had taken Ozempic to aid in losing the last 10 to 15 pounds, after attempting various approaches including keto, macro tracking, and exercise. She emphasized that the medication was merely a tool and that she maintained a healthy lifestyle alongside it.
The revelation has sparked backlash among fans, particularly those who had purchased her $200 “Macros 101” course, which did not disclose her use of the medication. Critics argue that her omission of this information was misleading. In response, Rohner offered refunds to all past class buyers and pledged greater transparency moving forward.
This incident highlights the growing trend of influencers promoting weight loss medications like Ozempic without fully disclosing their use, raising ethical concerns about transparency and the potential impact on followers’ health decisions.
The world of fitness influencing is fraught with pitfalls—from harsh public scrutiny to the temptation of quick fixes. As more influencers rise to fame, many are facing backlash for promoting unrealistic standards, using performance-enhancing drugs, or even lying to their audiences. Here’s a deep dive into the challenges and ethical dilemmas plaguing the industry.
- The Relentless Criticism Fitness Influencers Face
Once you step into the fitness influencing space, every aspect of your life becomes fair game for criticism—your workouts, diet, physique, and even your hairstyle. Male influencers often face harsher scrutiny than their female counterparts, dealing with relentless commentary on their natural physiques versus steroid-enhanced ones.
The solution? Limit social media exposure and protect your mental health. Constant critiques can drain even the most confident individuals, making them question whether their fitness journey was ever worth sharing.
- Know Your Audience—Natural Fitness Sells
Authentic fitness influencers understand their followers: most want to lose weight naturally, without relying on drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, or GLP-1 agonists. Many struggle with slow metabolisms but remain disciplined, seeking inspiration from those who achieve results without shortcuts.
In today’s health-conscious world, authenticity is the currency of trust—especially in the fitness industry. Influencers who prioritize transparency, discipline, and natural methods of weight loss or muscle gain tend to build the most loyal and enduring followings. Why? Because most people are looking for guidance they can realistically apply to their own lives.
The average person following a fitness influencer isn’t looking for shortcuts—they’re looking for motivation, consistency, and proven results. Many of these individuals struggle with slow metabolisms, hormonal imbalances, or years of unhealthy habits. What they crave is reassurance that through proper nutrition, regular workouts, and a balanced lifestyle, lasting results are possible.
They’re not seeking perfection. They’re seeking relatable progress. That’s why influencers who proudly document their ups and downs, show their real workouts, and explain their setbacks earn far more credibility than those who rely on silent pharmaceutical aids while selling diet plans.
The moment an influencer secretly turns to weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, or GLP-1 agonists, while still presenting themselves as “all natural,” they cross a line. Worse yet, promoting unregulated supplements, detox teas, or misleading diet hacks only deepens the deception—they risk losing their audience for good.
- The Ethical Disaster of Hoarding Weight-Loss Drugs
The 2020 Ozempic shortage exposed a disturbing trend: celebrities and influencers snatching up diabetes medications for quick weight loss, leaving actual patients struggling to access their prescriptions.
Why is this problematic?
- Deprives those with medical needs (e.g., diabetics) of life-saving medication.
- Promotes unhealthy shortcuts over sustainable fitness.
- Leads to public distrust when influencers are later exposed.
- The Hidden Dangers of Performance-Enhancing Drugs
Whether it’s steroids for muscle gain or weight-loss injections, relying on drugs always carries risks:
- Taking any drug to manipulate your body—whether for aesthetics or performance—opens the door to potential long-term health complications. These may include:
- Permanent gastrointestinal damage (especially common with weight-loss injections like Ozempic and Wegovy)
- Hormonal imbalances
- Liver and kidney strain
- Cardiovascular issues
- Psychological side effects, including anxiety, mood swings, or depression
Even under the supervision of a highly qualified doctor, no medication is risk-free. Clinical oversight may help manage symptoms, but it does not guarantee immunity from side effects, complications, or dependency. Example: The Liver King, who promoted eating raw liver and later admitted to steroid use, lost everything when his deception was exposed.
- The Hypocrisy of Monetizing “Natural” Fitness While Cheating
If an influencer builds a brand on “all-natural” weight loss but is later caught using drugs, they should return every penny earned from their audience. Too many apologize insincerely and return to business as usual, turning fitness influencing into a Ponzi scheme of lies.
Example: Kim Kardashian once promoted a “weight-loss tea” that was just a laxative—misleading fans into believing it burned fat.
- The BBL Trend & Its Inevitable Downfall
Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs) were once marketed as “necessary” for self-esteem, but now they’re just another social media trend.
What happens when the trend fades? Influencers who built their brands on BBLs will struggle to stay relevant—proving that gimmicks don’t last.
- The Consequences of Deception
Once an influencer is caught lying—whether about drug use, surgeries, or fake transformations—their reputation is destroyed. No amount of fake tears, shaky apologies, or motivational speeches can undo the damage.
Example: Brittany Dawn, a fitness influencer, faced a class-action lawsuit after scamming followers with fake meal plans.
- Healthy ≠ Skinny: The Dangerous Myth
Social media has wrongly equated thinness with health, pressuring people into extreme diets. However:
In the age of social media, the line between health and appearance has been dangerously blurred. Platforms often promote the illusion that thinness equals health, pressuring millions into unhealthy diets, excessive workouts, and disordered habits in pursuit of a certain “ideal” body type.
However, this belief is not only inaccurate—it’s harmful.
Being overweight does not automatically mean you’re unhealthy. Countless individuals in larger bodies maintain healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, and lead active, balanced lives. Weight alone is not a reliable indicator of a person’s overall health or well-being.
Being thin doesn’t mean you’re fit or healthy. Many people who appear slim may still struggle with poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyles, or underlying medical conditions. Thinness is not a guarantee of wellness or strength.
It’s time for influencers and health advocates to stop pushing unrealistic and one-size-fits-all body standards. The glorification of extreme thinness contributes to body dysmorphia, eating disorders, and low self-esteem—especially among young people. Health should be defined by how we feel, function, and live, not simply by a number on the scale or a dress size.
Social media has the power to inspire and educate—but it also has the power to harm. We must move away from outdated, harmful messaging and shift toward promoting balanced, sustainable, and inclusive definitions of health.
Being “thick,” curvy, muscular, or anywhere in between can all be perfectly healthy. What matters most is how you care for your body, not whether it fits someone else’s idea of beauty. Let’s focus on nourishment, movement, mental well-being, and self-love—not aesthetics.
- When an influencer is exposed for dishonesty—particularly when it involves lying about their fitness journey or health regimen—they should be held accountable. Transparency is critical, especially when audiences are emotionally and financially invested in the advice and products promoted by public figures.
If an influencer has misled their followers, especially by claiming natural weight loss while secretly using medications like Ozempic, the appropriate course of action should include:
- Shutting Down Their Platform
Once trust is broken, rebuilding it is nearly impossible. Continuing to operate under a brand built on deception only deepens the damage. We don’t need contrived apologies, crocodile tears, or “inspirational” speeches. Audiences deserve honesty, not a scripted redemption arc. - Issuing Refunds
Influencers who have sold workout plans, diet guides, or coaching sessions under false pretenses should offer full refunds. If consumers purchased a product expecting natural, medication-free results, they were misled. It’s only fair that they be compensated for that deception. - Leaving the Industry
If you’ve been caught faking your journey—such as using prescription drugs to achieve weight loss while marketing yourself as an all-natural success story—it’s time to step away. Reinventing yourself with another persona won’t fix the trust you’ve broken. It’s not just a matter of public backlash; it’s about ethics. If you were truly confident and authentic from the start, you wouldn’t have relied on deception.
Let’s be clear: This isn’t about cancel culture. It’s about accountability. When influencers exploit their audience’s trust for profit, they create harm that often goes far beyond monetary loss. People follow fitness journeys for hope, for motivation, and for guidance. When that journey is a lie, the betrayal cuts deep.
The internet is no longer a place where dishonesty goes unnoticed. If you knowingly deceived your followers, the best and most dignified thing you can do is refund those who paid for a service and exit quietly—without excuses, without pity pleas, and without trying to spin your downfall into content. Own your mistake and do better—off-camera.
Comments