This video isn’t like anything I have EVER done before, and it all started with a few questions I had.
Why do we allow our weight to control our feelings?
Why do we give the scale so much power?
What does BMI really mean?
Is body fat percentage actually a better indicator of health?
I decided to gather a bunch of women together to run a “little” social experiment to find out how all of these things – BMI, weight, body fat percentage – actually looked like on a woman. And I wanted to see if we could tell which was most accurate. Or would we find out that labels are bogus?
I started planning this video a year ago, and I had NO IDEA how to pull it off. Fast forward to shoot day and we had a 20+ person crew working on it AND we flew out one of the world’s best female bodybuilders…from Sweden!!!! So crazy!!!!!!
Parts of this video were extremely uncomfortable to film, but I hope you guys take away the fact that there is so much more to a person than their number.
I have so many people to thank for making this video happen – my amazing director Ryan, my husband Sam, the crew, the Blogifam…but most of all I want to thank all of the brave, strong women for speaking their truths. You all are amazing!
Co-Executive Producer/ Writer: Cassey Ho
Co-Executive Producer: Sam Livits
Director/ Editor: Ryan Parma
Producer/ Casting Director: Laurel Elfenbein
Sound: Alfonso Cano & Aaron Terrones
Key Grip: Simeon Mihaylov
Grip: Mason Williams
Gaffer/ Cam Op: Joseph Baltazar
Production Assistant: Brittney Brandt
Hair & Makeup: Lauren Young & Alondra Excene
Talent:
Irene Andersen
Darlyn Barajas
Bynay Blasberg
Ebony Breaux
Celeste Carbonell
Paloma Hinojosa
Covi Lockhart
Rachel Thomson
SOURCES:
BMI chart:
ACE FITNESS body fat % chart:
Here is where I get all of my music! Epidemic Sound:
******
Cassey Ho is an award-winning fitness instructor, entrepreneur and online personality. As the creator behind Blogilates, the #1 female fitness channel on YouTube, she’s transformed millions of lives through helping them achieve their strength and weight-loss goals. She focuses on making fitness fun and the results are evident. Cassey’s unique format, POP Pilates©, which launched as a workout video on YouTube in 2009, has become a live fitness class that can be taken at gyms all over the world with over 3,000 POP Pilates classes being taught monthly. Her authenticity continues to shine through, making her one of the most relatable fitness icons online and beyond. She’s also the author of the best-selling book, Hot Body Year Round and is the designer of her own activewear line, POPFLEX.
With a wide range of free workout videos available, Cassey’s channel focuses on ab exercises, butt & thigh exercises, arm exercises, pilates, cardio routines, fat burning workouts, high intensity interval training workouts (HIIT), stretching and flexibility routines and so much more!
32 comments
I started planning this video a while ago, and I was very aware of how sensitive this topic was going to be. We needed to find women who were comfortable discussing their weight on camera and we needed to produce this video in the most compassionate way. I didn’t want anyone to run off set crying or upset. I wanted to have an open discussion with real feelings about some real taboo topics.
I’m currently reading the comments on here and it seems that the feelings on this video are split 50/50. Some people are moved to tears because they’re incredibly touched…and then others are very upset, saying it was a terrible, pointless video meant to make women feel bad about themselves.
So, what was the point? To show that labels and numbers have as much power as we want to give them. They can make us feel bad. They can make us feel good. Or they can just be data points to guide our next steps. But your health, which includes both your mental health, your physical health as well as your happiness is something that cannot be accurately assessed by any number. A number does it’s best to help medical professionals categorize your health as a starting point, but it’s not the entire story. Health really does look different on everyone.
This content is meant to make you think. Yeah, it’s uncomfortable, but when did we ever become smarter, better humans by being comfortable all the time? We grow the most when we’re challenged – and I’m talking emotionally challenged too. If this video made you feel a certain way, take a moment to reflect and ask yourself why you feel that way. Can you dig deep and dissect this feeling further? Some of you may find that you need improvement in the area of not letting numbers control your happiness. And others of you may just find that you don’t want a relationship with numbers at all, and that my content didn’t help you achieve that. Both are okay to feel. What's not okay is calling people derogatory names and spreading hatred. I will never allow that here on my channel.
Just so you know, each woman was mentally prepped for the shoot and knew that we’d be discussing weight and other sensitive body image topics. Our producer interviewed each woman who was casted one by one and in person, and made sure they were comfortable with the topics before committing to the shoot. The entire Blogifam and the crew was very careful in making sure the women felt good during the entire process, from casting to shoot day to video release. The mental health of each of the women was my first priority.
So I’m at 2:55 & I want to guess as well. My guess:
•Pink sports bra & Black sports bra
•Grey top & blue top
•Tan top & orange tights
•Maroon tights & cheetah tights
Darlyn is Def obese
Geez. I’m not sure how I think about this video. Throughout most of it I was thinking it was pretty bad that these women were subjected to this without knowing what they were going into, but then Casey’s little message at the end makes me think that she genuinely thinks things like this are helpful and showcase the message she wishes to emulate. I think she herself still has body image and food issues and she is just a little too close to that herself to truly give meaningful advice, despite her years of training and education on healthy eating and exercise.
I’ve been watching Casey for about a decade. She has been my primary way of working out since high school. I went through an ED in college and throughout most of it I was doing her videos for about 2 hours every single day. I’ve thought for a long time that it was me that took it too far and Casey didn’t contribute to my ED, but years after the fact, I think she might’ve.
I just hope the women in this video are doing okay, and especially Casey. I haven’t been keeping up with her nearly as much since the pandemic started, and have gained almost 80 pounds since my ED. I could be totally wrong, but I just have a feeling that she has relapsed a little since the pandemic started.
Anyway, I’m just rambling. Bless everyone who watches and remember that you are beautiful ❤️
Bmi was actually created by a mathematician, it was never intended to be used as a measurement for ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’ bodies. I have no idea why doctors and medical practitioners use it
I’m 5’6 and 114lb lol
These terms are important to be able to identify issues and work on solutions. The term "obese" is a medical term used to measure correlations of health issues with a number. They did both body fat and BMI so they could get a better picture. The obese woman is obese in both categories, and it's definitely a marker of poor health. Obviously personality and worth doesn't factor into this. But if we can't be okay telling someone that their body fat is "acceptable" or "obese" then how are we going to identify an issue. Really it's a social stigma, medically these terms and numbers are important. The more factors you can get the better, as shown with the person that was 5% body fat and obese. But many obese and overweight americans aren't body builders (some are) and can work towards better health with insights and tests. And being a buddy builder doesn't necessarily signify health, blood tests are also necessary. But yes, 44% body fat is a high risk factor and is obese. AGAIN, it's alright for someone to be obese and still be a valuable person – it just doesn't mean that person is healthy.
I call BS on the 5% body fat.
The body builder is like a female version of the rock , dammmmmmmmmmm
Forcing them to explain why they chose the partner they did was so cringe.
As someone with an eating disorder I found this extremely triggering just saying… my BMI is 16.2 and I doubt they’d have me on this because I’m unhealthy… but showing overweight unhealthy people is okay.
Cringey horrible video
Honestly this might be the worst video I've ever seen on the internet. Why in the world would you compare people's bodies to other people's bodies? That can make them feel like shit. To whomever directed this video; why would you even come up with this idea and pull through with it? Placing labels on people like 'overweight, obese' etc is wrong in so many ways.
I'm at 40 percent body fat. Numbers don't matter right?
Irene is sakura ogami irl
The delusion and subtle bitchiness is peak feminine energy 😂
Before even watching (superfat, body builder) (2 skinny’s) (black one and the Asian) (the short girl and the tall skinny(
What could go wrong
The body builder is NOT OBESE ITS MUSCLE DONT FORGET!!
Those scales are to help. Not be the tru fact, I think all of you are idiots. As a woman it's not how just on your feel. That woman that is fat is going to have problems and that woman who's a body builder is at risk to killing herself too. Neither is good.
Pretty much their the must unwell people there. They need to work out their issues.
The one on MY far right (her far left) looks like she could probably kick my arse if I stopped to think that it's a woman and I can't hit those back, for more than 2 seconds. Even then, if she gets me in a bear hug, I'm toast. She must be a good 180 pounds.. was my honest guess. Lots of muscle, but not much fat there.
I'd find it SO funny if her life partner was a puny little thing that acted like a chihuahua and dominated her.
THEN I saw the results. And I was floored. That woman weighs 205 pounds. I'm 5'9" and even when I was 22, in the infantry, lifting weights every day, I NEVER managed to go past 210… And I've always had problems with the BMI, because I'm basically a Northern Canada bear, with a fat reserve in the winter and a lean look in the summer. I was the most in-shape guy in the unit, but I had to do EXTRA PT because of that stupid BMI!!!
That woman is a BEAST!!! Her whole life must be either training or shooting up with steroids. And judging from her jawline and facial features, I'm guessing at LEAST a bit of the second.
I took ALL extra sugar out of my diet and I only eat unprocessed food. I'm a chef, so that is the EASY part. And it's cheap because I usually eat two free meals at work. I go to McDonald's for the coffee. It's pretty good and at 1.70$CAD for an extra-large. It's a winner. . NOTHING ELSE from a fast food joint.
My average weight is now 12 pounds lighter than last year before I started this.. I was told to be wary of a fatty liver last checkup. That was IT!!!
PS: Celeste.. Don't worry. You are still the cutest and prettiest there. Because of that smile and gentle demeanor.
Women, ONLY IDOTS stay stuck on the first impression. Especially if it's just a physical one. The way you act and talk, and the way your eyes sparkle is WAY more important than a different body type from a Vogue cover.
Why do you think all of those models are high on drugs all day long and feel depressed 99% of the time?? They don't EAT!!!
BMI is not a good indicator. In the military you are judged on fitness by your bmi, I've seen toned women or fit women with larger chests and butts be told they are too fat because they tip the BMI scale. BMI doesn't account for muscle or the placement of the fats which causes so much confusion.
All I can say is thank you for this video. Very much needed. ❤️
So lame and disrespectful . She obviously was making these women feel bad about Their body weight . This video is insensitive and unacceptable .
sorry but how in the world did that slim lady with some muscle thought she weighed the same as the body builder, girl you're like half the size
"this bmi puts you in the overweight range, how do you feel about that?" WTF kind of question is that, you guys should have definitely warned them about what you were doing, this is absolutely cruel like mean, wtf
Man this comment section is so sensitive.
I would love to see one for men too
For some reason I hate the yoga instructor
This was an okay idea in theory but the execution was brutal. I feel so bad for these woman jeez
honestly they just change this whole system, its so stupid. I'm naturally by birth an endomorph body type, meaning that i have to avoid carbs and sugar to maintain a normal weight, because i will gain weight fast if i don't have a strict diet and regular intense exercise. its been really hard for me because basically live a very boring life to appeal to the standards we have on people. i live off a diet of steamed vegetable, clean protein and fruit, and i havent eaten bread or cakes in yeaaaaars, i love rice but i can't eat it so i have to replace things with cauliflower instead to enjoy sometimes meals i like, i work out everyday for 2 hours, and i walk alot. all of this keeps my weight around 60-70kg which is considered on the bigger size in girl world. online it claims im almost overweight. but reality is im extremely healthy! ive never had teeth problems, health problems, my fitness is at olympian level, and my skin is healthy and youthful because i take care of my body. the system would say im unhealthy though. this is why its bs, the people who makes these charts are robots, scientist with detached emotions for individual storys. do we trust the science, or is the science causes more harm than good?