healthyfitbella_ Divine recipes but it's all getting a little bit beggy!

healthyfitbella_ is a Limerick Instagrammer who owns Limerick restaurants La Cucina and La Cucina Centro her Italian husband. She has been blogging for years, sharing recipes and her story of how she beat breast cancer, lost weight and got in shape. Now she's a crossfit nut whose Instagram following soared during the pandemic when everyone was/is cooking from home. There's much to like about her: how forthcoming she is about her cancer battle and her recipes, which are divine. But I can't help but think how many of these are from her husband's family, who own a popular Italian restaurant in Limerick.

My main issue is the bit of a smell of want off of her? She begs A LOT for likes and shares and seems overly focused on the number of followers she has. I also noticed that recently she asked people their opinion on a fitness clothing brand, admitting she had never worn any pieces from that brand, but a few stories later shared her "favourite" pieces from the brand, all with swipe ups and affiliate links. Why is it our job to line your pockets, Restaurant Owner?

She is also known to harp on about how "tiny" she is getting because she can't pump iron at crossfit because of the mean, mean pandemic. My heart bleeds! And while her username says healthy, most of her recipes (while yummy) are packed full of oil, butter, cheese and cream.

/rant

Ya seems to have this unhealthy obsession with having abs. Don’t think it’s great with her having two young daughters

I really really liked lorraine and while I wouldnt say I no longer do, I have found the change in her hard to take. I found her account a while back and loved the sharing of recipes. Nothing is overly complicated, great family food which is what alot of families are after. Yes some meals are calorie dense but she makes alot that isn't too. She looks after herself, ensures her fitness is a priority. Personally I admire that in a woman. I think it sets a good example for kids, to show that as a parent you still make time for you.
But like all good accounts when it becomes a job, it often looses its appeal. I think with the businesses closed and having no income she sees this as a way to make some money. I can see why, she has been spending so much time with meals/shopping and providing content if she can be paid for it she might aswell.

I found the workout wear thing annoying too. She absolutely made out like she didnt know what she was looking for but turned out she had previously bought their stuff.

I like Lorraine and LOVE the restaurants. If I’m using a swipe up I’d always try to use hers, but definitely a notable change in the page for me lately. I prefer her fitness content over the food and cocktails so I’m mostly tapping through now.

The husband is a ride as well though!

Really enjoyed her content! Thought the recipes and cocktails and potential as a food account was great.
But like others I noticed the change with the clothes, skincare and other products and begging for likes etc. I really don't enjoy that side of it as I have unfollowed so many recently.

I don't think I've ever seen the husband's face, just his hands when he's making pizza! I agree - LOVE the recipes, have made most of them. But when I saw her trying to make €s recommending stuff she has never worn...I thought it was such a sneaky thing to do. Everything is a swipe up now and the begs are coming all the time, it's just a little but needy! I do admire the fitness side, the drive etc but hate how she bangs on about how small she is.

Also, I know someone who goes to Crossfit with her and she ate the head off him one day for taking "her" parking space. In a public car park... I actually think she's a little bit desperate to be famous. Ill never forget the countdown to 30k and her waiting on her "celebrity status"

Are the AF links bothering anyone else? Every day it's like a stream of swipe ups now that she's a proper influencer

I stopped following her and now only check in for recipes.

Actually I did notice the Nike haul the last day - it was hundreds of Euro worth! She must be returning them after trying them on and using the swipe ups? If your businesses have been closed for a year there’s no way you can justify keeping all those workout clothes surely?

She comes across as someone who spends alot alright but she works out so she is buying clothes she would wear. Pre swipe up she wore alot of the same clothes.

New-Yark said:

Actually I did notice the Nike haul the last day - it was hundreds of Euro worth! She must be returning them after trying them on and using the swipe ups? If your businesses have been closed for a year there’s no way you can justify keeping all those workout clothes surely?

Click to expand...

I thought this! I assumed she was sending some back. And in one swipe up, she had leggings listed she "really wanted" but the next day she came on giving out that her size was gone (again!) but she knows lots of people bought them and let her know what they think. I find it quite cheeky that she often sits there posting 10 pairs of runners from Nike and lots of clothing from Nike and Lululemon just so people buying can line her pockets. The best was when she spent ages including swipe ups for Sweaty Betty and then admitted having never tried the brand. Still love the recipes though!

Seems this one also doesn’t like to be given feedback that doesn’t praise her. Stopped following myself because I was sick of the covid talk. Popped back on and she’s still constantly talking about covid. Isn’t happy someone asked her to stop. Instagram is a form of escapism, we are hounded with doom and gloom and covid all day in the media.

I unfollowed today when she basically couldn't take that on board. I wanted to reply and praise that person for saying it her. Both my husband and I follow her as we liked her recipes but we both said lately it's too much. I feel as though she thinks she's the only one to get covid.

I also got a bit annoyed last week when she said she was going to start charging for her cookly bookly reciepies!

I wouldn’t pay for them. Like a lot of those with accounts they move from being hobbies to being a job. There are so many recipes on line for free. Bbcgoodfood is my go too. I have no need to pay. But she did ask before last what if people would pay.

She just didn’t seem to get it today. The message wasn’t rude.

The irony is before she got COVID she had a real business owners stance on it while they were closed, saying business should be open and enough wasn’t being done for them. Now enough isn’t being done for long COVID patients. (Both probably true but she never acknowledges her previous stance now)

I unfollowed last week when I saw her doing the Ad for SuperValu. Been following her for years and she’s always shopped in ALDI and Dunnes. Also the BA for the hair salon. Her hair is the worst it’s ever been IMO.

New-Yark said:

The irony is before she got COVID she had a real business owners stance on it while they were closed, saying business should be open and enough wasn’t being done for them. Now enough isn’t being done for long COVID patients. (Both probably true but she never acknowledges her previous stance now)

I unfollowed last week when I saw her doing the Ad for SuperValu. Been following her for years and she’s always shopped in ALDI and Dunnes. Also the BA for the hair salon. Her hair is the worst it’s ever been IMO.

Click to expand...

What hairdresser is she BA for? To be honest I don’t follow her. I come across her page every now and again and I can’t help but roll my eyes everytime. I honestly don’t think she is anything like the person that she portrays to be online.

Yes aldi and dunnes is the only place she shopped. Poppy and something is the hair place

I wish she would stop with the asmr it’s really annoying now

Limericklady91 said:

What hairdresser is she BA for? To be honest I don’t follow her. I come across her page every now and again and I can’t help but roll my eyes everytime. I honestly don’t think she is anything like the person that she portrays to be online.

Click to expand...

That hairdressers she is BA for is a few doors down from her restaurant… they are absolutely shit at hair. Made an absolute balls of my friends hair.. nearly €200 and a few shitty orange lites going through it

Jellybb said:

That hairdressers she is BA for is a few doors down from her restaurant… they are absolutely shit at hair. Made an absolute balls of my friends hair.. nearly €200 and a few shitty orange lites going through it

Click to expand...

They must be fairly new are they as I’ve never even heard of them? I used to work for Lorraine back in my college days