Remember the days when getting into the best shape of your life practically demanded a breakup? You’d emerge a few months later with a smaller waist, more defined arms and an Instagram post that your ex was hopefully regretting his life choices over. The revenge body had a fairly straightforward premise: look so good that someone else feels bad.
Thank God we’re moving past that. Think of the woman who spends her evenings at Lagree classes because she wants sculpted glutes, the one working towards visible abs for her next beach holiday or the one taking progress pictures because she’s finally seeing the results of months of training. None of these ambitions necessarily involves an ex to make jealous or a boyfriend to attract. The goal is still to look hot. The person whose opinion matters most is simply changing. And really, why should wanting to look good always require an audience? We spend time perfecting our skincare routines, experimenting with makeup and buying clothes because we enjoy how they look on us. Why should the body we’re working towards be any different?
Jiahjeet Kaur, clinical dietitian, founder of The Painless Period Clinic and certified yoga and fitness trainer, has noticed this change in mindset during her consultations. “I’ve heard everything from wanting the perfect ‘summer bod’ to wanting to achieve the physique of a favourite female actor or fitness influencer,” she says. “I’ve also noticed that more women are approaching fitness as a personal goal rather than something they need to achieve for an upcoming wedding, either their own or a family member’s.” Kaur points to another interesting change: the evolution from the once-coveted size-zero figure to the ‘muscle mommy’ aesthetic. The dream body hasn’t disappeared. It’s just acquired a few more possible definitions and, sometimes, a much heavier set of dumbbells.
A 2025 study published in Social Sciences, examining 11 physically active women’s motivations for exercise, found that appearance was one motivation alongside confidence, independence and personal wellbeing. Sarah, one participant, described enjoying feeling more confident in her clothes, while Lisa appreciated seeing changes in her body composition through weightlifting.
The fun of this new attitude also lies in what happens after the workout. You can celebrate your gains (or losses), finally feel your level of comfortable in that backless dress you’ve been saving or send a progress picture to your group chat for the appropriate amount of hype. An ex doesn’t have to see it. Your dating profile doesn’t need an upgrade. And there’s no need to invent heartbreak to justify a gym membership. “I want my arms to look good in sleeveless tops and I want to build my glutes because I like that shape on myself,” says Pranjali Thakkar, a 28-year-old Mumbai-based marketing professional. “If I take a gym selfie, it’s usually to show my girlfriends how far I’ve come. Whether some guy finds me attractive isn’t really part of the calculation.”
As Kaur puts it, “Women are becoming less interested in having their attractiveness determine their worth.” The revenge body was always about having the last laugh. The more satisfying version? Getting the body you want and realising there was never anyone else you needed to impress.
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After a stroke, Jayashree Vijay Mohan climbed Kilimanjaro to believe in her body again
I thought I knew how my body looked — until I saw it through my child’s eyes
