I don't think it's even working with getting her respect from her followers. These people much prefer not to be reminded that they could exercise. This is all about her self-perception: she is a dancer, an athlete, a marvel who can accomplish all sorts of feats despite being fat.  And I guess by now she is slowly realizing that this is all nonsense that she can't do any of these things, and she desperately wants to prevent her followers from finding that out, too.