Ohio-based fitness coach and influencer Desiree “DesB” Baker has found herself at the center of an internet pile-on after repeatedly posting photos and videos of herself smoking cigarettes on her Instagram, which is a move that has left fans and critics alike scratching their heads.
The backlash erupted on r/gymsnark, where a thread titled “DesB posting with cigarettes is cringey” quickly drew some sharp criticism. The top-voted post summed up the sentiment bluntly:
“We get it. You smoked a cigarette. Grow up lmao.”
For someone who built a career on health and fitness, DesB’s cigarette habit struck many as not just ironic but flat-out bizarre. One user wrote:
I’m so fit, I can fill my lungs with a nice coating of tar and feel fine
The criticism went beyond the cigarettes themselves. Some took issue with the settings — allegedly in public pools or even indoors near a smoke detector — while others questioned the image she was trying to project.
“It’s so cringe bc she’s trying to look cool but literally no one still think smoking is cool.”
Several commenters also highlighted the contradiction between her cigarette photos and her frequent discussions about health, family, and longevity:
“Like she’s the same person who goes on and on about her intrusive thoughts of not being there for her kids one day.”
The Reddit thread also surfaced old grievances. One user claimed they had worked with her as a trainer nearly a decade ago, calling the experience “awful,” while another dismissed her pivot from fitness coach to “cool mom” influencer as a desperate attempt to stay relevant.
At the core of the debate is confusion over why an influencer whose brand is tied to wellness would choose to spotlight smoking. As one commenter put it:
“Who glamorizes smoking? She’s so weird.”
For now, DesB hasn’t publicly addressed the backlash. But if the Reddit reception is any indication, her cigarette photos aren’t landing the way she may have hoped. And for a fitness influencer trying to maintain credibility, that could prove costly.
