The advent of social media and easy access has resulted in us spending more time looking at people and ultimately looking at ourselves. Spending so much time online is bound to have an effect on how we see ourselves.
How does that happen? What can we do about it? Keep reading to explore:
- What is Fitness Culture?
- How Fitness Culture Influences Body Image
- You’re Not Alone!
- 5 Ways to Help Protect and Maintain a Healthy Body Image
What is Fitness Culture?
To understand fitness culture, we can start by understanding what culture means in the first place.
Culture, by definition, talks about the standards set by society and what is considered normal. It will also include practices and ways of living that are accepted by a certain group in society.
So, the fitness culture is a culture surrounding being healthy, fit, and looking a certain way. This culture is seen as a response to issues caused by problems such as poor health, obesity and aging.
How is it a Problem?
We can see that fitness culture has become more than that. Major businesses profit off of this culture and its spread over social media by targeting you, the customer.
How do they do that? Seeing multiple fitness influencers on social media promoting a certain lifestyle with motivational images and posts is going to influence us, especially if we see posts everywhere!
We usually end up spending and consuming more to look like and live life for the “ideal” healthy body. Little do we realize, being bombarded with the fitness culture also affects our relationship with our body.
How Fitness Culture Influences Body Image
- Body Dissatisfaction
A lot of the participants in a scientific study were aware of the fact that influencers (both men and women) tend to claim that they achieved their ideal body standard “naturally”, even though they have professionals and surgeries helping them.
That did not change how they still felt about themselves.
Research tells us people continue to feel dissatisfied with how their body looks because of all the fitness influencers online. The participants tend to think and feel about their bodies more negatively because of social media posts.
- Excessive Comparison
As of 2022, 97% of teenagers use the internet daily, with many being chronically online on social media. We’re using their statistics as an example because they are one of the most impressionable populations out there.
Young girls and boys are exposed to social media every day for long periods of time. When we look at fitness influencers, models, famous celebrities rocking the “ideal body type”, there is a pressure to look that way.
That’s why people tend to compare their bodies and physical appearances more with their influencers.
- Lower Mood
Excessive comparison with images of people on social media is harmful in many ways. Despite knowing that celebrities and influencers have the time and resources to achieve “the look”, we find ourselves hating our appearance.
Scrolling through images on social media has been linked with having a lower mood.
You’re Not Alone!
While your everyday normal citizens significantly feel the impact of being exposed to the fitness culture, I can tell you that you are not alone. Fitness instructors, the people who work in the fitness industry really struggle with their body image because of societal pressures too!
Infact, a research done on fitness instructors shows that more than 90% of the instructors thought that the societal pressure to fit into a certain and ideal body standard is an issue. Around 10%-20% of them reportedly struggled with eating disorders because of the pressures.
5 Ways to Help Protect and Maintain a Healthy Body Image
- Being Mindful About What We Say
Casually saying things like “I feel so fat today” can affect the way we think and feel about ourselves much more significantly than we realize. It is these little statements that pile up overtime and significantly impact our mental health.
This is why being mindful about what we say and how we say it is one way to help us see our body in a better and truer light.
Also Check Out: How to Support a Partner with Body Image Issues
- Shifting Focus
Instead of focusing on the parts of our body that we feel uncomfortable about, we can always try to shift our focus to the things we like about our body. Granted, that might be difficult to do sometimes as people might generally view their body negatively.
Try to focus on what you like about your body. If that is difficult, then try to focus on the functions of your body. Instead of thinking “my legs look so thick”, you could focus on “I like the way my hair looks today” or “my legs have been helping me walk from one place to another.”
- Promote Physical Activity
Encourage physical activity not for the purpose of looking like your ideal body type. Instead, try to move through exercise, dance, sports or anything else for the purpose of keeping your body moving. This way, you can continue to do the things you love.
- Encourage Consuming Well-Rounded Meals
Try to help yourself eat well-rounded meals. This helps promote the understanding that foods are not inherently good or bad, all foods serve a purpose for our body and our pleasure.
It is also important to understand that eating too much or too little of a certain food is what causes eating related problems.
- Surround Yourself with Healthy Friendships
Surrounding yourself with people who have or are trying to establish a healthy relationship with their body can help motivate you to do the same. They can be a good influence for everyone involved.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the pervasive influence of fitness culture on social media significantly shapes body image, often leading to dissatisfaction, excessive comparison, and lower mood. Recognizing these impacts is essential for fostering a healthier relationship with our bodies.
Practicing mindfulness, focusing on body functionality, engaging in physical activities for joy, consuming balanced meals, and cultivating supportive friendships are vital steps toward body positivity.
Remember, everyone, including fitness professionals, struggles with societal pressures, making it crucial to prioritize mental well-being over unrealistic ideals. By embracing these practices, we can collectively work toward a culture that values self-acceptance and holistic health over superficial standards.
