by If fitness creators come across your social media while you’re scrolling, maybe you’ve seen terms like palates princess, gym bro, or muscle mommy. Whatever type of influencer they are, they will probably tell you different things about the best way to become fit. It’s a difficult space to navigate. It’s especially difficult when you’re trying to make healthy choices and you’re being told opposing views on what healthy is.
You can learn a lot from social media. This remains true when it comes to fitness. When navigating the advice given on social media it’s important to remember that everyone is different. One person’s fitness journey might not work for you. It’s also important to distinguish credible influencers from influencers whose only goal is to get views. Signs of content that aren’t credible are phrases similar to “get abs in 30 days” or “how to lose 20 pounds without changing the way you eat and only working out twice a week.” These titles are unrealistic and can be harmful both mentally and physically. It becomes easy to get burnt out if you’re promised results that don’t come.
Fitness influencers often share unrealistic body standards. Photos and even videos can easily be manipulated by content creators. While scrolling for inspiration it’s important to remember this. Photoshop can make it seem like people online always look perfect when the reality is different. It is also important to remember that what’s realistic for someone else’s body isn’t necessarily realistic for yours.
One of the main issues for fitness influencers is that they try to cater to large demographics of people. This becomes a problem because everyone has a different body. Fitness coaches and personal trainers have an easier time giving accurate advice because they can get to know people one-on-one. This way they can learn what will work for that specific person’s body and lifestyle.
Fitness influencers have their place. You can learn about exercise forms, healthy eating habits, different ways to workout, and numerous other fitness tips on social media. Remembering not to be hard on yourself while navigating these spaces is important as well as reminding yourself that not everything you see in this online space is accurate. Some information can be completely false. Finding what works best for you might take time and research.
If you want to read more about the fitness influencer space check out this article from The New York Times. The author talks about the harm that can come from fitness influencers and includes a study diving into the credibility of fitness information that’s found on social media.
Autumn, I really enjoyed reading your blog post. It was quite enlightening to see how toxic the fitness culture can be now because of social media. Social media sets such desirable yet unrealistic standards and it creates an unhealthy relationship with yourself. Fitness creators catering to such a large demographic is a very big issue, but it would be difficult for them to still succeed without doing such general workouts with eye-catching titles like “get abs in 30 days”. I really enjoyed reading this blog and hope one day the culture surrounding fitness and body image can soon change.
Hi Autumn,
I loved reading your post. I think it is super important that these social media expectations are addressed because they negatively affect so many people these days. Fitness influencers, like you said try to cater to large demographics. It can become extremely toxic quickly. You cannot generalize fitness goals because everyone has different body types. Thank you for bringing these points up, it is a great reminder for everybody.
Hi Autumn!
Navigating fitness advice on social media can be tricky, but your insights remind people to stay discerning. It’s true, what works for one person might not work for another. Thanks for highlighting the importance of seeking credible sources and remembering not to compare ourselves to unrealistic standards. Everyone should keep that in mind while they continue their fitness journey.
Navigating fitness advice on social media can be tricky, but your insights remind people to stay discerning. It’s true, what works for one person might not work for another. Thanks for highlighting the importance of seeking credible sources and remembering not to compare ourselves to unrealistic standards. Everyone should keep that in mind while they continue on their fitness journey.
Hi Autumn, I loved your post. It is so hard to know what to listen to especially when it’s a fitness trend or tip and it becomes mentally exhausting trying so many things when we really need to remember that fitness journeys are very personal.
Hi Autumn, this post is right on. As someone who tries to stay healthy and go to the gym I am always looking for new workouts or ways to be more healthy. I am constantly confused when I look it up on social media or even google because there are so many differing accounts of how to do that. I think you found a great thing to post about that a lot of people can benefit from, well done.
Hi Autumn, I really enjoyed this post. Navigating fitness and health on social media is a tricky thing to do. It can lead to unrealistic expectations and can severely harm your mental health. I think you did a great job of explaining how to navigate this space.