The internet has a vast amount of images circulating, being pinned to pinterest boards, facebook pages, saved to desktops and even printed out as motivation for women to work out and be healthy. The problem with these images is that they are promoting a negative mindset and relationship with food and exercise. These images hold a negative connotation. They plaster phrases that are supposed to be motivational across pictures of women with perfectly toned and tan bodies, six pack abs and read things like:
- "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels"
Being skinny should not be a goal. This image/quote promotes eating disorder tendencies and a negative relationship with food. Food is fuel. Food is not the enemy.
or
"Sweat is fat crying."
I hate the word fat, it is so ugly and hurtful. I almost cringe when I say it now, because I know how detrimental this word can be to others' self-esteem. When you're exercising, sweat should be a sign of your hard work pouring out of your body, an indicator of your effort, not a mark of your fat coming through your pores.
Body size and shape is not an indicator of being healthy or your fitness ability level.
These images and phrases are creating an unrealistic depiction of that a healthy or an in shape woman is only a certain size or looks a certain way. Fitness and health come in all different shapes and sizes with all different ability levels. The definition of healthy or being physically fit does not equate to having a flat stomach or perfectly chiseled muscles. Fitness and health are SO much more than aesthetic qualities! I consider myself extremely healthy and physically fit, but guess what, I do NOT have a six pack and I do not look like the women in these "fitspo" photos.
Does this mean I am not healthy or in shape? ABSOLUTELY NOT! I determine my health and fitness based on my goals and my body. We are all born with different genetic makeups that will influence our body size, shape, and how quickly or slowly we put on muscle or get rid of fat. In addition to our genetic makeup, we all live different lives with different schedules, stressors, medical ailments/conditions that play a factor into our health and fitness as well.
So then I got to thinking that these "fitspiration" images could use some correcting, and it just so happened that I found a Buzzfeed post with some of these images, corrected.Unfortunately these images on Buzzfeed were not work or child apropriate, seeing as some of the images contained expletives. So I took it upon myself to re create some of these photos with a more positive message.
Be the best, healthiest, fittest version of YOU, not some unrealistic image!
- "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels"
Being skinny should not be a goal. This image/quote promotes eating disorder tendencies and a negative relationship with food. Food is fuel. Food is not the enemy.
or
"Sweat is fat crying."
I hate the word fat, it is so ugly and hurtful. I almost cringe when I say it now, because I know how detrimental this word can be to others' self-esteem. When you're exercising, sweat should be a sign of your hard work pouring out of your body, an indicator of your effort, not a mark of your fat coming through your pores.
Body size and shape is not an indicator of being healthy or your fitness ability level.
These images and phrases are creating an unrealistic depiction of that a healthy or an in shape woman is only a certain size or looks a certain way. Fitness and health come in all different shapes and sizes with all different ability levels. The definition of healthy or being physically fit does not equate to having a flat stomach or perfectly chiseled muscles. Fitness and health are SO much more than aesthetic qualities! I consider myself extremely healthy and physically fit, but guess what, I do NOT have a six pack and I do not look like the women in these "fitspo" photos.
Does this mean I am not healthy or in shape? ABSOLUTELY NOT! I determine my health and fitness based on my goals and my body. We are all born with different genetic makeups that will influence our body size, shape, and how quickly or slowly we put on muscle or get rid of fat. In addition to our genetic makeup, we all live different lives with different schedules, stressors, medical ailments/conditions that play a factor into our health and fitness as well.
So then I got to thinking that these "fitspiration" images could use some correcting, and it just so happened that I found a Buzzfeed post with some of these images, corrected.Unfortunately these images on Buzzfeed were not work or child apropriate, seeing as some of the images contained expletives. So I took it upon myself to re create some of these photos with a more positive message.
Be the best, healthiest, fittest version of YOU, not some unrealistic image!
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The below image is not mine, it is from the original Buzzfeed post that inspired this entry.
Interested in reading more, check out: http://stopfitspiration.com/
