Emily Alvarez

Fitspo Instas vs. The Grown Strong Community

Social media is, in many ways, a bunch of people telling lies about their lives. They put their “insta-worthy” selves forward and hide reality. I think the most in-your-face lies are the vast majority of “fitspo” accounts. Short for “fitness inspiration”, “fitspo” claims its goal is to motivate and challenge people to get fit and subscribe to their definition of healthy. These accounts pump out glamorized photos and videos of people working out with phrases like, “When I exercise, I wear all black because it’s a funeral for my fat.” Okay, that might sound motivating and, on the surface, it can be. Research shows that seeing people move encourages us to move. However, the vast majority of the messaging is that if you skip the gym or have an off day, you’re lazy. If you have a cheat day, you’re failing. If you’re being human, you aren’t good enough. Your best is never enough and you must keep pushing. No pain, no gain.