Find out how to choose fitness influencers to follow – 05/15/2023 – Equilibrium

By some estimates, Instagram is home to around 50,000 fitness influencers, most of whom claim to have the secrets to a healthy lifestyle. While some share helpful, science-backed tips, others promote fitness advice that is misguided at best and dangerous at worst.

In a new study, researchers found that nearly two-thirds of the 100 most popular fitness influencers either lacked good advice or posted messages that could negatively affect people’s mental and physical health. For example, by promoting exercise as a weight loss tool.

“A lot of what could be called fitness influencer content is really just ‘inspiration’ to get thin in disguise,” says Renee Engeln, a psychology professor at Northwestern University who studies how the media influences body image and who was not involved in the aforementioned research.

Several previous studies have shown that exposure to images that encourage a specific physique is linked to a drop in body satisfaction, mood, and self-perceived sexual attractiveness. It has also been linked to eating disorders.

Being able to distinguish between health-promoting and potentially harmful beads can be a challenge, even for researchers, says Engeln.

“An influencer might post a helpful tutorial on how to do squats safely,” she wrote in an email, “but then follow up with content that promotes ineffective (or even dangerous) weight loss supplements.”

So how can you find trusted accounts? What should you look for when deciding which fitfluencers to follow? Here are four expert rules of thumb.

Do an internal check and answer a crucial question

Stephanie Roth-Goldberg, a clinical social worker and therapist in New York who works with athletes, suggests asking yourself: Does this influencer make you feel good about yourself?

If browsing his account makes you feel guilt or shame about your body, it should automatically come off, she says, as research has shown that these feelings can fuel unhealthy fitness habits and undermine the physical and psychological benefits of exercise.

If you’re a parent of teens with social media accounts, it’s important to guide them through the same process, as recommended by the American Psychological Association. The group urges parents to educate their children to question the accuracy of social media content — before they even open accounts — and to discourage them from comparing their bodies to those they see online.

“One of the best things parents can do is sit down with their kids and start a conversation” about social media, points out Roth-Goldberg. Not only does this help parents understand what their children are getting from each account, it can also provide children with language to describe how they feel about what they see.

Find accounts that focus on what your body can do

Take a look at the images, videos and texts featured in an account. When we are exposed to content that encourages us to exercise for functionality, strength and mental health, we are more likely to cultivate a healthy relationship with our bodies.

Make a point of following accounts that are dedicated to finding joy and confidence in movement itself, but be wary of influencers who share “before and after” photos, highlighting fat loss, or images like sleek “six packs” or flat legs, which treat body parts as objects that need to be perfected.

Kelly K. Roberts, a running coach and body-positive fitness influencer who has nearly 70,000 followers on Instagram, initially built up a following by posting images that showed how her physical appearance has changed with running. But when she found that her own social media habits were making her fixate on her weight, she turned to posting about running for the fun of running.

“Anytime you post about your body, you’re giving people an opportunity to self-compare and self-objectify,” she says. “You will rarely see me talking about my body. I just exist in it.”

Look for official credentials

It’s best to stick with professionals who have formal training in the area you’re interested in, says Cedric Bryant, president and chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise.

“You can’t rely on the number of likes a person has or the number of followers as an indicator of the quality of their advice,” he says.

Instead, look for references to your credentials and experience, such as a master’s degree. Be wary of influencers who offer advice outside their expertise, says Bryant, particularly around diet and nutrition.

“Even if a person has fitness credentials, if they don’t also have adequate training in nutrition, I would be wary,” he points out. “Make sure they stay in your area.”

See different body types, ages and abilities

Fitness looks different for everyone, despite long-standing cultural misconceptions about exercise and fitness. “Seeing a variety of body types involved in physical activity is a key step away from the stereotype that fitness is only for young, thin and totally fit people,” says Engeln.

The more diversity of bodies, the more we can expand our ideas about what we ourselves are capable of, she points out, and “be more comfortable trying new things.”

Translated by Luiz Roberto M. Gonçalves