By some estimates, Instagram is home to approx 50,000 fitness influencers, most of whom claim to know the secrets of a healthy lifestyle. While some share science-backed helpful tips, others promote fitness advice that is deceived dangerous at best and dangerous at worst.
Into a new one studyresearchers found that nearly two-thirds of the 100 most popular “fitfluencers” — a term that can describe any influencer who posts fitness-related content — didn’t have good advice or posted messages that could negatively impact people’s mental and physical health by, let’s say, promoting exercise as a tool for getting leaner.
“Much of what might be called ‘fitfluencer’ content is really just ‘thin inspiration’ in disguise,” said Renee Engeln, a professor of psychology at Northwestern University who studies how media influences body image and was not involved in the research.
Several previous studies have shown that exposure to images that encourage a specific physique is correlated with dips in body satisfaction, mood, and self-perception sexual attractiveness. That is also linked disordered eating.
Being able to distinguish between health-promoting accounts and potentially harmful accounts can be challenging, even for researchers, said Dr. Angels.
“An influencer can post a helpful tutorial on how to safely do squats,” she wrote in an email, “but then follow it up with content that promotes ineffective (or even dangerous) weight loss supplements.”
So how can you find credible accounts? What should you pay attention to when deciding which fitfluencers to follow? Here are four rules of thumb from experts.
Do a bowel check and ask yourself a crucial question.
Stephanie Roth-Goldberg, a clinical social worker and therapist in New York who works with athletes, suggested asking yourself: Does this fitness influencer make you feel good about yourself?
If browsing the account makes you feel guilt or body shame, she said, that should automatically be unfollowing, as research has shown that these feelings can fuel for unhealthy fitness habits and undermine both the physically And psychological benefits of exercise.
If you’re a parent of teens with social media accounts, it’s important to walk them through the same process, according to newly released recommendations of the American Psychological Association. The group urges parents to train children to question the veracity of social media content — before even opening an account — and to discourage them from comparing their bodies to what they see online.
“One of the best things parents can do is sit with their kids and start a conversation” on social media, Ms Roth-Goldberg said. Not only can this help parents understand what their kids are getting out of each account, it can also give kids the language to describe how they feel because of what they see.
Find accounts that focus on what your body can do.
Take a good look at the images, videos and text on an account. When we are exposed to content that encourages us to exercise for functionality, strength, and mental health, we are more likely to form a healthy relationship with our bodies.
Make it a point to follow accounts that target find joy and confidence in the move itself, but be wary of fitfluencers who share before-and-after photos that highlight fat loss, or images, such as glistening abs or disembodied legs, that treat body parts as objects to be perfected.
Kelly K. Roberts, a New York City-based running coach and body-positive fitness influencer with nearly 70,000 followers on Instagram, initially built a following by posting images charting how running changed her physical appearance. But when she discovered that her own social media habits caused her to fixate on her weight, she switched to posting about running for the fun of running.
“Every time you post about your body, you give people the opportunity to compare and objectify themselves,” she said. “You will rarely see me talk about my body anymore. I just exist in it.”
Search hashtags like #joyfulmovement, #intuitivemovement, #inclusivefitness, and #bodypositivefitness to find accounts that focus on exercise.
Find fitfluencers with official references.
Your best bet is to follow professionals who are formally trained in the field you’re interested in, said Cedric Bryant, the president and chief science officer of 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 said.
Instead, look for references for their credentials and experience, whether it’s a master’s degree or a coaching certificate. Be wary of fitfluencers offering advice outside of their expertise, said Dr. Bryant, particularly with regard to food and nutrition.
“Even if someone has fitness credentials, if they haven’t also had proper nutrition training, I would proceed with caution,” he said. “Make sure they stay in their jobs.”
Look for influencers of different body types, ages and abilities.
Fitness looks different to everyone, despite long-held cultural misconceptions about exercise and body shape and size. “Seeing a range of body types engaged in fitness activities is an important step in moving away from the stereotype that fitness is only for young, lean, fully able-bodied people,” said Dr. Angels.
The more our fitness feeds include a diversity of bodies, the more we can expand our ideas about what we ourselves are capable of, she said, and “feel more comfortable trying new things.”
Danielle Friedman is a New York City journalist and author of “Let’s Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World.”