Re-evaluating social media posts.
We all do it. We scroll through our social media feeds, and see various quotes that seem funny or relatable, so we hit the like button and continue scrolling. But how often do we stop to think about the deeper meaning of the message we just agreed with? Is it actually a positive/helpful message, or did it just seem like one on the surface?
It happened to me the other day. I saw a post, I read it, I smiled, I hit the like button, and I scrolled on. But then I backtracked. I read the message again, and this time I really thought about what it was saying. And then I didn’t like it anymore. I realized it was actually quite a negative message, with potentially harmful effects.
The post said : “Fit(ish) : Semi fit, kinda fit, someone who likes the idea of being fit but equally likes food.
This is a terrible message if you read into it. It implies that you can’t like food and be fit at the same time. It also implies that love of food is a barrier to being fit. Furthermore, I believe it leads readers to equate “fit” with “skinny.” Fit and skinny are not synonyms.
Let’s not equate our fitness level with our eating habits. Your fitness level has to do with how much or little you exercise. Your fitness level plus your eating habits will play a role in determining your overall health, but your fitness does not rest on your food choices. Liking food is one of the joys in life that we should all take advantage of. You are supposed to like food, that’s why it tastes good! You will get further in your fitness journey if you eat and enjoy your food. Now, this doesn’t mean eat and enjoy nothing but “junk” food obviously. Eat and enjoy foods that will nourish your body and make it strong. But you should also eat the foods you love no matter what they are. As long as your body is receiving the foods it needs to be strong and feel good, there is no reason not to also eat other foods purely because they taste good.
(I highly recommend working with a registered dietician if you struggle to fuel your body adequately with food, or need help finding a balance between meals and snacks.)
Our society has devolved to a place where in order to be “fit” people think you should exercise as much as possible and eat as little as possible. In fact, the more you exercise, the more you should be eating. You will see greater benefits from your exercise if you eat enough food, versus if you don’t eat enough food.
Don’t let yourself be pulled into the trap of thinking you can’t be fit and enjoy food at the same time. Instead, teach yourself the importance of both food and exercise for a strong healthy body that feels good. Make the food and the exercise priorities in your life, instead of telling yourself that one can get in the way of the other.
Is there a message you saw recently on social media that you thought was funny at first, but later you realized was negative or harmful more so than funny? What was it?
