Fitness & [Un]Wellness - When Gym Culture Gets Toxic
Staying fit/healthy does not have a “one size fits all.” One person might define fitness as bodybuilding while another might say fitness looks like yoga. Neither would be wrong because fitness is different for everyone, but social media and toxic fitness culture often claim that there is only one acceptable way to stay fit.
What is toxic fitness culture?
A term coined by black trans activist Ilya Parker, “toxic fitness culture” is experienced by so many who venture into the fitness world. An abbreviated definition of toxic fitness culture:
having a limited view of what is considered fitness,
believing that working out and pushing yourself takes precedence over listening to your body,
thinking that the only purpose of working out is to lose weight, and
cultivating inaccessible fitness spaces.
Language that promotes toxic fitness culture is rampant in the fitness and wellness community with phrases like “no days off” and “no excuses.” While these terms are meant to motivate and inspire, they perpetuate the idea that fitness should take priority over every other aspect of your life, including rest and listening to your body when you need time off. Neglecting proper rest and recovery time can lead to injury. Additionally, there are plenty of valid reasons (which often get mislabeled “excuses”) to miss a workout or to not look like a fitness influencer. Terms like “no pain, no gain” and “pain is weakness leaving the body” can also be harmful as they promote pushing your body past its limits. If a movement is physically painful, especially on the joints, stop doing it as it is possible you are performing the movement incorrectly and/or are about to injure yourself.
*It should be noted that if you consider fitness a main priority in your life, that’s great! Just remember to listen to your body when it needs rest.
When people feel the impact of toxic fitness culture, it can influence their lives in a variety of ways. While some are able to see the negativity of such a culture from afar, others get drawn in and don’t realize how inundated they are in toxicity until it begins to negatively affect their life. When a group of nearly 50 individuals were surveyed, 87% said that they have experienced toxic fitness culture. A couple of them shared their experiences, saying:
(Female) A fitness class instructor once gave her a lecture about the high sugar content of her sports drink, not taking into account that she is diabetic and her body has different needs than his.
(Female) Falling into the mindset that you only workout to lose weight.
(Male) Toxic fitness culture seems to be a subcategory of toxic masculinity that holds one standard for all bodies.
(Male) Toxic fitness culture is so apparent when workout programs focus primarily on body image instead of the mental and physical health impacts that fitness can have.
(Female) Began living a very restrictive lifestyle, would measure every body part, and worked out so much that she lost her period, all because she was trying to force her body to look like “normal, healthy” bodies she saw on social media and at the gym.
(Female) There’s a growing amount of fake fitness “experts” offering advice and insinuating they know more than others under the guise of “sharing their experience” with fitness.
Do this everyday and you can look like ME!
Fake “experts” are a rampant problem on social media. Whenever taking fitness advice from someone on Instagram or TikTok, it is essential to make sure that the user is a certified personal trainer, dietician, or otherwise reliable source of information. Taking advice from non-certified individuals can lead to incorrect form on exercises which can cause injury, or following altogether false information. Additionally, it’s important to realize that following someone’s workout plan does not automatically mean you will develop the same body as them. Genetics and diet also play a huge part in how our bodies respond to exercise. Do what works for your body and engage in movements that bring you joy; don’t do workouts that you hate simply because an influencer is doing them.
Fake “experts” are a rampant problem on social media. Whenever taking fitness advice from someone on Instagram or TikTok, it is essential to make sure that the user is a certified personal trainer, dietician, or otherwise reliable source of information. Taking advice from non-certified individuals can lead to incorrect form on exercises which can cause injury, or following altogether false information. Additionally, it’s important to realize that following someone’s workout plan does not automatically mean you will develop the same body as them. Genetics and diet also play a huge part in how our bodies respond to exercise. Do what works for your body and engage in movements that bring you joy; don’t do workouts that you hate simply because an influencer is doing them.
TW: Eating disorders
The lesser-known eating disorder
Counting calories. If it fits your macros. Tracking macros. Food scales. These are so common in the fitness industry and they’re not necessarily bad things. Some people can measure their food out, meal prep, and stick to a meal plan without becoming obsessed with it; some even like the way it simplifies meal planning throughout the week. But some do become obsessed and that’s when toxic fitness culture becomes dangerous.
Orthorexia, though not yet officially recognized as an eating disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, is a growing concern and can be a great risk specifically in the fitness community. Coined by Dr. Steven Bratman in 1997, orthorexia is an obsession with “healthy/pure” food that negatively impacts other aspects of life. When left unchecked, there is a risk that this disorder could devolve into a more severe eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia. Signs that someone may be struggling with orthorexia are:
Inability to eat anything except “healthy/clean” foods without immense guilt/self-loathing
Taking more pleasure from the “virtuous” aspect of foods rather than eating itself
Constantly checking the ingredients and nutrition facts
Distress when “healthy” foods aren’t available
Fixating on what foods will be available at an event or activity for hours prior to the event
Spending less time eating socially, or less time with friends and family in general, in order to control what you eat
*It should be emphasized that not everyone who counts macros or calories is suffering from orthorexia. This disorder becomes a concern when the obsession with healthy foods actively disrupts daily life and is a recurring issue, not a single occurrence. If you believe that you are struggling with orthorexia or any eating disorder, please seek professional help and/or contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Helpline at (800) 931-2237.
When approached with a healthy mindset, working out, staying fit, and eating healthy are good things. Being passionate about fitness does not automatically equate to contributing to toxic fitness culture. Being aware of the potential toxicity of the fitness industry is so important, especially for those who work in the industry, in order to prevent these things happening or stop them before they worsen.
Ultimately, we only get one body. It’s equally important that we nourish and take care of it, as it is that we don’t obsess over it so much so that we reduce our happiness and quality of life. So for today we will leave you with this: What does balance look like for you and your body?