Through researching Sport Liverpool and promotional material of fitness centres for not fully engaging with a non-active demographic, led myself to feel the need to write something explaining fitness imagery. Specifically on social media, as there is the hidden perception that active people live beautiful lives posting images looking (and sometimes feeling) good when in reality a picture only tells a small proportion of the story. What I am interested in representing for people is that the perception people have of active gym goers, and fitness freaks are somewhat misconstrued by what is not known to oneself. That said, the primary purpose is to reveal both the negative and positive factors that people go through to reach a stage of confidence to post an image because I feel on a personal level that times are changing and so does the material we use to encourage people. As a society, we are past the stage of marketing defining what the look to achieve is, and the rebel culture is pushing the individuality within us all, however, what I want is a middle ground balance. I hope that I can clarify to you all the importance of honesty in what I think crucially essential to encourage the non-active users to take care of themselves in whatever way suits them. I am going to talk through personal experience because I am sort of on a roll with my self-reflection, but I am hoping that I can break down some stigma built up within the minds of people that posting body images is somewhat vain, and not merely for loving oneself.
Firstly, above are three pictures I have posted on my social media accounts. I posted the images above to reveal my weight loss journey. In hindsight, I probably should have used it as an opportunity to explain how I got to the stage of losing weight. Although, the mental health issues I suffered was still prominent within my life and restricted myself to open up and talk about what I was going through. Before starting the weight-loss journey, I was very much in denial with myself with regards to the mental health issues I was undergoing. The smiles in the pictures above come across like a person happy and comfortable, but the reality was I was in denial with accepting the eating disorder I had kept a secret for almost five years. I have received both positive feedback saying “You look amazing Ffi!” to also the negative comments “Another girl bragging about weight loss but still not enough.” The mixed reception is exactly the point I wanted to explore. Both symbolise the issues within society, and although they are only two individual comments, nevertheless they illuminate the issues in question. The idea that weight is the most significant aspect of the journey. Why is it that both I and everyone focuses on the physical appearance and not the mental mindset? The reason I question this is that the ignorance involved in focusing on the physical body gives into the idea mentioned in my blog title “Vanity of Self-care” because it encompasses the concept that the physical appearance leads to the vain perception people will inevitably develop. However, as I have said most people will not know the mental difficulties people go through. The pictures do not tell the story behind them, nor do they explain the reasoning for posting the pictures and that, is why I think social media creates a negative image because it further pushes the idea of body images without explaining the journey (And I am also guilty of conforming to the harmful societal norms).
Through participating in the simulation and working in gyms, I have realised by talking to people that the perception of fitness is this form of elite individuals that emit masculine grunts, lifting weights twice as heavy as they are and posing in a mirror to further perpetuate the godly like image they have of themselves. And to be quite frank, I used to think that same thing before I started exercising. Again, the photos only half tell the story. They do not show the physical and mental struggles that can come and go with fitness. The fitness journey is wholly spiritual, and you get out of it whatever you want, but it does require the commitment to solve whatever issue you are trying to whether that is physically or mentally. That said, the determination can come at a cost which the happy weight loss pictures and post-workout selfies do not display. I regularly pull my hamstring, tear ligaments and also, I lift weights despite having arthritis in my hand which can be agonising. However, I put myself through it because of the lessons I can learn. Mentally overcoming each struggle and pain have raised me to be a strong independent woman who, in a right mental state, feels capable of achieving anything. That is the type of real stories that imagery should attempt to portray to non-active users wanting to get into fitness. There needs to be a focus on finding your motivation, instead of forcing the weight-loss agenda on people as it confines themselves to a position of feeling isolated by the stereotype of being physically inactive and incapable of competing with the “Elite” athletes to pose in front of mirrors.
Lastly, I want to focus on one aspect in which the images also fail to inform viewers. The hours of silence involved in getting to a position to feel comfortable in taking that final picture. My most recent photo posted is after a journey of almost three years exercising. To put in perspective, I exercise for at least 6 hours a week minimum and sometimes more. That equates to at least 936 hours of exercise, plus the half-marathons and other fitness challenges I have had the pleasure to participate within. The image of myself gives the idea of being entirely in love with oneself (Which at that moment, is probably true) does not fully explain why I am in a position to love myself. The 936 hours have allowed myself to go to places of self-reflection during exercise, to motivate myself on off days, to champion myself and break down barriers that prevent me from achieving something personal. The hours of silence are something that I feel is crucial for future fitness material to focus on discussing with people who are not active. The hours of silence not addressed through a simple picture prevent people from relating to why exercising creates someone to love themselves. When you are capable of spending time alone and focusing on yourself, it becomes the most rewarding feeling, and that is something you really cannot buy but need to find your motivation to get there.
Overall, I am hoping I have created a discussion point for people to firstly not judge the images posted by people on some sort of fitness journey, as one picture is only a small fragment of a lot of hard work and determination involved to get to that stage. Also, I am hoping that it sort of demonstrates the transition we have made as a society. Marketing is no longer able to fully control the images that motivate the latent consumer and therefore has to change. There is a need to relate and focus on the mindset for positive messages of self-love to be put forward for the benefit of everyone, both physically active and non-active individuals, so a society focusing on loving themselves is generated and the prevention of isolation and hating on other individuals is avoided.