Is It Fitness or Fixation? The Dark Side of Modern Gym Culture

By Kerryann White

With the burgeoning rise of  social media, the fitness community is no longer shaped by experts in their field – it is a free-for-all where anyone can contribute their thoughts and opinions, no matter how damaging they might be. Self-proclaimed fitness influencers are spreading their unchecked and unfiltered advice faster than wildfire, and the algorithms prioritise engagement over accuracy. This means that there are constant trends involving extreme dieting tips, unrealistic body standards and an overall toxic culture associated with the gym. There are endless opportunities to stumble upon harmful information, and fitness has thus switched from a path to health and physical well-being to a breeding ground for misinformation and dangerous or obsessive habits.

Social Media Driving Toxicity

As you scroll through Instagram or TikTok, you will most likely find the countless extreme calorie counters, “what I eat in a day” videos romanticising under-eating as well as the intense, lecture-style videos that break down everything they think is ‘wrong’ with your health and fitness choices.  All of these types of videos work together to create a relentless cycle of comparison, shame and deception and the most extreme and harmful behaviour is repackaged as dedication and wellness.  A New York Times article (2022) cites studies revealing that within 30 minutes, a 13-year-old could be exposed to content encouraging harmful practices regarding eating and exercise as platforms struggle to regulate this material.

Many people come online to show off their unattainable physique and claim that those watching can have that too if they “want it enough.” Wanting or desire has nothing to do with it, what this promotes is a message that your body is not enough and that extremity is the only way your physical work will be validated as enough. 

Trends like the “clean girl” and the “gym rat” aesthetics pave the way for promoting a lifestyle of exercise and wellness that is no longer about health, it is about how lean you can be, or how superhuman you can look. 

Disordered Eating, Steroids and The Mental Cost Involved

With such an emphasis on aesthetics, exercise has switched from an attitude based on chasing physical fitness and obtaining healthy habits – it is centred around how others perceive your body and how well it conforms to modern day expectations of “perfection.” Due to most platforms pushing this extreme content onto young teens, an alarming rate engage in weight loss or muscle gain regimens and a rise in disordered eating is becoming apparent. Within the UK alone, hospital admissions for eating disorders have risen 84% within the last five years, and with young people, unfortunately being the among the primary consumers of this content, seeing a 35% increase in hospitalizations. 

Disordered eating sadly isn’t the only crisis fuelled by toxic gym culture. The over-saturated zone of unobtainable physiques has also led to a dangerous normalisation of steroid use. Many young and impressionable men feel the pressure to bulk up quickly and match the chemically enhanced bodies they see on their screens each day, often turning to steroids with no prior knowledge on the severe health risks this decision comes with. Despite the possibility of liver damage, heart disease and crippling body dysmorphia, steroid abuse continues to rise as influencers (who ironically deny their own use of steroids) remain promoting unattainable standards. 

The mental toll of the issues at hand is a devastating collage of insecurity, anxiety and an endless cycle of self-hatred and self-punishment. It is easy to fall into the trap, what begins as a desire to improve develops into an all-consuming obsession. As long as social media continues to enable these detrimental trends, many individuals will continue to fall victim to them and indubitably suffer greatly as a result. 

 Moving Forward 

By no means am I attempting to claim that the entire fitness community is toxic and that all of the information is dangerous to consume – in fact, I could think of many creators who offer supportive and positive content. However, the voices promoting harmful messages are often the loudest and the easiest to find. This kind of content is not just persuasive to many, but it is alarmingly accessible and that desperately needs addressed. 

Change starts with becoming aware and questioning the content we are consistently consuming. True health is not found within extensive deprivation and punishment, and it is time for this narrative to be reshaped. Fitness and the gym community should be an empowering environment, fuelling positive attitudes when on a journey of self-improvement and acceptance. It’s time to reclaim fitness as a space for growth, strength and true well-being. 

References

The London Centre, 2022. Understanding the rise of eating disorders in the UK. Available at: https://www.thelondoncentre.co.uk/the-blog/understanding-the-rise-of-eating-disorders-in-the-uk-2022 

OHSU Women’s Health, 2022. Why are eating disorders on the rise? Available at: https://www.ohsu.edu/womens-health/why-are-eating-disorders-rise

Sapna Maheshwari, 2022. “Young TikTok Users Quickly Encounter Problematic Posts, Researchers Say.” The New York Times, December 15, 2022, sec. Business. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/14/business/tiktok-safety-teens-eating-disorders-self-harm.html?smid=url-share.