When I first got really into fitness and strength training, I began to follow a lot of popular
fitness women on social media. I wanted to follow them for inspiration, motivation and to learn about fitness.
Social media is a great tool for that and I still follow people for those same reasons but I am very careful about who I follow now.
In a modern world where we scroll images at break neck speed, it can be easy to fall into a rabbit hole where your perception of self gets distorted. What I found myself doing a few years back was following these seemingly perfect women - perfect bodies, teeth, lives...and it slowly set up unrealistic expectations for myself.
Instead of using them for inspiration or motivation, I was comparing myself to them and quickly determining that I could never live up to that "perfection".
It was unhealthy and it was damaging the reason why I got into fitness to begin with!
It's really important that we be mindful of the images we surround ourselves with. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate a beautiful model, but I don't need to follow someone on social media just because of how they look.
Here are some questions I ask myself before following someone on social media to protect my own mental health and self image:
Does this person have a good message? Does this person offer value and make me feel good about myself?
Do they have a good message?
Do they promote a healthy lifestyle that is positive and attainable?
By asking these questions, I ensure that I'm going to get value out of following them and use it to further good feelings and vibes!
Do you need to look at what social media accounts you follow?