Choosing The Right Filter: Instagram and Body Image
It seems like having a good body is more important than ever before, and the increasingly popular accounts on Instagram have something do to with it. But when does fitness stop and the obsession of looking good begin to take over?
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Recently, Instagram superstars such as Ashy Bines, Kayla Itsines, and Freelee The Banana Girl have shared a large success in regards to fitness tips and workout plans. But to what extent do these have on our longterm health?
The Gold Coast Bulletin recently reported that Ashy Bines was stealing recipes from other websites and selling them as part of her Bikini Body Challenge with retails at $59.95 for a joining fee, and additional costs between $29.95-$39.95. With over 500,000 fans on Facebook and just as much on Instagram, it’s no wonder that these 12 week plans are going through the roof.
Not to mention the large volume of transformation pictures which are posted on all social media accounts. In an age where images can be altered on both the desktop, tablet and even a mobile phone, how can we believe what we see is genuine?
Instagram itself is feeling the shift, just take a look at some of its most popular tags and followed accounts: me, self, healthy, body, food, and the dreaded #instafit. It seems that we’re all interested in having a good body, but are compromising our health to make it all happen – and it’s not all about these Insta-models who have taken advantage of the shift.
Companies have capitalised on this and are creating products which will help to shed those extra kilograms in just a few days, a practice which is not healthy any way you look at it. So maybe it’s time, ladies, to rethink those weight loss teas, shakes, juice detoxes and cleanses, because they could all come at a price – your long-term health and wellbeing.
Images via Instagram, iStock
