So, I’m a senior year psych student, who’s heading into grad school, and I do emphasis work and study of eating disorders. Just did my my senior project on how fitness influencers do more harm than good with women recovering from body dysmorphia/ eating disorders. A key piece of treatment for people who do struggle is unfollowing any and all “bad influences” on all social media’s as a first step to recovery. LA’s insta is filled with possible triggers for SO MANY basic reasons. So many young girls often will pin point one person and strive to look like them at any cost. Looking at that same person on a daily basis seemingly putting little work into their physical appearance just leads to self judgement and self blame.
- People with body dysmorphia/ ED typically have a negative relationship with working out. It’s done excessively, or as “punishment” for eating. Key points you try to teach are taking rest days, like if your sore, in physical pain, on vacation, it’s holiday, etc. She boasts all the time about working out regardless of what she’s doing. Especially that time with G when he was in “pain” and she told him to continue working out
- Especially women with ED/ BD have an unhealthy obsession, what they look like in specific clothes, with food and physical activity. This is almost exclusively what L posts about. This is oddly specific, but even the way you dress when working out is key to treatment. You would encourage loose clothing. Anything that the person can grow with, and won’t bring attention to their body. Clothes that allow them to workout with over analyzing what their body looks like. L only ever wears leggings and sports bras. BIG no no
- Random videos of her chowing down on greasy foods to juxtapose healthy foods can also have a damaging impact on young girls specifically. Women recovering most likely struggle with balancing “health” foods with “unhealthy” food (both terms that should not be used in treatment) but watching skinny women eat those foods and remain skinny; and talk about “cheat meals” is also a HUGE no.
- All her posts are perfectly posed, professionally photographed photo. Another key point help treat is hammering home that everyone has bad angles, not one person has concave stomach at all times. Women’s bodies are constantly changing and evolving. Body changes happen with water, hormones, the weather, what time you eat, etc...
- She rarely addresses body positivity and self love. Occasionally L does what technically is “women empowerment” but it’s redundant at this point. Body positivity for women needs to be just as important as working out. Especially in a world where working out is seen by most people as a tool to just lose weight. The view needs to be flipped to working out being a stress reliever, and something you should do because it keeps you healthy.
I’m not trying to say that she needs to cater to people recovering or every single person struggling with ED or BD is triggered by her, but this has to be made known. I’m also not singling her out, there are literally millions of people trying to do the same thing she’s doing and failing as well. Some positive people would be Jessi Kneeland, Jeanette Jenkins, or my personal favorite Anna Victoria
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Interesting read. Thanks for sharing.
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