How Social Media has sparked a Fitness Trend
It seems like every time I open Instagram, I see another story of a healthy acai bowl, a boomerang of friends walking into a workout class, or a video of an influencer doing squats. The phenomenon of posting about fitness, and living a healthy lifestyle, is a trend that was born alongside the growth of social media, and has been thriving ever since. Social media and technology are often associated with being lazy, physically disconnected, and wanting immediate gratification. They put all the information you need at your fingertips; providing a convenient way to simultaneously interact with many people, without ever having to get off of the couch. But statistics show that more people than ever belong to gyms, with 81% of millenials reporting that they exercise daily, or would like to. So what has motivated the U.S. population to workout more than ever before? How have social media platforms contributed to this fitness craze?
How big is the trend?
The fitness trend comes in many different forms, across all social media platforms. Whether it be the 98.5 million #fitfam posts on Instagram, workout groups on Facebook, running and calorie tracker apps, or personal trainers posting daily routines, the health kick is all around us on the web. Fitness as a topic is growing on social media, because users are leveraging these networks to attain their fitness goals. People religiously mimic Jen Selter’s squat workouts, copy Kelsey Well’s ab routine, or log into Kayla Itsine’s app- Sweat with Kayla. Forget a personal trainer, people can get video tutorials of exercises they never imagined by following influencers like these 3 on social media, or downloading workout apps. They can track how far they ran and how many calories they burned through their fitbit, apple watch, or on MapMyRun. We have the ability to keep track of our personal health data like never before. Stories and recipes of healthy foods are prominent on Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest, and the positive response they elicit from followers is uplifting. But all of these posts have led to more than just likes, comments and shares on screen. They have sparked real change in people’s lives, motivating them to invest in fitness, a healthier lifestyle, and themselves.
Top 3 reasons to join the #fitfam
1. Motivation
Even the casual social media user will feel a sense of motivation for self empowerment and improvement while scrolling through their feed. Influencer’s stories of them lifting, suggested workout events or sponsored discounts on classes, and photos of your friends doing #fitthings are constantly popping up. Studies have shown that seeing these types of posts sparks excitement and elicits emotions that inspire you to get your sweat on! Many users also follow sports accounts and athletes that reminds them that being active should be an important of their day.
2. Accessibility and Information
Technology has also allowed for more information on exercise, health and fitness than ever before. There are more than 250,000 health apps available in the app store, ranging from meal planning and diet apps, to apps that teach you a new lifting routine. All you need is a social media account to gain access into countless workout groups, fitness influencers or gyms that post new exercises daily. Signing up for a gym membership and workout classes has become readily accessible. With student discounts and new member deals, gym memberships are certainly on the rise. If going to the gym isn’t your thing, you can still conquer those fitness goals through joining programs such as Class Pass that give you the ability to try new workout classes every month.
The information is not just limited to exercises and classes- there are tons of food and nutrition posts and accounts too! There are recipes for trying to lose weight, gain muscle, and even maintaining a balanced diet. The best part is that you can keep track of both your nutrition and fitness goals via apps and wearable technology such as Fitbit and the Apple watch. With these, anyone can visualize their progress in their custom fitness journey. It gives users incredible reinforcement and insight, and has increased fitness retention among users.
3. Support and Accountability
These online fitness communities and posts provide tremendous support to the user, with each like and comment boosting the idea that living a healthy lifestyle is admirable. Additionally, these likes and comments may give the person the motivation they need to stick to their workout and nutrition regime during times when their ambition is wavering. These posts spark accountability. By letting all of their friends and followers in on their fitness, many feel obligated to stay true to continuing the healthy lifestyle they portray.
A perfect storm
All of these factors have enabled the fitness trend to powerfully endure on social media. While some people have experienced discouragement by comparing themselves influencers, or bought into fake detoxes, social media as a whole has helped people harness their inner athlete. As the co-founder of Beachbody Carl Daikeler said, “By combining ongoing technological innovations with easy access to a vast library of proven programming plus constant peer support, we are seeing more and more people get excited about living a healthier lifestyle. It’s still about the human experience, but enhanced with technology”. Social media has unexpectedly sparked a fitness trend that has tapped into a community on social media that is not self deprecating, but is positive, supportive, and empowering #letsgetit. We lift each other up and continue to build a sense of camaraderie over a fitness trend that allows us to be confident, and feel good about ourselves.
