InstaHell

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  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
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    BigAnnieG wrote: »
    Alluminati wrote: »

    So if you are aware that it isn't easy, and know them to be advertising, then why do you let it bother you?

    I think because I'm tired of peddlars selling snake oil everywhere you look. I'm a cynic and it bothers me that advertisers not only get away with this stuff but actually make shed loads of money from it.

    Third party indignation. Got it.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Co-incidentally I read a blog post about this during lunch - http://www.healthylivingheavylifting.com/does-social-media-help-or-hinder-your-fitness-efforts/

    I guess it summarizes my thoughts that social media in general (and especially in the health and fitness area) can be both positive and negative and that I (we) must be careful about what I choose to view/consume and monitor how I respond to the media.

    I'd say on balance I've learnt more and gained more from social media (MFP forums included) than I've suffered but I accept that I'm not totally impervious to the overwhelming tsunami of "peak perfection posts" - To the point that I dropped a few accounts that I was following* in favor of those that I perceive as being a little more honest and representative of reality.

    I used Instagram to try to show a realistic picture of what food I ate during a 12 week cut - I posted pictures (with calories, macro breakdowns and occasionally recipes) of everything I ate for the entire period, meals, snacks, drinks the lot - Even with artistic photography and gratuitous use of filters it was dull. LOL.


    * Those that only posted epic cheat meals and didn't show anything of the mundane day-to-day foods or those that only showed the hyper ripped results of 12 week cuts but never posted anything when bulking for example.

    EDITED TO ADD: One very important thing that social media has taught me was that "fitness" people can and do eat foods which people may label as "Junk Food" and that this behavior does not appear to have a negative impact upon their aesthetics or performance.
  • SassyMommasaurus
    SassyMommasaurus Posts: 380 Member
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    No, I don't ever feel that way I really don't care how other people look. Also I like girls so my first thought is usually, damn, shes hot, not jealousy really lol.
  • heathershaw4785
    heathershaw4785 Posts: 30 Member
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    Ultimately it is about being confidant with ourselves and trying not to judge others. I am very guilty of comparing myself to others but try to remind myself I am 5'7" with a size 10 shoe; I am not a small person. When I see these celebrities or fit people online it is hard not be envious. But the Jillian Michaels, Mila Kunis, Carmen Electra and Kim Kardashians of the world are 5'3"-5'4"... of course I am not shaped like them! Also, I don't workout and eat right and therefore should not be surprised that I am not size 2. But I do have hips and a butt I am proud of and tower over most of the woman in my family which I like. Try to find things about yourself that you are proud of, things that set you apart from these people. I do agree there is something wrong with someone needing a ton of attention from strangers on the internet via scantly clad photos but to each their own right.
  • BigAnnieG
    BigAnnieG Posts: 89 Member
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    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    BigAnnieG wrote: »
    emdeesea wrote: »
    I don't even look at Tumblr or Instagram. In general it just bores me.

    I don't have my own accounts either, but I do social media for work so am forced to spend a LOT of time on it!

    But are you forced to follow those "fit" accounts? :huh:

    Alas yes. It follows my line of work, which is probably why I get so frustrated by sneaky black hat marketers rather than the ones trying to actually help people!
  • aub6689
    aub6689 Posts: 351 Member
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    Keladelphia wrote: »
    aub6689 wrote: »
    I hate how "easy" many of these posts lead people to think looking like that is.

    I think your post rings very true @aub6689 but I find it interesting how differently people react to things. Part of what inspired me when I weighed over 200lbs and couldn't do a push up was how "easy" these women's posts made a healthy lifestyle look. As someone who has also struggled all of their life with weight it gave me hope that someday I could life a life where I didn't struggle so hard or think about my weight and body all of the time. After 30 years of struggle much to my surprise and pleasant disbelief i've learned personally that it is possible for it to become easy.

    I found some posts inspiring and some the opposite. I followed and still follow a lot of fit people that sometimes make it look easy, but they also show the harder side.
  • BigAnnieG
    BigAnnieG Posts: 89 Member
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    CrossfitOCRunner wrote: »
    You sound exactly like a bitter old fat lady. your words. think about that. focus on yourself and your journey. draw inspiration from wherever you find it. stop pointing fingers and worrying about or wishing you could change others outside yourself. its likely coming from some insecurity or jealousy you have within yourself . most fit people have worked for it, whether you see or know their story from whatever posts you see. marketing and advertising are what they are. if you have to be on social media for work, get over it and adjust your Attitude. Attitude 101 by John C. Maxwelll is a good read on the topic. and if you aren't happy with your own progress, get a good trainer, apply yourself, work harder and overcome your circumstances and excuses.

    I hear what you're saying and thank you for your honesty, but feel conflicted by your post. Yes, of course I'm insecure, I'm 250lbs. But saying I don't know someone's story and then telling me to stop my excuses - where were my excuses here? I'm fat. I also have severe rheumatoid arthritis aged only 29 but I still get my backside to the gym and suffer in pain for it because I know what I want to achieve. My jealousy comes of frustration. I think it's perfectly OK to assess and accept the mental challenges faced by weight loss just as much as the physical ones, and I probably do need an attitude adjustment. Frustration is and always has been my biggest enemy, though I don't know why things get to me so.

    I'll take a look at the reading recommendation, thanks.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    heathershaw4785 wrote: »
    Ultimately it is about being confidant with ourselves and trying not to judge others. I am very guilty of comparing myself to others but try to remind myself I am 5'7" with a size 10 shoe; I am not a small person. When I see these celebrities or fit people online it is hard not be envious. But the Jillian Michaels, Mila Kunis, Carmen Electra and Kim Kardashians of the world are 5'3"-5'4"... of course I am not shaped like them! Also, I don't workout and eat right and therefore should not be surprised that I am not size 2. But I do have hips and a butt I am proud of and tower over most of the woman in my family which I like. Try to find things about yourself that you are proud of, things that set you apart from these people. I do agree there is something wrong with someone needing a ton of attention from strangers on the internet via scantly clad photos but to each their own right.

    Something that struck me when I went to the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland was just how small so many artists/singers are. They have a bunch of stage costumes on display and even the women who you don't think of as super slim are pretty petite. Tina Turner, for instance, is a woman who I think of as being fit and healthy (which she is) but based on her costume she's way smaller than I would have guessed. A lot of them are much shorter than I realized as well, even the men.
  • vespiquenn
    vespiquenn Posts: 1,455 Member
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    BigAnnieG wrote: »
    CrossfitOCRunner wrote: »
    You sound exactly like a bitter old fat lady. your words. think about that. focus on yourself and your journey. draw inspiration from wherever you find it. stop pointing fingers and worrying about or wishing you could change others outside yourself. its likely coming from some insecurity or jealousy you have within yourself . most fit people have worked for it, whether you see or know their story from whatever posts you see. marketing and advertising are what they are. if you have to be on social media for work, get over it and adjust your Attitude. Attitude 101 by John C. Maxwelll is a good read on the topic. and if you aren't happy with your own progress, get a good trainer, apply yourself, work harder and overcome your circumstances and excuses.

    I hear what you're saying and thank you for your honesty, but feel conflicted by your post. Yes, of course I'm insecure, I'm 250lbs. But saying I don't know someone's story and then telling me to stop my excuses - where were my excuses here? I'm fat. I also have severe rheumatoid arthritis aged only 29 but I still get my backside to the gym and suffer in pain for it because I know what I want to achieve. My jealousy comes of frustration. I think it's perfectly OK to assess and accept the mental challenges faced by weight loss just as much as the physical ones, and I probably do need an attitude adjustment. Frustration is and always has been my biggest enemy, though I don't know why things get to me so.

    I'll take a look at the reading recommendation, thanks.

    I think the issue here that we are all trying to advise is that you are hurting no one but yourself by getting upset by this. As a cynic myself, I do understand your point of view. But I'm realistic in the sense that these things will not change, at least in the near future. Accept these fitness blogs at face value and move on with your life. To spend time upset enough to create a multi paragraph post is just allowing that negativity to fester. You obviously have the determination it takes, so you need to let your mind have the peace it deserves by not reading too much into these things.

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    I posted this. I ate it all.

    What is that? It looks like waffles with chocolate sauce and ravioli on top.
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Like @aub6689 stated earlier, I can see both sides to this. It's partially due to social media sites that people come here and post about things like waist trainers, detox teas, wraps, supplements, and other snake oil products that actually do nothing to aid in weight loss. However, the OP seems to be griping more about the fact that fit women are eating food rather than the unrealistic aspects of the sales tactics.

    I took issue with the exact part that @Keladelphia did. I'm 5'3" and I weigh 109 pounds, yet I'm willing to bet I eat more than you do OP. I'm eating 1800 to 1900 calories per day and still losing weight when I don't want to because I'm so active. I'm tweaking my calories to find my maintenance point and Fitbit keeps saying it's 2000 to 2200, so I'm working my way up to that point. I don't even have social media accounts but my figure is still scrutinized by people around me. It gets annoying to hear my coworkers talk about how I don't/must not eat and act shocked if I take a piece of cake, cookies, or anything else during special events. "Oh, you're taking that? You must never eat stuff like that! How can you stay so skinny if you eat that? You must workout a lot." It gets frustrating to hear how I "need to stop losing weight" because I should "still have curves like a real woman". Sadly, do you know what all of these coworkers have in common? They are all older, heavier, and they're all women. I'm in the camp that feels women should be supportive of each other, not spend time tearing each other down so that sucks.

    It's assumed that if a woman is thin, her life is so awesome and she shouldn't have any complaints, worries, or problems at all and it's so far from the truth. These fitness models are human beings. Some of them are snake oil pushing human beings, yes, but they still have feelings. If you don't like seeing fit women or get intimidated or discouraged, just don't look. Aside from those who have had surgery, these women put time and effort into their bodies. Why should they be judged harshly for that? Why does it affect you so much?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I posted this. I ate it all.

    What is that? It looks like waffles with chocolate sauce and ravioli on top.

    That there is a S'Mores waffle :)

    That makes way more sense. Looks good!
  • BigAnnieG
    BigAnnieG Posts: 89 Member
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    vespiquenn wrote: »

    I think the issue here that we are all trying to advise is that you are hurting no one but yourself by getting upset by this. As a cynic myself, I do understand your point of view. But I'm realistic in the sense that these things will not change, at least in the near future. Accept these fitness blogs at face value and move on with your life. To spend time upset enough to create a multi paragraph post is just allowing that negativity to fester. You obviously have the determination it takes, so you need to let your mind have the peace it deserves by not reading too much into these things.

    Thank you! I mean, genuinely, thank you. (For the multi paragraph comment, I'm a writer so type at mega speed which results in word-vomit a lot of the time!). You've all been really insightful and very much right - I need to let things not bother me so much. But y'know, that's as much of a process as losing the weight is I guess.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
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    synacious wrote: »
    It's assumed that if a woman is thin, her life is so awesome and she shouldn't have any complaints, worries, or problems at all and it's so far from the truth. These fitness models are human beings. Some of them are snake oil pushing human beings, yes, but they still have feelings. If you don't like seeing fit women or get intimidated or discouraged, just don't look. Aside from those who have had surgery, these women put time and effort into their bodies. Why should they be judged harshly for that? Why does it affect you so much?

    So much this!

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