With the rise in social media and the rapid growth of its scope, “Fitspo” is becoming more prominent for young girls. “Fitspo” accounts such as Emily Skye’s, are essentially feeds full of bikini shots and close-ups of rock-hard abs with the hashtag “fitspo”, are almost unavoidable and teenage girls are exposed to this all over social media. “Fitspiration” is a collection of photos showing fit and thin women and is meant to inspire people to chase their fitness goals and “promote exercise and healthy food” (Tiggemann1). “Common forms of fitspiration include images of toned bodies overlaid with quotes designed to motivate viewers” (Carrotte 2). Many women have become famous for posting their “fitspo” photos and a large part of the audience is pre-teen and teenage girls. As this audience is easily influenced, it can be argued that this “fitspo” craze could be harmful to these viewers as well. This is an issue heavily debated in society as this fad can be looked at as inspiration as well as degradation. Most oftentimes in research, it is found to weigh negatively more so than positively on this age group and the harm is much greater than the help.

            These images of thin and fit women wearing revealing clothing can be very influential to young and teenage girls. This demographic is highly influenced because “Adolescence is a critical period for psychosocial development” (Kleemans 8). Due to this developmental period, when girls are in their pre-teen ad teenage years, they are “more vulnerable for media influences because thy equate their own bodies with media images” (Kleemans 8). This is a time when many females “establish lasting health behaviors” (Vaterlaus2).  Meaning what they are exposed to and the habits they develop will likely stick with them. Teenage girls are also one of the largest groups of social media users, especially when it comes to fitspo content. The group of female participants in one study reported that “57.1% (184/322) of teenaged girls consumed at least one type of health and fitness-related social media content” (Kleemans 9). In another study “more than half of the participants were aged between 15 and 17” (Carrotte 8) which is disconcerting as “adolescence is a particularly challenging time in terms of body image and more educated people are generally more likely to engage in healthy behaviors” (Carrotte 8). This further supports the fact that young people that have not reached their educational peak, especially girls, gravitate more towards unhealthy measures more so than adults when they feel the need to change their body image. They have not learned enough to discern what is healthy from what is unhealthy. The combination of this developmental time and their heavy use of social media makes teen girls extremely susceptible to the negative effects of fitspo.

            The use of thin models, Photoshop and apps to touch up images and apply filters is increasingly common in the world of fitness social media. In many studies done to test the effect of digitally altered photos on body image, most results showed that “exposure to manipulated Instagram photos directly led to lower body image” (Kleemans 2). The combination of exposure to altered images and ultra-thin fitness models lead people to believe “the models the viewers see through these illusions are realistic and not carefully manipulated and artificially developed” (Thompson 340). The use of Photoshop to perfect the bodies of fitness models contributes to girls’ unrealistic goals. For example, blurring imperfections, defining abs or even knocking off a few pounds makes these “fit” women appear even more perfect. Studies have repeatedly found that the “thin-ideal body is related to women’s vulnerability to disturbances related to body images” (Grabe 470). This ideal body type depicted in the media is associated with “negative mood and lowered self-esteem, decreased perceived attractiveness and increased dieting in experimental studies” (Carrotte5). These findings prove the argument that young females are extremely susceptible to lowered body image due to social media images. This connects to the point that girls are striving for goals that are unrealistic, especially when striving for goals that are literally not real. Seeing these digitally edited images may lead viewers to strive for unhealthy goals and feel bad about themselves because of physical comparison to filtered images. In many counties, the amount of eating disorders present has caused governments to establish laws that require models in “advertisements and magazines to prove doctor’s certificates that they have a BMI considered healthy by the World Health Organization” (Kraits 867). Because the channel being used in this case is social media, this type of precaution is not an option and photos can be retouched at the judgement of the person posting them. This clearly shows that there is an issue among false photos and the health of young people, but because of the freedom of the internet, images can be completely altered.

            These ideal body images causing lowered self-esteem can lead to a variety of other problems. The overall lowering of body image and satisfaction in teenage girls has increased since the emergence of the social media channel of thin models has emerged and there are “parallels drawn between decreasing body size and escalating levels of body dissatisfaction” (Halliwell 105). Fitspo makes teenage girls feel that their bodies are less socially acceptable because of these extremely thin and toned bodies that they see on the internet. This standard is almost “impossible to achieve for the average woman without resorting to extreme and maladaptive behaviors” (Thompson 340) and eating disorders are a common result. Generally, “the use of thin models has coincided with an increase in the number of girls with eating disorders” (Krawits 860). The evidence shown by studies of media and eating disorders shows a strong relationship between the media influence and the spike in disorders such as anorexia. People who see these women on social media may “try to change their bodies to look like the models” (Krawits 861), which is the root of this problem. Another issue found in social media is the “prominence of fitspiration images that champion pushing oneself too far during exercise, focus on appearance rather than fitness, and praise the athletic body type” (Carrotte 4). This may cause girls to set unrealistic goals and often causes “compulsive exercising and negative mood associated with missing an exercise session” (Carrotte 4). Pushing themselves to these limits without considering their genetics, body types, or ability to gain/lose weight causes girls to overwork themselves and cause harm to their bodies and minds. “Excessive exercise and disordered eating” (Teggemann 8) are main behavior responses that stem from these images and because of the focus on teenage girls, they feel that this is an appropriate response. This exhibits an obvious correlation between unhealthy behaviors and responses to fitspo.

            The tie between marketing through these fitspo accounts and negative habits in girls is also alarming. Using these fit women to market products is a tactic that has long been present in advertising. Companies have long stuck to the mindset that “thinness sells whereas fatness does not” (Halliwell 105). Using thin women to sell these fitness products achieves the goal by showing women with ideal bodies to teenage girls and encouraging them to buy these items. This is another example of dangerous and unrealistic goals. Products called “waist trainers” or “waist cinchers” are commonly advertised through models that are paid to back up these products. Models and celebrities that are paid to endorse these and their “Instagram followers respond accordingly by complimenting her svelte physique, inquiring about where they can purchase this device and directing this post to their other Instagram friends by tagging them” (Kinney 2). This is how the use of these products spread and become trendy. These products use pressure to allow “fat bodies to conform” (Kinney 2). The use of these waist trainers entail “restraining, disciplining and surveying their bodies” (Kinney 3) and may users are willing to “take dangerous risks to shape their bodies” (Kinney 3). These products are like “devises made of steel called corsets” (Kinney 3) from the 1500’s. Many reviewers from Amazon.com claimed that the product “felt like ‘suffocating’” (Kinney 8) others say they “were out of breath in a second” (Kinney 8).  Mrs. Joy explained that these can even cause “organ damage” and are “unquestionably dangerous”. This further exemplifies the fact that young girls are willing to go to dangerous lengths to achieve what they see on social media. Because these models are receiving money, “it does not tell us much about women’s embodied experience inside this garment.” (Kinney 1) yet younger people are easily influenced and will do what they deem necessary to change their bodies. This connects to the idea that many young girls do not consider their body types and genetics when attempting to reshape themselves. In an interview, Jennifer Joy, a fitness expert with a master’s in exercise science, stated “People come in a variety of shapes and sizes and what is depicted on-line as the beauty “standard” represents less than 1% of the population”. Wearers of waist trainers assume that their bodies are able to be changed and shaped. “These assumptions, that all have the freedom to change and that the body is “fixable,” encourage dangerous risk taking” (Kinney 8). This is similar to the idea of over exercising or dieting without accounting for the risks and variables involved. Other forms of advertising through social media are detox programs and “fit teas”. Very often “key characteristics of consumers of health and fitness-related social media content appear to be female gender and a younger age, with at-risk groups including those with eating disorder symptomology and misusing detox/laxative teas and diet pills” (Carrotte 10) many of these detoxes are marketed on Instagram and Twitter through detox teas and “supplements” that models back in exchange for money from companies. “Many liquid based detox diets claim to rid the body of toxins” (Carrotte 6) many fitness models advertise these programs yet they have been criticized by dieticians as causing “the loss of healthy bacteria and electrolytes” (Carrotte 6). This is a very common way for fitness brands to advertise as these young girls trust the fitness gurus that they see.

            The opposite viewpoint is that of people who say fitspo and health/fitness social media accounts are inspirational and helpful to this demographic in creating and carrying out their goals. Fitspo supporters claim that it “serves to motivate its viewers to be healthier by working out and eating nutritious foods” (Angeli 10). It is argued that people who have “healthy body image may respond to fitspo positively” (Angeli 10). It is even argued that fitspo could “potentially be utilized a therapy to eating disorders” (Angeli 11). Women who model and appear more average yet confident in their bodies could “motivate viewers to truly lead a healthier lifestyle by exercising, eating nutritious foods, and loving their bodies” (Angeli 13). Essentially, the use of fitspo as legitimate inspiration could motivate people to follow through with fitness goals or become healthier by being more of a guide than a standard to uphold. Because young girls tend to create habits at this age, it could positively affect them and push them in the right direction.

            Though some feel that fitspo can be inspiring and helpful, the occurrence of young girls losing confidence and feeling lower self-esteem is much more common than the occurrence of them feeling encouraged. “Although these sources were created to be beneficial, their hidden messages, particularly those containing ideals of physical appearance, can have negative psychological effects” (Angeli 4) In most cases what is meant to be inspiring ends up causing people to feel self-conscious. It is argued above that people with “healthy body image’ may respond positively. According to Mrs. Joy though, fitspo may be helpful to a few people, it “may prove to be discouraging to others who constantly think about how far they must go in their fitness journey rather than celebrating how far they have come”. Because the demographic being focused on is pre-teen and teenage girls, they “are often found to be particularly vulnerable for being influenced by media images because of the psychosocial development that is characteristic for this phase” (Kleemans 3). There is truly no way to justify the use of detoxes and waist trainers in young girls. These girls are rarely confident enough in their bodies to use fitspo in a positive way at this age. Instead of using these photos as inspiration they usually tend to compare themselves, “body dissatisfaction is a result of young women’s upward social comparisons of their own appearance with the appearance of other young women” (Kleemans 4) causing them to go to unhealthy measures to attempt reach these body standards.

            The consequences of this negative effect that fitspo images have on teenage girls displays real world problems universally. Young girls everywhere in the world are exposed to this type of media and the need to be like these female fitspo icons is an issue for all adolescent girls that are easily influenced. Social media has no physical boundaries and that is why this issue is so widespread and common among this generation of young girls. Their high use of social media creates an unrealistic standard regardless of background or culture. Young females have the tendency to compare themselves to these women and it is becoming increasingly dangerous in terms of eating disorders, unhealthy exercise habits and other tactics used to obtain the ideal body. The way these women are seen in pop culture is taking a toll on teenage girls and could negatively affect them for generations to come as this idea of ideal bodies stays constant.

Works Cited

Angeli, Allison. "The Effects of Fitspo Viewed on Social Media as a Therapy to Eating Disorders." Print. 

Carrotte, E. R., A. M. Vella, and M. S. Lim. "Predictors of "Liking" Three Types of Health and Fitness-Related Content on Social Media: A Cross-Sectional Study." Journal of medical Internet research 17.8 (2015): e205. Print. 

Grabe, Shelly, L. M. Ward, and Janet Shibley Hyde. "The Role of the Media in Body Image Concerns among Women: A Meta-Analysis of Experimental and Correlational Studies." Psychological bulletin 134.3 (2008): 460-76. Print. 

Halliwell, emma, and Helgar dittmar. "Does Size Matter? the Impact of Model's Body Size on Women's Body-Focused Anxiety and Advertising Effectiveness ." Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology 23.1 (2004)Print. 

Kinney, Tiffany. "Cinch for Instacurves: The Discursive Assemblage of Waist Trainers in New Media."
An Interdisciplinary Journal of Body Weight and Society  (2016): 1-18. Print. 

Kleemans, Mariska, et al. "Picture Perfect: The Direct Effect of Manipulated Instagram Photos on Body Image in Adolescent Girls." Media Psychology Journal (2016): 1-18. Print. 

Krawitz, Marilyn. "Beauty is Only Photoshop Deep: Legislating Models' BMIs and Photoshopping Images." Journal of law and medicine 21.4 (2014): 859-74. Print. 

Thompson, J. Kevin, and Leslie J. Heinberg. "The Media's Influence on Body Image Disturbance and Eating Disorders: We'Ve Reviled them, Now can we Rehabilitate them?" Journal of Social Issues 55.2 (1999): 339-53. Print. 

Tiggemann, Marika, and Mia Zaccardo. "“Exercise to be Fit, Not Skinny”: The Effect of Fitspiration Imagery on Women's Body Image." Body Image 15 (2015): 61-7. Print. 

Vaterlaus, J. Mitchell, et al. "#Gettinghealthy: The Perceived Influence of Social Media on Young Adult Health Behaviors." Computers in Human Behavior 45 (2015): 151-7. Print.