Hollywood's Portrayal Of Fitness And Diet Culture Is WRONG
Start writing a post

As A Body-Positive Fitness Instructor, I Hate How Hollywood Portrays Being Fit And Diet-Culture

Even Zac Efron agrees.

2620
As A Body-Positive Fitness Instructor, I Hate How Hollywood Portrays Being Fit And Diet-Culture

As a body-positive fitness instructor, I fight against society's dangerous misconceptions about the health and wellness industry every single day. Namely, I defy the unhelpful perception of the fitness "freak" who is all about supplements, "health," dieting, and a bunch of other nonsense that diet-culture feeds us. Don't lie to yourself, we have all either fallen into the trap ourselves or have been impacted by society in one way or another.

Whether it be actresses barely sweating in a gym, going to the gym solely for weight loss purposes, or living off of protein shakes, Hollywood has gotten fitness all wrong.

The wild misrepresentation of the "fit girl" has put people, including me, in a box since not all bodies have thigh gaps, six-pack abs, and curvy waists. However, all bodies are incredible.

Ever since we were young, we were bombarded with the idea that all gym bros look like "Spongebob's" Larry The Lobster — the athletic, ripped lobster, duh. Plus, who can forget the jokes surrounding hardcore, assholes who call themselves personal trainers, and scream, "Let's go! Sit-ups! You look like pieces of bacon on a plate. Disgusting. I can smell the fat!" as shown in "Bridesmaids." And don't even get me started on "The Biggest Loser" portrayal of the fitness industry — absolutely shameful. The fitness industry isn't actually about negative self-talk and body-negativity nor should it ever be.

One of the most unforgiving diet-culture perceptions that Hollywood enables is the idea that exercise is the best way to lose weight and that you should workout so you can have that second margarita at girls' night.

I'm going to say this once — incorporating movement into your life is incredibly healthy and health is not determined by your weight, size, or body type. On top of that, you can not spot reduce, and working out to lose weight will backfire. Similar to how 95% of diets fail, starting an unrealistic, unsustainable workout routine will make you feel worthless in the end. Instead, adding mindful movement will help boost your mood and comes with a plethora of benefits.

Even Zac Efron is done with Hollywood. He has recently brought attention to the unrealistic perceptions that his industry has placed on him, and he has had enough. Kudos to him. I'm not making this up, in his own words, Efron admitted that his routine to get shredded for "Baywatch" took an unhealthy toll on him. At the end of the day, his advice is "I got very big and buff for that movie, but I don't want people to think that's the best way to be. Like, be your size."

See Also "21 Tweets That Prove Twitter Is Drooling Over Zac Efron's New Netflix Docuseries, 'Down To Earth'"

He brings up an important aspect of Hollywood's ignorance against health at every size. People in larger bodies are constantly put on the sidelines and seen as the funny, fat friends. These incredible women are never hired to represent the fitness industry and that' is flat out wrong. The health and wellness industry is made up of a variety of body sizes, races, cultures, genders — we've got it all and we are all beautiful, strong, and capable. It's a shame that Hollywood is spreading all the wrong messages.

All in all, there is no one universal "athletic" body type. There is no one body type that is welcome in a gym. There is no one body type that is better than another. Not all gym rats are compulsive dieters. Not all personal trainers will unjustlydouble as your nutritionist, make you feel bad because of your body, or ignore blatant science.

I can't speak for all trainers, but the general fitness industry is not what Hollywood has painted it to be.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70917
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132495
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments