Is the messaging from the fitness industry really that healthy?
POSTED ON FEBRUARY 21, 2025 BY JOEL FLINT
Written by Jess Greenaway
“Healthy” Messaging
I find the messaging on social media from the fitness industry and influencers a little frustrating. Mostly when I think about fitness “inspiration” that is targeted towards women; how to get toned abs, get your bikini body, etc. I wonder how much of this is actually helping women to be fitter and stronger or “healthier”. There is a huge focus on weight loss and calorie counting. The benefits that strength training has to offer outside of aesthetics is becoming increasingly understood and appreciated. I feel the industry is letting down a large percentage of their audience with messaging still being focused on the number on the scale or if your 6 pack is visible.
Surely we can do better?
Our fuel tank
Maybe I am more sensitive to this messaging because I have a nearly 7yr old daughter and think about her navigating the teen years amongst the storm of body image on social media. It’s led me to be aware of how I talk about my body and food.
We talk about eating our veggies and chicken for our body to be strong, for our engine, and for our brains. One day I was trying to emphasise why it was important to eat dinner. I drew a picture of a fuel tank, with yellow, orange, and red levels. I explained that she had been at school all day, swimming in the afternoon, and that her fuel tank was low. At the time I copped a dismissive “whatever” enhanced by her six year old ‘side eye’.
It seemed like a failed attempt. The next day she came back and asked for the fuel tank picture. She was hungry and used it to express that her tank was feeling empty. I guess I can only seek to lay the foundations of healthy eating and lead by example by doing my best to have a healthy relationship with food.
The fitness industry
So why is an industry that has more to offer for our health, such as stronger bones, improved cardiovascular fitness, connection with others, mental health benefits, still so fixed on weight loss?
This kind of messaging has negative consequences. It leads to women turning up to training fasted or under fuelled, failing to refuel post exercise and generally eating restricted diets. Our bodies need food to operate at a baseline. When we put extra physical demands on the body we then need to refuel to help with it’s recovery and repair processes. Otherwise we miss out on much of the value of going to the gym.
When I think about food as fuel for my body it changes how I approach my nutrition. In my early twenties I was totally under fuelled. I would eat two rice thins with Vegemite and some carrot sticks for lunch. Where was the protein and the healthy fats. I was so conscious of what I ate, I thought about it a lot. I know what I was doing though, I was trying to be thin. Longing to have a body like the model on the magazine. I am a little ashamed to admit that and to think that this was how I treated my body.
More than a number on the scale
This is why I am seeking to do better in the industry. Our bodies are so much more than a number on the scale. I want to help women understand the importance of fuelling our bodies, from those in their 30s, 40s and beyond to girls in their teenage years. Not operating in restrictive diets.
I think it would be safe to assume there is a high percentage of people who start exercising to lose weight. I’m not saying that having a goal to lose weight is a bad thing and the scales are a part of this process. It’s how we approach it. Is it through quick fixes or is it layering healthy habits one at a time, so that you reach your goal and can sustain that. Not a summer shred that will come back in the winter months.
Let’s start talking about fuelling for our training instead of training fasted. Understanding that our body needs fuel to function efficiently and effectively. Sure you might get through a workout fasted, but did you just make it through and how does this impact your recovery.
In the gym at West End Strength we approach our strength training by building the foundations first. It creates a sustainable training routine, one that we hope our members can take with them for years to come. This is also how we think about nutrition. Building a sustainable plan that will support your training and fuel your body.
Thank you for reading. I wanted to finish with two questions and would love to hear from you. So if you do take the time to respond please email me at jess@westendstrength.com.au.
What would you say your relationship with food is like? and,
What are you thoughts on the fitness industry’s approach/messaging when encouraging health and fitness?
Note: I understand the topic of body image, weight loss and the fitness industry is quite vast. I am coming at this from my experience as a Coach and the approaches I see people take towards nutrition and training. I seek to understand it more and the perspectives of others on this topic who don’t work in the industry but participate or would like to.
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