There are various problems that arise from quantifying the self, especially in the fitness world. Major consequences are confusion, negative body image, distortion with health, and poor relationships with social media.
The spread of misinformation is common in fitness spaces on Instagram. As the algorithm primarily favors likes and heavily engaged posts, it doesn't matter if they are promoting truthful or authentic information because content that sells, yet spreads misinformation rarely gets taken down (Gillespie 2017). As a result, users are constantly confused on what is actual health promotion or if they should listen to various nutrition companies that we may need supplements in order to finally achieve our dream bodies.
This then creates a constant desire that users are in need of new products, new methods, new workout routines, and new number based results in order to achieve maximum fitness levels. This can become an unhealthy obsession, leading to negative body image. There is a great amount of anxiety because these individuals start to put their sense of worth in being quantified. They compare numbers on the scale, the amount of calories they've eaten, or even the amount of hours they sleep. If their numbers aren't perfect, then they think that it's somehow a reflection of how worthy they are as a person because of how Instagram's fitness community presents itself.
Being stuck in these environments means that users begin to suffer from a poor relationship with social media. Instagram no longer feels like a place of support and information, but a place of judgement and attention. According to Eli Pariser, Instagram hashtags keep us in “tribes” or tight-knit communities with like minded goals (2011). However, this causes users to think there is no other way to reach fitness goals without relying on quantification. They have become so reliant on Instagram's methods of quantifying that they don't understand how fitness can exist without them. It's important to think critically about the digital environment and its effects. By unfollowing or following new accounts and hashtags, individuals can curate a culture that feels more comfortable for themselves.
Ultimately, these issues lead individuals to be completely disconnected from listening to their bodies. They forget what it's like to indulge in cravings without guilt, to not feel useless simply because they didn't burn as many calories as the other usernames on their feed, or to listen to how hungry their body is instead of relying on a fitness influencer telling them to skip breakfast.
However, there are solutions. The Instagram platform itself is not entirely to blame. As these movements took time to garner traction and attention, more positive and moderate movements are also beginning to popularize. Some movements gaining attention are #bodypositivefitness and #intuitiveeating.
These look like much healthier, more knowledgeable, inclusive, and maintainable methods to determine fitness. These posts spread the message that quantifiable results are great tools, but should not be the only method of success in your fitness journey. By participating in movements such as these, users can feel more empowered and supported in a way that doesn't heavily rely on numbers. They are encouraged to find more personal meanings of fitness. These communities focus more on energy levels, mood stability, stress management, endurance, feelings of strength, questions out of curiosity rather than comparison, and reducing binary thinking.
Numbers are tools that work, but should never determine self worth. Being immersed in an active Instagram community can feel like your sense of being is attached to these numbers. However, it's important to seek a balance between setting maintainable goals as well as relying on internal cues and understanding progress can come in a variety of forms that are completely unquantifiable.
1. Gillespie, Tarleton. “Content Moderation is Not a Panacea: Logan Paul, YouTube, and what we should expect from platforms,” Social Media Collective, 2017, https://tinyurl.com/yc6s9te5. Accessed 11 Feb 2020.
2. Pariser, Eli. “Beware Online Filter Bubbles.” TED, 2011, https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles. Accessed 11 Feb 2020.