Trigger warning: Discussion of fitspo and thinspo, “motivational” images, body shaming, and diet culture

A new year has just started, which for many people will mean making resolutions for the year ahead. By far the most common resolution I hear people making is to lose weight and/or get fit, and lots of women will turn to online fitspo and thinspo communities in order to find motivation, workout ideas, diet plans etc. I am definitely not against anyone wanting to get more in shape, or even to lose weight if that’s what they wish, though I do believe the focus should always be on health and fitness rather than aspiring to an arbitrary number. However, there are various problems in the fitspo and thinspo communities, and since many more people will be looking into them at the moment, it seemed like a good time to talk about some of them.  Continue reading →