Confessions of a Fitness Trainer
They are everywhere. Spend any time scrolling on fitness or diet sites on social media and you’ll find them. Often posted by fitness professionals or wellness companies to celebrate client progress or by the people themselves to show off their transformations, ‘before and after’ photos are abundant.
On the surface, they don’t seem so bad as the intention of posting before and after photos is usually an attempt to congratulate, motivate and inspire. However, at a deeper level, posting these side by side comparisons can actually do more harm than good.
Firstly, they reinforce the notion that nothing is more important than a person’s appearance.
The person may have engaged in extremely unhealthy behaviours to achieve their new look but will receive tons of praise for their physical transformation.
Secondly, social media has increased the demand for extrinsic motivation. No longer can we strive to achieve something for our own benefit and satisfaction, our achievements only seem valid if they are reinforced with virtual likes, high fives, and praise from others.
Furthermore, many of the before and after photos you may see, especially when being used to sell a product or service, may be misleading. By simply changing camera angles, adjusting lighting, using make up, wearing clothes differently, or adding filters and other virtual enhancement tools, the photos may not accurately represent the effectiveness of the product or service being promoted.
Finally, there is no actual ‘before’ or ‘after’. Life is a continuous series of events. Capturing two snippets in time as if they are the beginning and the end of something doesn’t show the whole story. When seeing these photos online, I’ve always wondered what happens after the ‘after’.
Making good choices, moving daily, drinking water, training to be strong, being kind, sleeping well, eating lots of vegetables, and creating consistency are the pillars of living a sustainably healthy life and they don’t have an ‘after’.
Tips of the day
*Everyone loves a compliment but try to make choices based on your intrinsic motivation and not what others will think or say.
*Be mindful when consuming social media – don’t get caught in the comparison game.
*Your health journey is ongoing – there is no before and after.
Kathryn McKenzie – B.H.Kin, B.Ed
Certified Kinesiologist, Sport Conditioning Specialist & Personal Trainer
Author, Pizza Lover & Owner of Surefire Fitness
