Social Media Makeover

Social media is very present in our everyday lives, and many spend hours mindlessly scrolling through Instagram or Facebook and posting on their accounts. Social media has many advantages, such as connecting and interacting with friends and family and getting updates on other people’s lives, but have you ever thought about the downsides of social media and wondered if all these posts could have an impact on how you viewed yourself?

The link between social media and body image

Numerous studies have explored the correlation between social media usage and body image. When scrolling through social platforms, individuals often find themselves inadvertently comparing their bodies to others, particularly celebrities and distant acquaintances. This subconscious comparison tends to have a detrimental effect on body image, leading to decreased self-esteem and unhealthy attitudes towards food and body.

Many of our clients have reported finding relief by unfollowing certain accounts or concealing posts that trigger negative self-reflection. For instance, if your social media feed predominantly features individuals with very thin or muscular bodies, or accounts that heavily edit their photos, it’s natural to internalize unrealistic body standards. It’s not just about removing negative influences but also about replacing them with more realistic ones. Therefore, we recommend following accounts that showcase body diversity, as this can help reshape perceptions of body image in a healthier way.

Several Instagram accounts to help spruce up your news feed

Theintuitive_rd: This account is run by Kristen Ackerman, a registered dietitian who is a certified intuitive eating counselor and who has a goal of helping you make peace with food and your body. Her Instagram page is filled with short videos and posts addressing everything ranging from nutritional myths and common thoughts to tips to help guide you toward eating more intuitively and having a better relationship with food and your body

Thebodypositive: This account represents The Body Positive, an anti-diet non-profit that helps people overcome conflicts with their bodies to lead happier lives. Their Instagram page celebrates all body types and promotes self-love to make you feel better about yourself.

Yrfatfriend: This account is run by Aubrey Gordon, an activist who fights for fat acceptance and talks about anti-fat bias. She guides you on what not to say to fat people and talks about ways we could fight for fat acceptance.

Dietitiananna: This account is run by Anna Sweeney, an anti-diet registered dietitian specializing in eating disorders and in intuitive eating who posts body image quotes, eating disorder recovery tips, and nutritional facts. Her goal is to help people embrace their body and show them how their body and food supports life.

Nonairbrushedme: This account is a raw, diverse, and inclusive one that focuses on body acceptance and positivity. It helps people embrace their beauty by posting raw and unedited pictures of women to prove that pictures we normally see online don’t show the real side of people, but actually edited and embellished versions of themselves.

Accounts that may interest teens

Bodyimagewithbri: This account is run by Bri Campos, a body image educator and fat activist who uses her platform to teach people about body acceptance and to help people maneuver negative body image thoughts, and have more food freedom. She has a goal of helping people make peace with their bodies and help them get over their critical self-talk and body hatred, which she defines as body grieving.

Rachaelhartleyrd: This account is run by Rachael Hartley, a non-diet dietitian who talks about and educates people about intuitive eating and how it’s different from diet culture. Her goal is to help people make peace with their bodies, have a positive body image, and have a better relationship with food by talking about nutrition and diet myths.

Antidietriotclub: The Anti Diet Riot Club is a nonprofit organization that aims to rebel against diet culture. Their Instagram account focuses on diet-culture myths and why diets don’t work long-term. It also focuses on body positivity and speaks up about fatphobia and has a goal of helping people have a better relationship with their bodies and with food.

Breelenehan: Bree Lenehan is a content creator who promotes self-love, and body positivity, and advocates against unrealistic beauty standards. A thing I particularly love about her account is that every Monday, she posts side-by-side pictures of edited Instagram pictures vs real and raw pictures of her to show people that pictures we see on social media do not represent reality.

In addition to all of these accounts, Sööma has its own Instagram account where we share body-positive affirmation quotes, facts about eating disorders and so much more! So make sure you add us to your list of Instagram accounts to follow.

Wrapping it up

As you can see, there are so many Instagram accounts that focus on body positivity and fight unrealistic beauty standards. So It’s time to unfollow all (or almost all) of the accounts that make you feel bad about yourself and follow the accounts above or similar accounts that aim to make you feel better about yourself and to higher your self-esteem. If you think that your negative body image could lead to an eating disorder, make sure to seek professional help, before it becomes bad, by calling (202) 738-4726 or sending us an email at info@soomanutrition.com. Remember, your body will change many times in your lifetime, and that’s okay. Your worth does not depend on how you look, so don’t let your body stop you from doing things!