Eating & Exercise

There are many aspects within the realm of body positivity that do not always just relate to showing off one’s body in hopes of empowering others to feel confident. Another recurring theme I found in my research relates to eating and exercise. When looking at how influencers promote eating habits and exercise to promote a healthy lifestyle, these factors were once again perceived by the public differently depending on the influencer and their body type. Influencers who were plus-sized but were promoting healthy eating habits were not taken as seriously because the public perceives their appearance as unhealthy. This was also seen with a thinner influencer, however, as the public criticized her eating habits for thinking it is not enough to sustain her. When looking at an influencer with a more average sized body type who was discussing ways to overcome an eating disorder, her post was praised and she was called an inspiration. The same can be noticed with exercise and how the public takes into consideration their figure when each influencer talks about their workout routines. Body type continues to have an affect on how the public perceives how that influencer discusses body positivity.

When looking at Lizzo, Olivia Ponton and Brittani Lancaster they showcase their eating and exercise habits in different styles but still embody the act of body positivity. Lizzo, a plus-sized celebrity who embodies the ideals of body positivity, regularly posts content on Tik Tok that revolves around her eating and exercise habits. While she is still looking to empower others, her mentality more so focuses on how this is her lifestyle and if anyone has an issue with it they should focus on themselves. In one of her videos that shows her eating and working out, the top comments by other verified creators are supportive but when looking at comments from the public she receives a lot of hate and criticism. One comment reads, “that’s cap 🧢” which insinuates that Lizzo is lying about her exercise and eating habits due to her still having a heavier body type. Olivia Ponton, a thinner model, does a video about a day in her life getting ready before a modeling shoot. In this video she talks about drinking a smoothie with fruit in it and peanut butter for protein. One of the comments criticizes her using peanut butter for protein, “Peanut butter for protein… not a thing”. While peanut butter does contain a lot of protein, a lot of people still criticized her for this due to her small figure and jumping to conclusions that she is not eating enough. Both Lizzo and Olivia faced criticism from the public as their healthy lifestyles do not translate into what their bodies “should” look like according to society. When looking at Brittani, an influencer with an average body size who talks about overcoming eating disorders, her comments look much different than those of Lizzo and Olivia. One of her posts shows her going for a two mile run after taking a hiatus from exercising and how to properly fuel her body before and after she exercises. The comments talk about how inspiring she is with one commenting stating, “I think it’s so important to share that even a body positive influencer still struggles. It’s a lifelong battle. But we are in this with you 🥰”. Her comment section is flooded with words of encouragement, support and tips on more exercises to do in the future. This is a stark contrast from Lizzo and Olivia’s comments and shows how the public views body image as a direct example of how healthy of a lifestyle one leads when this is not always the truth.

Although each of these three influencers discuss the implications of eating healthy and exercising, the public only supports those who have an average sized figure as they can relate more to them. A person’s body size does not always represent how healthy of a lifestyle that individual leads and I think the public has a hard time acknowledging this. The public automatically associates body size with health habits and as seen through Lizzo and Olivia, both lead healthy lifestyles but have two very different body types that can still be considered healthy in their eyes. Body positivity does not always mean what someone’s body looks like and that is seen constantly through my research and the public’s perception of the influencer.