Social media, definitely, can have a negative impact on body image. And I think we’re seeing that a lot more often now with technology advances. And I think even more recently, with quarantine and everyone just being so much more connected to their devices. One of the biggest things that I think about is just the shifts that happen with the importance of how we see ourselves, and then allowing others’ perceptions to influence this view, with social media. So it’s really changed our own self-perception a lot.
It’s important to know, much of what we see is Photoshopped, edited, changed in some way, shape or form, really, to meet this ideal, but really just still adds to more comparison, more competition tendencies amongst either followers or influencers, shows, accounts, whatever that is that social media presence has that’s really influencing somebody’s view on their body image. It’s when impressionable and really developing minds see this, that they’re sponges and they absorb it all. And it really just kind of influences that belief that we can actually change their body in some way, shape or form to be seen differently. Often the belief is, it would be more positive and that it’ll be sustainable, and it’s really not.
Parents are so crucial when it comes to mitigating the effects of social media. Knowing what they’re looking at, knowing their patterns, maybe being aware, or being curious with them about what they say in response to, maybe, somebody they’ve seen or a post or who they’re following, and building some awareness around what they view as the standard or who they’re looking up to. One’s identity is so much more, and so much broader, than just looks and physical appearance and that body image piece. So this is important because, I think, parents very much can role model this to their kids. Kids are going to be watching, who are they following? Who are they talking about? More importantly, how are they talking about this in relation to themselves too?
So be curious with them instead of shaming them, if they do follow someone that you see as a negative influence on their body image or their self-worth. I think they’ll be more open to keeping you as a support, or someone to talk to, if they feel that that’s a really open line, and really accepting line. If we have somebody who’s already struggling and is really treating their body in a way, when it comes to food or exercise, under fueling, using any type of [inaudible] behaviors, overexercising not getting enough energy. That would be one that would have that red flag around like, if you continue to follow these people who are doing the same things, you might be going down a path that’s really detrimental.
We don’t know the background and the history of a lot of these people that we’re watching who are really into fitness or really encouraging certain patterns or habits or lifestyles. So, to assume that we’re going to be okay doing the same is a bit naive, and we have to be careful around that. So I always say look at the intention behind that. If it’s your kids as well, of course, you’re going to be closely monitoring. Responding to negative body image comments is really challenging. And I think for parents, it’s important to recognize there’s no right or wrong way to frame a response. Nobody is perfect at this by any means. And it’s going to take trial and error, learning what works, and absolutely what doesn’t work too.
So, I think the first part is just acknowledging the frustration that your daughter might be going through, and a son could easily say this as well. Just acknowledging what they’re going through, their frustration, they’re upset. Normalizing that it probably feels like it’s out of your control or feeling out of control, especially during times like puberty or where there are developmental shifts that are happening that are, to an extent, out of our control.
And remind her that nobody likes every part of their body. The goal is, especially, if we’re thinking about, even in like long-term eating disorder recovery, nobody ever is going to love their body a hundred percent. There’s always going to be little things that they wish to change. But the hope is that they start to give the parts of their body that they don’t like, or in this instance, I hate my thighs. Trying to give the thighs less power and control. And asking her, “What do you value in your friends?” Try and kind of reverse the roles a bit. If your friend so-and-so said that they hated themselves because of this aspect of their body, would you still have that same reaction? Or would you tell that friend that your thighs are your thighs. They allow you to do really great things. And they allow you to run or play sports or run to give somebody a hug. I mean, these are really important things in life too. So I always remind parents, and encourage them, to help their kids reverse those roles a bit.
It’s important to remember that we have this very distorted view of ourselves that we truly, individually, will never be able to see what we look like. We can get feedback from other people. We can look in a mirror, but that’s only a reflection. We have 2D, 3D images, of course, and then other people to describe to us what we look like. But we never actually can see what we look like. And so I think that’s an important thing to remember, that when we think about the negative impact social media has on our body image, we’re trying to change something that we truly can’t actually see ourselves.
When we look back, we want to look back at our life and hope that our kids look back and say I spent my life doing the things I really loved, instead of I spent my life chasing this dream, a particular number or body shape, weight size, my teammate, my neighbor, my friend, my mom, but that I was just really happy in my body. And when I say really happy, it’s not all the time, but most of the time, and that it didn’t take away or interrupt from being able to just live an authentic life.
TrueSport Expert and licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Melissa Streno, addresses the impact of social media on body image and how parents can support their children as they navigate content, ask tough questions, and look for role models.
Learn more about Melissa Streno.
Hi. I’m Trevon, Trey, Jennifer. Team USA wheelchair basketball player, paralympian, and true sport athlete. Today, I want to talk to you about goal setting. And there are three things that I would like you to know. First, successful athletes set goals and a planned roadmap. Second, goals should be written down, assessed over time, and changed if necessary. And third, goals need to be challenging in order to be worthwhile. As a freshmen at Edinboro University, I was a part of a team that made the national championship game. And at that time I recognized I was the low man on the totem pole, but I felt in my heart that I knew my dreams were so much bigger than winning a national title. I wanted to make Team USA. I knew what achieving my lofty goal was not going to be easy and that I would need to work hard every day.
So, as a reminder, I created a pyramid of goals that I kept right above my bed. This pyramid reminded me of the accomplishments that I was working towards and visually represented my need to create a solid foundation underneath me before reaching the top. In the bottom roll of my pyramid of goals I listed goals such as obtaining my bachelor’s degree, becoming a scholar athlete award recipient, and becoming an All-American. The middle row listed winning a national title and playing for a professional team. And at the top row, the most challenging of them all, I listed becoming a gold medalist for Team USA.
By understanding that there are smaller stepping stones to achieving my ultimate goal of being on Team USA, I was able to stay motivated and to stay focused on completing the smaller stepping stones fully before moving onto the next one. Now I’ll be the first to admit that not every goal that I listed on my pyramid was accomplished, but seeing my goals every day when I went to bed, I was able to push through the days that I felt like doing nothing in hopes of achieving the bigger picture. Remember, create a clear goal roadmap, assess your goals often, and continue to challenge yourself. I hope that you never stopped dreaming big or reaching for the stars. And I look forward to seeing where your roadmap takes you.
Hi, I’m Kara Winger, Olympic javelin thrower, and true sport athlete. Today I want to talk to you about body image and I have three things I’d like you to know. First, healthy thoughts often lead to healthier bodies. Second, there are varying body types and no one’s body is exactly like another. And third, true beauty goes deeper than the skin. As a multi-time Olympian, I’ve experienced a lot of variation and progression in my training. My coaches and I adapt to my training frequently, all with the goal of supporting my long-term success and health in the sport of javelin. I’m talking to you about body image today because sometimes even with the best of intentions and a common goal in mind, the changes you make to your training habits can prove to be detrimental if made for the wrong reasons. In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic trials, I was told in order to improve my performance on the field, I should try to become a leaner, skinnier version of myself.
So I changed my diet. I went along with what I was being told to do, even though I’d had great success at a slightly heavier weight and higher body fat percentage, and became much leaner than ever before. It seemed like a successful change at first, but I didn’t have nearly the results I’d had before. And I believe becoming leaner than my body naturally wanted to be was what caused my ACL to tear. In the end, it cost me heavily going into the 2012 London games. The takeaway for me, and hopefully for you, is that it’s important to know what works for you and your body and to not compare yourself to others. You should do your research and experiment with your diet to find what makes you feel the best, rather than focusing on what you look like. Today, if I feel like having a chocolate chip cookie, I have one, just not every day.
I’ve learned what a properly balanced meal for my body looks like and I recognize food as the fuel that keeps me throwing. I hydrate and allow myself time to recover. And I listen to and communicate with my body so that I can be the best version of myself. In the end, you are in control of how you see, treat, and respond to your body. We only get one and it’s amazing to discover how many things our bodies can do. Be a true sport athlete. Love who you are in this moment and get excited for all the places your body will take you.
Hi, I’m Izy Isaksen, Team USA, Modern Pentathlon, Olympian, US Army Sergeant, and True Sport Ambassador. Today, I want to talk to you about being a good sport. There are three things I’d like you to know. First, real winners act the same toward their opponent, whether they win or lose. Second, follow the rules and be a gracious winner and respectful loser. And third, sportsmanship reveals your true character.
I started competing in Modern Pentathlon eight years after my older sister and three-time Olympian, Margaux Isaksen, began competing. I soon realized that people often compared the two of us. I would overhear spectators and teammates asking, “Who’s the better athlete,” and “Who’s going to beat the other.” Instead of letting outside pressures create a negative experience for us, I chose to practice winning and losing with grace and respect. I know that it would have been easy to let our hyper competitive mindset affect our relationship, but instead we decided to support and cheer for each other, regardless of our own performance. My experience of competing against and being compared to my older sister, taught me to focus on how to perform at my best, rather than putting wasted energy into wishing for others to fail.
I believe that sportsmanship reveals true character. So, no matter what situation I encounter during competition, I know it’s important to always treat people with respect and be a good sport. Remember, be a fierce competitor, find grace in all your victories and losses. And I hope to see you out there.
Edwin Moses: You’re a coach. Maybe what you want is very simple, for everyone to just run in the right direction, score for their own team, to try and try again and again. Maybe you want your athletes to become all stars. You want them to earn trophies, medals, win titles. You want them to reach the highest height their sport allows. And wanting all of that, of course, that’s good. But as every great coach discovers, developing a great athlete means nurturing, nurturing the even greater person within. Truth is, you have even more influence than you know.
You have the ability to affect even deeper change, to take what’s in your hands and do something even more extraordinary. You can be both the coach who provides the skills needed to win the game and the coach who helps them learn and succeed beyond the sport, to become all stars wherever they land in the future, and to enjoy their lives more now, because the confidence and courage they find working with you will stay with them when they need it the most. There are games to be won, lives to change. Coaches have the power to do both.
I’m Edwin Moses, and the lessons I’ve learned through sport have challenged me, guided me, and shaped my life forever. What kind of coach do you want to be?
At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. They seem safe and healthy, but just because the label says a product is a dietary supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether a product is safe or not just by looking at the label. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold. Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.
At the other extreme are products that contain drugs, stimulants, anabolic steroids, or other hormones. Even though these are not technically dietary supplements, many of them are labeled as supplements. For example, body-building products sometimes contain anabolic steroids or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, known as SARMs, or other hormones. Some pre-workout or energy products contain illegal stimulants like DMAA, ephedra, or other amphetamine-like stimulants. Weight loss products might contain prescription drugs like sibutramine, or hormones, like human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG. All natural or herbal sexual enhancement products might contain hormones or Viagra-like drugs. Products like these can harm your health and career, but they’re for sale online, in some nutrition stores, and they’re labeled as dietary supplements.
When you pick up a supplement, especially one that promises performance enhancement, you don’t know if it belongs in the “Mostly O.K.” pile or in the “Dangerous” pile. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids. Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories. We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories.
Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them. Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. Just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it is safe. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise. If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Please visit USADA’s Supplement 411 for more information about dietary supplements.
