“So… I’ll be doing 50 squats a day from now on. 25 in the morning and 25 in the evening,” proclaimed my sister, Narvina. “I just did my morning set in the restroom.”

“How did you pull that off…?” Inquiring with a look of puzzlement on my face, I envisioned the tiny, rectangular four by six foot New York City bathroom we share. It’s not exactly an adequate space to knock out a quick a.m. sweat.

“I just did them over the toilet seat. I always thought it was the perfect height for a squat.”

Today, more than ever, I believe that physical perfection has become somewhat of an obsession. Perfect hair, the ripped body, flawless melanin skin…everyone seems to be attempting to give Naomi Campbell and Tyson Beckford a run for their money. But as we all know, most things that are obsessed heavily, usually turn into fads (hello stone-washed jeans and Hervé bandage dresses). As of now, it feels like many are crazy about transforming their bodies into impeccable works of art. When did this all come about, and why?

“Image is everything,” says Tre' Lynn, a certified fitness trainer and co-founder of TXFIT, a lifestyle brand based in Houston, Texas. “Being healthy should be the foundation, but I can honestly say it’s more than just health.” I second that.

There has been a slow, but steady, rise of interest in being fit. According to a recent report from the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), the trade association that serves the global health club and fitness industry, total health club visits annually in the United States increased by 25% since 2009. I’ve contributed to that bump along with many of my family and friends. My personal reasoning was to look my best to become a “pop star” (I pursued a maze of a music career for many years), but I wasn’t the only one who realized he was on display.

Social media gave us a platform to share more of ourselves to the world, and as we became savvier to the workings of the self-curated sites, we realized that our best selves were best suited to share. That’s proven to be clear when looking at the early days of Instagram; almost 60% of users put a filter on their photos. It’s a constant stream of content that is archived forever, so quite naturally, we have all started to find room for self-improvement.

Tre’ agrees. “Social media is definitely an influencer. When the entire world, if you allow, can see your every move, you want to make sure your physical appearance is up to par. It’s such an influence to the point that you can sometimes forget about your natural beauty and become overly dependent on filters.”

“Fitness is the new black,” my sister stated that morning during her bathroom gym experience. A few scrolls through the most popular social sites and you’re bound to see many images of people you know ripping it in the gym. Then there are the celebs and “thirst-trappers” vying – often times successfully – for all of our attention. This sensory overload of flat stomachs and fat asses seems to have motivated many to stop spectating and start participating, suddenly trading the Double Quarter Pounder meal for the NordicTrack treadmill.

Could these daily streams of images also create a fear of losing attained perfection? Tre’, who was chubby as a kid, but has honestly never been overweight, reveals, “I’m terrified [to not be fit one day],” he laughed. “I would have to say that’s what drives me to keep pushing. What scares me the most is letting my family and friends down, whom I’ve inspired over the years.”

And speaking with Narvina, my sister who is 129 pounds and, like Tre’, has never experienced serious weight issues, also fears the idea of not having her best body. “I don't know why I'm scared of getting fat. None of our parents are, but I just want to fit in cute clothes. I want the clothes that fit me to be cute. Maybe my reasons for getting fit are vain? It doesn't matter because I'm still doing it for me."

I can't disagree. If making our bodies, within safe measures, as great as possible is resulting in people being happier, healthier and treating others better, maybe this is a fad that should stick around for a while longer.

physical health

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