Exercising has been called a double-edged sword for women when it comes to body image as some types of exercise seem to improve body esteem while others have the potential to lower it. In other words, from a psychological perspective, not all fitness approaches are the same.
A new study found that during exercise, in this case a 16-minute class, overall mood and body satisfaction improved, women felt even better if motivational comments about strength and health were made instead of losing weight. or change the appearance of one's body.
After taking the class, women reported more positive emotions and felt more satisfied with the shape of their bodies when the instructor said things like:“This exercise is crucial for developing leg strength, these are the muscles you really help run, jump, sprint like a superhero!” Those who were randomly assigned to the class in which the instructor made appearance-oriented comments such as, “This exercise melts fat in the legs, no more fat thighs for us! Get rid of that cellulite!” have not shown the same improvements.
“We also asked the women to write a list of three words that describe how they felt at the end of the lesson,” the author said. “Those who had heard appearance-oriented responses were much more likely to write things like 'ashamed' and 'disgusted with myself'. Those in the health-oriented classes were more likely to write things like "completed" and "strong." ”
"The women in this study all did the same exercises, in the same room, with the same music," the researcher added. “But modifying the script the fitness instructor used had a meaningful impact on how they felt about themselves afterwards.
