In society today the media misrepresents a lot of things giving people the wrong impression and false beliefs that something is what it isn’t or gives them the belief that they might be able to achieve something that is not very likely to be achieved. Media today is all about making money and trying to persuade people to consume as much as they can. The paper that you are about to read focuses on how the media incorrectly portrays weight lifting and working out in the gym in general. They show misleading photos and advertisement that could give a person the false impression that working out is easy and idea of the perfect body is only a couple pushups away. And also gender stereotype weightlifting makes females seem weaker and inferior to men in the weight room. After reading this paper there should be a better understanding of how the media incorrectly portrays these ideas.
First I’m going to focus on how the media destroys people motivation by displaying misleading photos in their advertisements. Most gyms, workout facilities, and athletic wear clothing get models that are very physically fit to advertise their company in their commercials which is understandable because you do want the best to advertise your product. But when using people that look like they have been in the gym working out for over ten years, it can be very discouraging to the person that is just trying to start working out. And even more discouraging most gyms will use models that use supplements that help improve their body size and strength. These photos give people the false impression that if they work out hard enough they can achieve the results as the photos they are forced to stare at every day. What a lot of people fail to realize is a lot of times ...
... middle of paper ...
... you see in the media and in the gym advertisement will be extremely difficult to achieve but not necessarily impossible.
Taking all this into consideration the goal of my paper is not to discourage you from working out, but rather inform you in the realities of weight lifting. The media and society continues you to fill out heads will lies about weightlifting weather its gender stereotypes and just the belief that one can achieve the stereotypical perfect body. There should be a greater understanding of how the media incorrectly portray weight lifting, working out, the idea of the perfect body and how society.
Work Cited
Brace-Govan (2004). Weighty matters: Control for women’s access to physical strength.
Sociological Review, 52(4), 503-531
Fink, J. W. (2012). Crunches Give You Six-Pack Abs -- And Other Exercise Myths. Current Health Teens, 38(8), 21-22.
Graydon, Shari. "How the Media Keeps Us Hung Up on Body Image." Herizons 22.1 (2008): n. pag. Web. 5 Mar 2010.
The movie, "Pumping Iron II" is an example of women doing bodybuilding which is considered a non-traditional sport. Images of muscular women are viewed by some people as threatening and imitating. The benefit of this non-traditional sport is that it forces us to question our thoughts about women and what they are. We must ask, what is a woman? Bodybuildi...
When people realize that maybe they are starting to become more overweight or gain a few pounds they may ask themselves, “Whatever I’m fine” or they might say, “Maybe I should start going to gym and exercise”. Those same people then go find a gym near their home, sign up for a gym membership, and maybe go for about a week. Then probably just quit after trying for a month. In the article “Why Exercise Won’t Make You Thin” published in Time Magazine on August 09, 2009 by John Cloud shows that exercise is not really needed. In this article Cloud describes to his readers his personal experience going to the gym and exercising. He believes that exercise is not worth the time and that it does not help people lose weight; it actually makes them gain weight and struggle even more. In the article Cloud connects with readers that either do not work out, or had the thought about working out. He
O’Dea, J. (1995). Body image and nutritional status among adolescents and adults. Journal of Nutrition & Dietetics, 25, 56-67.
Why is this topic of utmost importance? Undeniably, the media now has become an essential tool for everyone in this era, be it for information and social networking (Shakeel). However, it has also become a platform for people to look up to – for both the good and bad reasons. Generally, most females look to the media as an example for an “ideal” body image. If so, what are the impacts? To what extent does mass media contribute to negative perceptions of body image by females? Does the amount of time spent using the mass media contribute to females’ perception of their body image? What factors influence why some females are affected by the images of the media and some aren’t? This literatu...
The media plays a primary role in the mushrooming fascination between men and their body image. An article in the New York Times said, “G.I. Joes have morphed over the last three decades into muscle-bound hunks that can harm the self-esteem of boys...” (Santelmo). Kids are more likely to develop a hero from someone close to them or someone they know about. Why not look up to the 26.8 inch biceps of the G.I. Joe Extreme? There have also been an increasing number of sleek male magazines. Included are photos of male models wearing only boxers or briefs which have 6-pack abs and a broad chest. Similar to the latest G.I. Joe, extreme bodybuilders are also a popular commodity of the magazines, flexing and grinning with barbarian-sized muscles. The common male might say, “I want to look like that.” The concept of these images is not entertainment, but is influence towards a ridiculous ultimatum, like “I have to be in s...
Schillinger, Dawn. “Boost Your Students’ Self-Esteem”. American Fitness Jan/Feb 2002. Vol. 20. Issue 1. 40- 44.
Deanne Jade believes that the media does its part to keep us informed on "valuable information on health and well-being," (Jade 8). I agree however I feel that is done in such a manner that girl feel as if they must exhaust the media’s advice on fitness and health and use these methods in order to obtain the picture perfect body image that they see on TV and in magazines. A cou...
Dworkin, Shari L. and Faye L. Wachs. 2009. Body Panic : Gender, Health, and the Selling of Fitness.New York: New York University Press.
Dittmar, Helga. "How Do "body Perfect" Ideals in the Media Have a Negative Impact on Body Image and Behaviors? Factors and Processes Related to Self and Identity." : Sussex Research Online. N.p, 6 Feb. 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
Some people do not know all that much about exercise and dieting. They do not know healthy ways to eat, and they don’t realize that one can’t get the “Perfect Body” in just a few days. These people are possibly victims of Fitness Myths. “In 2002, the Federal Trade Commission released a report that shared a review of 300 weight-loss ads promoting 218 different products. They found the rampant use of false or misleading claims” (FTC, 2003) Misleading fitness products can be particularly damaging. If one is mislead into purchasing a product and the product doesn’t work as it was advertised, not only have you wasted your money, but also the product may have physically hurt your body. FTC chairman Timothy Muris talks about the advertising and promotion tactics of the fitness industry “ads that make claims and promises that are clearly implausible and patently false run in all forms of media, with the notable exception of network TV” (FTC, 2003). Misleading advertisements are common among all forms of media. Although TV commercials may be more powerful in their persuasion, an obvious reason for this is that TV advertisements show more misleading commercials. A technique frequently used in commercials to make them seem credible is that “many deceptive ads run in highly respected publications and they are perceived to be credible”(FTC, 2003). Therefore if the TV program you are watching, while the commercial is being played, seems credible, consumers tend to believe that the products advertised during the episode are also trustworthy.
In our ever-changing society, the one common thread that now every American seems to possess is a desire to have a body that is not hour-glass (1950’s) nor waifish (1990’s), but one that is lean, trim, and can physically go the “extra mile”. I speculate that the all-around athletic look is so popular because it is probably one of the hardest body types to achieve. In earlier times, hour-glass figures were the product of genetics and corsets, and the emaciated Kate Moss look could simply be achieved by starvation. To be physically fit inside and out is something that every person can control and achieve, but only through strong self-discipline. “The $52.9 billion fitness industry is constantly coming out with activities and products designed to get and keep us interested in working out” (Whigham-Desir 84). Two of these types of work-outs, specifically Tae-Bo and Spinning, were created just for the purpose of keeping “us” interested in working out. Despite this revolution in the fitness industry, many false preconceived notions about losing weight persevere and impede the movement.
Bodybuilding is a practice where through dieting and strengthening individuals enlarge the muscles of their body. Consequently, there are many health risks associated with bodybuilding. It takes a very big toll on a person’s health, not just physically, but mentally as well. For many years the sport of bodybuilding has been male dominated but in the last few decades, female bodybuilding has been making an appearance within the industry. Many believe that female bodybuilding is an act of feminism because it represents the transgression of the social constructs of gender roles such as what it means to be a woman and how a woman should look. For female bodybuilders, it allows them to take charge of their mental well-being and feel empowered.
Women and girls seem to be more affected by the mass media than do men and boys. Females frequently compare themselves to others, finding the negative rather than looking at the positive aspects of their own body. The media’s portrayal of the ideal body type impacts the female population far more than males, however, it is not only the mass media that affects women, but also influence of male population has on the female silhouette too.
. Romo, Samantha. "As Body Image Issues Grow in Society Be Aware of Medias Influence." The Crimson White 7 Mar. 2012: n. pag. Print.