By NATALIA HAWK
Healthies are the latest thing pissing people off in the social media world.
In case you’re not familiar with the term “healthie”: think “selfie“, but with a uber-healthy twist. Pictures of smoothies, pictures of sunsets over beaches during early morning workouts, pictures of Nike frees on pavements and Lorna Jane fluro bras. Hashtags: #fitness #run #crossfit #goals #gym #bodypump #bodybalance #zumba #cleaneating #yoga #health #sweat #motivate #inspire #protein #superfoods #paleo #healthyeating #treadmill … want me to go on? I totally can, because I’ve seen enough of them.
You can’t stumble far into social media these days without seeing someone post a healthie. Instagram is the biggest culprit – a celebrity’s favourite place for posting evidence of their morning yoga routine, a friend’s preferred means of sharing the recipe for #paleobrownies – but Twitter and Facebook aren’t safe either.
And the haters are emerging. I’ve seen more and more people complaining about what they see to be narcissistic, self-obsessed, unnecessary photos. The Daily Mail wrote an article slamming various celebrities such as Miranda Kerr and Gisele Bündchen and their tendancy to take “oh-so-sickening” healthies:
Either taken by the celebrity themselves in a mirror or snapped by a willing friend, the main purpose of the ‘healthie’ seems to be to showcase the unfeasibly fine physique of the poster, or to let the world know what healthy food they are about to consume.
…However benevolent the motive, the healthie has the knock-on effect of making anyone not currently in a gym, hiking up a mountain or able to bust out a perfect Wheel asana feel slothenly.
To the Daily Mail – and all other haters – I’d like to say… haters gonna hate.
I like a healthie. And I’m not just saying that because I’m partial to an Instagram healthie myself. This is why:
Top Comments
If you don't like them don't look at them. The reason some people are jealous, angry and find them unnecessary is because they are so insecure and are feeling bad that instead of getting of their ass they are stalking celebrities! Use it as inspiration to make your life better and healthier! I'd much rather see a photo of you running than your kid or dog!
Reading some of the comments here I'm actually surprised at the level of cynicism. Don't view the world with a cynical filter. Respect that on social media (and in life!) everyone draws lines in different places - the best thing is you can set the balance and tone of your own life. Get off social media if you need to. Unsubscribe to certain people if you need.
The blanket 'external validation' or 'narcissism' comment is sad, and says more about the sayer than who they're saying it about. Sometimes it might be. Sometimes it's not. More likely, they want to record the moment for posterity, share with friends and fam across the seas, it makes them happy, helps self-motivation, or to bond with like-minded people. Who knows….but who are you to go pseudo-psychoanalyzing what people do or don't do on social media? You wouldn't want people doing that to you, so why so keen to do it to others? And we all know social media isn't real life - it only ever represents one small part of anyone's lives (I don't think anyone's trying to be disingenuous or un-authentic, it's just they share what they share and they don't what they don't. There's still a lot of life being lived offline lol!)
So I guess what I'm trying to say is live and let live. Be happy if your friends are happy. Don't be a hater.