What is toxic fitness culture? How long has it been around? And what’s the antidote for all this toxicity? Those are the questions Jen and Alex seek to answer in this episode of the podcast. They trace the roots of modern-day toxicity in U.S. fitness culture back to the turn of the century, though you could probably go back further. From early purveyors of diet and fitness routines, to bodybuilding culture in the 70s and 80s, to Instagram, Jen and Alex discuss some of the common themes they see in relation to fitness culture: the desire for unattainable body aesthetics driven by mass media and timeless marketing tactics.
PF Episode 4: Toxic Fitness Culture: A Brief History