Social media is a perpetuator of beauty expectations and standards, which can lead to unhealthy obsessions taking away meaningful moments between friends and family.
From October 1st to January 1st, the “Winter Arch” phenomenon takes over social media. It glamorizes excessive clean eating and working out, which, in theory, does not sound like a bad thing. However, this trend runs through the time of year when families and friends make memories around food, such as trick-or-treating, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
During this festive time of year, food offers a communal experience of enjoyment and celebration, bringing friends and family together. When at these gatherings, one should obsess over how they are going to burn the food off, rather than the time and thoughtfulness their loved one put into making the dish. Focusing on your consumption takes your attention away from what really matters: enjoying a meal with your friends and family.
While yes, working out and clean eating are undoubtedly good for you, they should not take over your life. If it does, this can lead to unhealthy relationships with food, possibly causing eating disorders. This trend pressures people to achieve that “hourglass body” and enter their “skinny era”, causing people to not love themselves and their body for who they are. When society glamorizes unhealthy habits disguised as ‘discipline,’ people begin to lose sight of their own worth. It perpetuates the glorification of being thin by making skinny an aesthetic, which creates a culture of comparison. So while it is easy to rely on others’ progress, it is important to remember that it is not worth harming yourself or your relationships to participate in this “Winter Arch” trend.
Especially during this time of year, one must remind themselves that not everything they see on social media is real. There have been many cases of influencers being caught or admitting to faking their workout routines. So instead of comparing your workout journey to an influencer, focus on yourself and your health.
This trend should not exist; instead, social media should highlight a mindset that focuses on wellness throughout the whole year, not excessive clean eating and working out for only four months. In fact, it is counterproductive to only engage in these habits for a limited time if people want to continue seeing results.
The holidays are meant to be a season of warmth, gratitude, and connection, not a time to hyperfixate on calorie consumption or gym hours. No social-media trend should dictate how we eat, move, or think about our bodies, so choosing presence over perfection protects ones well-being and their relationships. The Winter Arch should never overshadow the moments that actually matter.
