Will Looking at Images of Fit Women Help Black Women to Lose Weight?

Cross-posted at Beyond Black & White

What is Fitspiration?
Based on what I have read online, "fitspiration" or "fitspo" is the process of creating, collecting, watching, and reading things that will inspire you to become physically fit. It can include collecting photos of fit women, making and watching videos, collecting and sharing inspirational quotes, and creating inspirational online posters combining images and quotes. I'm talking only about fitspiration not "thinspiration" where girls/women collect and share images and quotes of underweight women to support their eating disorder. This post is NOT about thinspiration or that pro-ana stuff, fat acceptance, or feminism. It's about inspiring yourself to become really fit using motivational images.

So I have decided (once again) that I want to become one of those really fit people and lose 20-30 pounds to look my best and be healthy (Whatever the reason you have for eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, the results are still going to be the same...better health and better looks. So no need to fuss about why you want to do it, just do it!). So, along with calisthenics, I plan to do 10,000 steps on the treadmill daily while I watch something on the computer. But I wanted to watch something inspiring instead of just TV shows and movies.

So I thought it might be helpful to look at fitspiration videos! I collected a bunch of them on YouTube...actually I collected over 170 that adds up to 8 hours of video! I started exercising and watching the videos and noticed there were very few Black women in them. So I searched for some with Black women and only came up with a handful. This is not a complaint post and I am just as motivated looking at non-Black women. It motivates me because by eating right and exercising I will be a fit, slimmer version of myself, able to run better and dance better, and I will healthier. I will be a part of the same lifestyle even though I don't look exactly like them. I don't get fixated on seeing someone looking exactly like me or "trying to be someone else", I'm more motivated by the control, dedication, attitude, and proof that a healthy lifestyle is possible and beneficial.

Would Black Women Benefit from More Fitspiration?
I'm wondering if BW seeing more fitspiration would inspire them to become healthier and fitness-minded? Maybe because a lot of the BW we see around us and in the media are overweight, or just not involved in fitness, maybe that makes us think it's not a lifestyle for us (i.e., fitness is for White people). Maybe if there were more of us in Nike commercials that would actually make a difference (I'm just not into looking like Serena). Maybe if we were in more of the fitness and healthy eating commercials and magazines then we would think that lifestyle was for us. No, I'm not using this to start a petition of athletic/fitness/health product companies, I am using it to understand why BW may not think about diets, healthy eating, and becoming gym rats the way White women do. If it's due to lack of media images then I'll have to collect those images myself and expose myself to them! I'll have to frequent fitness websites and videos regardless of race and have this lifestyle etched into my consciousness so that I want to achieve it all day every day.

I accept that 99% of the young women who make fitspo videos are White so they choose other White women for their videos so that doesn't bother me and I won'r complain to them. Could it also be the case that they couldn't find many images of fit Black models (e.g., bikini models, fitness models, dancers etc.)? The collected images are from magazines and advertisements posted online, or even photos fit women take of themselves so maybe there are just not many images of fit Black women available? My first instinct was to search Google images, Tumblr, and Pinterest to find images and make my own videos. But I changed my mind because there are a lot of things I want to do so I'll leave it up to someone else for now..hint hint! Below are two examples of Black fitspo videos and I prefer the first one. Here are two examples of  White Fitspo videos:  video1 and video2. I didn't make any of these videos and they have some images I don't like too, but they are good enough :)


By a man who likes fit Black women!




I wasn't inspired by this video. This might be by a man too!

There were a few videos of fit Black women, but when I compared the Black videos to the White videos there were some differences that made them less motivating to me and possibly a turn off to some women:

1) The Black videos featured a lot of body builders who were way to muscular and this would turn off any woman who doesn't want to look like that. On the other hand most of the the White videos had some fitness models (slimmer with less muscles) or women who looked like models and dancers.
2) The Black videos  featured a lot of athletes especially track stars during competitions so they were not made up, with their hair done, posing to look perfect, or perhaps Photoshopped. So a physically attractive BW with some extra pounds might actually think she looks better than the fitspiration women. The White videos had more professional models looking their best, in the most flattering poses, and probably Photoshopped to make them look even more perfect. They had attractive bodies AND faces unlike in the Black videos.
3) The most motivating and attractive Black women were actually featured in videos made by MEN for MEN and not labeled fitspiration! I could tell that the White thinspiration videos were made by women. The male influence may bother some women (it doesn't bother me though).
4) On the positive side, many of the White videos had women who were very underweight and celebrities who have reported having eating disorders so I don't want to watch those videos. Fortunately I didn't see any such women in the Black videos so that's a good thing.

For the Fitspiration Critics
I don't know if fitspiration is right or wrong, but it exists and I think it will help me. Some people don't like fitspiration (e.g., those who only support "self-motivation" with no looking at other people for inspiration to do anything, and those against trying to improve your physical appearance for any reason. For example article1 and article2...objectification blah blah blah). Others think it's obsessive and are fearful that if they start dieting, eating healthy, or working out that they will become addicted and end up with anorexia or doing crazy things to get thin. Others feel bad about themselves when they see fitspo because they think it is impossible to achieve and don't see the value of even trying. So if you are fragile, have a history of eating disorder, know you have the tendency to go overboard and do crazy things, and if fitspo makes you hate yourself then it's definitely not right for you. But for those of us who know they will never try to starve themselves, don't want to look like waifs, and trust themselves to not go overboard, then fitspiration may be a helpful tool to help you achieve your fitness goals. It doesn't make me feel bad because I know I can do it and I have in the past so it's attainable. I don't think "fitspiration is something only White girls do and they all have eating disorders". I think to myself, 'A lot of White girls and other people seem to be able to keep their weight down and are into healthy eating and fitness. They seem to be getting benefits for their actions so maybe I should get some of those benefits for myself! If it works for them maybe it will work for me and if they can do it, then I can do it because they are not better than me.'

Some BW will insist that BW are genetically predisposed to be fat, being thin is Eurocentric so Black women shouldn't bother with it, and you can be fit and fat etc. I don't listen to that stuff because it will sabotage my goals of being super fit and hot! I'm just going to believe that we're overweight because we are too sedentary, eating too much convenient but unhealthy and calorie dense processed food, and eating restaurant food too often (if it was just genes then BW in the 60s, 70s, and 80s would have the same weight problems we have today). Cut all of those things out and the weight will come off. I choose to believe that and work to get in shape rather than complaining, thinking I'm supposed to be overweight, or not doing anything.

P.S. Not sure how this one will fly. This is one woman's opinion. Please don't fear that this one post will suddenly make all Black girls anorexic and permanently self-loathing. Remember if you read fitness magazines, do exercise DVDs, or see commercials then you are being exposed to fitspo so I didn't really introduce you to something new. The post was about looking at photos of fit women that other people have posted online. If you don't want to look at them you don't have to. If you don't want to get fit you don't have to.

Online Weight Lost Tools, Fitspiration Sites, and Related Articles
My Fitspiration Playlist (I haven't watched all the videos so save the playlist to your own account and edit out the ones that you don't like and those that have unhealthy images).
Zuzana Light (formerly on BodyRock TV, she motivates me like crazy)
Sparkpeople.com (free fitness and meal tracking with many features, cell phone app available)
http://blacknfit.tumblr.com/ (not bad but it included men)
Black women do work out 
Fit is the new black
http://fitspiration.tumblr.com/
http://pinterest.com/theniceblog/fitspiration/
http://pinterest.com/jbeard1/fitspiration/
Google images for Black women fitspo
The miseducation of fitspo: Why these sites can help you meet your goals

Bellydance for Femininity, Weight Loss, and Fitness

I'm going to take up bellydancing to improve my feminine movement and allure. I also want to do it for fun, weight loss, and exercise. It will be a hobby and I can actually use some of the moves when I go out dancing.  I have had bellydance fitness tapes for a long time so I'm going to bring those out again. But to start I think I'm going to try some free videos online. I like the movements in belly dance and the costumes. It is so feminine! I spoke about wanting to take up a dance before in Feminine dances I want to learn, Lessons we can learn from Brazilian women, and Instantly improve your posture. I actually went to one session of a ballroom dancing class. But I only went once because the class was full of creepy guys I really didn't want to dance with. So I've decided on a solo dance instead. Maybe in the future I will actually pay to take a real class.



A reader suggested before that I watch some Bollywood films for lessons in femininity. I haven't watched one yet but I watched some videos on YouTube. I do like some of the dance moves because some are very much like belly dance moves. Some of the music is okay, not my favorite (because it's hard to enjoy when I can't understand the words), especially when the women are singing really high. But watch this video of Bollywood music scenes and this VIDEO (so cheesy...well maybe it's a comedy), and Bollywood Ladies video.



Do you see the difference between these videos and the ones by Black women in  R&B, hip hop, and pop videos? All of Ciara's videos, like 'Ride' and 'Oh' come to mind (not ladylike at all...gross). Even though there is some skin showing I still think that the women are not being vulgar or overly sexual. They are being more flirty and mysterious. I'm guessing this is due to a low tolerance for overtly sexual women in their culture (aside from the Kama Sutra lol)? Plus a lot of the time the women are smiling too and that seems to make things less sexual. Hmmm...maybe that's the difference between the sleaziness of strippers when compared to burlesque dancers, there's just something there that's more artistic and less vulgar. For some reason the men in these videos look so corny though! I think this is part of the reason why I'm not a fan of musicals. I just always find the music scenes to be corny and the men look silly. It also really stands out for me now that I don't like mustaches! Maybe some stubble or a really short beard but I am not attracted to mustaches on their own lol.

Well I guess the Indian ones aren't technically music videos. There have been some recent Black musicals like Sparkle, Joyful Noise, and Dreamgirls, but I'm drawing a blank about whether there are any Black musicals like the Bollywood films (my mind may just be asleep). Oh, I think Idlewild was sort of a musical wasn't it? But what about some like the regular musicals where they are not about musicians at all and they just start singing and dancing out of the blue? What would they be like? There are so many Black dance movies but I can't think of the musicals right now. That could be an interesting idea.

I also found a video channel by a Black woman named Tiffany Rothe who has a bunch of short exercise videos (around 10 minutes each) that seem like fun. Any exercise is better than nothing and you can break up your 30 minutes a day into 10 minute segments if that is more convenient. I love making use of free things. I really have no excuse not to use these videos for 10 minutes at a time. Here is a link to her 10 minute beginners ballet video.


This is a Brazilian exercise video. Part II

P.S. This is a totally unrelated topic but I just finished watching the show Suits and I LOVE it! Gina Torres is GORGEOUS on that show and I'm glued to the screen whenever she is on. I just wish she would get some romantic action (I want her and Harvey to start something). Plus Meghan Markle is on the show and she is actually part-Black and is the desired and sought after female on the show. Their wardrobe is totally my style and it's pencil skirts and dresses and feminine tops every episode! Excellent EBW role models in my opinion.

I just started watching Eureka and I'm really liking that too! It's pretty funny and Salli Richardarson-Whitfield is on it and she is so beautiful it's just nuts. I'm just on season 1 but there is romantic tension between her and two men on the show! The woman is 44 and Gina Torres is 43 and they are both so fit but not scary underweight. They are all the motivation I need to keep up my looks and figure. Also Vanessa Williams, Gabrielle Union, and Meghan Good are all coming out with new shows and OMG I think Scandal is starting up next week!!!!

Elegant African Women

I found a few videos of African model photo shoots. I think the clothing is so beautiful and feminine. They have the same skin as Western Black women. Of course these are models so they are unusually tall and thin and there are African women who are overweight. I don't think these models are as emaciated as Western high fashion models though (which is good because curves are feminine) Do you think people would treat us better if we looked like this?

Is a lot of the criticism thrown at Black women because of our weight? We definitely don't want to develop eating disorders, go on unhealthy yo-yo diets, or take dangerous pills but we should not purposefully try to look 'thick' either. We need to be healthier and physically active and find a balance while avoiding the extremes. I think EBWs really need to embrace healthy lifestyles, focus less on getting pleasure from fatty or sugary foods, and stop worrying about ruining our hair if we get sweaty. I exercise regularly and try to eat healthy as much as possible. I'm not perfect but it's always a priority for me...is a healthy lifestyle a priority for you? Would you want to look like one of these models or do you think that would be impossible? Is it dangerous to even look at models when discussing healthy lifestyles?

This also made me think about who Black women look up to as role models. My parents are from the Caribbean, but I don't pay much attention to that culture. Would Western Black women and EBWs be better off looking at African and Caribbean women as models of femininity? They are Black after all. There is a whole film industry in Nigeria with plenty of Black actresses but I have no idea if the women portrayed would be good role models or not. Does it matter if the women live in a different culture or is it good enough that they look like us? I'm going to look more into the feminine mannerisms of African and Caribbean women and I'll write about what I find :)