A healthy lifestyle is more multi-faceted than what you see on social media, and it requires a good balance to maintain

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 While "healthy" is a term that gets thrown into conversations regularly, its flippant versatility can be confusing. If you search Instagram, you'll find insight into what society collectively considers the healthy ideal: fitness models behind filters, bodybuilders and their supplements, detoxing and fad diet claims, the virtues of “clean-eating,” and an extreme amount of juicing. You get the picture—you’ve probably seen the pictures, too. 

Researchers pinpoint some major problems with this near-constant imagery. First, media (particularly social media) plays a huge role in shaping what behaviors people consider important to reach a certain goal. But since these behaviors prioritize physical appearance, they’re generally linked with negative psychological effects and poorer physical health outcomes

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How to Know It’s Time for a Change

“People know their bodies best, so if something feels off, it’s important to look at your lifestyle habits and be honest about changes that may need to be implemented to help improve our health and lessen our risk of chronic health conditions,” encourages a lot.