Fast Facts Friday: You Did Not Eat That

I've recently came across an account on Instagram called "You did not eat that" (check it out here). The basic idea of this account is that it calls out people who use junk food (like ice cream, donuts, macarons, etc.) as props to get more likes on their photos, particularly in the blogging world. If you've spent any time on Instagram going through some bloggers photos, then you know what I mean. Honestly, I applaud the person behind this account (who remains anonymous). I think it's about time someone calls people out, because it's causing a problem for the rest of the women in our society. So, why is it so wrong?

1) Basically, it's wrong because it's false. The struggle to lose weight or feel satisfied with body image is a real struggle for almost every single woman on this earth. Think it's not true? Think again. The problem with our society is that it does not matter how far we get in our weight loss/health journey, we always want to be better, therefore we are never satisfied. Our culture feeds us the lie that we must be smaller to be pretty, which is honestly just a giant load of crap to put it plainly. So when a tiny girl in a bikini gets in a picture that has a giant hamburger that looks like it's about to be devoured, obviously there's something wrong with the picture. It's telling us that she ate the hamburger, but by looking at her, you know she really did not eat that giant 1,000 calorie hamburger. It makes it look like you can eat a hamburger and look like her, when in reality, that's nearly impossible to do. So when someone trying to lose weight comes along and sees that picture and actually believes that the girl ate the hamburger, she'll get down on herself because she'll either eat it too thinking it won't affect her, or she'll wonder what's wrong with her that she can't eat that way and look like that girl in the picture. See the problem?

When you look at the picture above, you really see the problem, and you can especially see just how ridiculous it looks. We all know it's fake. Stop trying to fool people.

Again, a bit irrational to believe this. However, I'm sure she got tons of likes on her photo, because after all, it is cute, it just probably isn't quite accurate. (photo creds to "you did not eat that" on Instagram). I mean, notice how there are no actual bites taken out of either donut. 

Oh look, another dessert with no actual bite taken out of it. Seems to be pretty common (photo cred to "You did not eat that" on Instagram). 

If you want to read an interview with the owner of the "You did not eat that" account (which I highly recommend), you can read it here. 

2) So, why did I feel the need to make a post about this? I like to look at weight loss in a Biblical way. The Bible talks about how your body is a temple of God. If I'm stuffing my body with things that are bad for me, then I'm not honoring God with my body. If I'm not working out and trying to stay in shape so that I can do any labor intensive activity that God wants me to do, then I'm not honoring God with my body. However, if I am working out, eating healthy, and taking care of my body, then I am honoring God with my body, and nothing else matters. We are created in His image, and we are made in the exact way that God intended for us to be. If I'm following God's commands and honoring Him with my body and yet I still hate my body, then ultimately I am hating God, because He made me. Everything that God made He said was good, and that includes man and woman, meaning you and I. You are good and so am I, so why don't we all stop bashing each other with false pictures of bad food that misleads people and makes them feel bad about themselves? I would rather see a skinnier girl than me eating a salad than a cookie in a photo, because then it makes sense to me why she's small! Plus, if you are being healthy, then that's something to share with others! Bottomline, don't be fake! If you're a health nut and drink green smoothies for breakfast (totally guilty over here, I made an Instagram post on Tuesday about my breakfast smoothie), don't pretend to eat a donut. Simple.

3) On another note, if you post a photo and you actually did eat that cookie, maybe you should add a disclaimer if you're one to not eat hardly anything else in the day because of that one cookie. That's the other side of this problem. Some girls that are smaller simply eat only junk food, and just small amounts of it, and nothing else. First of all, that is not healthy. You size does not measure your health, and the sooner you figure that out, the better off you will be (literally, because healthy people will live longer). So, again, the basic idea here is that you do not want to be misleading. Most people view a cookie as dessert, but if that one cookie was actually your entire lunch, then maybe you should re-think making that post to Instagram that will make people believe things that aren't true. 

Now I don't want to seem like I am hating the people that make these posts, because more than likely they are NOT aware of the issues that may be rising from these photos. I simply want, along with the owner of the Instagram account "You did not eat that," to raise awareness of what the outcome of these photos might be.  I believe that people are ultimately good at heart, and so if they really understand what these photos cause, I believe they wouldn't happen anymore, or at least I like to think that would be the case.

What do you think about these photos? How do you feel about the messages they send? I hope everyone has a great weekend, and don't forget to follow me on GFC and Bloglovin! (plus, did you see that cool new facebook tab on the right!? You should definitely like my page!)

God Bless!

Hannah