02/04/2026
Oh we are SO NOT back.
Skinny, Slender, DeBulking, SkinnyTok, Toned.
They can stay firmly in the past please 🫠
You’ve probably seen them floating round recently; because apparentlyyyyyyy smaller is more attractive again and makes you more valuable to the world 🫠
We spent so long going against this, fighting capitalism and working so BLOODY HARD to get away from these words.That smaller meant healthy, leaner meant better and your worth was determined by your body alone.
Then strong started to become the new hashtag trend. Strong Not Skinny became a thing. Also problematic? Because it tells us to find value in how our body looks, but other end of the spectrum.
I’ve fallen into both traps; aiming to be skinny, then on the flip thinking I was only fitness worthy if I looked like people I saw online telling me to be Strong Not Skinny.
Which can also be quite hard for naturally petite, smaller frames people.
This might ruffle a few feathers, but I don’t think we should be aiming for strong just to follow a trend.
Let me deinfluence you.
It shouldn’t be off the back of one trend. It also shouldn’t be just aiming to look strong. Aka aiming to be muscular in the right places, lean and like an Instagram fitness influencer ☝🏻
Because that promotes the idea that healthy and fit have a look. That you’re only fit, as long as you look a certain way.
Do I think we should be lifting and set performance strength goals? Of course!
But it should be measurable, based on wellness and from a place of improvement long term. Not just a trend. Language, intention and context matters!
We can aspire to be strong; but maybe we should also aim for true strength through resilience, a robust body, strong mindset, healthy, strong willed and not just to fit inside a social media “box”.
