Gaining weight social media craze may not be healthy, says expert

A popular social media campaign meant to celebrate weight gain and encourage people of all shapes and sizes to be proud of their bodies is causing concern for a local eating disorder expert.

While many on social media celebrate the new year by posting pictures documenting their weight loss, a Texas fitness trainer did the opposite — using the hashtag #GainingWeightIsCool, Arianna Dantone stitched together photos of herself before and after she gained the weight.

• Obese Canadians share experiences in social media campaign

That simple picture showing her satisfaction with her body quickly took off online. Since her Jan. 1 post, nearly 3,500 people with all types of body shapes and stories have posted images on Instagram under the same hashtag.

"This past year I've just really been focused on the year of loving myself again and figuring out that I'm still okay, even though I gained that 20 pounds," Dantone told CBC News.

Several people have been posting photos showing how much muscle they have gained, while some claim they have kicked eating disorders by posting comparison photos with the hashtag.

"Most of you who follow me probably already know my back story with anorexia, bulimia and body dysmorphic disorder," wrote an Instagram user with the username sherlockstyle. "I was dying from anorexia (a few weeks away from cardiac arrest), and lifting saved my life and gave me an incentive to recover and stay alive."

The owner of the account as since removed their post.

Fitness can mask eating disorders

But excessive fitness regimens can mask an eating disorder, according to Luciana Rosu-Sieza, executive director of Windsor's Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association.

Looking at the online posts, she said the before and after photos are still based on appearance. She's concerned people with eating disorders have just switched their fascination from eating to exercise, but still with negative results.

"With eating disorders, we know there's a lot of control around restriction and food, and now it seems it's transferring to exercise," she said. "It's focused on achieving gains, rather than health."

Hitting the gym for more intense workouts has become a new trend, explained Rob Maggio, a conditioning coach for Saints Athletics and manager at St. Clair College SportsPlex.

"People have more intense workouts these days," he said. "I do see people looking at training more athletically than ever before."

Just love your body

Dantone said she uses fitness as a way to overcome her struggle with body image and to recover from binge eating.

The first photo she used in her original post was from 2015. In 2014 she lost 20 pounds over six months while getting ready for a bodybuilding competition. But once it was over she gained the weight back in just three weeks and had trouble losing it throughout all of the following year.

"I feel society tells you: If you gain weight, that's bad," said Dantone.

Then came 2016 and Dantone decided to accept that she can gain weight and still be proud of her body.

"I thought, wow, I still look really good," she said. "I feel great, I look great, I'm happy."

When people started responding to her tweet with their own stories, Dantone was surprised.

"It's been incredible to see the amount of people that have participated," she said.

Dantone wants people to love their own bodies and accept what they look like, no matter the body type.

"When people love themselves they move to being more healthy, and I don't know how that could be anything bad," she said.

• MORE WINDSOR NEWS | Local business back on track after $5k of meat stolen
• MORE WINDSOR NEWS | OPP identify woman who died in Hwy 401 crash near London, Ont.