Instagram has become one of the most popular platforms for people to post about their fitness habits.
From seasoned bodybuilders to everyday people trying to get into shape, Instagram allows anyone to share with the world what they are doing to better themselves physically. Given how widely used social media is, its no wonder why hundreds of fitness related Instagram accounts are created every day.
But why? Why is it that some people feel the need to post about their life at the gym for the whole world to see?
After all, it’s completely understandable why many people wouldn’t want to do such a thing. Many people would simply feel uncomfortable posting pictures to document their fitness lifestyle.
However, although this little social media niche might seem like an enigma to some, there are some reasons why people start fitness-related Instagram accounts.
1. Making connections
It’s no secret that social media such as Instagram has made making connections with like-minded people incredibly easy.
People love to talk about their passions with others and Instagram has given millions the ability to connect with people that share the same passions. That being said, for those who are excited about fitness, creating a fitness Instagram is an excellent way to connect with others who are also big into about fitness.
Whether it be by simply following other fitness accounts, commenting on accounts similar to yours or direct messaging fitness nuts like you, you can get yourself noticed by people that share your passion in a matter of seconds. Reaching out like this is an excellent way to bond and even keep you and your new fitness friends motivated.
By reaching out to a fitness account that you admire, who knows what might happen! You might even find yourself a mentor that can give you some actionable tips to step up your fitness game.
2. Money
Although you would be hard-pressed to find any major fitness Instagrammers that would say money is the main reason why they created their accounts in the first place, earning some income is undoubtedly one of the reasons why people make fitness Instagram accounts nonetheless.
There are few ways in which fitness Instagrammers can make a little money on the side or even a full-time income. Larger fitness Instagrammers sometimes promote paid workout programs, ebooks they have made, or even coaching services. However, one of the most common ways in which these accounts can earn a bit of cash is through promoting fitness related companies.
Apparel brands and supplement brands work with hundreds of Instagram accounts both large and small. In fact, Instagram accounts with just a few thousand followers can be eligible to become affiliated with these brands. Often times, these Instagram accounts will post about deals brands are having on products as well as product discounts as well.
By building a following and with the help of these brands you can benefit by earning a bit of cash on the side. It’s no wonder why thousands start Instagram fitness accounts in hopes of making some extra income!
3. Attention, status, and fame
After scrolling through various fitness Instagram accounts it may become clear to you that some accounts clearly enjoy posting for attention.
Models and bodybuilders often post attention-grabbing or even provocative photos that encourage their followers to like and comment. The more attention their accounts get, the more followers they can amass.
For instance, a female fitness model posting glamorous videos of her doing squats in a tightly fit bodysuit is likely to get a lot of attention…. potentially good and bad attention that is.
Just to be clear, I am not one to say that there is anything right or wrong with this approach at all! After all, one of the reasons why anyone would create any sort of social media account is to get noticed. That’s what social media is for after all.
4. Positive pressure and support from followers
One of the biggest reasons why people create fitness Instagram accounts is so that they can stay motivated by holding themselves accountable to their followers.
Think about it this way… let’s say you set goals for yourself to improve yourself physically but you don’t end up telling anyone about those goals and how you plan to achieve them. You may end up becoming complacent and end up not following through on those goals. If this happens the only person you would end up letting down is yourself, and you might be ok with that.
Now let’s say that instead of keeping your fitness goals to yourself, you decide to broadcast your plans to the world through a fitness-related Instagram. On this account, you might post your workout and your progress regularly. This changes the dynamic completely. Now, by giving up on your goals not only are you letting yourself down but you are also letting your followers down.
The point is that your followers can hold you accountable to your goals. You might be more likely to follow through on smashing your goals with an audience rooting for you to succeed.
5. For kicks and gigs
Some people create fitness Instagram accounts just for fun. Managing accounts like these can just be good entertainment.
For people that are really big into fitness, and already are active on social media, making a fitness Instagram account might seem like a no-brainer. After all, it is free to create an Instagram account, and it takes a matter of seconds to snap a photo, write a caption and upload the pic to your account. For someone who absolutely loves working out and spends a lot of time at the gym, creating a fitness-related Instagram account can be a fun and exciting thing to do on the side.
6. Documenting progress
Instagram, of course, is the go-to social media platform for posting pictures. Given that Instagram is such a visual platform, there is no better social media to document your fitness journey than Instagram!
People often like to create motivating fitness accounts to show their progress over the course of months or years as they make strides to hit their fitness goals. Weight loss transformation accounts, for instance, are quite popular. People that create these accounts often post pictures of themselves in the same poses regularly, perhaps on a month to month basis to show visually how much weight they are losing.
On the other hand, people with the goal of bulking may do the same thing to document how much muscle they are putting on overtime.
Regular posting like this not only is great for sharing fitness progress but it also helps the account owners keep track of their own progress. The support of your followers as you progress of course is a nice bonus!
7. Motivating others
People take pride in their fitness. Not only that but many also really enjoy helping others in reaching their fitness goals.
This is, of course, the reason why personal trainers create fitness accounts. After all, helping people reach their fitness goals is the job of a personal trainer. However, fitness fanatics that aren’t personal trainers also create fitness Instagram accounts for the same reason. They often love to engage with their followers and provide actionable tips to help them succeed. Because these Instagrammers know a good amount about exercise and nutrition and since they have the bodies to prove it, sharing that knowledge comes naturally. \
Many find it incredibly rewarding to help people take their game to the next level. Being looked up to for doing so by hundreds or thousands of followers is, of course, a nice bonus.
