History of Fitness Media

How fitness became an integral part of our society and the history of fitness media.

The “take-off” of fitness media began in the 1970s with the rise in cultural interest in fitness. At the time, interests in self-improvement arose along with an emphasis on individual responsibility. With a long history of physical culture in our society, the body was targeted as an area to be easily self-enhanced and improved through individual choice and personal responsibility. Cultural interest in physical fitness in the 1970s made way for the rise in fitness media (Maguire). When society is interested in something, the media needs to report on it and can make lots of money in doing so. Media has the power to reach millions of people and promote socio-cultural ideas and that is what it did (Tiggemann & McGill). People turned to the media as they searched for ways to improve because it was so accessible. Media must cater to the interests of society and that is what it did with fitness. Magazines and TV talked about fitness and used their platforms to motivate people to exercise and give tips and tricks.

Media targeted groups by offering ways they could help them improve fitness. The reason people turn to media for guidance is because “the more we are free, the more we turn to stability and security,”(Maguire). Throughout the mid-twentieth century, women specifically had become more in control of their bodies and free from societal constraints, but this meant they sought out guidance. As early as the 1940s, women were encouraged to embrace fitness, and combined with the promotion of self-improvement and individualization, fitness was sought out. Women were finally looking to invest in themselves and given an avenue to create opportunities for empowerment through fitness. There were new opportunities for women to invest in themselves, but they had to find a balance between work, life, relationships, and more so they turned to media for advice and guidance (Maguire). Thus, the media provided.

"To work on the body is to transform oneself." (Maguire)

As more women began to enter the workplace the idea that a good physique and attractive appearance can help individuals succeed and gain social capital arose. The body started to be seen as physical capital. The body’s shape, size, and ability could all be used for economic or social gain. This placed more pressure on individuals to invest in their bodies through exercise, dieting, cosmetics, fashion, and more (Maguire). There was this idea that “To work on the body is to transform oneself.” Once specific value was placed on the body’s appearance, fitness magazines could better advertise and give advice, tips, and techniques knowing it would be consumed. This is when the emphasis on appearance and catering to the consumer who wanted to look their best took off. Between the 1980s and the 2000s, press coverage of fitness multiplied by six. Early on language such as “Get ready for bikini season in six weeks!” or “Lose those love handles!”, were used in fitness media; this language is still seen in fitness media today (Maguire).

Not only were individuals’ feelings more empowered and looking for self-empowerment, but around the 1970s, there was a greater awareness of health issues and diseases. People were living longer which came with health woes such as chronic illness and degenerative diseases. It was widely accepted that people needed to adopt healthier lifestyles to avoid illness (Maguire).

All around the 1970s, there was this desire to look good, stay youthful, be healthy and reduce the risk of chronic disease; interest in appearance in industries and places of work, as well as a rising culture that placed economic and social values on appearance (Maguire). All of this led to the increased fascination in fitness and the desire to be fit and look good. This interest and drive in our culture led to the rise of fitness media as it was an obligation to the consumer.

Maguire, Jennifer Smith. Fit for Consumption: Sociology and the Business of Fitness.

Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group, 2008.

Tiggemann, Marika and Belinda McGill. “The Role of social comparison in the effect of

magazine advertisements on women’s mood and body dissatisfaction. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, vol. 23, no.1, 2004, pp. 23-44. https://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu:4158/doi/pdfplus/10.1521/jscp.23.1.23.26991