Category Archives: Articles

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) has gained a lot of traction in the field of cognitive neuroscience. And that’s all well and good, but cognitive neuroscience is not something the average person regularly thinks about. Let’s look at some real-world applications of fMRI to my favourite subject area – body image and see what fMRI can add to this complex research area.

Social media is forms one of the cornerstones of modern society. It is extremely influential in our daily lives, and can be pivotal in disseminating news, public health advice and unfortunately, clownery. We’re going to break down why fReEdOm oF sPeEcH in the nutrition sphere is particularly harmful.

In an industry that values muscle over morals, physical capital is king. Physical capital is the currency of the fitness industry, and this can have some far-reaching consequences for trainers and their clients. What is physical capital, and is using your body to get ahead really all that problematic?

Night shifts offer a litany of nutritional challenges. Most research tends to focus on the nutritional practices of individuals during shift work. But what about when the titillating highs of being run off your feet in an understaffed hospital gives way to the sweet release of the almighty post-call day? Let’s talk nutrition, psychology and why on earth you chose shift work.

Everyone loves to hate a fitspo. Everyone also loves money. And the easiest way to generate content and subsequently revenue, is to pile on someone. And that someone just always happens to be a woman. The Problem with Cardio Carol Happen upon any male personal trainer with a TikTok and mammy issues and chances areContinue reading “The Lowest Hanging Fitspo: The Scapegoating of Females in Fitness”

As Ireland’s answer to Socrates, eminent philosopher and boyband superstar Ronan Keating once said, you say it best, when you say nothing at all. This was statement was obviously made in direct reference to individuals who comment on the weight or body shape of others. Unfortunately, not everyone listened to darling Ronan, so we’re in a bit of a mess. How do comments from others affect our body image? And what, if anything, can we do about it?

You may have heard the latest uproar on social media owing to a certain media outlet publishing an article heralding the return of Heroin Chic. This was immediately used for content by a rake of influencers. Some virtue-signalling, some actually trying to make a fair point. Swings and roundabouts. However, it got me thinking about what we replaced thinspiration with – fitsporation. And, it turns out they aren’t all that different.

Wanting to improve your body composition is not necessarily a bad thing. Indeed, we see many positives to health with an increase in muscle mass. However, when chasing muscularity goes too far, it can be detrimental to body image and overall health. What is this “drive for muscularity”, and why does it matter?

Supplements are everywhere, and they aren’t all effective. Deciding what to invest your money can be really confusing (wouldn’t be like nutrition companies to mislead the general public would it?). So, I think it’s important to have some general guidelines to go off – and hopefully save yourself from making the same financial mistakes I did *cries in BCAAs*.

As the old adage goes: if everyone else had body dysmorphia wouldn’t you? Social physique anxiety is unfortunately a global phenomenon, exacerbated by social media and an increasingly appearance-based society. So, what is social physique anxiety and is there really something wrong with you for caring what other people think of your body?