Gyms can provide a great opportunity for exercise, muscle gains, or even socializing—so why would working out ever be a bad thing? As beauty standards increasingly prioritize muscle, gym culture has taken the internet, the food industry, and the minds of many adolescents by storm. At Boulder High, 68.3% of a 79-student sample report attending the gym at least once a week, with a whopping 32.9% reporting attendance 4 or more times each week. Although this may seem like a positive trend that can boost the health of teens and young adults, it comes along with various toxic attributes.

For one thing, gym and diet culture are commonly intertwined. Diets aren’t inherently harmful, of course, but they are infamous for their ability to lead to serious body image and health issues, particularly in youth.  Arguably, the most famous fitness-related diets are bulking and cutting, where an individual alternates between increased caloric intake for the purpose of gaining maximum muscle mass and decreased caloric intake for fat loss and “toned” muscles. Despite its popularity, this cycle can often be harmful. A 2022 study published by the National Library of Medicine observed the behaviors of adolescents and adults who regularly work out, and found that those who engage in bulk and cut cycles were significantly more likely to display both eating disorders and muscle dysmorphia than those who don’t. This can be particularly dangerous for adolescents, as, according to Denver Health, teens should avoid restrictive or fad diets to avoid health complications. Despite this risk, 50.1% of Boulder High sStudents report that they have engaged in either cutting and/or bulking at some point in their life.

This fixation on fitness that many of Gen-Z have developed is no surprise when put into the context of ever-changing beauty standards. In 2002, website?  print? ScienceDirect found that the muscle size of male action figures at the time had significantly increased in comparison to 25 years prior, suggesting an increasing societal emphasis on muscles in male physique. As action figures and superheroes often serve as role models for young kids, it’s not hard to imagine the effects this could have on developing minds and their future fitness habits. Although this study is quite outdated, it seems to still ring true to this day, as protagonists in media are depicted as increasingly muscular as time goes on. A prime example of this is the popular Marvel character, Wolverine. Hugh Jackman has played this character multiple times over the years, and his 2024 depiction of Wolverine has noticeably more defined and larger muscles than in 2000. This change signifies the constantly increasing emphasis on muscularity in beauty standards. Jackman himself has stated that he went to extreme lengths to obtain his body type for the 2024 film, Deadpool and Wolverine, including eating five to six meals a day prior to filming, and abstaining from drinking water for up to 36 hours before some scenes – think bulging veins. Despite this lifestyle being objectively unhealthy and unrealistic, the “Wolverine Physique” has become the goal for many gym-goers, and a quick YouTube search yields a multitude of Wolverine-inspired workout and diet regimens.

With unrealistic role models like superheroes and bodybuilders, it’s no wonder so many people looking to gain muscle develop body-image issues. When asked their main motivation for going to the gym, the most popular answer among Boulder High sStudents was for physical appearance, weighing at 35.4% of all responses. Although there is nothing wrong with putting in the effort to improve one’s physical appearance, it can be harmful if it becomes obsessive. A cross-sectional study conducted by the National Library of Medicine in 2022 concluded that the quantity of “fitspo” content (online content that is meant to inspire fitness, such as exercise and a healthy diet) consumed by an individual is positively correlated with that individual’s levels of both body dissatisfaction and muscle dysmorphia. When these symptoms become extreme, those affected may turn to extreme measures like disordered eating habits, obsessive workouts, or steroids.

A study titled “Gym Users and Abuse of Prescription Drugs” (add source) found that between 2.7% and 2.9% of young adult Americans have taken steroids at least once in their life, which rises to between 15% and 30% when specifically considering those who regularly attend the gym. Luckily, the rate at which high schoolers report having used steroids is significantly lower, at, according to Statista, a proportion of .9% as of 2025. However, this number has risen from 0.4% in 2021, a trend directly correlated with the Google search, “gym membership,” which has increased by 30% since 2021. This suggests that interest in working out is related in some way to the use of steroids.

Of course, the gym isn’t all bad, and can come with many benefits, like improved physical health, mental health, and sports performance. However, it’s important to acknowledge the numerous downsides associated with working out, particularly when it comes to toxic diet trends or obsessive behaviours regarding body image. Although being “shredded” or “toned” may seem to be healthier on the surface than some other beauty trends, it’s still a beauty trend at the end of the day, and is often unattainable or poses negative health risks. Next time you see a high-protein Pop-Tart at your local supermarket or a YouTube video promoting “the perfect workout for a six-pack,” keep in mind that a fad is a fad, whether it’s presented under the guise of fitness or not.