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You\u2019re scrolling through your social media feed and notice a friend looks much thinner than they did a few months ago. Your coworker mentions she\u2019s just \u201cnot hungry anymore.\u201d Your group chat is dissecting a red carpet photo, concerned about their favorite (shrinking) actress. If it feels like everyone around you is quietly getting smaller, you\u2019re not imagining it: About 11 percent<\/a> of Americans are on a GLP-1, and the trend is reshaping how many people feel about their own bodies\u2014even if they\u2019ve never touched a GLP-1 themselves.<\/p>\n \u201cOver the last decade, we\u2019ve made meaningful progress around body neutrality<\/a>, reducing weight stigma, and recognizing that health is about much more than a number on the scale,\u201d says Danielle Dow, LPC, a body image therapist at Mountain Top Counseling in Pennsylvania. But within the past few years, \u201cGLP-1 medications have become increasingly common, and with that has come a renewed cultural obsession with thinness.\u201d<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Danielle Dow<\/a>, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor and body image therapist at Mountain Top Counseling in Pennsylvania. Alexa Keramidas<\/a>, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and owner of Interconnectivity Psychological Services in Chicago. Debra L. Safer<\/a>, MD, is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford Medicine.<\/p>\n As a reminder, GLP-1s<\/a> are a class of medications that help lower blood sugar levels and reduce your appetite, causing you to eat less. The meds can be life changing, especially for those with type 2 diabetes, PMOS<\/a> (formerly known as PCOS), obesity, and other metabolic conditions. \u201cThe problem isn\u2019t the medication itself; it\u2019s what happens when a legitimate medical treatment becomes absorbed into diet culture, celebrity culture, and social media,\u201d Dow says. When celebrities rapidly lose weight, it shifts public perception of what\u2019s considered \u201cnormal\u201d and healthy\u2014and many people feel pressured to chase those ideals, she adds.<\/p>\n That sentiment sound all too familiar? Ahead, experts share the potential effects of the cultural body image<\/a> shift due to GLP-1 use\u2014and practical ways to improve your body image.<\/p>\n Why Seeing the Effects of GLP-1 Usage May Affect Your Mental Health<\/p>\n Despite the benefits of GLP-1s, the overall cultural fixation on rapid weight loss isn\u2019t healthy. \u201cWe now have this very normalized medical intervention that\u2019s being advertised as a \u2018miracle shot\u2019 or \u2018miracle pill,\u2019 and we\u2019re seeing restriction and deprivation modeled,\u201d says Alexa Keramidas, PhD, a clinical psychologist and owner of Interconnectivity Psychological Services in Chicago. Celebrities (who are often already thin) are losing tons of weight and talking about how they feel the \u2018best they\u2019ve ever felt,\u2019 perpetuating the narrative that quick weight loss is a healthy practice. \u201cIt\u2019s a confusing narrative for people to take in,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n Seeing others lose weight from GLP-1s can make you question your own body and if you should look a different way, Keramidas says. This can lead to rumination<\/a>, or repetitive negative thoughts about your body. Even if you weren\u2019t someone who thought about body image before, weight loss is so \u201cin our faces\u201d nowadays that it becomes hard not to ruminate on it, she adds.<\/p>\n A deeper issue, though, is that the GLP-1 industry and diet culture are selling the idea that thinness equals confidence, happiness, or worthiness\u2014which simply isn\u2019t the case. \u201cIf being thin was the answer to everything, celebrities would be the happiest people in the world, but they\u2019re not,\u201d says Debra L. Safer, MD, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford Medicine. In addition, instead of thinness being a solution, it can come with the feeling that no matter how much weight you lose, you won’t be satisfied.<\/p>\n Plus, social media is packed with content about weight loss transformations and GLP-1s, which can negatively impact your headspace. \u201cDecades of body image research consistently shows that repeated exposure to appearance-focused and transformation-based content is associated with greater body dissatisfaction<\/a> and increased eating disorder risk<\/a>,\u201d Dow says. While some media coverage has improved since, say, the \u201890s, there\u2019s still a long way to go\u2014and the mere presence of weight loss content makes it hard for people to look away.<\/p>\n How to Improve Your Body Image in the GLP-1 EraRefresh your closet with clothes that fit.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re struggling with body image, getting dressed in the morning can be exhausting\u2014and triggering. If you have clothes that no longer fit, try not to fixate on that. Instead, update them with items that do. \u201cRecently, one of my clients finally found clothing that was designed for her body, instead of forcing her body to fit the clothing,\u201d says Dow. \u201cShe no longer spends every morning changing outfits, adjusting fabric, wondering if something looks \u2018right,\u2019 or hiding parts of herself.\u201d<\/p>\n Reduce \u201cbody-checking.\u201d<\/p>\n People who struggle with body image sometimes participate in \u201cbody checking<\/a>\u201d\u2014repetitively monitoring their body\u2019s size, shape, or weight. It can look like critiquing yourself in front of the mirror, taking excessive progress photos, weighing yourself multiple times a day, or comparing your body to others, Dow says. When body checking, a person is usually searching for some type of reassurance\u2014that their stomach looks flat or they haven\u2019t gained weight, for example. But constantly monitoring your body only makes you want to do it more, creating a cycle that can be hard to escape.<\/p>\n Body checking isn\u2019t always a bad thing; after all, it\u2019s totally normal to look at your outfit before leaving for work. But if the behavior is compulsive (feels like you can\u2019t stop), causes anxiety or distress, or feels emotionally loaded, that\u2019s a sign it could be unhealthy, Dow says.<\/p>\n So, try to reduce the number of times you body check. Modifying your environment can help\u2014whether it\u2019s putting away the scale, pausing on taking gym progress pics, or setting up your mat far away from a mirror in yoga<\/a> class. And the next time you get the urge, pause and ask yourself, \u201cWhat am I hoping this will do for me?\u201d Dow says. Become aware of your patterns and notice when something or someone triggers you to body check\u2014then, interrupt the cycle. This can look like removing the scale from your bathroom, unfollowing a social media account that triggers you, or deleting old progress pics.<\/p>\n \u201cThe goal isn\u2019t to never see your body. Rather, it\u2019s to stop making your body the center of every experience,\u201d Dow says.<\/p>\n Make time for movement. <\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s going for a walk, swimming laps, or hitting up a Pilates<\/a> class, find a form of physical activity you enjoy. \u201cMove your body because it helps you feel stronger, calmer, healthier, or more capable\u2014not simply because you\u2019re trying to become smaller,\u201d Dow says.<\/p>\n Strength training<\/a> can be particularly empowering for people struggling with body image concerns, Dr. Safer says. When you strength train, your focus shifts from what your body looks like to what it can do\u2014and it helps you build a sense of self-efficacy<\/a>, or your belief in your own ability to succeed. Strength training also helps you continue building muscle<\/a>\u2014and \u201cfocusing on building your strength and power<\/a> as a person will also likely help you feel better,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n Grow strength and muscle with our 4-week beginner workout plan<\/a><\/p>\n Get to the root cause of your emotions. <\/p>\n When you don\u2019t feel good emotionally, it\u2019s common for the body to become a \u201cconvenient scapegoat,\u201d Keramidas says. If you\u2019ve noticed thoughts around body image come up recently, ask yourself: Is there something deeper going on here?<\/p>\n \u201cBody image is rarely just about the body\u2014it\u2019s often about safety, belonging, perfectionism, achievement, grief, or control,\u201d Dow says. Perhaps you\u2019ve unconsciously internalized certain messages about body image from family or friends\u2014like how you should look. So, if you\u2019re in a moment where you have low self-esteem, you\u2019re navigating a major life change, or you\u2019re struggling in your relationship, for example, you automatically return to those negative thoughts about your body.<\/p>\n A licensed therapist can help you get to the root cause of your emotions and help you start building a healthier relationship with yourself\u2014one that \u201cisn\u2019t constantly being negotiated through food, weight, or appearance,\u201d Dow says.<\/p>\n Curate your social media feed.<\/p>\n Being inundated with \u201c\u2018Fit Checks\u201d and \u201cGet Ready With Me\u201d videos can strike a nerve\u2014especially with skinniness being popularized among influencers<\/a>. If you\u2019re tired of certain videos, body types, or creators popping up in your feed\u2014or you catch yourself in the comparison trap when you\u2019re scrolling\u2014it could be time for a social media detox. \u201cCurate your feed, and if certain accounts consistently make you feel worse about yourself, unfollow them,\u201d Dow says. Also, don\u2019t be afraid to hit the \u201cnot interested,\u201d \u201cmute,\u201d and \u201crestrict\u201d buttons on a post or account.<\/p>\n Practice self-compassion.<\/p>\n Self-compassion<\/a>\u2014being kinder to yourself during difficult moments\u2014can be a productive way of approaching distressing thoughts and emotions that impact your mental and physical well-being, per a 2023 review in Annual Review of Psychology<\/a>. Say you\u2019re having a rough body image day and you\u2019re critiquing your body. \u201cA common technique is to think, \u2018What would a friend say to me right now?\u2019\u201d Dr. Safer says. Or, what would you say to a friend? Chances are, that voice is more supportive than the negative voice in your head.<\/p>\n Attune to your body\u2019s signals and honor what you need.<\/p>\n Instead of focusing on how your body looks, Keramidas recommends moving toward embodiment, which is the subjective feeling of being in your body. \u201cIf somebody is struggling with loud, negative body image thoughts, I\u2019ll ask, \u2018What can make you feel at home in your body today? What can make your body feel more like a friend than a foe?\u2019\u201d she says.<\/p>\n This might look like listening to your hunger cues and eating when you feel hungry, going for a walk if you feel like you need to move, or having sex and experiencing pleasure, Keramidas says. Or, thank your body for what it can do\u2014like cooking dinner, working out, or helping you commute to work every day, she adds. If your stomach is an area you critique a lot, maybe you flip the script and say you\u2019re grateful to your belly for protecting your most vital organs. You can even try a journaling exercise<\/a> or writing a letter to yourself. \u201cIt can be a really moving exercise that helps people soften toward themselves,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n When to Seek Help for Body Image Issues<\/p>\n Body image concerns can impact anyone, anytime, Keramidas says. There\u2019s no black-and-white standard for when to get professional help\u2014but if it feels like body image is regularly impacting your day, it\u2019s a good sign to seek support.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone has days where they don\u2019t feel great in their body, but the difference is whether those thoughts begin controlling your life,\u201d Dow says. If you\u2019re avoiding events, skipping meals<\/a>, obsessing over calories, body checking throughout the day, comparing yourself to others, or you believe your worth depends on your weight, that\u2019s beyond a bad body image day and it\u2019s time to seek help, she adds.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re caught in a cycle of dieting, restriction, binge eating and\/or purging, or eating in secret, it could be a sign that you\u2019re veering into eating disorder territory, Keramidas says. These behaviors can be highly distressing, and working with a therapist, physician, and registered dietitian can help get you the treatment you need and deserve.<\/p>\n At the end of the day, having a healthy body image isn\u2019t about finally achieving the \u2018right\u2019 body\u2014it\u2019s realizing you\u2019ve gone hours without thinking about your body at all, Dow says. It\u2019s enjoying vacation without criticizing your photos, wearing clothes you love that fit well, and building a life that your body image doesn\u2019t get to steal from you.<\/p>\n