THERE is a lot of attention in the media about women who are affected by the images of perfection they are presented with in our social media culture and the self esteem issues that arise around that.
However, there is very little mention of what the effects of popular culture does to men's self esteem. To be concerned with one’s own appearance is often seen as an act of vanity or narcissism, which are two characteristics unfairly attributed more to women. There is a definite social stigma formed around eating disorders and body dysmorphia when they are present in men.
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However, a rise in the amount of super workouts that are easily accessible on Snapchat and Instagram, as well as on the front of magazines such as Men's Health, GQ and all manner of Hollywood posters, have increased the frenzy for achieving the "perfect" masculine physique.
Barrow-based fitness guru Diane Singleton, who runs classes and bootcamps from her studio in Abbey Road, said: "There are a lot of men who come to me and don't necessarily want to work out in a gym with all the body builders but are really keen to get fit.
"I decided I wanted to run a bootcamp for men who might be a little bit older or quite out of shape just to get them feeling healthy again. I didn't want to put a focus on aesthetics, but just on feeling better in yourself and feeling physically more healthy and able to do every day stuff."
Diane decided to mix up some workout routines to make them a bit more interesting, as well as designing personal diet plans for the men in her classes, and even writing up recipe books for them to use at home so that they can maintain results even when they have finished the boot camps.
Easy, at-home healthy recipes have been a real hit in 2016. Lean in 15: 15-minute meals, a book by Joe Wicks, a fitness coach and TV presenter, was a best-selling book in 2015, having sold more than 900,000 copies. These statistics show the focus put on healthier eating and body image that has emerged in the last few years.
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However, the most important thing is to remain healthy and sometimes the focus on fitness can have a damaging effect, especially on men.
There has been a rise in a condition dubbed "bigorexia", which is an anxiety disorder preoccupied with the idea that you aren't big enough, or gaining muscle at a desirable rate.
Diane wants to focus on getting the men she coaches healthier and more confident with their bodies without become obsessed.
She said: "I wanted to do something aimed at men with lower levels of fitness for beginners or intermediate levels. There is no such thing as not being fit enough for these boot camps, they will help with health and self esteem."
Les Hall, a bootcamper from Barrow, said: "My fitness level has improved a great deal over the course of the camp and I am certainly much fitter than when I started. The first week I didn't have the strength or stamina to work at the level I have now built up to. From my health perspective I have lost some weight but more importantly from my perspective I have knocked three inches off my tummy and a similar amount from my hips. The best outcome has been that I have in six weeks reduced my blood pressure by 20 points to a now healthy level."
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