Most people think of the gym as a place to make themselves stronger. But what happens when it starts affecting how someone views and treats themselves?
Exercise plays a crucial role in a healthy lifestyle.
"You sleep better, you feel better just in general when you're taking care of your body, that instrument God's given you,” said Seth Fleshman, an employee at the BYU Student Fitness Center.
But, like anything in life, it can be overdone.
“Just like anywhere, any good thing can be taken to an extreme, and I think that you definitely see that in the gym from time to time,” Fleshman said.
Luke Wood, a BYU sophomore, said he has experienced the pressure of perfectionism within the gym community.
"There is an obvious incentive to get bigger, look better, to fill in shirts more, and fit in with a culture that all my friends do as well,” Wood said.
“There's 30,000 students at BYU, and they're all high-performing individuals,” Fleshman said. “It's easy to compare yourself to them and be like ‘ugh, I don't have as big of biceps as John does’, or ‘I wish I could lose a couple extra pounds.’"
“There is a desire and a need to stand out. And there is a want to be unique amongst many who share similar expectations and values and lives as you do," Wood said, referring to the perfectionism prevalent at BYU.
Social media also plays a role in students’ high expectations for their bodies.
"I mean obviously the people that are most popular on Instagram, the ones that show up on your feed ... are good-looking people that take care of themselves … you have that influence for sure when you're on social media,” Wood said.
Studies show that nearly 10 million people in the United States struggle with some sort of body dysmorphia.
Wood mentioned, “The more that you keep those thoughts and feelings inside, it's easy to justify them.”
"You can choose to let those negative influences and that negative pressure get to you, or you can choose to focus on your identity as a child of God,” Fleshman said.
Wood said, “It's important to surround yourself by people and by sources and influences that help you see what really matters.”
Resources for students at BYU who may be struggling include Counseling and Psychological Services and The Body Project from Women's Services and Resources.
“The gym offers so many amazing things, but just like anything in life, there's a need for balance,” Wood said.
When challenges arise, students can access resources on campus for help.