I don’t know about you all, but I tend to find myself spending a lot of my free time on Instagram. Whether it’s looking for new recipes to try, finding a workout to do or just admiring an aesthetic, I have a few accounts that I think are worth following. Especially nowadays, I seem to come across a lot of accounts that can make a negative impact on self-confidence, but luckily for you, I have found some that do just the opposite. It’s important to fill your feed with people and things that make you feel better about yourself and excite you to open up the app. So, let’s get into it!
- Overall Health & Wellness: @thedailyschvitz: The Daily Schvitz by Jordanna
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I absolutely love this account. I was told about this page by a sorority sister, and I am beyond happy that I gave it a follow. Jordanna’s page is so inspiring, motivating, and always puts me in a better mood. I have honestly learned so much from her, especially about diet culture, finding balance, and most of all, how health is different for everyone. A majority of her posts include a deep caption that goes into detail about a certain topic. Although long, they are always worth the read! Her feed includes healthy recipes, workouts, and discussions around her recovery from an eating disorder. She has a lifestyle side to her page as well, in which she includes where she shops for makeup, workout clothing, groceries, and more. She is completely raw and real with all of her following, which is a good reminder that no one is perfect and that everyone’s Instagram is just a highlight reel of their life! Additionally, she recently launched an online video library full of all types of workouts called “Schvitzscription.” It is completely affordable, and most classes are meant for dorm rooms/apartments. Along with this, she offers live fitness classes weekly that are also inexpensive. Here’s the link to her website where you can sign up for a class and subscribe to Schvitzscription: https://linktr.ee/thedailyschvitz–you also can sign up for a 7-day free trial! I honestly can’t imagine my Instagram without this account. Definitely go follow if any of this seems interesting to you!
- For Some Really Yummy Recipes: @wellnessbykay: Kayla Berman
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I’m pretty sure I came across this account on my Instagram explore page one day this summer. I had a little bit of an addiction of constantly scrolling through my explore page for easy, healthy recipes to whip up. Luckily, I was blessed with finding this one. At first glance, you can just tell how amazing Kayla’s recipes are and, the best part is, most of them use healthier ingredients than your average recipe would! She has many gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and vegan recipes, so there really is something for everyone. Another thing I like about this page is that she often pops on to talk to her followers on her story. She is also a college student, so it’s really cool to see the person behind the account and to actually feel as though you can relate to her. This page is also one that shows balance. She’s not afraid to tell her followers that she’s stressed, that she couldn’t get a workout in that morning, or that she didn’t have the healthiest weekend of eating. She shows everyone that it’s completely normal for these things to happen, and it’s always reassuring for me. A majority of her recipes are more on the sweeter side, but she throws an occasional savory one in there every once in a while. I am currently living in a dorm and don’t have a kitchen, but I have been saving a ton of her recipes to try for when I am home on break! I can’t wait!
- For Workouts to Try Out at the Gym & Some Girl Power:
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I got into going to the gym/fitness during the second semester of my freshman year of college. I made it my new year’s resolution–I know, basic, but I had played sports my entire life, and that had ended with high school. I knew that I needed change and to start being active again because I truly missed feeling those endorphins and being confident in myself. I started following all kinds of fitness accounts because I really didn’t know what I was doing and most definitely didn’t want to go into the gym without a plan.
First, I’ll talk about @samtaylor_fitness. I think I also came across Sam’s account on my explore page, and I believe it was around the time I had started to really enjoy strength training. Whenever my friends ask me about what workouts I’ve been doing, or who to follow, you can almost always expect me to share Sam’s page. She has such a variety of workouts, those of which include dumbbell/kettlebell only style, equipment/in-gym style, and even just glute-band/bodyweight style. It was really helpful during quarantine to have her page because she was posting a ton of workouts that everyone could do at home with minimal equipment. Like most other pages, her posts include videos of the exercises to show correct form/how to do it and a caption explaining the workout, amongst other things. Another thing I like about Sam’s page is that she has a lifestyle side to it as well, and she often checks in with her following on her stories (like Kayla); I feel like I actually know her lol! Sam often shares information about her weight-lifting journey, which didn’t start too long ago. It’s cool to see how much she’s grown in the months that I’ve followed her because I too feel like I’ve grown and learned a lot through doing her workouts/following her page.
Next up is @mstewart_fitness. I absolutely LOVE this account. Melanie never fails to put a smile on my face, and not to mention, she is an actual badass. I don’t even know where to begin because there are so many things that I love about her page. Melanie is another person that is so real with her followers. She discusses a ton of things that I think a lot of people avoid talking about, but she always hits the nail right on the head. She has shared her complete transformation of her health, both mentally and physically, and continues to do so. Melanie had an eating disorder and tried for a long time to shrink herself, but it caused her to fall into a deep, unhealthy hole. She often talks about how her views on health were so wrong back then and how far she has truly come. She is now the healthiest, strongest, and happiest she’s ever been, and it’s so inspiring to see how she’s overcome so much. She is 100% someone I look up to and someone all women should look up to. She often shares her views on how women should never be embarrassed to be strong or to look strong, which I think is SO important. I think she truly opens the eyes of so many, and more people should listen to her because society’s views on women need to be changed. She not only shares inspiring content and pops in on stories, but she also posts some insane workouts. Melanie’s account is definitely worth the follow; she consistently reminds me that women are incredibly powerful and strong, which I believe makes my Instagram a better place! - For some overall wholesome content: @madisonmealy: Mads
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First off, I just want to say that I am in love with this family. When I talk about being excited to open Instagram, this account is definitely at the top of that list. My younger sister was actually the one to show me this account, and I am forever grateful. The Mealy’s are the cutest little family ever; they live in Florida, and their story is so sweet. Madison and Blake met at a church camp when they were super young, and she crushed hard on him. Years later, she Facebook messaged him, and it all went down in history from there–the whole story is on her page! Now, they’re married with the cutest toddler, Dane, and have another baby on the way! Most of her posts are lifestyle posts, in which she shares her life with her followers. Whether it’s adorable and funny videos of baby Dane, aesthetically pleasing photos, or the occasional reality check, the Mealy’s always put a smile on my face. She also shares a bit about her fitness journey, including a few workout guides and story posts of her workout she does that day. It’s inspiring to see someone who’s so busy with work and a family, and who is now pregnant too, still incorporating exercise into her life. If you want to come across something wholesome while scrolling through your feed, I definitely suggest giving her a follow!
Well, I think that’s all for now! I hope you all enjoy these accounts just as much as I do. I also hope this article makes you stop and ask yourself how your Instagram makes you feel. If you’re receiving any sort of negativity from an account, I suggest hitting that unfollow button. Make your Instagram a happy, inspiring place! That’s how it should be.
Xoxo,
Emma
Edited by: Alicia Tebeau-Sherry