It’s that time of year again. Every treadmill at the gym is full, the line for the salad bar is a little bit longer and fitspiration pictures grace your instagram feed. All of a sudden, thin is in.
What is causing this sudden motivation to be fit?
One word: summer.
Summer is creeping around the corner and will be here soon. Shorts are shorter, skirts get tighter and more skin is bound to be shown. Women’s dreaded bikini season is sneaking in and girls are doing all they can to have the perfect swimsuit body.
Instead of using flat stomachs on twitter as motivation, the new app Visualize You lets you be your own inspiration.
App users take a “selfie” of themselves within the set facial parameters. After the picture is taken, users put in their actual weight and their goal weight. Once the goal weight is placed, the picture changes to show users what they would look like. For example, if a user places their weight at 140 pounds and their goal at 120, using an adjustable scale they can see themselves with a fuller face at the 140 pounds or a thinner face at 120 pounds and anywhere in between.
“I think this app is great because it can give people motivation,” Jasmine Rivera, junior social work major, said.
Motivating users with their own picture can help them visualize what their reality of weight-loss can be. However, people who become obsessive about their figure may find this app to be controversial. Seeing themselves as a thinner version could make users become so into their workout and eating habit that they don’t realize they are hurting their bodies. The owner of Visual Health Solutions suggests that only those in need of extreme weight-loss due to health issues use this application.
“This could be bad also. That picture is not who they are right now and the weight loss struggle could drive them crazy,” Rivera said.
Out of 170 ratings on iTunes, the app has only received two stars.
Many users were disappointed. The app is new for the iOS update. iPhone users who have older phone will find themselves unable to download the app due to new software. With bugs to be fixed throughout the app, it is clear that it is still in its developing stages.
Working out and eating healthy is trend that people are all trying so they can stay in shape and be part of the inclusive Instagram #fitfam. Visualize You is working to take the public’s attempt at their perfect figure to a reality.
