Wednesday 15/10/2025
Photo: Katarina Wolnik Vera
Text: Sara Valls
Nowadays, within the context of social media, viral challenges have become increasingly popular — especially those that promise quick physical transformations. Some examples include the “30-Day Transformation Challenge,” “Get Abs in 14 Days,” and, more recently, the “75 Hard Challenge.” The latter combines daily exercise, a strict diet, reading, and personal development habits.
At first glance, these challenges may seem inspiring and motivating for improving one’s health and fitness. However, this type of content can also impact our relationship with food, our bodies, and self-esteem — particularly among vulnerable individuals (Murnane, 2024; Nawaz et al., 2024).
Can You Really Get Your Dream Body in 14, 30, or 75 Days?
These kinds of challenges often appear as magical formulas promising visible and significant changes in a short period of time. However, such promises are usually misleading. Every body is different and responds uniquely to changes in diet and physical activity. What may work for some may not work for others.
Moreover, the beauty standards promoted in this type of content are often unrealistic — based on idealized bodies that are frequently enhanced by filters or editing apps. This can lead to frustration when the expected results are not achieved (Suhag, 2024).
The Problem of Rigidity
One important factor to consider in these challenges is rigidity. The 75 Hard Challenge, for instance, emphasizes following every step for 75 consecutive days without exception. If any task is missed, participants must start over from day one.
This approach reinforces dichotomous or “all-or-nothing” thinking, where actions are perceived as entirely right or entirely wrong, with no middle ground. Such thinking patterns are common among individuals with eating disorders (EDs), who often believe things like: “If it’s not perfect, it’s terrible,” or “If I can’t do it perfectly, I’d rather not do it at all.”
Constant Comparison and Internalizing Ideals
Continuous exposure to images of “perfect” bodies through viral challenges can fuel social comparison — evaluating oneself in relation to others — and promote the internalization of beauty standards. This internalization increases pressure on one’s body and can lead to maladaptive behaviors, such as extreme dieting or compulsive exercise (Nawaz et al., 2024).
Research suggests that people who frequently engage in comparison are more vulnerable to body dissatisfaction and to symptoms associated with eating disorders (Bonfanti et al., 2025).
The Cycle of Body Dissatisfaction
Participating in viral challenges can trigger a cycle of body dissatisfaction. When people fail to achieve the promised results, they may feel frustrated and resort to more extreme behaviors, reinforcing the belief that only by completing the challenge will they improve their body or self-esteem (Murnane, 2024; Nawaz et al., 2024).
This may lead to symptoms associated with eating disorders — including restriction, compulsive or compensatory exercise, and other maladaptive weight-loss behaviors — all of which can seriously harm both mental and physical health.
Individual Vulnerability
Not everyone reacts to these challenges in the same way. Some may view them as a source of motivation to adopt healthier habits and stay committed to their goals. However, adolescents and young people with a history of eating disorders, low self-esteem, or preexisting body dissatisfaction are particularly susceptible.
Additionally, constant exposure to social media and a lack of social support increase vulnerability to the negative effects of these platforms (Nawaz et al., 2024).
Psychological Consequences
The psychological consequences of participating in these challenges may include anxiety, frustration, low self-esteem, and feelings of inadequacy (Suhag, 2024). Even after abandoning the challenge, these emotions can persist, affecting body perception and eating habits in the long term. As mentioned earlier, this can also trigger the onset, maintenance, or relapse of eating disorders.
Strategies for Healthy Use
To protect both mental and physical health, it is recommended to:
- Develop critical digital thinking: Question the authenticity of images and recognize the use of filters and photo editing. With the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, it’s important to remember that what we see online — images, videos, and even information — may not reflect reality.
- Foster self-compassion: Appreciate personal achievements and accept that bodies are diverse and respond differently to various stimuli. Improving habits to achieve a healthier lifestyle should come from self-care rather than self-demand. Being realistic about expected changes and making decisions based on overall well-being — not just aesthetic goals — can be a healthy starting point.
- Seek professional and social support: Consulting psychologists, nutritionists, and/or certified trainers can be essential. Sharing experiences with trusted people is also beneficial. Having adequate support helps ensure that habit changes are sustainable and healthy, both physically and psychologically.
- Practice selective disconnection: Reducing exposure to body-, food-, and exercise-related challenges can help minimize excessive social comparison. This doesn’t mean that there’s no valuable content on social media — but the content that goes viral is often generalized advice that doesn’t account for individual needs, and may even promote disordered eating behaviors.
References:
- Bonfanti, R. C., Melchiori, F., Teti, A., Albano, G., Raffard, S., Rodgers, R., & Lo Coco, G. (2025). The association between social comparison in social media, body image concerns and eating disorder symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Body Image, 52, 101841. https://10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101841
- Murnane, E. (2024). The 75 Hard Challenge is full of diet culture red flags. Balance & Bite. https://balanceandbite.com.au/blog/what-is-the-75-hard-challenge/
- Nawaz, F. A., et al. (2024). Social media use among adolescents with eating disorders: challenges and recommendations. Frontiers in Psychiatry. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1300182/full
- Suhag, K. (2024). Social media effects regarding eating disorders and body image. PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11103119/