Latest news with #SACAP
News24
06-08-2025
- Health
- News24
Dangers of ‘SkinnyTok' plus tips to get in shape the healthy way
Trends like 'SkinnyTok' glamourise extreme thinness and can induce eating disorders. Healthy ways to document a wellness journey include sharing setbacks and celebrating small wins. Develop a healthy relationship with eating by avoiding labelling foods 'good' or 'bad'. We live in an era of information, trends and challenges constantly bombarding us on social media, whether you like it or not. Just a few minutes on social media will have you sucked into the wild west of trending challenges and information (or misinformation) - no wonder they call it doom scrolling. The TikTok trend #SkinnyTok, which idolised and glamorised extreme thinness, is one such trend that is more harmful than many realise, with the social media platform ultimately banning the hashtag. The landing page on TikTok when you search the hashtag #SkinnyTok. Social media trends like 'SkinnyTok' have a major influence on especially young women and girls, who see content creators fitting the normalised standards of beauty, embracing extreme diet and exercise trends. 'Trends like #SkinnyTok often romanticise extreme thinness, encouraging disordered eating behaviours, comparison and self-loathing in small, unnoticeable doses,' Ziyanda Khumalo, academic student advisor at The South African College of Applied Psychology, tells TRUELOVE. 'For impressionable users, many of whom are adolescents still forming their identity, as per Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, this content fosters internalised fatphobia and body dysmorphia.' The long-term effects of consuming 'skinny culture' content Social media and celebrity culture are putting extreme hourglass figures and super flat stomachs all over timelines, feeds and for you pages, which can lead to chronic and major dissatisfaction with your appearance. This can have detrimental effects on physical and mental health. Ziyanda shares that this often leads to 'ongoing body image distortion, compulsive calorie counting or over-exercising, eating disorders (e.g., restriction, bingeing, purging), social withdrawal and low self-worth [and] the pursuit of quick fixes like diet pills or unsafe detox methods'. She adds, 'Mental health disorders such as anorexia nervosa or orthorexia may develop or worsen over time. Even when individuals don't meet full diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder to be diagnosed, the psychological harm, such as obsessive thoughts about food, guilt after meals or shame around clothing sizes, can deeply affect one's overall well-being.' Healthy ways to document your wellness journey Documenting a wellness journey can be empowering, but context and tone matter. Ziyanda offers some healthy ways to approach it: Focusing on function over form, keeping in mind that exercise improves mood, sleep, or strength, not just physical appearance. Celebrate the smaller non-physical victories like better energy, improved self-confidence, or decreased anxiety. Use inclusive language and avoid before/after pictures that create an 'ideal' body. Share setbacks and struggles to normalise the ups and downs of any lifestyle change. Avoid filters, extreme editing, or presenting a highlight reel that doesn't reflect the full picture or true identity. Prioritise holistic wellness, mental, emotional and physical, not just numbers on a scale. Developing a healthy relationship with food Whether you're on a weight loss, weight gain or bulk journey, it's so important to have a healthy relationship with food where you're not depriving the body of the healthy fats and nutrients it needs. Fad diet trends circulating on social media, like all-fruit diets, are dangerous and can lead to nutritional deficiencies and can even increase the risk of diseases, warns registered dietitian Ntokozo Kgopa. Ntokozo outlines some healthy ways to curate your food intake no matter your wellness journey, and how you can create a healthy relationship with food. @truelovemagazine A tour of the Babylonstoren warehouse in Johannesburg 🍊 The #Franschhoek farm open this warehouse in 2021 to service the demand in Gauteng. #babylonstoren ♬ original sound - TRUELOVE 'People can enjoy a variety of foods, meaning that they will be getting different vitamins, minerals, fibre and phytonutrients, which is vital for nourishing the cells. A practical way of doing this is portioning the plate as half of the plate to be fruits and vegetables, [one quarter of the] plate to be starch and the last quarter of the plate to be protein. 'People should eat more natural foods, 80 percent [of] which are more filling and nutrient dense, and less processed foods, which are energy dense negatively affect the gut, increasing [the] risk of diseases. Healthy eating involves healthy ways of food preparation and cooking, such as not peeling the potatoes, avoiding deep fat frying and rather steaming or grilling etc.' Both Ntokozo and Ziyanda reject the notion of 'good' and 'bad' food, 'which might lead to [a] guilty conscience if they have consumed the 'bad food' and that might trigger the binge-eating behaviour,' Ntokozo advises.
News24
23-04-2025
- Business
- News24
10 Psychological strategies to skyrocket your career
Exciting things are happening in the world of work as AI continues to evolve, soft skills are still important. However, while technology can mimic our interactions, it still can't quite capture the heart of interpersonal skills, emotions, and the intricate dynamics that make us human. A significant consequence of the reshaping of workplaces by artificial intelligence, automation, and digital tools is that human skills that machines struggle to learn, and replicate are now in high demand. The skill set identified as 'people' skills or 'soft' skills is now being referred to as the power skill set by the likes of the World Economic Forum and is considered the most in-demand skill set for the future workforce. This rise in the need for most human skills is impacting the choices that Gen Zs are making when it comes to their tertiary education. To prepare themselves for the world of work, Gen Zs are increasingly seeking out study paths that give them opportunities to develop their emotional intelligence, critical thinking and problem-solving, creativity and innovation, collaboration, communication, empathy and ethics. Read more | How employers can champion workplace mental health Academic Dean at (The South African College of Applied Psychology) SACAP, Dr Jaclyn Lotter, says, 'Human skills have become even more relevant because we are at a pivotal time when people have to become much better at the skills and roles that machines cannot replace. There's also a significant ethical component to the rise of the machine, which will heighten as AI and digital tools become smarter and more powerful. The world has a great and growing need for decision-makers and leaders with strong ethical frameworks, which are at the very foundation of an education in psychology.' 'The oldest cohort of Gen Zs are now the emerging leaders in the workplace. And I think we can all acknowledge that South Africa, and the world, needs responsible, brave, adaptive, empathic and ethical leadership,' adds Dr Lotter 10 ways Gen Z can use psychology in their careers: Enhance communication skills – Using your understanding of human behaviour improves how you communicate with colleagues, bosses, clients, customers and other stakeholders, reducing misunderstandings, improving collaboration and promoting shared success. Master emotional intelligence – Managing your emotions and being able to accurately read others' cues makes you a better leader, team member, and service provider. Improve conflict resolution – Recognising different perspectives and motivations helps you to more adeptly navigate workplace tensions and negotiate solutions that benefit everyone. Boost leadership abilities – Leading a team and influencing without authoritarianism equips you with motivational and decision-making strategies to inspire others and build long-lasting trust. Strengthen problem-solving skills – Applying psychological principles to decision-making helps you assess situations critically, adapt to change, and find creative solutions. Manage stress and build resilience – Workplace pressures and challenges are inevitable, but psychological techniques like mindfulness and cognitive reframing help maintain your mental well-being. Understand consumer and market behaviour – Once the domain of marketing, sales and business development, now insights into customer motivations, persuasion and buying patterns are expected to be understood across the organisation. Navigate workplace dynamics – Understanding personality types and behavioural patterns helps you adapt to different work styles and build stronger professional relationships. An education in psychology also helps you to recognise diversity, enhance your cultural sensitivity, uncover your own biases and become a champion of inclusion in your workplace. Balance work and life effectively – Psychology promotes self-awareness, which helps you set boundaries, manage burnout, and develop strategies for maintaining personal well-being alongside career growth. It also helps you to advocate for and contribute to a workplace that prioritises everyone's well-being. Fuel career growth, lifelong learning and a growth mindset – Self-awareness, motivation and goal-setting techniques rooted in psychology can help you continuously evolve in your career and position you to recognise and seize new opportunities.
