How do you know if exercise and fitness advice is appropriate for you?
The first and simplest answer is start by stopping judging the book by its cover. Certainly exercise should come from someone who is visually and obviously in shape. However much of the worst advice comes from the wannabe models who know more about taking the best selfie than physiology. Furthermore, much of the fitness industry is saturated with drug users. Guys and girls who use drugs to get muscular and lean for photo-op sake is all the rage these days.
Check if the advice is coming from someone with a personal blog explaining their understanding and that doesn’t look like a fitness porn site. Check that they have actually been training people full-time for more than 2-3 years. Don’t get bogged down in their supposed education and certifications just make sure they are open and can articulate their experience and point of view.
Avoid new fads and those who profess to have the ‘latest and greatest’. The human body and what keeps it fit hasn’t changed from last year or the year before. Look for straightforward clarity which isn’t based just on ‘claims’. You need to be able to relate to the person putting forth the advice not see them as some ‘better than you’ guru.
Also be wary of before and after photo’s and testimonials [the above 2 photo’s were taken on the same day]. If someone gets ripped in 12 weeks but is out of shape 9 months later that advice is useless at best and dangerous at worst. Furthermore, photo’s can be faked easily. Find out if the advice giver has clients who have stayed in shape for years and decades.
Overall, avoid buyers regret and the feeling of self-defeat from using shoddy advice by staying away from quick fixes and hyped up flash. Stay with those who continually revisit the truth of consistency, commitment and plain old repeated smart practice.
Be well, be strong,
Andrew and Tierney
wefit.ca 