Fitness Industry: FAIL
Although I am not a personal trainer, I’ve been approached many times by family, friends and clients, asking me about the latest fitness trends and if, in my opinion, they really work. They tell me about the latest celebrity workout that they saw on late-night TV, they “educate” me all about their newest ill advised and ignorant diet, or ask my opinion of some ridiculous shaking weight or magic powder that you sprinkle on your food. The claims are often outright lies; the research debatable at best. Pills, cleanses, detoxes, liquid diets, super slow workouts, fitness in 5 minutes, green coffee beans, raspberry ketones, saw it on Dr. Oz...
After years spent battling my own dragons, and helping others to vanquish theirs, I have learned to not only distrust, but detest both the diet and fitness industries. I get to sit helplessly by and watch as my friends and family spend their hard earned money on these absurd products, jeopardize their health with literal starvation diets and take pills that promise “miraculous, easy, fast, permanent weight loss”. I have never EVER seen one of these rackets actually work. Oh sure, sometimes people will lose some pounds. This is not usually due to the product or daffy contraption. It’s usually due to the starvation diet. When people get tired of starving and having no social life, they start to return to their old habits. And with the return of the old habits also comes the return of those pounds. All of them, and often more.
Sad thing is, these people know better. These are intelligent people, some with very, very good educations behind them. Some even work in health care themselves. They call me up for advice, and when I rationally explain why this (fill in the blank) is not likely going to work, AND could even cause them harm in the longer term, many of them nod and agree. And then they proceed to buy the product, or buy into a silly idea anyhow. Then, 6 to 12 months later, they are bawling on the phone, wanting me to fix it. Never fear. Soon the next door neighbor’s sister, or the next TV quack will be selling a new and better scam wonderful weight loss product, and the ride will start again. Sorry to sound so cynical, but this is not a hypothetical situation. This is what happens several times a year in my circle of contact alone. It is devastating to the psyche and health of my friends and family and beyond maddeningly frustrating for me. Unfortunately, our “gotta have it now” attitude just feeds right into all of these schemes and false promises.
I fully appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit, I really do, but people are being mislead and harmed by the junk they are being sold by naive homemakers on multi-level marking schemes, sell-out TV quacks doctors and by incompetent trainers. I have personally seen and have been in contact with a myriad of trainers during my battle with obesity. Some were local “gurus”, relatively unknown outside of their own locale or fitness clique. Others were internationally well known trainers, who have successfully worked with pro football, basketball and hockey players as well as medal winning Olympians. Indeed, I have flown to both ends of the country looking for answers. Some seemed to have a clue. Others, not so much.
I’ve watched in gyms as people were ‘trained’ by so-called professionals with awful form or totally insane routines. I’ve watched as a client with known knee problems was allowed to painfully perform the most atrocious squat form because his inexperienced trainer was too intimidated to correct him (and he is the kindest, gentlest soul you have ever met). I’ve seen people with absolutely NO qualifications offers themselves out for hire as trainers. I’ve seen unqualified people place an insulin dependent diabetic on an incorrect diet and then work them in the gym to the point of passing out, too stupid to even realize that they caused a life threatening medical crisis. Of course, if you or a loved one are injured or worse by someone like this, don’t expect a big payout. Insurance companies ask for qualifications before selling insurance, and they don’t have any, remember? Being a gym rat, a former or current competitor/athlete or someone who “lost a lotta weight” is NOT a qualification. It’s great personal n=1 experience, but not a qualification. Both are important to have, but they are not the same thing.
Fitness does not have to be hard. You do not have to injure yourself, or work out to the point where you are causing hormone dysfunction and completely destroying any chance of becoming healthier. Do you know that a lot of trainers do not really get that concept? It can completely stop weight loss in it’s tracks AND cause long term metabolic dysfunction, but the “no pain, no gain” crowd doesn’t know about it. Fitness does not have to be complicated. It can be effective and fun at the same time.
More money than ever is being spent on fitness contraptions, miracle weight loss gimmicks, gym memberships and low fat foods. Yet, we are unhealthier and fatter than ever and the predictions for the future look even more grim. There is so much misinformation and disinformation, so many tricksters and so many misleading ads, certifications, and products. The fitness industry will never likely be ISO certified.
My qualification is in nutrition, NOT in fitness. I want to make that clear. I do not train people. I do set up intelligent meal plans that can be followed for a lifetime. I encourage people to learn all they can about food and about how their body handles what they eat.I offer support to people so that they can learn to circumvent the idiotic diet and fitness industry claims and hucksters and be healthy, happy, save their cash and improve the length and quality of their lives. As a society, we need to get off the diet and fitness rollercoaster and make some real and sustainable lifestyle changes.
After years spent battling my own dragons, and helping others to vanquish theirs, I have learned to not only distrust, but detest both the diet and fitness industries. I get to sit helplessly by and watch as my friends and family spend their hard earned money on these absurd products, jeopardize their health with literal starvation diets and take pills that promise “miraculous, easy, fast, permanent weight loss”. I have never EVER seen one of these rackets actually work. Oh sure, sometimes people will lose some pounds. This is not usually due to the product or daffy contraption. It’s usually due to the starvation diet. When people get tired of starving and having no social life, they start to return to their old habits. And with the return of the old habits also comes the return of those pounds. All of them, and often more.
Sad thing is, these people know better. These are intelligent people, some with very, very good educations behind them. Some even work in health care themselves. They call me up for advice, and when I rationally explain why this (fill in the blank) is not likely going to work, AND could even cause them harm in the longer term, many of them nod and agree. And then they proceed to buy the product, or buy into a silly idea anyhow. Then, 6 to 12 months later, they are bawling on the phone, wanting me to fix it. Never fear. Soon the next door neighbor’s sister, or the next TV quack will be selling a new and better scam wonderful weight loss product, and the ride will start again. Sorry to sound so cynical, but this is not a hypothetical situation. This is what happens several times a year in my circle of contact alone. It is devastating to the psyche and health of my friends and family and beyond maddeningly frustrating for me. Unfortunately, our “gotta have it now” attitude just feeds right into all of these schemes and false promises.
I fully appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit, I really do, but people are being mislead and harmed by the junk they are being sold by naive homemakers on multi-level marking schemes, sell-out TV quacks doctors and by incompetent trainers. I have personally seen and have been in contact with a myriad of trainers during my battle with obesity. Some were local “gurus”, relatively unknown outside of their own locale or fitness clique. Others were internationally well known trainers, who have successfully worked with pro football, basketball and hockey players as well as medal winning Olympians. Indeed, I have flown to both ends of the country looking for answers. Some seemed to have a clue. Others, not so much.
I’ve watched in gyms as people were ‘trained’ by so-called professionals with awful form or totally insane routines. I’ve watched as a client with known knee problems was allowed to painfully perform the most atrocious squat form because his inexperienced trainer was too intimidated to correct him (and he is the kindest, gentlest soul you have ever met). I’ve seen people with absolutely NO qualifications offers themselves out for hire as trainers. I’ve seen unqualified people place an insulin dependent diabetic on an incorrect diet and then work them in the gym to the point of passing out, too stupid to even realize that they caused a life threatening medical crisis. Of course, if you or a loved one are injured or worse by someone like this, don’t expect a big payout. Insurance companies ask for qualifications before selling insurance, and they don’t have any, remember? Being a gym rat, a former or current competitor/athlete or someone who “lost a lotta weight” is NOT a qualification. It’s great personal n=1 experience, but not a qualification. Both are important to have, but they are not the same thing.
Fitness does not have to be hard. You do not have to injure yourself, or work out to the point where you are causing hormone dysfunction and completely destroying any chance of becoming healthier. Do you know that a lot of trainers do not really get that concept? It can completely stop weight loss in it’s tracks AND cause long term metabolic dysfunction, but the “no pain, no gain” crowd doesn’t know about it. Fitness does not have to be complicated. It can be effective and fun at the same time.
More money than ever is being spent on fitness contraptions, miracle weight loss gimmicks, gym memberships and low fat foods. Yet, we are unhealthier and fatter than ever and the predictions for the future look even more grim. There is so much misinformation and disinformation, so many tricksters and so many misleading ads, certifications, and products. The fitness industry will never likely be ISO certified.
My qualification is in nutrition, NOT in fitness. I want to make that clear. I do not train people. I do set up intelligent meal plans that can be followed for a lifetime. I encourage people to learn all they can about food and about how their body handles what they eat.I offer support to people so that they can learn to circumvent the idiotic diet and fitness industry claims and hucksters and be healthy, happy, save their cash and improve the length and quality of their lives. As a society, we need to get off the diet and fitness rollercoaster and make some real and sustainable lifestyle changes.