Recently I have seen an increasing prevalence of fitness and fat loss tips and tricks that have questionable evidence backing them up.

Here are a few keys to debunking myths and getting you on track with the right training.

1. Make sure the source you are getting your information from has some credibility.

If your source is likely to make a quick dollar for providing you a certain pill, product, shake or piece of equipment; the information given probably isn’t backed by research or science. In this instance it is probably best to get a third party opinion from a trusted professional.

2. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Fitness journeys, whether they be to put on muscle, lose body fat, shred down for a competition, improve performance, or just generally look better naked are not short-term achievements. It is a lot of small things done right over the course of time. If something claims you can lose 10kgs of body fat in a week, there’s a pretty good chance you are being misled.

3. Not everything you read is true, accurate or even relevant.

The internet is a fantastic place to gather information. Right or wrong. Here is a quote from Abraham Lincoln on the internet: “Not everything written on the internet or posted in a meme is necessarily true.”

Now let’s address everything wrong with that last paragraph. Firstly Abraham Lincoln never made any quote regarding the internet, probably because it wasn’t in existence in the same era he was alive. Point of this: anybody can put anything on the internet. It doesn’t necessarily mean it has any accuracy or truth to it.

4. Before committing yourself to any kind of program or fitness idea you have found, ask the author/creator/trainer some questions.

Find out their background, test their knowledge on the subject. If they try to feed you misleading information or give you varying answers maybe they aren’t the best fit for you.

5. Always ask yourself if this advice/product/program is right for you.

Does it meet your requirements? Goals, time constraints, injuries, affordability, fitness level? A perfect example: following an advanced weight lifting program if you have never even set foot in a gym probably isn’t suitable to you. A beginner program learning the basics would cater to your needs a lot better.

6. Lastly, use some common sense.

You won’t lose body fat and drop kgs off the scales over night. You won’t get the same amount of nutritional benefits from a weight loss shake that you will get from a plate of veggies. You DEFINITELY won’t shake your fat away by simply standing on a vibration platform.

If you are lost and some of those last ideas (shaking the fat away) seemed reasonable, we want to help teach you a better way to achieve your goals. Send us a message with your questions and we will give you some information you can actually use to get started on the right track.
Remember: an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Unless you’re allergic to apples. This is terrible advice if you are allergic to apples.