If you’ve been a part of my journey for a while you know that I love all things fitness related. I’m a sucker for a good group exercise class and I could talk about the proper way to do a chest press all day. (Basically, don’t invite me to a party if you value your friendships!)
But…..(and there’s always a big ol’ but in the way)
There are a few lies that the fitness industry has told and continues to tell. I'm here today to LAY SOME TRUTH DOWN so you can truly live your healthiest life.
What do I mean by the “FITNESS INDUSTRY” ???
I mean your local gym, fitness infomercials, exercise videos, personal trainers, and group exercise instructors. And yes, I realize I fall into this category. This is how I KNOW we’ve been lying to you. And I’m here to make that right today.
LIE #1 INFLUENCE IS KING
Have you ever scrolled through Instagram or Facebook, seen someone promoting anything to do with weight loss and immediately checked to see how “popular” (how many followers, etc…) they are before believing them?
I would be lying if I said I haven’t done that myself.
In our current climate, influence IS king. The more interactions, likes, followers, shares you have on social media the more you get seen. What SHOULD be seen more is those people who have the EDUCATION to back up the claims they are making.
We should all be an open book. I make a point of telling all my followers, on almost every video I do, that I have 20+ years in the fitness industry and almost 10 years teaching Health and Kinesiology in higher education (at a major research institution). What I might not ALWAYS say is that I also have my Master’s degree in Kinesiology. I say ALL of that before I promote my online course because I want people to make an educated decision to listen to what I have to say.
What can YOU do to help shift the focus from influence to EDUCATION?
Speak up!
If you don’t follow me on instagram (@GretchenGegg), you may have missed a moment just a few days ago where I got really frustrated with the celebrity fitness trainer/entrepeneur/diet guru (and so much more!) Chalene Johnson for offering her free trainings to people with a certain follower count….boy was that a ride!
Unfollow!
This includes hashtags. I recently had to unfollow one of my faves “#FitMom” because of all the ridiculousness.
Promote!
Share, like, interact and comment on the posts of people who are open with their education background and knowledge. We appreciate it more than you know!
LIE #2 MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT
Okay, okay, okay… I know some of you are thinking “WHAT???? THIS IS RIGHT!!!”
Let me clarify. Muscle is MORE DENSE than fat.
Meaning, one pound of muscle still weighs one pound. It simply takes up less space. See?
Why do I care about this lie?
I want you to break up with your scale!!!
Stop being a slave to what your body’s relationship with gravity on any given day.
Now, I know it is a really easy way to assess change, but I honestly believe that you should only weigh yourself once a month if at all.
Seriously. Can you do it? Can you break up with your scale for a month??
LIE #3 WORKING OUT IS THE BEST WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT
Y’all I was a firm believer in this lie. I would even spread it like wildfire.
Why? Because I LOVE to workout. I love the feeling during and after a good kickass sweat session.
In my heyday I would workout almost 2 hours a day. Maaaaayyybbbeee taking a day off on the weekends. I’m not kidding! How was I not skin and bones?? Well, I also ate a lot of crap because I “could.” (read, I worked out like a maniac)
So, if I could eat whatever I wanted and just work it off what is the big deal?
My knees. My shoulders. My back.
Our bodies are not designed to work out that hard that much. It just isn’t practical for LIFETIME fitness. (And that is what we need to strive for folks.) Exercise is designed to strengthen our heart not strain our bodies to the point of injury.
So what is the recommended workout schedule?
According to the updated physical activity guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine we need to accumulate 150-300 minutes of physical activity per week. This boils down to about 30 minutes of intentional workout that gets our heart pounding everyday. What if you just went on a walk every morning??!!
It really is THAT simple.
If you are looking for a way to get started try my MiMo workouts for FREE and read more on my philosophy of exercise.
LIE #4 YOU WILL ALWAYS LOSE WEIGHT BY EATING "THIS" WAY
Have you been aboard the diet train for a while?
Remember counting every calorie, eating under 20g fat everyday, eating nothing but cheese and bacon due to Dr. Atkins’ discoveries, trying to one-up the cavemen on your Paleo kick, and now maybe trying this whole Keto thing??
If you remember all of that and are STILL trying to lose weight then you are STUCK in diet culture. Pure and simple. You are just stuck. UNLESS….you are one of the lucky ones who found a way of eating that left you feeling fabulous and STUCK TO IT!
Here’s the deal, there is NO magic diet. There are only 2 magic things.
1.A good relationship with food. Do you label foods “good” and “bad”? Do you tell yourself “I did really good last week” and reward yourself with a slice of pizza? These are detrimental to your mental health and, in turn, affect your physical health as well. What if we just ate good food that is good for us without labels and freaking out?
2. A way of eating that works for your body. We should all be on a diet. A diet is simply our way of eating that keeps our body at optimal physical fitness. For some people that looks like lower carbohydrates, for others it is no animal products and others maybe lower fat is better digested. How do you know? Listen to your body. Be honest about what is working and what is just something you really WANT to work.
Bottom line, the diet isn’t the fix. The mindset is the fix. Don’t believe me? Check out this interview.
LIE #5 THIS THING IS WORTH YOUR MONEY
It has been shown that there are two types of people and they spend their money very differently.
People who view themselves as not having enough money spend what they have on things that are dispensable.
People who view themselves as having adequate/abundant money spend it on investments that are lasting.
The ab roller/thigh master/exercise bike in your grandma’s basement isn’t changing anyone’s life. It is a dust collector and reminder of all the high hopes we once had for ourselves.
A certain THING (even a gym membership) will not workout for us or help us become stronger and healthier.
WE are the only thing that can change! If we INVEST in ourselves and our mindset we are more likely to make a change for the better.
This is 100% the reason I developed The Mind Into Motion Method. I know for a fact that if people are willing to open their minds and dig deep they will make positive changes and start living the life they were meant to live.
So tell me, which lie did you believe?
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