April 22, 2026 //
Thomas Conway //
Training //
7 min read
The wealth of Fitness information has also lead to the poison of disinformation
One thing we find that is often a big part of what we do is helping our members avoid common pitfalls throughout their health and fitness journey.
And oftentimes they come in the form of some gimmick that they heard about and are interested in trying.
There’s no question that the fitness industry has become somewhat problematic over the years.
The image below is a small and simple example of what I’m referring to.
As the fitness industry grows, it seems that the consumer is more confused now than they ever were. Why?
Fitness Influencers are starting to place themselves in the extremes.
The reason they do this is because extremes sell very well.
What do I mean by extremes? Carnivore diet, Veganism, Extreme Fasting, Restrictive Dieting, etc.
You know what doesn’t sell well? Consistent training over a given period of time.
You know what works the best and always has? Consistent training over a given period of time.
These fitness influencers unfortunately get so lost in the sauce and capture a lot of attention because extremes capture a lot of attention. Lesson here: Stay away from people that operate in absolutes!
In practicality how this looks is if anyone ever tells you that what they do is the ONLY way to fix you’re problem, they’re full of it and you should take your money elsewhere.
As I’ve continued to get coaching and mentoring of my own, I find that the best ones understand that what individuals need is dependent on a lot of factors.
And because of that, there rarely is a situation in which one modality or training style can be the one solution for every person ever.
What’s more realistic is that there are basic underlying concepts such as the phrase I mentioned above a few times that will apply in most situations, but the specifics will change.
One thing doesn’t apply to all people in Fitness
With the previously mentioned problem of the extremes it also creates an issue where people think there is one answer to everyone’s problems which I briefly touched on but will go into more detail now.
We’ve heard it all!
Eat more fat, carbs are bad for you…
Eat more carbs, Fat is bad for you…
Do more cardio…
Cardio will make you lose gains…
It seems that everyday there’s a NEW best thing for you in fitness that will solve your problems. Well guess what, it unfortunately doesn’t work like that. What we’ve found in our experience is settling somewhere in the middle where modesty meets critical thinking.
Because of our fast paced environment we tend to grab one bit of a headline and run with it. But if we instead start to take an approach of; read headline, generate initial inquiry, then investigate further we can save ourselves from getting to the chicken before the egg (Or however that phrase goes).
There can also be an effect that occurs in which we read something new that’s different and we can then disregard everything we’ve learned or done in the past that was effective for making the change we want.
Instead, think of it as continuing to build knowledge and ADD instead of taking a new idea and thinking well if this is correct, then the previous thing I thought was correct must be wrong.
Rarely is that the case and we need to remember that many things can be true or have merit at the same time.
Lesson here: Use your thinking cap when you try things out and understand that you are an individual that has individual training and nutrition needs.
Focus on becoming the best version of yourself NOT somebody else
With the advent of social media we’re constantly being fed imagery of the super shredded dude or the petite yet big booty model.
I think we know that this is not good for our brains. So much so that there has been litigation around how social media has lead people to depressive and suicidal symptoms.
Furthermore we need to understand that these people look that way for certain reasons that may not (and likely don’t) apply to our lives. Below are some examples of what I’m getting at.
This is their job and income. As a result most of these people are likely enhanced (Drugs like steroids, hormones, etc). They’ve decided that the most important things to them are money and lots of followers, nothing wrong with that, and they’re willing to go to extremes to get what they value.
They have a different genetic profile. This is a factor that will determine body comp and aesthetics and is very much so a reality. I for example have a hard time putting muscle on, doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying. But I may need to take a different approach that’s more appropriate for me as opposed to trying to do what Arnold Schwarzenegger did.
Focus on YOUR progress and don’t place someone you don’t even know on a pedestal. If you’re moving in the right direction (Strength, Weight loss, Physique) then KEEP GOING! Don’t get discouraged because you don’t look like your favorite fitfluencer. And remember, they probably don’t care about you so don’t get too invested in them.
While I mention all these things, know it’s normal to want to look a certain way. How we view ourselves visually certainly has a direct impact on overall well being. But there’s no question that the imagery we see distorts our perception of beauty. So focus on growth and improvement from where you’re at rather than trying to match what the world believes is beauty.
All this to say that social media and media in general can put our mind in a weird place. Simply recognize it and understand the context while continuing to focus on the things that are truly and intrinsically valuable to you.
This was a different but important topic to cover because I see this impact people in a lot of ways. Sometimes it can impact people so much that it can lead to paralysis when trying to start a fitness routine.
And that’s where a coach can help. Good coaches help you zoom out and also understand what things might be influencing your mindset and then go even further and help you work through those barriers.
Want to see how we can make an impact on your journey? Head to our website and click the get started link to either book a call or jump into a free intro session.
