May 06, 22
3 minutes
The magic tricks of social medias
These days, the social media algorithms we use are so strong that information often comes to us before we come to it. This makes it difficult to distinguish the real from the fake Instagram posts, miracle recipes, revolutionary products, specific articles, and even advice from "Steve's friend, the local gym owner". The real trap is believing that it's all one size fits all, meaning that what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.
Let's see what the biggest catches on the Internet are right now.
The miracle diet
Food and eating healthy come with their share of false beliefs and various fabrications. You've probably noticed the latest trend of "What I Eat In A Day" which encourages many fitness influencers or models to share what their plate is made of for each meal. If you're following them for recipe ideas, it's a great opportunity to get inspired. However, this is not really the behavior we notice as coaches. Most of the time, these posts are saved in order to copy and paste into one's food lifestyle... without really knowing if it applies to us!
The most important thing to remember about food is the daily intake, the nutrients, and the micro-foods. The daily caloric intake is the number of calories that you must, at least, ingest, in addition to the one that you add according to your specific needs. As for nutrients, we are talking about the number of macronutrients, i.e. proteins, fats, and carbohydrates that make up your plate. They are ALL necessary since they allow your body and its organs to function. The amount of each depends on your body composition and your health goals. Finally, the micro-foods are various sources of vitamins and minerals that are essential for the proper functioning of our body.
Once again, this is not an exact science that applies to everyone: it is calculated in a very personalized way according to several factors related to your lifestyle and your body analysis data.
The physical exercise that will transform your shape!
It is not uncommon to see videos or other content of pseudo-pros performing innovative movements. We are promised pecs of steel, defined abs, a "bubble-butt", and incredible fat loss... in one easy exercise!
Today, information is as present as misinformation. Many people want to innovate and reinvent the movements: some are well-intentioned, others less so! However, you should know that there is a science called biomechanics that governs the different movements that the joints can or cannot make, considering the risks of potential injury. It is this science that is right for us in a case like this one! There is no miracle exercise to make fantastic progress in your training. Good programming with good training volume is the only thing you can count on.
Still related to training, but on the side of influencers (or content creators)! You've probably seen trends like "Bro Split training" or "The serie of exercices that helped me achieve X goal, try it!" come across your feed.
We ourselves like to share what we like or what works for us to inspire those around us to do the same. However, as an individual, we owe it to ourselves to make the distinction between being exposed to this type of content. While it may have worked for them, the same result for you is not guaranteed. As with nutrition, many factors must be taken into consideration: your body composition, your caloric expenditure, your lifestyle, your food structure, and so on! Thus, most of these programs are doomed to failure because they do not respect your lifestyle, your training volume, and your specific needs.
That's right! Fitness is a science, it is not a miracle. The good news is that now that you are informed, you are ready to make the best of it and make an informed choice. By the way, if you are interested in knowing your body composition, the best training schedule for you, or the right food structure, we are just a click away from personalized advice for you.
Take the first step. We're here for you.