In the fitness game, everybody’s an expert. Everyone’s got methodologies based on “science”. Everyone’s got workout plans proven by “years of research”. And everyone knows “exactly what you’ve been doing wrong all these years.” Yup, everybody’s a genius. And the best part — they’re giving you all this secret information for FREE!!! Just click here, sign up, pay now…and you’ll look just like me. 

Can you smell the sarcasm yet? We certainly hope so. But it brings up a very valid point that we feel it’s time to address: can you trust those fitness influencers you see on YouTube? And if not, who can you trust? 

Good questions. Now let’s get into some even better answers. 

First, Let’s Talk Business

Ever hear the expression, “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”? Well that goes double online. YouTube, like every other internet platform, is a business, plain and simple. And their goal is to make money. So that means that truth and honesty will usually take a backseat to flash, glitz, and glamor. It’s all about those clicks, shares, likes, and subscriptions. The purpose of any video you see on YouTube is to get you to engage with it, to rope you in, and to sell you on all those ads. 

The FitFluencer Craze

Like any industry, the minute someone realized they could make bank while pretending to dole out useful fitness information, they were off to the races. And many of the highest profile voices were spewing some of the biggest lies. Whether it was “this amazing workout plan worked for every Hollywood star”, or “shred those pounds after taking this body type test” — the simple fact was, is, and will always be, that if it sounds too good to be true, it most definitely is. So how do you separate fact from fiction? 

Red Flags to Watch Out for

Are They Claiming Fast Results? 

We don’t care how hard you work – weight loss, muscle growth, and body composition transformation all take TIME. So anyone who counters that is just lying. 

Are They Showing Hard to Believe Before & Afters? 

Whenever you see before and after photos of supposedly successful clients, do they look a bit too ridiculous, too shredded, too massive? Big red flag right there. 

Are They Charging Super High Prices? 

It doesn’t matter how effective or amazing a workout or nutrition plan is – it shouldn’t cost the big bucks. This is all just information after all, and most of it was figured out centuries ago. 

Are They Promoting Some Newly Discovered Supplement or Super Food? 

When it comes to these brand new, apparently “revolutionary” discoveries, you’ve got to put on your skeptic hat, and keep it on. And what’s worse, putting something in your body without proper medical advice can get dangerous. 

Does Their Information Seem Counterintuitive?

In my book, there’s only one thing that’s actually counterintuitive, and that’s the game of golf (hit softer, go further, what?). But everything else is pretty much intuitive: calories in, calories out, challenging your body, breaking a sweat, putting in maximum effort, and eating your greens. Is it something your grandma told you? Then it’s probably true. 

The Importance of Vetting

In the realm of fitness, you’re going to need to vet with a fine-toothed comb, just like you would with a potential job, love interest, medical procedure, whatever. And when you go to an in-person gym, you can safely assume that their management has properly vetted their staff of trainers. But when you’re looking online for accurate and honest fitness information, who’s doing the vetting for you? 

Now when you do your research, it’s going to take a lot more than a quick Google. Don’t forget who owns YouTube, surprise….Google! So sure those algorithms might have some honest negative feedback about a trainer or training system — but it might be on page 1,235,032. Get your clicking finger ready! 

A Simpler Way, A Better Way

Instead of searching for hours and hours and hours through the muck and mire that is the online fitness world, why not try a different way, a better way? At Studio SWEAT onDemand, we’ve spent years putting out the best virtual workouts you can find, all taught by a staff of trainers that are: personally vetted, knowledgeable, experienced, certified, and most importantly…passionate! All of our training instructors have all the proper certifications (ACE, NASM, AFFA — whatever their expertise required), and we never try and sell you on any fancy or fantastical promises. Nope, nothing but good, hard work here, done by REAL PEOPLE, just like you. 

And we’ve even got a corporate workout solution called the Sweat Force offering our endless library of onDemand classes, wellness workshops, and company-wide fitness challenges. To learn more about us or to schedule a demo, click here.