Sex Sells. But Should You Buy It?

So much of the Fitness world is sold on sex appeal. However, that may not be the best approach for buying what they are selling.

In the fitness world, posts or images of sexy bodies make it easy to be drawn in: picture the women or men with extremely defined abs, toned arms, and practically naked. We have all seen the ads, the videos, the flaunting. This is the dream, right?

Of course, we all want to look and feel good naked, and therefore plenty of industry "experts" showcase those rare and hard-to-achieve bodies. It works even if the pictures are stolen, edited, or real. People buy. They are buying the dream body! They can look like that too.

It's true. I also want to make it clear, that I am in no way saying this is IMPOSSIBLE. In fact, it is VERY possible. However, knowing the right things to look for when selecting a proper program or trainer can make your success that much better.

However, as a fitness professional with two kids and a life, I get extremely irritated and even pissed when the market is tainted this way. There are WONDERFUL experts out there who look incredible and work hard to do so. There are also so-called experts out there who were lucky, don't work that hard and still, look good. In both cases, there are things to watch for and keep an eye out for.

Let me elaborate on why this drives me crazy!

First, whether or not the person is an expert, if they are "shredded" they are sacrificing a LOT. In other words, they are meal prepping and bringing their own food everywhere. They cannot enjoy simply going out for Taco Tuesday with friends. There is thought and planning involved that most of us don't worry about. Every morsel is accounted for. Time in the gym can be hours a day. Yes, multiple hours. That is time away from the kids, time away from your spouse, and time alone. Most of the population doesn't have that kind of time, willpower, or willingness to sacrifice so much.

Secondly, there are often people who won some kind of genetic lottery. They have good genes. Those good genes give them high-powered metabolisms, they may come from a family that naturally is just thin, and they have the right hormonal makeup. Some women (and men) have the right levels of their hormones without even trying. They gain muscle easily, never have weight gain due to hormones, and don't have monthly fluctuations that are difficult to handle. Some of these "experts" have never even had to lose weight in the first place. I know more women than not who have hormone imbalances and their whole family has issues with weight. They are fighting a lot of odds.

Third, and maybe most importantly, they aren't telling you the truth. That program you just bought? It's not the same one they used to lose weight or get the physique they are selling. Some of the women are showing off their hot bod and asking "what to look like me?" they may have someone else helping create their programs or workouts (they are just the image). In fact, they may not even be trained or certified to sell what they are selling! Some of the women you see have never had to deal with postpartum struggles, they are the lucky ones who loved pregnancy, had zero complications, and bounced back like a champ. This is not everyone. This is that person.

So overall, understand yourself and what it takes to be a good trainer. You need to know what odds you are fighting, what your body is going through, and what is realistic for your life.

Before you even explore a program or trainer, sit down with yourself first. Write down your goals, your why's, and your realistic ability to stick to fitness and nutrition plans. I've written a whole blog post on this as well: Prepare for a Health and Fitness Plan. You need to be a good match with the person helping you.

Even doing things like having a physical, getting blood work, a gut health check, and getting your hormones checked can be a helpful first step too.

Also, understand what sacrifices you are willing to make in the name of health and fitness. What are your limits or hard nos? What have you tried in the past and why didn't work?

Take a look at the person who is constantly showing you their abs, using dialog about how good they look, and how you can look that good too. Are they certified? What are those certifications? What is their experience? Are they showing you LOTS of transformations or just a few? Question them. Make sure you trust what they are telling you and if you feel like they are being honest. Then see if your ultimate goals match with their certifications, their program claims, and their testimonial claims. If not, move on.

Sex sells. We all want to look and feel good naked (and in clothes). Just make sure sex appeal is not the only reason you are buying.

Live your Life Confidently.

Jen