This time of year is always synonymous with fitness programs, gym memberships, resolutions, new beginnings, health improvement, weight loss, diets, and the like. It comes at you from every direction.

You cannot go online without being targeted for a product, membership, or service that helps with one of those things. Social media is FULL of fitness influencers and big accounts claiming to be “THE BEST” at what they do. So how do you know who to trust?

Let’s start with some red flags that should help you know who and what NOT to trust!

Anything that seems “too good to be true” probably is. A new pill that you’ve never heard of that is a supernutrient fat burner based on your blood type is not going to be the answer to your problems.
Any gadget, pill, or person that promises to solve your problems without you needing to do any work is guaranteed BS. Achieving results takes work. Period. There are things that can assist you in achieving results but it still comes down to YOU doing the work. I know that’s not sexy or fun to hear but it’s true.
Anything that claims it is the “BEST IN THE WORLD," or other hype phrases like that which have absolutely nothing to substantiate them are things you should be leery of. The “best” according to who? These terms are not regulated and are often are just marketing fluff.
Any company that uses high-pressure, manipulative sales tactics like “This is our only sale of the year” (while having a sale once a month) should be avoided. If there is no integrity in their sales tactics, there may be compromised integrity in other areas of their company.
Anything that tries to single out ONE area of the body. A coach or person who focuses on a single muscle as the “solution” is missing the big picture. Muscles do not work in isolation and hyper-focusing on one specific muscle is likely to do more harm than good. This is generally a sign that the person is not well educated on anatomy and physiology or the science of pain and kinesiology.
Anything that does not take a whole mind-body approach. We now have a better understanding of how intertwined our minds and bodies are. You cannot address your health without also focusing on your mind!
Anyone toting a method that they clearly do not follow in their own lives. If they do not live the lifestyle they are promoting how can you trust their “expertise”? If someone is selling daily exercise but doesn’t do it themselves, why would you trust that?

Now, onto some of the more nuanced things to look for or seek out:

Personal experience. If there is one thing I’ve learned it’s that someone who has been in your shoes, and who is passionate about your situation because they’ve experienced it themselves is going to be able to connect with you and help you in a way that no textbook or amount of learning can teach.
Integrity. This world is SO full of fake. And then there’s the influx of people clinging to words like “authenticity” without actually being authentic at all. I get why it’s confusing to navigate! I've even been fooled by people claiming to be something they are not. When I look back, all the signs were there and I knew in my gut that they weren’t what they were pretending to be.
Are they just interested in closing a sale and taking your money or are they genuinely invested in your success, and willing to hear you out, advocate for you, and suggest something that isn’t going to profit them personally, if that is what is best for you?
Do they get annoyed if you are asking a lot of questions? (Assuming the questions you are asking can’t easily be found on a website or promotional material.)
How’s the return policy? NOTHING happens overnight. Is there at least a 30-day window to return if you find that it is not for you?
How does the company care for its employees? That’s often a good sign of how they care for their customers. Have their employees stuck around since the start? Has there been a massive turn over?
How’s their customer service? Are they responsive? Caring? Respectful? A great example of this is Oura- we purchased a ring from them, it stopped charging, and their customer service has repeatedly dropped the ball on the situation for over two months.
Do you enjoy the thing? If it’s a protein supplement- does it taste good? Do the ingredients agree with you? If it is a workout instructor- do you like them? If it’s a meditation recording- do you enjoy the voice?

A few other things to consider:

WHY are you doing this? What is your driving force? What will you draw upon when you no longer WANT to do it? How will you stay consistent? Spend some time thinking about this. There will inevitably be a point when you just do not want to do it anymore. Then what? You need to have a firm decision and commitment made that is not contingent upon you WANTING to do it. There will be days you do not want to but that you still need to. A good exercise can be spending some time- maybe during a shower, or a drive- thinking about what your life will look like if you are consistent with this thing for 3 months, 6 months, a year. What will be possible for you that is not right now? How will you feel once you’ve achieved the goals you set for yourself? Remember those thoughts on the days you want to make excuses. And for those of you who need reminders to take rest days modify those thoughts accordingly!

We want to see you succeed at achieving your goals and we want to see you make 2022 your best year yet. It’s been a challenging few years for everyone and we have no idea what 2022 holds for us, but you know what you can do? Control the controllable and let the rest of that shit go! I often have this conversation with my Son. We can’t control a lot of what happens around us, to us, or how others treat us. But we CAN control how we respond to it, what we learn from it, and how it shapes us. And there is a TREMENDOUS amount of power and freedom in realizing that. You are not powerless, no matter what the circumstances are, so take control and take ownership.

Until next week,

-Katie at Whealth

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