So I just finished up the ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer program and part of the exam had 6 essays that we had to choose from a list to complete. Given the helpful information that are in the essays, I thought it would be worth posting these on the blog.
So this particular essay deals with the myths and deception present in many of the fitness and supplement advertisements in fitness magazines. We were asked to choose 5 ads and then comment on what makes them false or misleading, and then summarize how the ads could be more truthful.
To find articles and advertisements that are full of exercise myth, all you have to do is open any fitness or bodybuilding magazine and you will be greeted with page after page of products and workout routines that “guarantee” you will be ripped in just a matter of weeks with little or no commitment to working hard for results. The five articles that I chose cover just a few of the popular supplements currently on the market, one popular DVD based workout program, and a piece of workout equipment that promises results with just minutes of use a few days a week.
Advertisement 1 is for a very popular weight loss pill that has been around for some time. It promises “ripped” muscles and has a before and after photo of a guy that goes from very average to very muscular in what he claims is nine weeks. The myth here is that all that is needed is a fat burning pill and you can take you average and slightly overweight body and turn it into one of a professional bodybuilder in only 9 weeks. What the article should say is that you can use the product, which has ingredients such as caffeine that speed up metabolism somewhat, in conjunction with a hard workout routine and see some positive effects.
The second advertisement I found is for another supplement that goes as far as to claim it is the magic pill for both weight loss and fat burning. It promises to deliver immediate and fast acting fat loss results. It then goes on to say do not use without consulting your doctor. The last statement concerns me in that number one, I question its safety and number two it seems to be a marketing scheme to make it sound like it is so powerful, you better make certain you and your doctor or ready for it. Again, as mentioned for the first ad, I would say in order to make this advertisement more truthful, it should mention that in conjunction with a healthy diet and well developed exercise routine, it can assist in weight loss given the thermogenic ingredients it contains.
The third ad that I came across that depicts a health myth is one for a 60 day DVD program that guarantees a ripped body. The myth with this advertisement is that in order to look like one of the models on the ad, you simply just have to do the program for 60 days and you will get those types of physiques. While the exercises on the program are effective at increasing fitness, they are only one method of exercise and given the high intensity nature of them, they are not suitable for all people, especially very overweight, older adults or those with physical limitations. The ad does not mention this and it is targeting everyone looking to get “ripped.” To make it less deceptive, the advertisement should spell out the methods of training used and the fact that it is not suitable for people with compromised health and mobility.
Advertisement number four is another supplement formula that targets the “extreme” workout crowd, claiming it can turn you into an advanced and unadulterated performance machine. It claims increased strength, performance and unstoppable energy. It even claims that it is not for beginners. Again, as with the other ads, what is lacking here is the mention of the importance of having a well developed and executed workout and nutrition plan.
The last advertisement is perhaps the most over-exaggerated of all. It is for a piece of exercise equipment that claims to be so good that it is used by special military forces. It claims to be effective for everyone from ages 10 to 100 and only requires 4 minutes of use per day. Any workout routine requires more than 4 minutes in order to make measurable fitness gains. Cardiovascular improvement takes approximately 20-30 before we can see any real improvement in cardio health.
Advertisements are used to generate sells and companies are willing to use deception as a means to increase use of their products. We must keep this in mind when we encounter advertisements. With the staggering number of overweight people in our society, the fitness and supplement industries can make easy targets of these folks. While their products may be able to help people with weight loss and increased performance, their claims of effectiveness are often very exaggerated and this in turn is where the deception comes into play.
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