To Your Health

Don't be Influenced by Influencers

"I saw this great workout on TikTok, you should try it," is a phrase I hope never to hear again. Holding a gym membership used to be seen as a luxury, but now 39% of Americans have one, whether online or at a facility. The U.S. fitness industry saw over $33 billion in revenue in 2021, and is expected to go up to over $400 billion by 2028. With this growing trend, more people are turning to social media to find workouts, which is something I caution against. Not only could you be taking advice from someone who is not qualified, which could put you in danger of physically injuring yourself, but your mental health could also be affected.

Social media is rampant with "fitness influencers" performing bogus exercises, posting risqué pictures, and useless training tricks. The sad reality is that this gets the most likes and views. They put out content purely for entertainment and content without substance, depth, or educational takeaways. They want more likes and followers and don't care about your goals. Many fitness influencers are not certified and have youth and enthusiasm on their side. To become a trainer, you need to take rigorous proctored exams that test your anatomy, biology, exercise, and even business acumen, not have a 'ripped body." Even though a lot of fitness influencers try to promote positivity, ironically, this can do more harm than good for your mental well-being. The content produced by certain accounts can create unrealistic expectations for followers. For example, a single 22 year old who posts shirtless pictures and says things like, "we all have the same 24 hours in a day, workout and you can look like me," can not comprehend that the 45 year old working parent with three kids does not have the same 24 hours in a day nor biological advantages that the 22 year old has. (No disrespect to the 22-year-olds, but as someone in their late 30s, my body is not the same as it was when I was younger, nor is anybody else's). It is also worth noting that being younger does not mean you are automatically skinny. Many people have health issues and can not lose weight no matter how much they exercise.

However, it should be noted that not all fitness accounts online are negative. There are several physical therapists, personal trainers, and dieticians online with a large following and plenty of instructional posts. As the person who runs the GPYC Fitness account on Instagram, my goal is to educate and inform you with our posts, not entertain you. Fitness is for people of all ages, backgrounds, and athletic abilities, as I train people of all shapes and sizes between 13 and 88 years old. And let me tell you, seeing the octogenarians holding two-minute planks is impressive and something I hope to be doing at that age!

Best in health, Peter Wendzinski

Healthy Snack Idea

Chocolate Keto Protein Shake

3/4 c. almond milk

1/2 c. ice

2 tbsp. almond butter

2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 to 3 tbsp. keto-friendly sugar substitute to taste

1 tbsp. chia seeds, plus more for serving

2 tbsp. hemp seeds, plus more for serving

1/2 tbsp. pure vanilla extract

Pinch kosher salt

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and garnish with more chia and hemp seeds.