What's the craziest health and fitness advice you've ever gotten?
"It is about doing whatever it takes to get results. The goal? Health and fitness at any cost, including life itself."
In this section (Navigating Fitness) I explore the dark side of fitness and wellness, present unconventional ways to learn and think about it, and try to bring these concepts down to earth. If you enjoy and or find this content helpful make sure to subscribe to support my work.
Hey everyone, I hope you are doing great. Things are a little slow here in Vertientes y Tangentes. I have been reviewing and editing my book, which takes a lot of work, but to keep up with the flow of posting once or twice a month here I am with a question for you.
In my upcoming book (Navigating Fitness) I explore the issue of irrational motivation and advice in the fitness and wellness world. Between using meth1 to lose weight, anal sunbathing, praying for a hotter body, and eating tapeworms2 this field is full of dangerous recommendations. It is about doing whatever it takes to get results. The goal? Health and fitness at any cost, including life itself. And there are those who are willing to do whatever it takes to sell it to us, at any cost.
To be fair, some of these things are used in serious clinical treatment under medical supervision. It is rare that this happens, but meth and tapeworms have been clinically administered to treat serious cases of obesity. It is also fair to say that even in clinical cases these methods can cause serious harm and death. One could say that these are “last resort” type of cases.
During my career (and as an individual) I have heard a plethora of crazy advice. While most of these are widely used and popular, and motivational sounding, they have caused more frustration, injury, harm, and confusion than getting no advice at all. All of us have received (or given, as it is my case) advice that later you say “What the f@%*? How was I doing (or saying) that?”
Much of this type of advice may sound harmless because it does not directly reflect (at simple sight) in the body. But even in the spiritual, emotional, financial, and social aspects it can harm. Generally, the results are confusion, frustration, anger, apathy, restlessness, and loss of self-faith. For example, I used to tell clients to rip off a magazine picture of whoever they wanted to look like. As if I, with my workouts and diet tips, could make someone look like somebody else. I also told people a few times to change jobs so they could stick to the program.
Do you see what I’m saying? Exactly. What the f@%*? But in the heat of the moment, and when desperate, people will do whatever it takes to get their #results. There is a big industry focused on “getting you results” both in the legal and black markets, and it feeds (mostly) on fear and illusion. And there is where irrational motivation and advice thrives.
So, tell me (in the comments below), what has been the craziest advice in this area that you've ever gotten (or given)? It could be about exercising, dieting, supplements, lifestyle, and spirituality, etc.
The Menace of Methamphetamine - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester Medical Center. (2024). Rochester.edu. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=1&contentid=3005
Tapeworms: Easy Weight Loss Or Potentially Fatal? (2016, June 15). University of Utah Health | University of Utah Health. https://healthcare.utah.edu/the-scope/health-library/all/2016/06/tapeworms-easy-weight-loss-or-potentially-fatal