4 Dirty Secrets of the Fitness Industry
2021 has kicked off, and you’ve likely seen at least one ad encouraging you to lose those pandemic pounds and make this the year of a new you. What they don’t often tell you is how the odds are stacked against you. While there’s a ton of ways that fitness franchises manipulate consumers, here’s four of the biggest secrets of the fitness industry.
They’re Betting Against You
As much as you see a lot of these places advertising, the truth is they know people are creatures of habit. They know that people aren’t likely to change their old habits and will eventually slack on their workout goals — but with automated payments, the cash keeps flowing. Places like Anytime Fitness boast membership in the hundreds of millions (averaging about 800 per club), but the majority of these members are probably not regular gym goers.
Teamwork is the Key
While many gyms bet on you not showing up to workout, there are others that use features like group exercise to help keep members motivated and returning. According to a Nielsen Global Consumer Exercise survey, gym members who participate in group exercise stay longer and are more likely to recommend their gym to family and friends. So if you’re really looking for a way to stay strong in your efforts, grab a friend and get going.
Everything Works
If you asked a guy in the gym what’s the best type of workout, they’d probably say targeted workouts with high reps and medium weights are best. If you asked another guy the same question, he may say heavy weights and short reps is the key. If you asked another person, they might say high intensity interval training is the best way to perfect the body. And the dirty truth is, they’re all right. Every training style has its pros and cons, but the important thing is to do your research and find what fitness plan is going to be best for your goals. Don’t let the buff guy with protein powder in his beard convince you that there’s only one way to train to get results.
It’s What’s Inside That Counts
The dirtiest secret in the fitness industry really isn’t a secret: Your diet makes all the difference. It doesn’t matter if you’re running a 5k every week, if you’re eating junk food and drinking sugar-filled sodas, you’ll still have the body of a couch potato. Think of it as an 80/20 equation. The work you put in at the gym accounts for 20 percent of your results; your diet will account for the rest. I’m not saying you have to subscribe to any specific diet — that a topic for another day — but eating clean will make the difference.
Nick Bailey is a forward thinking journalist with a well-rounded skill set unafraid to take on topics head on. He now resides in Austin, TX and continues to create content on a daily basis.