DISCLAIMER - This article is going to upset a lot of people in the fitness industry. We're sorry (no, we're not.)
The fitness industry is chock-full of fads and gimmicks. Are you using a legitimate exercise program, or are you caught up in another trend? Here are 5 signs you've gotten yourself caught in a fitness fad!
1. You're working with "fitness coaches" rather than Personal Trainers.
Ever wonder why your gym or studio refers to their trainers as "fitness coaches?" Or maybe you know an "online fitness coach?" There is only one reason to refer to yourself as a fitness coach - because you haven't earned the right to call yourself a personal trainer. These people likely have no formal education in exercise science, and probably don't even have a certification. If you're working with a fitness coach, you've probably gotten yourself into a fitness gimmick.
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2. It's WAY over-branded.
If your gym or fitness studio is covered in bright colors, logos, merchandise, and bumper stickers, it's probably a gimmick. A gym only does this kind of over-the-top branding if it's covering up a fitness fad that would otherwise fade away. A legitimate exercise program can focus on making really great workouts rather than making sure every car in the parking lot has a bumper sticker, and every member has a branded t-shirt.
3. You're told you can LOSE WEIGHT FAST. 
A lot of fitness fads today get members by promising FAST results. They say you can lose weight in 21 days or you can be SHREDDED in just 90 days! These programs sound really great, right? Well unfortunately they're just not realistic, and they're definitely not healthy. Of course with diet and exercise, you can lose weight quickly. But someone who is new to exercise or overweight cannot and should not expect to have abs in 90 days. Fitness is an ongoing process. If you're being promised FAST results, you're probably caught up in a fitness fad.
4. You're promised abs or a bikini body. 
If your fitness program promises things like shredded abs, a bikini body, or sexy legs, guess what - it's a gimmick. Again, these things sound really great, but they're not really what fitness is about. Fitness is about improving your health (and losing weight along the way) with safe, daily exercise. Believe it or not, the men and women that star in commercials and magazines for these programs are genetically gifted, paid actors and actresses. It's OK to not look like a fitness model. It's NOT OK to promise everyone they can. A legitimate exercise program will allow you to lose weight, be healthier, and be the best version of YOU that you can be.
5. Celebrity Trainers. 
Finally, let's discuss the epitome of fitness fads. If you're using a program with a ripped celebrity trainer who is more skilled on camera than anything, it's definitely a gimmick. Celebrity trainers come and go (anybody remember Richard Simmons?) Celebrity trainers, though sometimes qualified, are usually nothing more than TV personalities. They make a short "extreme" exercise program and sell it as much as they can. Once people are tired of that program, they come out with another one. Create fitness fad. Sell. Repeat.
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So, are you caught up in a fitness fad? If you are, we challenge you to give HelloFit a try. We think you'll be surprised by the REAL results that come with REAL fitness.
Do you know someone who is caught up in a fitness fad? LIKE and SHARE this on Facebook!