How to Spot Fitness Advice You Can Trust

Three tips to help you spot online fitness advice you can trust, that will truly help you reach your goals.

Holy moly the internet is full of information. On one hand, it’s kind of amazing because we have access to literally anything we want to know at the tip of our fingers. On the other hand, it is really overwhelming because there is so much contradicting information available about…oh you know…everything.

I am a firm believer that there is no such thing as a one size fits all approach to wellness and fitness. No matter what your goals are, there is an amazing qualified person somewhere online who is making quality content that will truly serve you, sometimes it’s just about knowing what to look for. Here are three tips to help you spot fitness advice you can trust.

Consider the Source

Who is the person behind the advice? What are their qualifications? You should be at minimum taking technical fitness advice from an individual who is a Certified Personal Trainer.

There are a lot of people giving fitness advice out on the internet, and it’s important to know what type of advice you should be taking from different sources. For example, if you follow a blogger who has undergone a weight-loss transformation but doesn’t have any fitness qualifications, she would be an amazing person to take advice from when it comes to motivation, inspiration, and personal connection. She is likely not the best person to take advice from when it comes to fitness programming, form, or technique.

If you are looking for fitness programs to follow, looking for programming advice, modifications for your body, or for form or technique tips, get those from a Certified Personal Trainer.

All Fitness Content is Not Created Equal – Take Advice That Relates to Your Goals

If you aren’t working with a trainer one-on-one and you are looking for fitness advice on the internet, make sure you are looking at content that actually relates to your goals. For example, if you are looking to build muscle, getting all of your fitness information from a running-focused blog probably isn’t going to serve you.

On that same front, if you are a normal badass gal who just wants to move your body, improve your health, and get in better shape, for the love of all that is holy do not try to mimic the routine (food or fitness) of a bodybuilder or bikini competitor. Just don’t.

There are so many amazing trainers and instructors out there who all serve different markets and niches. If you want to improve your running times, follow a running coach. If you want to build functional strength, follow a trainer who focuses on functional training (oh hi, hit me up on Instagram @balancedberry). If you’re a new mom who is ready to get back in the swing of things, follow some amazing badass mama trainers who are killing it and who know where you’re coming from.

No matter what you’re looking for, there are qualified people out there who want to serve you with their amazing content. Don’t bog yourself down with feelings of comparison or frustration by following the advice of people who are giving advice that isn’t meant to serve you.

Listening to Your Body Should Always Come First

No matter how qualified someone is, how amazing their content is, or how amazing their results appear to be, listening to your body should always and forever come first. Unless you are working with a fitness professional who has directly assessed where you are at, has discussed your goals with you and who has created a program specifically for you, always take fitness advice with a grain of salt because those workouts and programs likely won’t meet you exactly where you are at.

If you see workouts and workout plans that have been created for the general population, they can be an amazing place to start. Just know that if when following a general routine or general fitness advice you are doing something that truly doesn’t work for you, it is ok to not do it.

Now, don’t take that as a pass to take the easy way out. Burpees are hard for everyone, so not liking them isn’t what I mean 🙂 But if you know you have certain injuries or weaknesses, make sure you are treating your body with care.

If you are looking for something more personal and customized, I am excited to share I have three openings available for VIP One-on-One Coaching for dedicated clients who want individualized guidance and accountability.

At this time, I’m only taking on three clients so I am able to give top-notch individual coaching and service. VIP Coaching includes:

• An initial consultation where we will discuss your goals, relationship with fitness, and how we can work together.
• A fully customized, detailed training plan and nutrition coaching delivered to you online and tailored to your goals, access to equipment, and schedule.
• Access to my online training platform where you can access your workouts via your computer or mobile device at any time.
• Unlimited email correspondence to answer any questions you have and provide support.
• Weekly check-ins for accountability and to assess your progress.

The cost to participate is $147 per month, which is the price of a single in-person personal training session, and a total steal for the level of training. These spots are bound to fill up quickly, so if you are interested in learning more, shoot me an email at les(at)thebalancedberry(dot)com. I would love to hear from you!

Your Turn:

What are some of your go-to resources for fitness and wellness information?