When it comes to health and fitness, I can’t say how many times I’ve been convinced by a YouTuber with a good physique and cool, flashy graphics in their videos, later realizing they might’ve been wrong! Or, an Instagram post listing off the best “fat-burning foods” (which don’t exist!). There’s a lot of misleading stuff out there… false, or at best semi-truthful, statements that aren’t well-documented yet.
There’s also plenty of disagreement in the world; with new studies and contradictory information coming out every week, what are we supposed to believe? Before, everyone feared eating fats. Now, I’m being told to avoid carbs… and what about cardio? Should I do it in a fasted state? And how many times a week? Are eggs actually bad for me?
I’ve learned to take everything I hear with a grain of salt, because if you look hard enough, you can cherry-pick studies that go along with whatever you’re trying to convince others of. Even the documentaries on Netflix can’t always be trusted, since they’ve likely been made with a specific agenda in mind. The same goes for the videos that have racked up millions of views online.
Additionally, I’ve learned more about the complexities of health and fitness. It isn’t an exact science, and you can choose to embark on an individualized, non-linear path towards your goals. Don’t rely on a strict set of rules, since so many factors are at play. You can’t possibly apply one single formula to all of humanity. For example –– calculating your basal metabolic rate, or how many calories you burn by just existing, like laying in bed. An equation that takes into account your age, gender, height, and weight serves as a good estimate, but it isn’t perfect. Similarly, what one person’s body responds well to, may not be the best option for another.
Health and fitness is not a one-size fits all.
