5 Misleading Things the Diet and Exercise Industry Are Still Telling You
I live in this little, blissful corner of the Internet where I mainly see body positive, inclusive health professionals who, like me, educate people on the importance of caring for your body by eating enough and exercising for strength and longevity. Every now and then, Instagram will pop that safe, well-informed bubble of mine and show me the click-baity, trendy, fear-mongering side of the Internet, and while it does frustrate me that so much misinformation is out there, it also motivates me to strive to make educated consumers out of everyone that comes my way.
Here are 5 topics I’ve come across recently that made me shake my head in disbelief that people are STILL repeating in 2026:
Plateaus are your fault
Weight loss plateaus are one of the most weaponized characteristics of basic human biology that you can find in the diet industry. You start a new diet, exercise plan or a combination of both, and you likely start to see some change. And then the change stops. Whose fault is it? According to the industry, it’s YOURS. You’ve been lazy. You haven’t been dedicated enough. You fell off the bandwagon. You need to get it together!!!
The truth: plateaus are simply a result of a very important piece of our biology: metabolic adaptation. When you make a change, say eating a bit less every day, the body responds by losing weight. Over time, your body will work to adapt to the new, lower number of calories you’re consuming. This is extremely necessary because without this adaptation, you would eventually wither away into nothing. The same goes for weight gain. Someone trying to gain weight might slightly increase their calories, and then the body adapts to stall additional weight gain.
People have been led to believe that this bodily function crucial to our survival is a negative consequence to be ashamed of. If you’re striving to change your weight, know that plateaus are bound to happen. If your goal is to significantly lose fat, gain muscle, or both, invest in a professional who can teach you about the full, healthy phases of the cycle of a proper diet, and stop letting the diet industry tell you you’re the problem without any additional solutions.
Successful workouts are measured by calorie burn
“Torch up to 1,000 calories in one class!” is a phrase many bootcamp studios love to use to get you into their doors. Yes, when you take class, you will likely burn calories and sweat a lot. That’s because bootcamp classes typically focus on cardio: running, jumping, rowing, and working in intervals intended to keep your heart rate elevated in a cardio zone for the entire class.
The truth: Bootcamp classes are great forms of cardio – yes, even if there are weights involved – and incorporating cardio into your week is important for a strong and healthy heart and lungs. And although you might get a good calorie burn while doing cardio, it’s no match for the calorie burn you get from strength training.
Strength training with progressive overload may not get your heart rate up as high as a bootcamp class, and it might not leave you as sweaty. But when done properly, it helps you to effectively and efficiently build muscle. And the more muscle you have on your frame, the more calories you burn at rest.
So while your smart watch might not report a huge calorie burn during your strength training session, your muscles are going to work overtime to repair, rebuild, and sustain. And that calorie burn is what’s going to keep your metabolism functioning optimally long after your workout ends.
There are different types of muscle
The fitness industry loves to market yoga and Pilates to women with the promise of building “long, lean muscle.” The strategy here is that the majority of women fear getting bulky, and the idea of lifting small weights to get long and lean sounds better. However, the idea that there is long, lean muscle and bulky muscle is false. Muscle is muscle, and the only way to see more of it on your frame is to lift weights.
The truth: The exact way muscle growth will appear on your frame is not determined by your workouts as much as your genetics and your diet. That “long, lean” look is achieved by lifting 3-4 days per week, walking a lot throughout the day, eating a sufficient amount of protein, and maintaining a relatively low percentage of body fat. That bulkier look is achieved by weight lifting at least once per day and eating in a giant caloric surplus with a huge emphasis on protein. No woman has ever accidentally gotten bulky by lifting moderately 3 times per week and eating normally. I promise.
If you want to look leaner, lift weights. If you want to look toned, lift weights. If you want to look extra muscle-y, lift weights. And then eat in a way that aligns with your goal.
Exercise automatically leads to weight loss
More than half of potential clients come to me for personal training with the goal of losing weight.
The truth: personal trainers can help you get stronger, feel more energized, and increase your mobility in your joints… but a nutrition coach is the most efficient and effective professional you need if you want to lose weight.
When it comes to weight loss, there are three common issues people have. First, not understanding how to properly enter and exit a caloric deficit, and consequently not seeing sustainable results. Second, treating themselves to extra food or dessert because they worked out that day, taking them out of a deficit. Third, choosing wholesome, healthy foods without considering total calories. For example, an Asian rice bowl with brown rice, grilled chicken, mixed vegetables, sliced avocado, and a light dressing could have upwards of 800 calories. All healthy foods, but calories of dense, wholesome foods can add up and take you out of a deficit quickly.
For sustainable and successful weight loss, ensuring that your physical activity and your nutrition intake are aligned is an important step to take.
Target training is possible
Do this ab workout for a flatter stomach in just 6 weeks! Add this move into your routine to get rid of hip dips! Try this arm series for toned arms just in time for summer!
Yup, all false promises.
The truth: you can train to gain muscle anywhere you want! However, you cannot choose from where your body sheds fat. So all the sit ups in the world will not make your stomach flatter if there is a layer of fat on your stomach. Bicep curls will not make your arms toned if there is a layer of fat on your arms.
The only way to make your muscle tone visible is to eat in a caloric deficit to reduce your body fat percentage overall.
Are you ready to let go of the click-baity, trendy, fear-mongering side of the fitness industry and learn exactly what you need to know about how to properly fuel and train your body for the results you’re looking for? You are in the right place. Click here to schedule your complimentary no-strings-attached consultation. We’ll chat about what you want to accomplish and the obstacles you face, and together, we’ll devise a plan that will work for you because it will be written for you!
