Scam, Fad or Reality?

I think one of the major mistakes made by people today is that they fall victim to almost every marketing scheme out there.  I don’t blame them, it’s hard not to.  The marketing and the endorsements these days are truly spectacular.  But you need to be better than that.  You need to realize not everything you read is true; not every diet will improve your results, not every supplement will produce the results on the label, and certainly not every workout program will work for you. The Internet is full of great resources for whatever your needs may be, but it’s no secret that it is also full of a lot of junk.  I’m sorry, but every time I read some story about someone gaining 20 pounds of muscle in two weeks, or every time I hear about some kid who has a secret to bench 50 more pounds in a month I can’t help but shake my head. I don’t want you to think that I’m saying everything out there is a scam, but I want you to realize that nearly everyone has an ulterior motive, and before you buy into the latest fitness program or fad diet, you should be more skeptical. But so how do you know if something is a fraud or real?  That’s the hard part; until you have some personal experience under your belt you might not be able to tell them apart.  The biggest tip I have is something you’ve already heard but I don’t think that there is a field it applies to more than fitness; “If it’s too good to be true, it most likely is.”  I hate to tell you this, but unless you are on some illegal anabolic product, you will most likely not gain more than a pound of muscle a week.  And truthfully, that’s still on the exaggerated side.  I, personally, am only gaining around a pound of muscle a month.  Sure, you may be able to put on more than a pound of weight in a week, but it most likely is just water weight and filler. Everyone is different and what works for Joe Average will not always work for you.  The only real way to see what works for you is to go out and try it.  I just ask that you carefully consider the validity of the claims being made before you buy into something. Jack Burdick is majoring in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota and along with his weightlifting workouts, he competes in marathons and ultra-marathons (50 mile races) and is looking to earn a Cross-Fit title or to be recognized with The World’s Fittest Man title which is reserved for an ultra endurance power athlete.