Precor & Club Business International: A Misleading Message
A couple of months ago, I was scrolling mindlessly through Instagram and came across this image from Precor. It's shows Rob Barker, the CEO and General Manager of the company.
Image is taken from Instagram, credit to Club Business International
And it made me stop.
And think.
Before I continue on with my impressions of the cover, I want you to take a look and come up with your thoughts.
Was it something along the lines of:
I am lazy
I am such a couch potato and need to get in shape
I'm worried about not having a "hot girl summer"
I am such a fat slob
I want you to know that it is (unfortunately) normal given that the quote selected from the article is meant to grab your attention.
(Kudos, then, to the editors of the magazine who knew that this would make you stop and look, while also getting an emotional response out of you).
And it made me stop too, but not for the reasons that you might think.
Yes, I am in fitness.
Yes, I have seen quotes like this with the intent to help "motivate" people.
Yes, I have seen a (small) group of people respond well to these types of quotes and see great results.
Is this something I would recommend for 95% of people I work with?
Short answer: No
Long Answer: No, because it is too complicated to simplify getting into shape by just saying that "The enemy is the couch".
As a way to better help (and understand) my clients, I have taken courses in behaviour and change psychology. I have done this as a way to help understand:
Where behaviours come from
Why people do certain things (even if it, seemingly, doesn't make sense), and
Strategies to help make lasting change.
From what I see in relation to this quote, is that fitness should be simple and straightforward.
This, however, does not take into context a number of factors that can be out of our control, including:
age
genetics
stress (both acute and chronic)
injuries
social environments and supports (or lack thereof)
systemic policies and procedures that can help or hinder our access to safe and reliable fitness
finances
worldwide pandemic
By all accounts, investing in fitness equipment is a start. It will not, however, sustain long-term change, especially if there is any criticism towards yourself and oversimplification.
What are some things you can do to help develop a deeper health model and longer-lasting change?
You can:
give yourself compassion
develop and nurture a growth mindset
set small and actionable steps that can be done every day (aim to be 1% better)
Are you looking to have a hot-girl summer without the muss and fuss of diet culture, then drop a comment below and I'll reach out to you with some more tips!