There’s no doubt we’re living in polarized times. People can’t seem to find common ground on politics, religion, COVID and vaccines, or even who’s the best Batman. When disagreements flare, the clash can feel intense. That same feeling shows up in the fitness world, and today’s post by Shane McLean digs into that idea a bit more.
MEET IN THE MIDDLE
Remember meeting a friend halfway? They didn’t want to come all the way to your place, and you didn’t want to go all the way to theirs, so you met in the middle. As a kid, that felt fair because I rode my bike everywhere.
These days it seems we live in a world of extremes, and no one meets in the middle. It’s either this or that. It’s fact or fiction. You support me or you’re dead to me. If two views clash, you’re expected to pick a side.
Mainstream media and even TV shows often feed this. Extremes sell and fire people up.
If you back one side for any reason, it’s easy to draw a line in the sand and stand by it. And yes, there are clichés in abundance. It’s hard not to notice.
Even though politics tilts toward the extreme, I see the same pattern in health and fitness.
SOAP BOX MOMENT
Here’s where I’m coming from:
– I’ve been a personal trainer for twelve years
– I’ve worked as a freelance fitness writer for over six years
– I’ve kept a fitness blog for more than seven years
– I volunteer with the Personal Trainer Development Center, taking in a lot of fitness content
I’ve read, written, coached and exercised a lot. That doesn’t make me an authority, but it does give me an informed view. If you don’t like opinion pieces, you may want to pass. If you want to cut through the murk in the fitness world, keep reading. It might be a bumpy ride.
THE MIDDLE DOESN’T SELL WELL
Extremes grab attention. Social media shows this clearly as people scroll through endless to-dos and hot takes.
Nothing polarizes trainers, coaches, and clients more than diets and training methods. Whether it’s Keto, Atkins, Vegan, CrossFit, Zumba, or kettlebells, folks try to stand out.
To get noticed and sell more, some trainers push extremes by:
– Doing circus-like moves that barely resemble real exercise
– Claiming only one method works
– Saying a certain food will fatten you and you must swap it
– Claiming you’re doing everything wrong and must switch to their method for gains
– Eliminating one thing and adding another to chase lasting results
– Or similar variations
I’m not saying this is always wrong or that everyone chasing a buck is fraudulent. Foolishness and money often go hand in hand.
Here’s a simple truth you’ll probably nod at: everything can work. Yes, even the Thigh Master or Zumba. The trick is what happens when extremes stop paying off.
HERE’S WHAT DOESN’T SELL
Extremes have a place, but there’s also a time for them. People are entitled to strong opinions, but problems arise when those beliefs cling to evidence they ignore.
That’s a topic for another time.
What doesn’t sell or grab attention:
– The basics and moderation, i.e., the middle
– For resistance training, the middle means progressing and regressing moves like hinging, squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling, and locomotion (carriers, sled work, etc.)
– For nutrition, the middle means a balanced approach: a deficit for fat loss or a surplus for muscle gain, and eating more like an adult rather than a child
There’s room for nuance here. Moderation means thinking long-term, not chasing a quick 10-pound loss in six weeks.
One well-known coach once suggested you should spend more time with a moderate diet (not a huge deficit or massive elimination) combined with hard training, or a hard diet (big deficit or surplus) paired with moderate training. Extreme dieting and training at the same time can work briefly, but usually not long.
Moderation and the basics aren’t as flashy as extremes, but they tend to deliver better results over time.
WRAPPING UP
This isn’t a slam on trainers or coaches who use attention-grabbing content to sell. There’s plenty of room in the middle to do the basics with a balanced approach to diet and training. Small, steady effort over the long haul gives the best chance of success. Save the circus tricks for the pros.
If you’re looking for an exercise program to get back on track, you can check out a 6-week plan right here.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shane “Balance Guy” McLean is an ACE-certified personal trainer working in Louisiana, where the gators roam.
On a final note, it’s funny how some keto advocates urge avoiding long ingredient lists or packaged foods as “natural” or “whole,” yet you’ll see the word vomit on the back of most of their packaging. Tea pot, meet kettle.
