If you look on social media, magazines at the grocery store checkout, or ask your creepy uncle Frank, they all have some fitness products they swear by.
Some products for fitness are great, but the vast majority are not backed by any science, or weak scientific evidence at best.
Today, I’m going to tell you which products to not waste your money on.
And as a bonus, I’ll give you some recommendations as to what may be worth your money, depending on your individual situation.
Let’s get into it.
Fitness Products To Not Waste Money On
Fat Burning Supplements
Fat burners have a very misleading name. The name implies that they burn fat. But they don’t, because the only way to get rid of body fat is by being in a calorie deficit.
Anyone who has claimed to lose body fat whilst taking a fat burning supplement also was in a calorie deficit.
Think about it, do you logically think it’s possible to take a fat burning supplement, eat like garbage, and lose fat because you’re taking a pill or a powder?
That’s not how it works.
Well, good news to the supplement industry, because most fat burning supplements don’t actually claim to melt the fat from your body (though some do make this bold, and inaccurate claim).
The supplements work in other ways to aid in your fat loss.
For example, one thing they do is elevate your blood pressure to attempt to increase how many calories you burn throughout the day.
To me, increasing your blood pressure, which is a firm marker of health, just to burn more calories seems like a pretty stupid idea. Not to mention the overall amount of calorie burn is miniscule.
When really, you could just go outside and take a walk and burn probably the same amount of calories that you would from the elevated blood pressure, and improve your health markers while doing it. Not to mention, walking is free.
Fat burning supplements also claim to curb your appetite. Now, if you’re really struggling with appetite, this can be helpful in the short term.
But it doesn’t teach you anything to keep body fat off in the long term, because now you are relying on a pill to keep your appetite down.
Which is kind of like walking on crutches forever and never learning to walk on your own two feet.
If you really want to keep hunger down, you can use some easier, and more cost effective tricks to Keep Yourself Full In A Calorie Deficit.
Again, the tricks in the article linked above are going to help you improve your health markers, instead of relying on a pill.
Fitness Products To Not Waste Money On
Waist Trainers
Waist trainers are believed by some to aid in weight loss.
But as we learned above, the only thing that leads to weight loss is being in a calorie deficit.
And as far as I can tell, putting a piece of cloth around your waist doesn’t change how many calories your taking in or burning.
It does provide you a “slimmer” look… while you are wearing it.
Similar to the archaic idea of the corset which was popular in the 1800s.
The idea is to literally compress your body so tight that you can barely breathe.
Compressing yourself to skinniness is not the way to go about it.
Again, there are no long term benefits, and as soon as you remove the waist trainer, literally nothing has changed.
There are also some health risks associated with waist trainers
It’s very well agreed upon among the actual experts of the fitness industry that waist trainers actually weaken your core/abdominals over time.
Since they are so tightly cinched to your body, it makes it almost impossible for you to use your core muscles while wearing it. Over time, this has some diminishing effects to your core strength.
Fitness Products To Not Waste Money On
Greens Supplements
Greens supplements and promoted by social media fitness influencers as a way to get vitamins, minerals, and all those good micronutrients in. And there’s one thing they are right about. Those are very important
But you know what else is a great way to get micronutrients in? Eating an actual, real life vegetable.
Now for the crowd out there who says “well Nick, I don’t like eating vegetables, they don’t taste good.”
I get it. But have you ever tried a greens supplement? Because they taste like liquified Purina Dog Chow.
I guarantee you that eating some broccoli or a carrot once in a while is better than plugging your nose and trying to force this bile-like substance down your gullet.
Just eat some vegetables instead, it’s going to be more cost effective. And bonus, if you’re in a calorie deficit, vegetables are going to help you feel full, because you can fit a lot of vegetables in your stomach for a very low calorie amount.
Fitness Products To Not Waste Money On
MLM Products
Beachbody, Optavia, Plexus, Arbonne, Herbalife, ItWorks, these are all examples of “health and wellness” multilevel marketing companies who’s job it is to sell you their product, then recruit you to start selling their product as well.
In my opinion, these products are very overpriced, and you can purchase similar products from non-multilevel marketing companies for a fraction of the cost.
Plus, you don’t have to worry about someone trying to recruit you to sell the product as well.
Because according to the FTC, 99.6% actually lose money in mutli-level marketing after expenses.
For more information about Anti-MLM, you can check out the podcasts From Huns to Humans, or Life After MLM.
Bonus: Fitness Products That Are Actually Worth The Money
Gym Memberships
Having a place to exercise is crucial if you want to get fit and be healthy. Gym memberships are fairly inexpensive, depending on what gym you go to.
Make sure to tour the facility before you sign up, and ensure it has everything you need. Some gyms will even off a day pass for you to workout there before you sign up to see if you like it.
Gym Equipment
If you’re the type of person that likes to work out from home, then investing in some equipment for a home gym can be a great option.
This gives you the convenience of never having to leave your house to workout, which can sometimes be a barrier.
Some starter product recommandations:
Adjustable Dumbbells, Resistance Bands, Foam Roller
As you get a little more advanced you can consider:
A barbell set with bumper plates, a squat rack.
Some Supplements
I want to first point out that there is no such thing as a necessary supplement. The bulk of your progress is going to be made up of the consistent daily actions that you make to move your “fitness needle” in the right direction.
Meaning things like what you’re eating, whether or not you’re exercising, drinking enough water, sleeping well, etc.
These are the determining factors in your health and fitness, not whether or not you take a supplement.
That being said, some supplements can make a small impact which can be helpful. But they are never your end-all-be-all.
Creatine
Creatine Monohydrate is the most well researched supplement on the market. It’s also one of the most inexpensive.
It can improve your performance when strength training, and improve your recovery between sets. It’s also very safe to use.
Just make sure you’re getting Creatine Monohydrate, and not some other form. The only ingredient in the type you buy should be Creatine Monohydrate. And don’t pay a lot for it.
It’s not supposed to be expensive, here’s the one I use
Omega 3
This one can be a good one for overall health. Omega-3 fatty acids are typically found in fish. And in western culture, fish is not often a regular part of our diets.
Now, if you’re regularly eating fish, you 100% do not need this supplement, because you are already getting it from food.
It’s important that we get a good ratio of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 6 is found more in meats, and in todays culture, we are getting a much higher concentration of Omega 6.
It’s much more common to see a 20:1 ration of Omega-6 to Omega 3. A more ideal range would be a 4:1. This ratio will help reduce chronic inflammation, and lead to a longer, healthier life.
If you’re not getting enough fish in your diet, you may want to consider supplementing with this.
Multivitamins
You may also want to consider taking a multivitamin. This can help fill in any nutritional gaps you may not be getting in your diet already.
This is really only needed if you do have any vitamins/minerals you are regularly missing out on in your diet. If you have any kind of vitamin deficiencies, this can be a big help.
If you don’t, you don’t need it.
Hiring A Fitness Coach
Hiring a fitness coach can be one of the absolute best things you can do to optimize your fitness. No matter your fitness level, from absolute beginner to highly trained athlete, a coach can absolutely change the game for you.
You’ll have someone who has your best interests at heart, and has the expertise to help you get the best results.
Someone to write programs specifically for you based on any limitations you may have, and based on the exact goal you want to achieve.
You’ll also have someone to hold yourself accountable to, that way if you fall of the wagon, they can help pick you back up and put you back on, so you don’t get left behind and die of dysentery.
– If you’re looking to be able to strut in your workouts confident, proud, and ready to go.
– If you’re looking for someone to take all of the guesswork out of it for you,
– If you’re looking to learn how to include all of your favorite foods, while still reaching all your fitness goals.
Then apply now for online coaching.
Otherwise, I’m always here for any questions you have.
Much love,
Nick