What can you do when a client is believing false or potentially harmful fitness advice from someone else over your word?
Whether they’re believing a bodybuilder, or a celebrity, or a known person associated with fitness (to clarify I’m not talking about the leaders in the fitness industry (or similar), think The Biggest Loser personal trainers intensely working out 350 pound people for 5 hours straight and they’re not even getting proper nutrition intake (may be an exaggeration but I think you can get the point I’m making) , celebrity fads/workout advice, a guy they know they always looked up to for fitness advice (guy giving out really bad advice on TV(Like Doctor Oz saying there’s a natural miracle diet pill/product, or the fitness version of that), bodybuilder friend, or similar), etc. That’s more or less what I’m talking about.), they’ll hear something from them that’s a either a common trend that’s a myth, something that has no evidence to back it up, or/and can even be harmful. And they’ll believe them over me.
The thing is, I’m in good shape but I’m skinny, even though I’m really toned I don’t have big muscles, I feel like it affects my credibility to client’s and athletes when it’s something like my word vs a bodybuilder’s or celebrity.
So how can I handle this, what are the best strategies?
Thanks in advance.
This is a really tough one, because some of the claims that less qualified or unqualified “trainers” make are so attractive that people would rather believe them than truth.
When I hear something a client or class member has heard, I don’t try to convince them that the advice is wrong. Instead, I ask a few polite questions that might lead them to find out more about where the information came from and why they believe it’s correct. “Interesting. How did they determine these results?”