Beware of Conflicting Advice

There is a ton of information out there. One of the benefits of the digital age in which we live is that it is relatively easy to do a Google search to find just about any information that we want. This is a far cry from when I was growing up, and I would have to either consult an encyclopedia or do extensive research at a library to find the answers to questions that I had. Yes, I realize that I am dating myself. The downside to having a plethora of information at our fingertips is that it can be difficult to sort through what is truth and what is fiction. If you read enough about nutrition, health, and exercise you are bound to come across conflicting information. I believe it is important to question everything you read and do your own research, so that you can formulate an educated opinion and have a clear strategy going forward.

Multiple nutritional philosophies are touted as "the answer." Nutrition is a hot-button topic on podcasts, in YouTube videos, and in print. One place I would suggest not taking nutritional advice from is the medical establishment. Most American medical schools devote very little time toward discussing nutrition, and even then the prevailing thought is that "a calorie is a calorie." Even highly esteemed endocrinologist Dr. Robert Lustig said that there was no nutritional curriculum when he attended Cornell University Medical College. As I said earlier, there are a multitude of nutritional philosophies: the Mediterranean Diet, Paleo, Vegan, and the Ketogenic Diet are just a few of them. All of them have some merit and can work, provided you eat real food and minimize your consumption of sugar and processed food. My own personal opinion is that while humans, biologically speaking, are omnivores and should consume some meat, every individual has different likes and dislikes. The bottom line is that there is no one specific diet that everyone should follow. You have to experiment and find what works best for you within those parameters.

Are fitness trackers useful or not? It all depends on what you want to do and what type of person you are. Are you someone who is very numbers-oriented? Do you enjoy tracking how many calories you have burned through activity, your sleep patterns, heart rate, and many other things? The analytics movement isn't just a trend in team sports; fitness trackers have exploded in popularity over the last fifteen years, and it wouldn't be happening if people weren't interested in what they can do. There is no question that these devices can give you useful information, but it is very easy to get bogged down in minutiae and miss the big picture. If you are taking care of yourself properly by drinking plenty of water, eating a clean diet, strength training once or twice per week, managing stress, sleeping seven to nine hours per night, and drinking alcohol in moderation (and these are things that you don't need a fitness tracker to judge), then you will optimize your health regardless of what a fitness tracker tells you. I don't need a device that's located on my wrist to tell me when I stayed up too late or made poor dietary choices over the weekend. My body will be the first to let me know. You will hear evidence on both sides of the fitness tracker question. I recommend you do some research, experiment, and see what fits your lifestyle.

Vaccines are obviously a controversial issue, given the events of the last five years. I'm not just talking about the Covid shots, but also the growing number of immunizations that have been advertised and required now by the public school system. Public opinion is very divided on this, but the majority of the establishment media are in favor of them. In my estimation, this comes down to a personal decision, but my suggestion is to not take what the pharmaceutical companies say at face value (especially since they are the ones usually sponsoring the commercials). With the release of "The Pfizer Papers" last year, I believe that we can confidently conclude that the Covid shots provide minimal benefit and have killed and seriously injured thousands of people (maybe even more than have been reported). Ultimately you must educate yourself and decide what is right for you and your family; don't allow someone to make that choice for you.

I have been a practitioner of the Total Results exercise philosophy for over two decades, and I wholeheartedly believe in our methodology. However, there are many exercise regimens out there, and numerous people have achieved positive results by doing something different than what we espouse. I am convinced that Total Results is the safest, most efficient, and most comprehensive exercise protocol available, but there are other forms of high-intensity weight training. Some instructors spend their free time arguing on HIT message boards about why their philosophy is the best. I see that as a waste of time and effort; I would rather help our clients achieve great things. There is a mountain of evidence, even from the exercise physiology establishment (which was reluctant to embrace weight training), that confirms regular strength training is a must if you want to maintain muscle and bone health and remain physically independent. Give Total Results a try and see if we are a good fit, then go from there.

The Internet has made the world a much smaller place, but you still have to do your homework. Whether you were a fan of former president Ronald Reagan or not, he had some sound advice: "Trust, but verify." Beware of sources of advice and information; there could be a hidden agenda, but if there is a lot of vague language or misspelled words I would discredit the source. Every individual is different, and life is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. My hope is that if you take anything away from this article, it is an impetus to educate yourself and act as your own advocate for everything that you do. You have the power!