There are lots of social media influencers promoting health trends on social media platforms–TikTok, in particular. But is this good advice or the equivalent of fitness snake oil?
According to Joe Mitton, a fitness trainer, interviewed here , says “health fads come and go and are constantly changing but, in my professional opinion, it’s about time we got rid of them once and for all. They are usually lacking in science and more often than not actually prove quite hard for people to stick to by providing false promises of accelerated fat loss.”
A prime example is a recent fad of ab workouts popularized by Janny14906. This social media influencer is regularly posting an abdominal challenge, according to insider.com. Janny opened the TikTok account in March 2021, and seems to be suspiciously quiet about his/her training credentials. Janny claims that “each movement requires five minutes of exercise,” and people should “see results after a month.” One problem, besides not knowing the credentials of this person, is that the algorithms encourage popular video views, which leaves little room for expert opinion. Insider attempted to contact Janny via TikTok comments since no other method of contact is available on the account. Janny did not reply.
Mitton reminds people that a good approach to well-balanced health should consist of:
- A healthy balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates
- Eating nutrient-dense foods packed full of essential vitamins and minerals
- Getting sufficient sleep and recovery
- Staying adequately hydrated
- Managing your training and eating around your lifestyle so you can stay as consistent as possible
Those characteristics are typically NOT the qualities of most TikTok exercise fad videos. They typically promise one specific result, like “a reduction of belly fat, with only five minutes a day.” This is a very specific promise. Most fitness trainers suggest a variety of exercises that are part of an training plan. A specific exercise move that you see on TikTok is probably fine to incorporate as part of a regular routine. It won’t be the move that somehow magically transforms fat into lean muscle with five minutes of activity a day. Changes to an exercise routine take place over time, and should be just one part of living a healthy life.
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