Snake oil Salesmen & women or the rise of the influencer

Yesterday, I was shocked by a post from a woman on TikTok. Before you think I’m being sexist, I am not, it was only because I noticed her post.

According to the lady in question “you too can have abs like me in just 28 days” This lady had a magnificent 6 pack, which any gym user would would want. This ladies and gentleman is the modern day Snake Oil Salesman/carpet bagger of the old wild west. You may have seen the old films when a slick salesman would ride into town and claim he had the elixir of life, from an old redskin recipe or he had a bottle of something that was guaranteed to cure all ailments. He would leave town as quick as he could before anyone tried the rotgut, in the words of P T Barnum “There is a sucker born every day.”

Today the snake oil salesman/woman is called an influencer and they are paid a lot of money by companies to hep flog their often dubious products. Some influencers are well known for being on one reality programme or another. They generally have the “perfect” air brushed figure and dazzling white teeth and sadly far too many believe the smoke and mirrors.

Now what got me yesterday, was the claim that anyone can get a ripped washboard tummy YOU CANNOT in 28 days, unless he is Dr Frankfurter, even Charles Atlas never claimed that. The truth is some people will never have that ripped look, but they will try anything including steroids. I know a number of PT (personal trainers) who will spend 6 months reducing their daily calorie intake to shred down for a competition and even they are being supervised by another coach, because it can be dangerous. These same PT’s would never encourage an average gym user to follow their example unless they are a seasoned body builder.

Now most people know I run 5 days a week plus put time in the gym, and I have no chance of developing a six pack, the last time I had one of those I was 15!

There are no shortcuts to lose weight you need to reduce your calorie intake, some people now follow an intermittent fasting regime (definitely not for me), some follow a Keto lifestyle where you have a low carb high protein diet, which I followed before I began my running adventure. What is interesting is that I was at my doctors this morning to have my yearly blood tests, and I saw the NHS are now endorsing a keto based diet for those suffering from type 2 diabetes.

However, in addition to improving your diet you need to increase the amount you exercise. Now this doesn’t mean going to the gym 6-7 days a week or copying me and run 10 miles a day. It means getting out there and walk or go for a swim, challenge yourself to swim a set number of lengths. When I resumed swimming, I found I was exhausted after 10 lengths the first week, the next I managed 12 and every week I aim to swim a couple more lengths than I had done the last time.

The bottom line is there are NO SHORTCUTS to getting healthy so please don’t waste your hard earned money shelling out for some snake oil.