Truth no one will tell you in fitness industry

Whenever there’s a talk about fitness industry, big dudes with muscles posing at gym comes into the mind. Even if that doesn’t come to your mind, this mention will surely put an image to your mind (well, at least pretend it does). I am talking about people with terrific physique, smiling and showing the thumbs up, or “you can do this sign”.

So, basically, we have made that image about the fitness industry or that image has been fed into our minds throughout the years. People think that fitness industry or health industry is just that, and lots of other things are ignored or never talked about.

Even guys at gym will not tell you about these things or truths, and you will realize them while you step into fitness regimen or a healthy routine.

Let’s first look what few truths I will reveal in this post and later we will discuss them further.

Truth #1 – You can never have your dream body

I am not trying to discourage anyone who’s trying to lose weight or trying to get into the shape, but the truth is you cannot have your dream body. Because, every body is different, you cannot replicate the physique you are given a picture of.

I’ve seen commercial of gyms that claim “Get your dream physique”, but is that even possible?

When you think or say of dream body, that means you are idolizing someone. Probably a celebrity or athlete, and you want to look like that. Which is impossible. No matter how hard you try, you cannot look like anyone, because there are various layers to it.

Like, you don’t know how or what that particular person went through to achieve that. You don’t know what help they got to look like that or what they ate to look like that. Even the workout conditions are not revealed completely.

When Hugh Jackman was preparing for the role of Wolverine for the movie The Wolverine, he used to stay dehydrated for almost 36 hours before the shoot, to look as the moviemakers and the character demanded.

The truth -behind The wolverine
The wolverine!!!!

What he did was under trained supervision, but if others try to do it to look like him, they may even die.

By the way, dehydration could be fatal, read this blog post to learn more (by FGW of course).

So, it’s impossible to look the way you desire, because that’s like working out with half info and aiming for an unrealistic goal.

Truth #2- Fitness is a life long journey

This is something that people don’t even realize until they get into this. This journey is never ending, you need to keep going on and on.

Suppose, you made your dream physique, now what? What’s next for you? Will you stop? Will you just be happy that you finally made it ? And now will you quit?

I don’t think that’s a wise thing to do, because you obviously worked very hard, and now you cannot put your efforts in vain. You need to keep pushing, and you need to keep doing it for the rest of your life, or until you decide to change it completely.

This journey is never ending. If you like to go to gym and if you want to make abs, suppose you finally have abs, then you need to keep pushing hard to stay that way, or get in even better shape. But, you will never be satisfied, because again, you will keep thinking that you want to look like someone, and you will keep pushing.

Like I’ve lost 25 kg. Now that I’ve lost weight. I cannot rest, I need to keep doing what I’m doing. However, I am not aiming for any physique, but my goal is to remain able and for that I need to keep following the routine.

Sometimes, people follow that routine for life long, or sometimes they change it, but the truth is, if you are getting into this, you need to keep going.

Truth #3- You need to make sacrifices

By this, I don’t mean you need to kill anyone and offer their blood to the Satan. With sacrifices, I mean you need to live by some rules, and you need to follow a regimen.

Generally, not all do this, but truth is somewhere you need to quit certain things for a certain period or forever.

Like, Alcohol and smoking are terrible, and you need to completely quit them if you want a healthy body. This could be a good sacrifice. But; there are foods like junk food, fried food, desserts, trans fat, etc. which are no good for you, and you need to leave them if you want visible results on your body.

I know, I’ve mentioned multiple times, that you can eat everything if you eat it wisely and follow the 80-20 rule. That’s true, but; if you are working on a specific physique, or you want abs, you need to eat things that you may not even like.

Or, you need to avoid food, parties, celebration and events so that you can stick to your goal. Like I did, I missed many occasions, because even 1 bad diet, can ruin the progress.

Restricting oneself for a good health

I’ve seen people on Instagram eating and showing their fancy food, but that’s not always affordable. That brings us to the next point.

Truth #4- Having a good physique is costly

Believe it or not, workout and healthy living is an art, and you need to put efforts and money into it to get results. For a good physique, you also need to eat good food.

You will need to eat food that’s healthy for you. You may need to buy good quality protein. Or, food that is organic and natural. And, all that are definitely not cheap.

Vegans don’t eat any animal based product, that means they need to rely on things that are plant based. Here in my city, almond, soy or coconut milk is not easily available, even if it’s available, it’s almost 3 times more costly than cow milk. That means if you are a vegan and building muscles, it will be expensive. Even pea based protein powder is more expensive than whey protein.

When we want to build muscles, we need certain amount of protein daily (which is different for everyone). Sometimes, we can get this protein from food itself and if we can’t, we look out for protein powder. Credible protein powder is not cheap in India. And, we need it daily, that means we need to keep investing. Plus, there are additional supplements we may need sometimes.

I’ve seen people on YouTube with great physique. They claim that they have no gym or protein powder, which is impressive with what they have achieved with little or no resources. But, do we need the actual story? I am not denigrating their efforts, but their diet is rich, and we can’t always learn the whole story.

Even if you are not going to the gym, you may still need to invest somewhat in good food, etc.

In the end

These are truths or things that are never shared. These were nothing new and silently been accepted.

Our main focus should always be on not going extreme after anything. Yes, staying healthy is possible without obsessing beyond any specific physique.

Sadly, about eating healthy and sticking to a regimen, there’s no shortcut or trick to it. If you are someone who’s working in a direction of certain physique, then keep going, you got this.

That’s it for this blog post. If you like it, feel free to subscribe to read more from FGW.

Sadly, my like button on the post is still not functioning properly. It’s since the upgrade. I tried an alternative, but people are not interested in that either. I will talk to WP support again. Thanks for your patience

Until next time, remember to smile 😀

92 responses to “Truth no one will tell you in fitness industry”

  1. These are great truths and you’re right most people don’t spread this information because people don’t want to hear it!

    My mind changed about fitness when I read an article years ago about how an actor trained to be in an action film for 8 hours a day at the gym. I’m not willing to do that. 😅

    Too bad we can’t just offer blood to Satan.

    • Actors go extreme measures for roles.
      These action films, superhero movies are very demanding.

      Now that you have commented on my blog post, I can rest peacefully.

  2. Hi Devang,

    I want to inform you that I’m fine now. The main cause for my sickness was “dehydration”.
    I don’t remember how many ORS packets I have finished till this day.
    And there were the use of some tablets.

    I agree that maintaining good health is a continuous process, and one should deal with this correctly.
    This is the reason why health is my priority over other things.

    I’m sure, researching, writing and preparing the images is not easy.
    Then the intent is to help the reader by providing relevant information in an order.

    Thank you for this blog post and your continued support.
    Best wishes.✨✨

  3. In my early twenties I was an exercise anorexic, meaning I used extreme workouts to get very skinny. I was chasing a terribly unrealistic goal and as thin and underweight as I got, my first husband would comment that I needed to lose more. Mind you, he also had body dismorphia, as his cocaïne addiction had him wasting away.

    My physical healing came after I worked on my emotional and mental healing. I’m now a young senior and my goal is to be healthy, so moderation is my mantra!

    • Moderation should be everyone’s mantra!!!

      A lot can be learned from years of your experience and knowledge about it.
      I’m thankful for you valuable comment 🙇🏻‍♂️

  4. DU you have mentioned here some really valid points that needs to be addressed before making any fitness goal. Fitness is definitely a lifestyle. We have become so used to unhealthy food and drink addictions that we don’t know when it turns into a toxic habit.
    Currently I am working for a company that customises meals in such a way that it’s nutritious as well as delicious. So I know that becoming healthier is possible if we really want to.
    Great post, DU. Keep inspiring people. 👌

    • I guess people just don’t want to understand how food and their habits harm them.

      Many people have stomach problems or other problems, and they keep wondering why.

      I would like to know more about your company. Definitely sounds like a great start 😁

      Thanks for reading and appreciating RJ, as always you are very supportive 🌺

  5. Yes, making sacrifices is very real, buying quality food is also a goal every time you go grocery shopping. Good sleep and rest will also play its part in looking great.
    Having a dream body… is something people achieve, I mean here in the States body positive folks are already there, the question is What is your dream? I want to share a story from my old college friend, he told me once: You know what, I weigh a hundred kilos, I have always wanted to be this heavy! He said it with a big smile, and he didn’t bother whether it was body fat or not, it wasn’t the point. 🙂
    Life-long journey… Definitely so. The older I get the less I hate my body. I mean, one day you wake up and realize, this is it, it’s you, you’d better grow to love it 🙂 Right now I am very happy with the way I look, yes I have wrinkles and I am far from perfection, but I am happy to look good for my age, I am happy to be healthy and fit. I am happy people still stop their car to look at me 🙂 the older you get the more you notice this kind if things.
    Fitness industry is making lots of cash selling us the perfect look, while the success or failure is largely in our hands, we are definitely lucky to have all the options to choose from. Today more so than any other time in history. I wish us all good health and contentment!

    • I mean who wouldn’t stop their car to look at you 😍

      You so pretty!! The pretty teacher 😀

      And it’s good that you don’t hate your body. No one should.
      Younger people just want to reach to the next level and with time and age they actually understand the importance.

      We should not ignore the effect of our routine on our mental health.

      • I agree. Physical exercise and mental health are closely connected. I hear you about loving the fact that you can always climb some mountains and hike for days when you are older. Invest in yourself while you are still young!

  6. it’s actually great how you outline this… in an honest way… benefits and the efforts too.

    very much enjoyed, Devang. ✨🤍

  7. Yes to all of these. Unfortunately, all goals require hard work and that includes fitness goals. And you’ll need to make sacrifices too. It’s not easy to achieve your ideal body and health. It’s actually incredibly difficult. Unless you can afford plastic surgery lol 😅

      • Lol, I’m sure there are a lot of better looking people than me with very good plastic surgery 😅

        I noticed you have written about vegans and veganism multiple times on your posts and I always appreciate that 😊

      • I think it really depends on what type of vegan you are. If you constantly buy vegan products or eat our it’ll be expensive. Like vegan milks, meats etc are expensive here too. But if you make everything yourself it’s actually much cheaper. Like I make my own vegan milk, vegan meat alternatives etc.

      • Ohhh you make your own vegan milk? That’s fantastic 🙂
        Well somewhat it’s possible
        But still if you are building muscles, you need protein and all the good sources are expensive.

        Then there’s soy, it’s almost feel tasteless after a while 😛

        Here it’s also about availablity and replacement, one need to completly dicth any milk products, which is hard.

      • Yes, that’s true. I don’t like soy milk either lol. I always opt for coconut or almond. I eat soy so it’s fine 😅

  8. Agree totally with everything you said. A lot is about attitude and seeing fitness and a healthy life as a long-term lifestyle move. You’re right, this has to be maintained so it’s better to decide what’s important and what habits you can live with. Sometimes people focus purely on losing weight/getting fit for an external target/event then go back to ‘normal’ afterwards. It reminds me of an old toothpaste advert for sensitive teeth … when the sensitivity stopped being a problem, the people stopped using the toothpaste, and their sensitivity returned.
    To maintain changes, a fitter lifestyle etc, we need to maintain habits longterm

    • Yes
      Loved the example,haha

      This has to be a lifelong but it should not be forced or obsessed.

      If one is going to the gym, it should be fun and due to the routine.

      • I agree. I had a friend in the past who was obsessive about working out. She was starting to do multiple workouts every day. That can’t be healthy

      • Oh I know people who do multiple workouts through a day.

        That may sound good for someone in a sports or acting field, because as I said they need to be in specific physical condition.
        But, for regular people, it’s very unnecessary and unhealthy. Generally people do it to look in certain way fast, but they are over training themselves.
        Trust me, there are lots of fool trainers who suggest this. 🤷🏻‍♂️

      • I think I’m lucky because I had some sensible trainers when I started, so learned what’s realistic and could see the bad trainers who push too much. There’s one I can think of who tried to undermine what my own trainer was telling me, but I think he was applying his own standards for his own training to everyone else rather than understanding that we’re all different and have different needs and objectives.

      • Yes yes

        That’s what trainers do haha

        Putting one hat on everyone

        It’s not like one size fits all…. I’ve indeed mentioned that in a seperate blog post

  9. I agree that maintaining good health is a lifelong process, and there are no shortcuts for the same.
    Thank you for stating these facts.
    I hope that the like button issue gets resolved soon.

  10. The like button seemed to work for me. I like the reality check aspect of this post. The idea of a personal best comes to mind. Ask ourselves: what steps can I make to be healthier, improve my strength and my diet, what goals are realistic for me!

    • Yes
      We need to be very realistic.
      When we try to copy others, we get blinded and we often do things that are not healthy.

      This mentality is very common and people needs to make boundaries

      • Yes, and be satisfied with their personal best. Movie stars have individualized trainers and are not good models for regular folks. Also it is a media lie that we need to look that way in order to attract a spouse or partner. Everyone is beautiful in their own way as an old song goes.

      • Yes!!
        Everyone is beautiful!!

        That’s another truth People need to understand

        “There’s no single definition of beautiful”

        Will include it next time

  11. Keeping healthy is costly, true …

    Hey Devang, do you write to any health journal? You write so well and so on point ….

    Love your writing style.
    Keep it up.

    I would like to know if you have written anything on these following topics:
    ✔️ Addiction on smoking and drugs and how to completely put an end to these destructive habits
    ✔️ How to gain weight when someone is too skinny

    I’m particularly mentioning these topics because of some people I know who are trying their best, but nothing is helping them much … we are sympathetic towards them … but it’s the worst part of any family when someone goes through life-threatening issues because of their depression and destructive past practices …

    Health once lost can not be easily fixed; People forget and often take for granted that it’s a blessing to have a good body and mind.

    Just thought to share with you.

    Thank you.

  12. Lots of fantastic information wrapped up in this post, thank you! Its true that not everyone will have a perfect body….but I think the dream body MAY be achievable if its based in reality. I will NEVER have runway model body….my bone structure is not built that way. My dream body is a healthy weight and strong enough to handle my daily tasks and activities I ask of it. (ok, my dreams aren’t huge). To achieve this, I still have a lot of work to do, and as you say, eating healthy can be expensive! I love the 80/20 reminder! 💞💞💞

    • I think that should be everyone’s dream body.
      Where we can lift things, do daily work without limiting ourselves.

      You will get there, if you want to get there!!
      Keep pushing.

      You remember the 80-20 rule?
      You follow it?

      • For somethings I follow the rule. I give myself the grace to take a day ‘off’. For other things, my body doesn’t react well to eating them, so I avoid 100%. I’ve learned to listen to what my body needs and honor it as much as I can….its much happier that way.

      • That’s a healthy way!

        I think everyone should follow this.
        This is not going extreme, it’s staying in the health zone, but enjoying other things (like coffee)

      • Absolutely! When my body says NO to something, we negotiate for an acceptable alternative…..and when all else fails, there’s still coffee 😉

        Have a fabulous evening!

  13. You’re absolutely right that everyone’s body is unique, and trying to replicate someone else’s physique may lead to unrealistic expectations and disappointment. Instead, focusing on our own progress and individual goals is essential for a healthy and sustainable fitness journey. Your openness and sincerity make your blog a safe space for readers to learn and reflect on their own fitness journeys. Keep up the great work! 😊👍

    • Ohhh thanks for your valuable time.

      Often people just do things and keep on going without considering repercussions 🤷🏻‍♂️
      In a long run, they harm themselves.

      See you around 😄

  14. Great truths Devang. The gym business isn’t the healthiest always. I remember when I was dancing and in a commercial and we were up 24th s before our bit part came on and how much coffee we had to drink to stay awake!

  15. This is such useful information to get out there. Especially since I see so many people say that they want a certain celebrity’s physique even though their body has been unhealthy attained like Hugh Jackman as Wolverine or ones who use steroids. Those kind of bodies aren’t attainable, they’re not natural.

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