Scrolling through facebook the last few weeks you may, like me, have noticed a lot of “transformation” pictures appearing. Trainers will always use these pictures as a portfolio to help attract new clients in a results driven, competitive business. This is perfectly understandable, both clients and trainers are proud of their work and to motivate others to do the same. But, seeing so many it got me thinking about what the pictures don’t show and what exactly is the responsibility of the fitness professional.
Firstly, be somewhat sceptical when you see some “transformation” photos. Common things I have seen in before photos include people standing with their shoulders slumped forward, a blank look on their face, sticking out their stomachs, standing close to the camera (appearing larger) and #nofilter. In contrast, after photos generally show the person standing further away from the camera, shoulders back, smiling, stomachs tensed and their favourite instagram filter applied. Just have a look at some of these:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-dixon/weight-loss-secrets_b_3643898.html
But what I really want to get into is the responsibility of the fitness industry and what implications these photos can have. While these photos can be the motivation someone needs to get kickstarted, I personally feel they create unrealistic expectations. Instead of promoting long-term lifestyle changes such as regular activity, balanced nutrition and adequate recovery, they promote more extreme diets, a rigorous training regime and ,usually as a result of both, inadequate recovery. In many cases this can put people off exercise for life.
AT WHAT POINT DOES A TRAINER’S RESULTS COME BEFORE THEIR CLIENTS LONG TERM HEALTH?
I personally feel that as a fitness professional I have a duty of care to my clients long-term health. I have to put in place the foundations that will help improve and sustain this. This sometimes means telling the client what is best and not just meeting their short-term goals. If someone walks in to a gym presenting terrible posture but wants to get leaner surely it is the job of the fitness professional to address posture first and aim to improve quality of movement before drilling exercises that may otherwise exacerbate the problem not simply ignore it in order to maximise short-term reductions in body fat and boost their portfolio.
Unfortunately as an industry there are hundreds of newly qualified trainers every week in the UK and Ireland meaning even greater competition in a self-employed market and therefore an urgency to get quick results. I can’t see this changing any time soon and so I encourage all my fellow fitness professionals to please provide more context and explanation to transformation photos that you post not the usual “8 week transformation, contact me!” . It is your responsibility to promote lifestyle changes and long-term health choices.
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