Advertising works. It just does.
Not all the time; but you better believe it does what it’s supposed to do. It influences the way we think, interpret information, and even act.
Just ask my 5-year old.
Yesterday when I was helping my son, Thomas, flip from school gear to Karate gear in the gym bathroom, he laid it on me.
“You know, dad, if a bathroom is yucky and not very clean, you need to use Kaboom to get it sparkly and shiny.”
Yes….my 5-year old son had been told exactly what he needed for a nice clean bathroom during an episode of Power Rangers Samurai. HIYA!!!
Cute and innocent? Sure.
A Different Message
But what if the message isn’t about a clean bathroom? What if the message is about YOU? What if the message is about your health, fitness, self-esteem, and body image?
The cuteness starts to fade, doesn’t it?
It’s not cute when you are led to believe that fitness = what you see on the cover of a fitness or fashion magazine when those images have been cropped, cut, and airbrushed beyond belief.
It’s not cute when they show you the digital graphic of the belly fat just shrinking away from that one tiny pill that cures all your weight loss needs.
It’s not cute when they tell you “it’s not your fault” and “never count calories again” and then follow up with the words “just 3 simple payments!”
It’s a scam!
Can you see it? Can you see the ongoing racket that is much of the weight-loss industry?
On one side they tell you what you should look like (perfection!), and then they turn around and sell you the “solution” that is sure to fall short.
And when that doesn’t work, here comes the next new drug, diet, or doohickey.
It’s time to break this addiction to the weight-loss crack that they’ve been slinging for so many years.
We have to break the cycle. And how do we do it?
We start pointing some fingers! That’s right! We start calling them out. You ready? Then lets point that finger directly at…….OURSELVES.
Ownership.
One thing is for certain. There will always be somebody out there trying to take your money and make you believe that their weight-loss solution is the last solution you will ever need.
And while it would be easy to point the finger at these companies, they aren’t in control of our decision-making processes.
We get to decide for ourselves what we buy into, what we believe, how we want to interpret the information, and how we ultimately act.
I am responsible for me, and you are responsible for you. Nobody else gets that control.
So….fight the power???
Is that the answer? Should we stand up and fight the power? Show them who’s boss?
I used to think that way. But there is a problem with that line of thinking.
When we point the finger and “fight the power”, we are assigning power to that which we are fighting.
We have the power; it’s ours. So the only direction that finger should be pointing is toward ourselves.
Our battle cry should be, “Stand up and use our power.”
And if enough of us stand together, we can change the world of fitness.
Who’s standing with me?
P.S. Ready to start your own personal transformation? Join us at TBC!
***DID YOU READ THIS? I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! AGREE? DISAGREE? HOW ABOUT JUST A QUICK COMMENT BELOW??? COME ON…YOU CAN DO IT!
It took me a while to figure what would work for me to be healthy and fit.
I am glad I was able to filter out all the info out there and extract what was right for me.
Yes, to be fit each of us needs to take ownership and be accountable to ourselves.
We need guidance and advice on finding the right answer but ultimately its us.
The word “diet” should conjure a picture of eating healthy – what are our genes are meant to process not reduced or limited calories. I hope that more and more people can realise being fit means what we are supposed to do anyways – exvercise and eat healthy and not buy into the latest fad.
Anjlica, let me first say thank you for getting the conversation going.
You hit the nail on the head with, “We need guidance and advice on finding the right answer but ultimately its us.” Perfectly stated!
Unfortunately there are a lot of “fitness solutions” and gurus masquerading as guidance and advice. Your best bet is to be a really good investigator, do your homework, and when you find a trusted expert (wink-wink), stick with him or her.
The bottom line is that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
What great timing, Mike. I blamed my husband tonight for making corn bread. “You made something fattening that I can’t not eat!” Thanks for the reminder!
Penni….we all do it. All of us! And the good news you know my philosophy – it ain’t about being perfect. It’s about planning around our imperfections. If there’s a way to make that cornbread fit, by all means. Just goes to show you that you have the POWER to make things fit as well.