I’m Dennis Romatz, a fitness professional, biomechanics specialist, and expert in science-backed training methods.
With decades of experience in exercise physiology, movement mechanics, and structured fitness coaching, I’ve dedicated my career to helping people train with precision, efficiency, and safety—all while cutting through the noise of fitness misinformation.
The unfortunate truth? Social media has turned fitness into a spectacle, where flashy, incorrect exercise techniques and misleading workout advice spread faster than real, science-based training.
Influencers—many of whom have no formal education in fitness, biomechanics, or nutrition—are dominating TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, selling false promises, incorrect exercise demonstrations, and gimmicky fitness trends, all in the pursuit of views, followers, and profit.
The result? Millions of people blindly following bad advice, risking injury, and making zero progress—all because they don’t know what they don’t know.
In this article, I’ll expose the deceptive tactics of fitness influencers, break down why social media is spreading bad fitness advice, and show you how to separate fitness facts from fiction.
👉 If you’re looking for real fitness expertise, science-backed training, and professional guidance, visit my homepage to learn more.
How Misinformation, Bad Exercise Technique, and Poor Fitness Advice Are Leading You Astray
The fitness industry has never been more accessible. Anyone with a smartphone can post workout videos, dish out advice, and amass millions of followers. But there’s one massive problem: most of them have no idea what they’re doing.
From Instagram to TikTok, YouTube to Facebook, we are flooded with fitness misinformation, influencers who prioritize looking good over moving correctly, and workout technique errors that can lead to injury, stagnation, and wasted effort.
But the biggest problem of all?
People Don’t Know What They Don’t Know
The average person watching a fitness influencer has no clue what’s correct or incorrect because they lack the education and experience to differentiate between the two.
Just like someone who isn’t an accountant wouldn’t know if an accountant is making errors, people watching these influencers have no reference point for correct vs. incorrect exercise form.
So they watch. They follow. They mimic. Blindly. Aimlessly. Willingly. Unknowingly.
Desperate for a quick fix, for a leaner body, for better health, they latch onto misleading exercise techniques from social media trainers, trusting them simply because they have a big following or an impressive physique.
They assume the information is correct—but it’s not.
The result? A mass of people performing exercises incorrectly, getting subpar results, risking injury, and reinforcing bad movement patterns—all because they never knew better in the first place.
The Trap of “Free” Fitness Advice: The Easy Buy-In
One of the biggest reasons fitness scams and bad fitness advice thrive is because fitness influencers offer free content.
It costs nothing to watch their videos, follow their workouts, or subscribe to their channels. There’s no financial commitment, no risk, and no barrier to entry.
So people view it as free fitness programs and free fitness advice.
Why pay for professional fitness coaching when you can just click “Follow” or “Subscribe” on Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok? Why spend money on structured workout programs when an influencer is giving you social media fitness trends for free?
I hear people say all the time:
“Oh, I follow Kayla Itsines. She has 15.8 million subscribers, and I love her workouts!”
“I do Chloe Ting’s ab workouts—they’re free, and she has millions of views!”
“Why would I pay for real fitness coaching when I can just follow my favorite influencer?”
(For the record, I can and will refer you to videos for both Kayla Itsines and Chloe Ting performing educational exercises incorrectly so any defamation is off the table here. Contact me here with your inquiries or questions)
But here’s the problem: free doesn’t mean correct.
Free doesn’t mean effective. Free doesn’t mean safe. Free doesn’t mean results.
The fitness industry deception thrives on this low barrier to entry because it makes it incredibly easy for people to buy into it. They assume that because an influencer is popular, they must know what they’re talking about.
But in reality, most fitness influencers are completely unqualified, incorrect, and misleading.
The Engagement-Driven Deception of Fitness Influencers
And the truth is, they know full well that it doesn’t really matter whether their red X is actually wrong or their green checkmark is actually right.
To them, it’s not about accuracy—it’s about engagement.
Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube prioritize engagement metrics to determine which content gets pushed to larger audiences.
Studies on social media algorithms confirm that the more comments, shares, and reactions a post receives, the more likely it is to be amplified by platform algorithms.
A 2021 MIT study on social media engagement found that content triggering emotional reactions—whether outrage, agreement, or controversy—was 70% more likely to be amplified by platform algorithms.
A report by Hootsuite revealed that posts with high comment counts receive significantly more exposure than posts with low engagement, regardless of accuracy or content quality.
A study published in the Harvard Business Review demonstrated that negative engagement (such as disagreement or criticism in comments) actually increases visibility for posts, because social media algorithms interpret any form of interaction as a sign of content relevance.
So, whether someone comments:
"This is totally wrong!"
"Wow, I’ve been doing this incorrectly for years!"
"This is the best explanation I’ve ever seen!"
"You have no idea what you're talking about!"
It doesn’t matter. Every comment, every like, every share boosts engagement, which feeds the algorithm, giving the influencer more reach, more followers, and more influence.
They don’t actually care if the movement is correct or incorrect. The red X and green checkmark are just clickbait, designed to spark debate, create controversy, and get people talking—all while pushing more flawed fitness information into the algorithm.
It’s not about education. It's about the influencer screaming "look at me", "give me your attention".
It’s not about helping people. It’s about hacking social media engagement for more views, more followers, potential sponsorships, and ultimately—more money.
The Nutrition Deception: “My Nutrition Plans Allows You To Eat Whatever You Want” is a Lie
If fitness influencers and low-quality personal trainers are clueless about biomechanics, they’re even worse when it comes to nutrition.
The biggest scam? The flexible dieting lie.
Everywhere you look, influencers are pushing the idea that you can "eat whatever you want" and still lose weight, as long as you're in a calorie deficit.
They promote "flexible meal plans" that let you eat pizza, ice cream, cookies, and junk food while supposedly still achieving fat loss.
Sounds too good to be true? That’s because it is.
Here’s the reality:
A person struggling with weight loss cannot "eat whatever they want." Their food choices are exactly why they gained weight in the first place.
Sugary, processed, and high-calorie junk foods are engineered to be addictive. Telling someone they can eat whatever they want is like telling an alcoholic they can drink in moderation—it’s setting them up for failure.
Influencers push this message because it attracts clients who want to hear what makes them feel good. They tell you what you want to believe, not what you need to hear.
The worst part? These influencers have no formal university education in nutrition, dietetics, or metabolic science. They are not qualified nutritionists. They’re not registered dietitians.
They are simply people who look fit on camera and pretend to know what they’re talking about.
Many of them starve themselves for seven days straight, doing extreme caloric restriction behind the scenes, but then tell their audience, "I eat flexibly and stay lean!" They lie about their diets to attract followers and sell coaching programs, meal plans, and training packages.
👉 Check out my Nutrition Coaching page for science-backed meal plans that actually work.
Don’t Fall for the Fitness Foolery
Fitness influencers and unqualified trainers have built an empire on misleading people, prioritizing aesthetics over execution, and chasing fame over education. They don’t care if you train correctly or see results—they just want your likes, views, and money.
The worst part?
The fitness industry is completely unregulated.
Anyone can be a trainer—qualified or not.
The new currency isn’t knowledge—it’s attention.
The most incorrect trainers get the most engagement.
People follow them because it’s free and easy.
So, the more content they put out, the more attention they get. The more attention they get, the more they sell.
The quality of the information doesn’t matter—only the engagement.
And who suffers?
The people who don’t know what they don’t know. The ones who think they’re getting trusted fitness advice when in reality, they’re being fed misinformation by an industry that rewards visibility over accuracy.
Stop falling for free garbage fitness advice.
If you want real progress, follow me, Dennis Romatz. I'm an expert in biomechanics, kinesiology, proper exercise programming, and science-backed fitness training.
I teach my clients how to:
✔ Avoid common exercise mistakes that lead to injury
✔ Train with perfect biomechanics and proper movement execution
✔ Eliminate fitness myths and misinformation
✔ Achieve fast, sustainable results with structured, progressive workout plans
If you’re serious about your results, stop trusting social media fitness trends and misleading exercise techniques from unqualified influencers.
👉 Check out my Nutrition Coaching page for science-backed meal plans that actually work.
Train smart. Question everything. Pay for expertise. And don’t fall for the foolery.
About the Author:
Dennis Romatz is a nutrition coach, and certified personal trainer in Chicago in the downtown Chicago Lakeshore East neighborhood providing personal training scheduled at your convenience at apartment & condo gyms, and in-home. Tailored training programs are designed to meet your individual needs & goals and guaranteed to get you in the best shape of your life in 3 months or less or your money back. Dennis has been recognized as "one of the 20 best personal trainers in the world" by The Institute of Personal Trainers. You can contact Dennis to train with him in person or live online or connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
I’m Dennis Romatz, a fitness professional, biomechanics specialist, and expert in science-backed training methods.
With decades of experience in exercise physiology, movement mechanics, and structured fitness coaching, I’ve dedicated my career to helping people train with precision, efficiency, and safety—all while cutting through the noise of fitness misinformation.
The unfortunate truth? Social media has turned fitness into a spectacle, where flashy, incorrect exercise techniques and misleading workout advice spread faster than real, science-based training.
Influencers—many of whom have no formal education in fitness, biomechanics, or nutrition—are dominating TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, selling false promises, incorrect exercise demonstrations, and gimmicky fitness trends, all in the pursuit of views, followers, and profit.
The result? Millions of people blindly following bad advice, risking injury, and making zero progress—all because they don’t know what they don’t know.
In this article, I’ll expose the deceptive tactics of fitness influencers, break down why social media is spreading bad fitness advice, and show you how to separate fitness facts from fiction.
👉 If you’re looking for real fitness expertise, science-backed training, and professional guidance, visit my homepage to learn more.
Fitness influencer on social media How Misinformation, Bad Exercise Technique, and Poor Fitness Advice Are Leading You Astray
The fitness industry has never been more accessible. Anyone with a smartphone can post workout videos, dish out advice, and amass millions of followers.
But there’s one massive problem: most of them have no idea what they’re doing. From Instagram to TikTok, YouTube to Facebook, we are flooded with fitness misinformation, influencers who prioritize looking good over moving correctly, and workout technique errors that can lead to injury, stagnation, and wasted effort.
But the biggest problem of all?
People Don’t Know What They Don’t Know
The average person watching a fitness influencer has no clue what’s correct or incorrect because they lack the education and experience to differentiate between the two.
Just like someone who isn’t an accountant wouldn’t know if an accountant is making errors, people watching these influencers have no reference point for correct vs. incorrect exercise form.
So they watch. They follow. They mimic. Blindly. Aimlessly. Willingly. Unknowingly. Desperate for a quick fix, for a leaner body, for better health, they latch onto misleading exercise techniques from social media trainers, trusting them simply because they have a big following or an impressive physique.
They assume the information is correct—but it’s not. The result? A mass of people performing exercises incorrectly, getting subpar results, risking injury, and reinforcing bad movement patterns—all because they never knew better in the first place.
The Trap of “Free” Fitness Advice: The Easy Buy-In
One of the biggest reasons fitness scams and bad fitness advice thrive is because fitness influencers offer free content. It costs nothing to watch their videos, follow their workouts, or subscribe to their channels.
There’s no financial commitment, no risk, and no barrier to entry. So people view it as free fitness programs and free fitness advice.
Why pay for professional fitness coaching when you can just click “Follow” or “Subscribe” on Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok? Why spend money on structured workout programs when an influencer is giving you social media fitness trends for free?
I hear people say all the time:
“Oh, I follow Kayla Itsines. She has 15.8 million subscribers, and I love her workouts!”
“I do Chloe Ting’s ab workouts—they’re free, and she has millions of views!”
“Why would I pay for real fitness coaching when I can just follow my favorite influencer?”
(For the record, I can and will refer you to videos for both Kayla Itsines and Chloe Ting performing educational exercises incorrectly so any defamation is off the table here. Contact me here with your inquiries or questions)
But here’s the problem: free doesn’t mean correct.
Free doesn’t mean effective. Free doesn’t mean safe. Free doesn’t mean results.
The fitness industry deception thrives on this low barrier to entry because it makes it incredibly easy for people to buy into it. They assume that because an influencer is popular, they must know what they’re talking about.
But in reality, most fitness influencers are completely unqualified, incorrect, and misleading.
The Engagement-Driven Deception of Fitness Influencers
And the truth is, they know full well that it doesn’t really matter whether their red X is actually wrong or their green checkmark is actually right.
To them, it’s not about accuracy—it’s about engagement. Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube prioritize engagement metrics to determine which content gets pushed to larger audiences.
Studies on social media algorithms confirm that the more comments, shares, and reactions a post receives, the more likely it is to be amplified by platform algorithms.
A 2021 MIT study on social media engagement found that content triggering emotional reactions—whether outrage, agreement, or controversy—was 70% more likely to be amplified by platform algorithms.
A report by Hootsuite revealed that posts with high comment counts receive significantly more exposure than posts with low engagement, regardless of accuracy or content quality.
A study published in the Harvard Business Review demonstrated that negative engagement (such as disagreement or criticism in comments) actually increases visibility for posts, because social media algorithms interpret any form of interaction as a sign of content relevance.
So, whether someone comments:
"This is totally wrong!"
"Wow, I’ve been doing this incorrectly for years!"
"This is the best explanation I’ve ever seen!"
"You have no idea what you're talking about!"
It doesn’t matter. Every comment, every like, every share boosts engagement, which feeds the algorithm, giving the influencer more reach, more followers, and more influence.
They don’t actually care if the movement is correct or incorrect. The red X and green checkmark are just clickbait, designed to spark debate, create controversy, and get people talking—all while pushing more flawed fitness information into the algorithm. It’s not about education.
It's about the influencer screaming "look at me", "give me your attention". It’s not about helping people. It’s about hacking social media engagement for more views, more followers, potential sponsorships, and ultimately—more money.
The Nutrition Deception: “My Nutrition Plans Allows You To Eat Whatever You Want” is a Lie If fitness influencers and low-quality personal trainers are clueless about biomechanics, they’re even worse when it comes to nutrition.
The biggest scam? The flexible dieting lie. Everywhere you look, influencers are pushing the idea that you can "eat whatever you want" and still lose weight, as long as you're in a calorie deficit.
They promote "flexible meal plans" that let you eat pizza, ice cream, cookies, and junk food while supposedly still achieving fat loss.
Sounds too good to be true? That’s because it is. Here’s the reality: A person struggling with weight loss cannot "eat whatever they want."
Their food choices are exactly why they gained weight in the first place. Sugary, processed, and high-calorie junk foods are engineered to be addictive.
Telling someone they can eat whatever they want is like telling an alcoholic they can drink in moderation—it’s setting them up for failure. Influencers push this message because it attracts clients who want to hear what makes them feel good.
They tell you what you want to believe, not what you need to hear. The worst part? These influencers have no formal university education in nutrition, dietetics, or metabolic science.
They are not qualified nutritionists. They’re not registered dietitians. They are simply people who look fit on camera and pretend to know what they’re talking about.
Many of them starve themselves for seven days straight, doing extreme caloric restriction behind the scenes, but then tell their audience, "I eat flexibly and stay lean!" They lie about their diets to attract followers and sell coaching programs, meal plans, and training packages.
👉 Check out my Nutrition Coaching page for science-backed meal plans that actually work.
Don’t Fall for the Fitness Foolery
Fitness influencers and unqualified trainers have built an empire on misleading people, prioritizing aesthetics over execution, and chasing fame over education.
They don’t care if you train correctly or see results—they just want your likes, views, and money. The worst part?
The fitness industry is completely unregulated. Anyone can be a trainer—qualified or not. The new currency isn’t knowledge—it’s attention. The most incorrect trainers get the most engagement.
People follow them because it’s free and easy. So, the more content they put out, the more attention they get. The more attention they get, the more they sell.
The quality of the information doesn’t matter—only the engagement. And who suffers? The people who don’t know what they don’t know.
The ones who think they’re getting trusted fitness advice when in reality, they’re being fed misinformation by an industry that rewards visibility over accuracy.
The Cert-Crutch Trainers: Certified, Yet Clueless—And What They’re Not Taught
One of the most dangerous and overlooked problems in the fitness industry isn’t just the completely unqualified influencers—it’s the so-called "certified" trainers who pass the test but were taught incorrectly.
These trainers memorized the book, studied hard, and maybe even aced their certification exam, but their knowledge is surface-level at best and flawed at worst.
Why? Because: The certification system itself is broken – Many personal training certifications focus heavily on textbook theory rather than practical application. Their instructors didn’t know any better either – If the people teaching the material don’t understand biomechanics, kinesiology, and human movement at a deep level, then they’re just passing down bad information to the next wave of trainers.
They were never taught to focus on details – These trainers were never trained to be perfectionists in joint articulation, muscle contraction, muscle lengthening, hinging mechanics, or proper movement sequencing—so they never teach their clients those critical elements either.
The Book-Smart, But Practically Inept Trainer Many "certified" trainers can tell you the origin and insertion of a muscle, the definition of hypertrophy, and how to calculate macros—but when it comes to:
✔ Teaching a squat with perfect biomechanics
✔ Explaining eccentric vs. concentric control in real movement
✔ Understanding the true mechanics of a hinge, press, or pull
✔ Fixing someone’s movement patterns before they get injured They are clueless.
Because their own instructors skipped the finer details, they never learned what truly matters. Their practical training was lazy, rushed, or just plain incorrect—and now, they pass those same bad habits onto their clients.
What Personal Trainer Certifications Don’t Teach—And Why
It goes deeper than just lazy instructors or bad biomechanics training—the entire personal trainer certification industry is politically compromised.
🚨 Certifying bodies receive donor kickbacks to suppress certain science-based principles. A glaring example? The relationship between exercise intensity and fat oxidation.
Here’s a basic principle of human physiology that should be common knowledge:
The human body burns a higher ratio of subcutaneous fat (the fat you see under the skin) with lower-intensity exercise (like walking for 60 minutes on a treadmill) than with high-intensity training.
The human body burns a higher ratio of visceral fat (fat around the organs) with high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
Sounds simple, right?
But this isn’t widely known, widely taught, or widely practiced.
Why? Because Big Pharma and Big Med want to keep people fat.
💰 If the masses knew that they could burn the most subcutaneous fat with low-intensity steady-state cardio (LISS), they would do it consistently and get leaner faster without the injury risk of high-intensity workouts.
💰 If people started optimizing their fat loss instead of just working out harder, they wouldn’t need so many weight-loss drugs, doctor visits, and surgeries.
So, instead of teaching clinically accurate fat oxidation principles, the certifying bodies remove it from the curriculum altogether—keeping trainers and the general public blind to one of the most effective, low-risk fat-burning methods.
If this basic fact was truly emphasized in mainstream personal training certifications, it would be common knowledge across the internet, in fitness programs, and in gyms everywhere.
But it’s not—because the people in control don’t want it to be.
Why This is Just as Bad as Unqualified Influencers
These Cert-Crutch trainers have one advantage over influencers—they have a piece of paper that makes them look legitimate.
But the end result is the same:
🚨 They train people incorrectly.
🚨 They reinforce bad movement habits.
🚨 They cause more harm than good.
🚨 They are unknowingly complicit in spreading fitness misinformation.
It’s not about just passing a certification—it’s about understanding the intricacies of human movement at the highest level and breaking through the misinformation barriers that keep people from learning the truth.
And most certified trainers aren’t even close to that standard.
The Lie of “Toning” & Other Buzzword B.S.
One of the most overused, misleading, and scientifically incorrect terms in the fitness industry is “toning.” Fitness influencers, low-quality trainers, and workout programs throw this word around like it’s an actual physiological process—but it’s not.
The truth is: There’s no such thing as “toning.”
🚨 You cannot “tone” a muscle. You can only do two things: Build muscle (hypertrophy) – Increasing the size and density of muscle fibers. Lose fat (reduce body fat percentage) – Making the muscle more visible.
That’s it. There’s no magical third state of muscle called "toned."
Why Fitness Influencers Love This Buzzword If "toning" doesn’t exist, why do so many influencers, trainers, and fitness brands use it?
Because it sells.
💰 Toning sounds less intimidating than “building muscle” – Many people (especially women) have been wrongly conditioned to fear getting “too bulky.” So, instead of saying “build muscle,” influencers and fitness programs say “tone” to make it more appealing.
💰 It keeps people chasing ineffective workouts – Influencers push high-rep, low-weight routines under the illusion that they will “tone” muscles without making them bigger—when in reality, that’s not how muscle physiology works.
💰 It gives the illusion of fast, easy results – “Toning” makes people believe they can spot-reduce fat and get a lean, sculpted body with a few targeted exercises—which is completely false.
Other Buzzwords That Are Total B.S.
“Toning” isn’t the only worthless fitness term that influencers use to sound smart while saying nothing.
Here are a few more:
🚩 “Long, lean muscles” – Your muscle shape is genetically predetermined. You can build muscle or lose fat, but you cannot change your muscle’s inherent shape.
🚩 “Fat-burning workouts” – Your body doesn’t choose to burn fat based on the exercises you do—it burns calories and decides whether those calories come from fat stores or glycogen based on multiple physiological factors.
🚩 “Detoxing” through exercise – Your body has organs for detoxification (liver, kidneys, lymphatic system). Exercise has many benefits, but “sweating out toxins” is a complete myth.
🚩 “Slimming down” certain areas – You cannot spot-reduce fat. The idea that doing ab exercises burns belly fat or thigh exercises reduce thigh fat is completely false.
The Damage These Buzzwords Cause
These terms aren’t just misleading—they actively prevent people from making real progress.
❌ They make people chase ineffective workouts.
❌ They reinforce fear of strength training (especially in women).
❌ They delay real results by keeping people trapped in low-intensity, ineffective routines.
If fitness influencers were honest, they would educate people on real strength training, muscle growth, and fat loss strategies.
But honesty doesn’t sell. Buzzwords do. The Aesthetic Illusion: Workout Challenges That Make No Sense One of the biggest gimmicks in fitness influencer culture isn’t just bad information—it’s the illusion of expertise, wrapped in perfect aesthetics.
These influencers aren’t just selling workouts—they’re selling an aspirational lifestyle:
✔ Flawless hair and makeup—because apparently, sweating isn’t part of working out.
✔ Color-coordinated outfits, shoes, and backgrounds—as if a gym is a fashion runway.
✔ Soft lighting, perfect camera angles, and a carefully curated atmosphere—creating a fantasy that working out should always look glamorous and effortless.
🚨 The problem? The workout itself is complete garbage.
These are “cookie-cutter” workouts with zero structure, zero logic, and zero personalization. They aren’t designed for effectiveness, safety, or long-term progression—they exist purely to look good on camera.
No Exercise Testing, No Prescription—Just Nonsense Every real fitness program starts with a proper fitness assessment: Functional movement screening Strength & endurance baselines Postural analysis Cardiovascular evaluation
🚨 Fitness influencers don’t do any of this. Why? Because they can’t—they have no way to assess the fitness level, mobility restrictions, or individual needs of the people watching.
So, instead of tailoring workouts based on actual science, they just throw together random exercises and call it a challenge:
✔ “The 7-Day Booty Burn!”
✔ “The 30-Day Shred!”
✔ “Abs in 10 Minutes a Day!”
These aren’t structured programs—they’re entertainment.
If someone is a complete beginner, this randomized, untested workout might be too hard, leading to:
❌ Injury risk due to improper form and progression
❌ Muscle imbalances and compensation patterns
❌ Burnout and frustration from doing movements beyond their ability If someone is already advanced, the workout might be too easy and provide zero stimulus for growth.
But that doesn’t matter to the influencer.
They aren’t designing these workouts for results—they’re designing them to look good on camera, generate engagement, and make people feel like they’re part of something.
The Lack of Programming—It’s Just a “Follow Along”
Gimmick A real training program follows structured progressions based on:
✔ Exercise selection suited to the individual
✔ Repetitions, sets, and intensity tailored to goals
✔ Planned recovery and periodization
Fitness influencer workouts ignore all of this. Instead, they dangle the illusion of transformation without giving people any of the actual tools to get results.
They don’t provide:
❌ A long-term plan for progression
❌ Tracking methods to measure improvement
❌ Scalability based on individual strength or limitations
Instead, it’s just “Follow me! I look fabulous, my outfit is fabulous, and my makeup is flawless—so my workout must be great too!”
🚨 The result? Thousands of people doing random, ineffective workouts and wondering why they aren’t seeing results.
The Real Reason These Workouts Exist
💰 It’s not about fitness—it’s about content.
💰 It’s not about results—it’s about looking good.
💰 It’s not about science—it’s about selling an image.
The glamorous workout influencer isn’t trying to make you strong, fit, or functional—they’re trying to keep you engaged, watching, and interacting with their content. T
hey know that: A proper fitness assessment doesn’t get views. Science-based periodization isn’t flashy.
Meticulously planned workouts aren’t “fun” to watch.
But a color-coordinated outfit, a trendy fitness challenge, and a perfectly edited Instagram reel? That sells.
Don’t Fall for the Glamorous Workout Trap
❌ A great outfit doesn’t mean a great workout.
❌ Aesthetics don’t equal expertise.
❌ Follow-along workouts don’t equal real programming.
If you want actual results, stop chasing trendy fitness challenges and start following a structured, science-based training program.
The Supplement Scam: Why Influencers Sell You Junk
In the vast landscape of fitness and wellness, a troubling trend has emerged: influencers prioritizing profit over genuine health guidance.
The allure of quick financial gain has led many to promote and sell dietary supplements, often without adequate knowledge or concern for their followers' well-being.
The Lucrative World of Supplements The dietary supplement industry has experienced exponential growth.
In 2023, the U.S. dietary supplement market was valued at approximately $53.58 billion and is projected to continue its upward trajectory. GRANDVIEWRESEARCH.COM
This booming market presents a tempting opportunity for influencers:
High Profit Margins: Supplements often have substantial markups, allowing for significant profits per sale.
Sponsorship Deals: Brands offer lucrative partnerships to influencers with large followings, incentivizing them to promote products aggressively.
Minimal Regulation: The supplement industry is not as tightly regulated as pharmaceuticals, making it easier to market products without stringent oversight.
The Dark Side of Supplement Promotion
While the financial incentives are clear, the ethical implications are concerning:
Questionable Product Quality: Many supplements are laden with fillers, additives, and preservatives that can cause adverse reactions, including gastrointestinal discomfort.
Lack of Personalization: Supplements are often marketed as one-size-fits-all solutions, disregarding individual health needs and potential contraindications.
Potential Health Risks: Without proper guidance, consumers may misuse supplements, leading to nutrient imbalances or interactions with medications.
Why Influencers Choose Supplements Over Training
For many influencers, promoting supplements is more appealing than offering personalized training programs:
Scalability: Selling a product online can reach a global audience without the time constraints of one-on-one training sessions.
Passive Income: Once marketing content is created, supplements can generate ongoing revenue with minimal additional effort.
Perceived Authority: Endorsing products can enhance an influencer's image as a wellness expert, even if their primary expertise is limited.
The Reality Behind the Hype
It's crucial to recognize that many influencers lack the qualifications to provide sound health advice.
Their primary goal is often to drive sales and increase engagement, rather than to promote genuine well-being. Making Informed Decisions As consumers, it's essential to approach supplement recommendations with caution:
Consult Healthcare Professionals: Before starting any new supplement, discuss it with a qualified healthcare provider to ensure it's appropriate for your individual needs.
Research Products Thoroughly: Look for third-party testing and verify the credibility of the supplement brand.
Be Skeptical of Bold Claims: If something sounds too good to be true, it likely is. In conclusion, while the supplement industry offers potential benefits, it's marred by misinformation and profit-driven motives.
By staying informed and critical of influencer endorsements, consumers can make choices that truly support their health.
The Fake Before & After Transformation Scam: A Visual Deception
The before-and-after transformation photo is one of the biggest selling tactics in the fitness industry.
These side-by-side images—showing a supposed dramatic body transformation in just weeks or months—are plastered across influencer websites, fitness programs, and supplement sales pages.
🚨 The problem? Most of them are completely fake. How Fitness Influencers Fake Transformations
❌ Manipulating Posing & Lighting: The "before" photo is taken in bad lighting, poor posture, and an unflattering pose (belly pushed out, slouched shoulders, neutral expression). The "after" photo is taken with perfect lighting, a flexed core, upright posture, and a big smile. The difference? Minutes—not months.
❌ Instant Bloating & Dehydration Tricks: Many influencers intentionally bloat themselves for the before shot by drinking excessive water, eating high-sodium meals, and pushing their stomach out. Then, for the after photo, they dehydrate themselves, restrict carbs, and manipulate sodium intake to look leaner. This "miraculous transformation" can happen in less than 24 hours.
❌ AI & Photoshop Editing: With modern AI tools, anyone can create a fake before-and-after image. Some influencers alter waist size, enhance muscle tone, or add abs with basic editing apps. Others steal actual transformation photos from real trainers and claim them as their own.
❌ Using Different People: Some influencers pay fitness models to submit old photos of themselves as "before" pictures. Or worse—they use stock images of random overweight people for the before shot and a model for the after shot.
🚨 The reality? Most "transformations" aren't proof of a great program—they’re proof of deceptive marketing. Why Influencers Use Fake Transformations
💰 It Sells False Hope: A well-crafted before-and-after photo makes their fitness programs, supplements, and coaching services look like a guaranteed success. The more dramatic the transformation, the more people believe in their method.
💰 It Tricks People into Quick-Buying Decisions: Seeing "instant" results preys on emotional decision-making. People struggling with weight loss see the illusion of fast progress and buy into the hype without questioning reality.
💰 It Covers Up Bad Programming: Since most influencer workout plans are garbage, they use visual deception to cover up the lack of science-based training and nutrition programming.
How to Spot a Fake Transformation
🔍 Look at the Timeframe If the change looks too extreme for the stated time period (e.g., "6 Weeks to Shredded"), it’s probably fake.
🔍 Compare Background & Lighting If the background, lighting, or even hair color is different between the before-and-after, it’s a sign of time manipulation.
🔍 Check for Unnatural Features Abs that look too crisp, waistlines that look overly smooth, or muscles that don’t match body proportions often mean editing or AI trickery.
The Bottom Line: Don’t Fall for the Before & After Scam
🚫 Real transformations take time, effort, and proper programming—not gimmicks, posing tricks, or AI-generated edits.
🚫 Before-and-after images aren’t proof of expertise—actual fitness knowledge is.
🚫 If an influencer relies on flashy transformation pictures instead of real client testimonials, proper training methods, and science-backed results, it’s a red flag.
The Overuse of "Science-Based" in Fitness: When Influencers Have No Clue What They’re Talking About
The fitness industry has hijacked the term “science-based” and turned it into a marketing gimmick.
Today, nearly every influencer, self-proclaimed expert, and uncertified trainer claims their workouts, diet plans, and supplement recommendations are based on science.
But are they really?
🚨 The problem? Most of these influencers don’t even know what science is.
The Science Buzzword Scam: No Credentials, No Expertise, Just Clickbait
The reality is that most fitness influencers have no formal education in exercise science, biomechanics, sports science, or human physiology.
Some don’t even have a basic personal trainer certification.
But that doesn’t stop them from:
❌ Throwing around words like "science-backed" to appear credible.
❌ Cherry-picking studies without understanding them.
❌ Plagiarizing real experts but failing to apply the principles correctly.
❌ Using “scientific” terms to make their generic, ineffective workouts seem sophisticated. The goal?
To fool followers into believing they’re fitness authorities when, in reality, they’re just fitness marketers.
Why Do Fitness Influencers Overuse the Word "Science"?
💰 To sound intelligent and authoritative. Most people won’t question a workout labeled as “science-based” because they assume it must be legitimate.
💰 To sell training programs, supplements, and meal plans. “Science-backed” makes their cookie-cutter workout plans and diet recommendations sound more effective than they actually are.
💰 To gain credibility without doing the work. Since the average person doesn’t know exercise science, influencers throw in fancy terms to make their programs sound research-driven.
💰 To keep up with real professionals. Legitimate fitness professionals with formal education in exercise science and sports medicine use science correctly—so influencers try to mimic them without the same level of understanding.
🚨 Bottom line: They’re not using science.
They’re using the word “science” to trick you into thinking they know what they’re talking about.
What They’re Actually Doing – Fitness Misinformation at Scale
A study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) found that many fitness influencers spread misleading health advice that lacks scientific backing (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).
Some of the most common ways influencers misuse science include:
🚩 Misquoting or cherry-picking research. They pull one sentence from a study without reading the full context, using it to justify bad advice.
🚩 Oversimplifying complex fitness concepts. Real science is nuanced and depends on variables like genetics, training history, and biomechanics. Influencers dumb it down to one-size-fits-all nonsense like “this move activates your glutes better than any other!”
🚩 Making unverified claims about training and nutrition. “Boost your metabolism with this exercise!” “Detox your body in 7 days with this cleanse!” “Turn fat into muscle with this workout!” ALL of these claims are scientifically false.
🚩 Copying real experts and pretending they know what they’re talking about. If they don’t have an exercise science degree, then whatever they claim as “science-based” is just repackaged fitness information they stole from someone else.
🚨 They aren’t doing research, they aren’t applying real science—they’re just repeating things they don’t fully understand.
Real Science vs. Fake Influencer “Science”
✔ Real science is backed by peer-reviewed research, biomechanics, and physiology studies. ✔ Real experts have formal education in exercise science, sports medicine, kinesiology, and biomechanics.
✔ Real trainers use progressive overload, periodization, and evidence-based programming—not Instagram trends.
❌ Influencer “science” is trendy, dumbed-down, and misapplied.
❌ They use terms like “science-backed” to gain trust, not to educate.
❌ They don’t actually study or apply real exercise science—they just regurgitate buzzwords. 🚨 If someone can’t explain the actual mechanisms behind what they’re saying, they’re not a real professional—they’re a fitness marketer.
How to Spot Fake "Science-Based" Trainers
🔍 Ask them basic questions. If a trainer claims to be science-based, ask them: “What is kinesiology?” or “Explain progressive overload in detail.” If they stumble or give vague answers, they don’t actually know science.
🔍 Check their credentials. Do they have a degree in exercise science, sports science, biomechanics, or kinesiology? Or are they just a self-proclaimed expert with no formal education?
🔍 Look at how they explain things. A real professional explains concepts clearly and in-depth.
A fake expert just repeats buzzwords without understanding them.
The Bottom Line – Stop Believing the Word “Science”
🚫 Just because an influencer says “science-based” doesn’t mean their workouts or nutrition plans actually are.
🚫 If they don’t have real education in exercise science, they don’t truly understand it.
🚫 They’re not fitness professionals—they’re fitness marketers. If you want real, science-backed training, follow actual professionals with formal education, years of experience, and deep expertise—not someone who just throws around buzzwords to sell you a trendy workout plan.
The Steroid Trainer Epidemic: Aesthetics Over Education
The personal training industry has been infiltrated by unqualified, inexperienced, and unethical individuals who rely on performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and extreme dieting instead of actual fitness knowledge and expertise.
🚨 The worst part? They use their artificially enhanced physiques as “proof” of their credibility—despite having zero understanding of biomechanics, exercise science, or nutrition.
The Rise of Steroid Trainers: A Fitness Industry Problem
We saw it happen in 2008 during the financial crisis when corporate workers lost their jobs and suddenly decided, “Well, I lift weights, so I can be a personal trainer.”
They had no education, no certifications, and no experience—just a gym membership and a steroid cycle.
Fast forward to today, and we’re seeing the exact same thing—but now, it’s happening globally.
💰 As Western economies decline and the cost of living skyrockets, we see an influx of wannabe trainers moving to cheaper countries like Thailand and Southeast Asia.
👉 They don’t have the financial means to survive in their home countries.
👉 They don’t have the qualifications to get a real personal training job in a legitimate gym. 👉 They don’t have any deep understanding of biomechanics, movement science, or proper programming.
So what do they do?
They take steroids, bulk up, and call themselves personal trainers.
🚨 The formula is simple:
1️⃣ Do multiple steroid cycles until they look “buff” and “shredded.”
2️⃣ Take a few social media pictures and create a website offering personal training.
3️⃣ Start training unsuspecting clients who believe their physique equals knowledge.
But let’s be clear—having big muscles does NOT mean you know how to train people.
These "steroid trainers" don’t know proper movement mechanics, progression, periodization, or injury prevention—and that’s exactly why their clients rarely see results and often end up injured.
The Female Version: Water Fasting and Starvation
For women, the fitness industry’s fraudulent trainers follow a different script. Instead of using steroids to gain muscle, many female influencers simply stop eating altogether—using water fasts and extreme caloric restriction to achieve a thin, socially desirable physique.
🚨 Why? Because in the influencer fitness world, “looking the part” is more important than real expertise.
💰 A muscular man = credibility.
💰 A super-thin woman = credibility.
But what neither of them have is actual knowledge, experience, or a formal education in fitness.
🚫 They don’t know how to coach clients effectively.
🚫 They don’t understand biomechanics, movement science, or human physiology.
🚫 They don’t know how to optimize training for performance and longevity.
All they know is how to manipulate their bodies to fit a specific aesthetic—one that is completely unsustainable for the average person.
The Dangers of Training with Aesthetic-Only Influencers
❌ Unrealistic Expectations – Clients expect to achieve steroid-level physiques naturally, which is impossible.
❌ Dangerous Training Methods – Unqualified trainers don’t understand injury prevention, recovery, or progressive overload.
❌ Nutritional Misinformation – Starvation-based influencers give diet advice that leads to severe metabolic damage.
❌ Health Consequences – PEDs destroy hormonal balance, increase heart attack risk, and cause long-term organ damage.
🚨 The biggest red flag? These influencers NEVER disclose the real reason for their physique—they just pretend it’s all “hard work.”
How to Spot a Steroid Trainer or Fasting-Focused Fitness Influencer
🔍 They have no real fitness education. No degree in exercise science, sports science, or kinesiology. No reputable personal training certification. No formal education in nutrition or biomechanics.
🔍 They never talk about the science behind their training. Can they explain hypertrophy and periodization? Do they understand energy systems and metabolic pathways? If they can’t articulate how the body actually works, they don’t know science.
🔍 They sell unrealistic transformations. If someone claims you can achieve their body without PEDs or starvation, they’re lying.
🔍 They focus more on LOOKING fit than actually coaching. Do they post more shirtless selfies than actual educational content?
Do they spend more time selling “lifestyle coaching” than providing real training programs?
🚨 If their only “qualification” is their appearance, they aren’t a trainer—they’re a fraud.
The Bottom Line: Aesthetic-Only Trainers Are a Scam
🚫 Just because someone LOOKS fit doesn’t mean they know how to train others.
🚫 Steroid users posing as trainers are deceiving their clients.
🚫 Starvation-based influencers are promoting unhealthy, unsustainable methods.
🚫 If someone doesn’t have formal education, experience, or a real understanding of fitness science, they shouldn’t be coaching anyone.
If you want real results, real education, and real training expertise—don’t follow steroid-enhanced gym bros or malnourished fasting influencers pretending to be fitness professionals.
The Real Personal Trainer vs. The Social Media Influencer: A World of Difference A real, world-class personal trainer isn’t just someone who looks the part—they’re someone who has dedicated their life to mastering the science and practice of human performance, movement, nutrition, and psychology.
🚨 The problem? The fitness industry is being hijacked by influencers who lack any real expertise, yet position themselves as authorities simply because of their appearance.
What Makes a World-Class Personal Trainer?
A true personal trainer is:
✔ Formally educated in exercise science, sports science, or exercise physiology—often with a master’s degree or specialized postgraduate education.
✔ Supplemented with knowledge in nutritional sciences, dietetics, or sports nutrition—allowing them to provide accurate, evidence-based guidance on diet and performance.
✔ Often certified by an NCCA-accredited body (but as we’ve discussed, even certifications can be inconsistent and questionable depending on the organization).
✔ Clinically focused and exercise science-based—not gimmick-driven or based on fad trends. ✔ Naturopathy-centric—focusing on natural, holistic approaches without reliance on pills, gimmicks, or unsustainable methods.
✔ An expert in biomechanics and kinesiology—prioritizing perfect human movement, joint articulation, and muscular function.
✔ Well-versed in sports psychology and behavioral sciences—understanding the mental and emotional side of fitness, motivation, and habit formation.
✔ Holistic in their approach—integrating exercise, nutrition, recovery, mental well-being, and lifestyle habits into a comprehensive health system.
They don’t just teach exercises—they teach a sustainable, scientifically backed, and highly effective system for optimizing human health, fitness, and performance.
What Makes an Influencer?
A Completely Different Breed Influencers follow a completely different path.
❌ No formal education in exercise science, biomechanics, or sports medicine.
❌ No in-depth knowledge of nutrition, aside from their own personal diet preferences.
❌ No clinical understanding of sports psychology, habit formation, or behavior change.
❌ No experience working with real clients in real-world scenarios.
❌ No structured, science-based approach to fitness—only what works for them personally.
Instead of being trained experts in human performance, they:
🚩 Rely on their appearance alone as “proof” that they know what they’re talking about.
🚩 Follow trendy, visually appealing workouts that don’t actually work.
🚩 Push cookie-cutter diet plans that are not backed by science.
🚩 Jump on whatever new fad is trending on social media to gain more followers.
🚩 Monetize their audience through sponsorships, selling bad advice, and peddling supplements.
They are not real trainers. They are not fitness professionals. They are not experts.
🚨 They are content creators who happen to be in good shape...or simply appear to be.
A Real Personal Trainer’s Mission vs. An Influencer’s Mission
✔ A real personal trainer is focused on:
Science-backed training methodologies Client results, long-term progression, and injury prevention. Building sustainable, lifelong health habits. Providing deep, research-driven knowledge in training, nutrition, and recovery. Helping people achieve real transformation—not just temporary aesthetics.
❌ An influencer is focused on: Looking good for social media Gaining more followers and engagement Selling sponsorships, supplements, and fad programs Creating flashy, “viral” content that is visually appealing but ineffective Promoting quick fixes and unsustainable fitness trends
🚨 An influencer’s goal is not your health—it’s their engagement.
The Bottom Line: Choose Wisely
🚫 Stop believing that just because someone looks good, they must know what they’re talking about.
🚫 Just because someone has a big following doesn’t mean they’re credible.
🚫 If they lack formal education, real experience, and scientific expertise, they should not be giving fitness advice.
💡 If you want real results, find a real trainer. Someone with:
✔ A strong foundation in exercise science and biomechanics
✔ A comprehensive approach to training, nutrition, recovery, and mindset
✔ A focus on longevity, injury prevention, and sustainability—not just aesthetics
💰 Your health is not a trend, and your fitness should never be built on fads. If you’re serious about real results, follow real experts—not social media personalities.
Stop falling for free garbage fitness advice
If you want real progress, follow me, Dennis Romatz. I'm an expert in biomechanics, kinesiology, proper exercise programming, and science-backed fitness training.
I teach my clients how to:
✔ Avoid common exercise mistakes that lead to injury
✔ Train with perfect biomechanics and proper movement execution
✔ Eliminate fitness myths and misinformation
✔ Achieve fast, sustainable results with structured, progressive workout plans If you’re serious about your results, stop trusting social media fitness trends and misleading exercise techniques from unqualified influencers.
👉 Check out my Nutrition Coaching page for science-backed meal plans that actually work. Train smart. Question everything. Pay for expertise. And don’t fall for the foolery.
About the Author
Dennis Romatz is a certified personal trainer, nutrition coach, and fitness author. Dennis is regarded as one of the world's leading holistic fitness professionals and has been recognized as "one of the 20 best personal trainers in the world" by The Institute of Personal Trainers. You can contact Dennis on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
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