By: Tony Junkin. (originally written 05/17/23)

In case you missed last month’s newsletter or just need a recap, I started this monthly column on health and wellness because I wanted to share what has led to my success in losing almost 50 pounds, gaining strength, and overhauling my entire lifestyle to be healthier and happier. I also want to reiterate that I went to college to study exercise and nutrition science. That may have given me an advantage when it came to getting my body back into shape, but I am positive that anyone who follows these 5 rules can achieve their goals as well. Those are:

• There is no such thing as a quick fix
• Clear out your pantry and keep it that way
• Listen to your body
• Track your food intake
• Move your body and make it a habit

Each month, I will go into more detail on each of these and this month I will start with the one that causes people to fail more than anything else: The Quick Fix Myth, or as I like to call it: The Quick Fix Scam. 

Most of us, at some point, have seen an ad for a weight loss product such as a supplement or drink mix that promises amazing results in the most convincing manner. Or maybe it’s a piece of exercise equipment that promises a perfect body in 5 minutes a day and minimal effort! We live in a world where now, more than ever, we can get almost anything we want in a matter of minutes to hours. We are the age of instant gratification and we expect things right when we want them. It’s great for so many things, but when it comes to physical health improvement products, marketers know this and use it to lure everyone in. I am 100% comfortable standing by the following statement regardless of the product in question:

THESE THINGS DO NOT WORK ON THEIR OWN. EVER.

Part of the reason these products are always so expensive is because people think for that amount of money, it surely must do what it says, so they buy it. Then, they realize after a month or two that it’s not helping and they quit paying for it. These miracle products stay profitable from a never-ending cycle of short term buyers. They don’t make any substantial amount from repeat customers because people generally don’t keep paying for something that doesn’t work, but they can jack up the price of their “miracle” product and do just as well selling to people once or twice.

The best rule to follow when confronted with the option to invest in any quick fix method is to ask yourself this timeless question: Does it sound too good to be true without the marketing behind it? If the answer is yes, then it is. The marketing is there to sell the impossible because it’s impossible to sell without it.

Nonetheless, it’s not all bad news! If you have a quick fix product that you purchased, there is a silver lining because you can use these things to provide a kickstart to your health and fitness goals, but that is only if you are making other changes as well. This includes healthier eating and more activity. Simply taking a pill, a tea, a drink mix, a body wrap, etc on its own may give you minor results at first, but they won’t continue to do so if you aren’t making those other changes. Those other changes are going to take longer to show results, but they will be lasting ones that don’t cost anything more than maybe a gym membership and even that isn’t essential.

You have to look at your physical health the same way you would look at a car. It’s a long term investment and if you do the relatively minor amount of maintenance it needs to run efficiently, it will get you where you need to go! You can use the premium gasoline and add lots of detailing to your car, but if you aren’t taking care of what’s under the hood, none of that will matter in the long run. The same with your health. You can take all the supplements out there and all the magic elixirs, but they won’t help you if you aren’t living health positive.

The current weight loss craze is an injectable medication called Ozempic that actually does cause weight loss albeit it with a few side effects like nausea and vomiting. It’s all the buzz in Hollywood and rumored to be what all the celebrities are taking to keep that extra body fat off, but here’s the bad news: you are not a celebrity. Celebrities have the money to pay for this very expensive medication in addition to personal trainers and chefs so this miracle medication is just a part of the work they do to stay camera ready. 

Even if us regular people can afford this medication, it will, like every other pharmaceutical answer, only last for the duration of time that we take it. The average weight loss on Ozempic is 15 pounds over the course of 10 months. I promise you if you start taking care of your body and practicing healthy habits, you can lose 2-3 times that amount in the same period and keep it off without spending any of that money. Also, losing weight quickly is never a good idea if you aren’t doing strength training because it can lead to sagging skin, low blood pressure, damaged blood vessels, stretch marks, nutrient imbalances, and more. Slow and steady will get you there, you just have to be patient and in today’s world that isn’t easy.

If you aren’t sure where to start or what to do to develop healthy habits, take any of that money that you would spend on quick fixes and hire a reputable wellness coach, nutritionist, or trainer who can help you develop a plan for success that you can stick to for the long term. This can be done for a one-time cost if you just want a plan. Even if you want to check in as needed to modify your plan, you’re still getting a much better deal than a quick fix that won’t work!

Health and wellness can be whatever you want it to be. Maybe it’s weight loss, maybe it’s strength training or increased flexibility. Maybe it’s to lower cholesterol or increase vital nutrient levels. Maybe you just want to feel better overall. Regardless of what it means to you, you do have to be willing to put in the work for it and be ok with the fact that it is a long-term process that leads to a lifetime of change.