Just like athletics and competitive sports, the world of health and fitness is full of fierce competition, outrageous claims and snake-oil. Let’s look at some of the known fitness authorities and try to find a common denominator.
1. Tim Ferris
Tim is a very well known author, famous for his 4 hour work week and even more, The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman
In the latter book, Ferriss covers diet, sleep, exercise, sex and much more, making it a varied and interesting reading. But is there any scientific evidence to support some of his amazing claims?
Bear in mind Tim Ferriss is not a doctor or a scientist – he’s an author and blogger who has served as his own guinea pig to develop the program he details in his new book. He did run many of his ideas by a panel of experts, including athletes and scientists, and does urge all comers to see their doctor before following any of his advice.
The book’s premise is simple: Less is more, and small, simple changes produce long-lasting effects. “There is zero room for misunderstanding and visible results compel you to continue,” Ferriss writes in his book. “If results are fast and measurable, self-discipline isn’t needed.”
2. Mark Sisson
He’s definitely one of our favourite experts. Well-known for his Mark’s Daily Apple Blog and The Primal Blueprint
Mark Sisson’s approach is often compared to Paleo diet but he’s also advocating indulging yourself once in a while and using the benefits of modern supplements.
3. Loren Cordain
If you ever thought about going Paleo, you’d definitely have heard about Loren and his fantastic book, The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat
4. Rich Roll
Rich Roll is many things! Awarded the title of one of 25 Fittest Guys in the World by Mens Fitness Magazine, Rich is an elite-level amateur ultra-distance endurance athlete, entertainment attorney, writer, filmmaker, husband, plant-based nutrition advocate and a father. His latest book, Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World’s Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself
5. Robert Atkins
Robert Atkins was an American physician and cardiologist best known for the “Atkins Nutritional Approach,” or “Atkins Diet” a popular but controversial way of eating that requires close control of carbohydrate consumption, emphasizing protein and fat as the primary sources of dietary calories in addition to a controlled number of carbohydrates from vegetables.
Anything in common?
Have you noticed anything? If you read through the claims of all the fitness authorities listed above, you’ll easily notice they all proclaim limited carbohydrate intake, more protein and more fat.
Fitness authorities you should be aware of?
Unfortunately, there are countless of scams and completely false claims in the nutrition and health industry. Praying on the basic human need of acceptance, the unscrupulous pseudo-authorities have only one goal – sell their ‘magical’ solutions to naive people who had no time or need to do their own research on the subject.
