Why they are rich and you are fat

[juggledex]

Have you ever watched one of those late night infomercials about the latest piece of bent plastic, diet or fruit juice that was going to give you the hot body you've always desired? I bet you laughed and shrugged it off just like last month’s hot new scam.

http://chrisholden.net/fitness/articles/chair.jpg
Hawaii Chair, they are going to make more money than all of us combined.



So why is you're trying to be a Spartan now or think you can have Bruce Lee's body? Both of these were movie stars. Sure they worked hard to look great in their films, but Gerard Butler didn't stop smoking cigarettes throughout his training and Lee dropped dead at age 32. We love them to death, but they weren't exactly living the healthiest lifestyles.

http://chrisholden.net/fitness/articles/blb.jpg
The ultimate badass?



The truth is, they're great marketers. They're targeting exactly what you want and you're buying. All these people selling you '300' and 'Spartan' workouts are all full of crap. Their workouts might not be bad, but it was the same old workout with this new name attached to it so you'll buy it.

http://chrisholden.net/fitness/articles/twight.jpg
I wonder what Mark Twight thinks about all this 300 business?



We all know it's superficial. You want to look hot, and be ripped. If you weren't you'd be asking questions about guys like Hoyce Gracie. He never looked great, but he and he family won countless fights and tournaments. Don't think for a second they weren't great at marketing either. Ever heard of the UFC? The Gracie family helped start that to promote their style of Jiu-Jitsu, but this rant isn't about what style is the best.

http://chrisholden.net/fitness/articles/gracie.jpg
Who needs movies when you've got PPV?



If the point hasn't been beaten into your head, I have one more example. Product after product states that it's "diet", "low-fat" and "healthy!" Does this not set of an alarm in your mind that tells you it's obviously NOT healthy at all? Healthy foods don't have to tell you they are healthy. They sell themselves! Keep these things in mind next time you check out a workout for "abs", "300", "Spartan" or “what Bruce Lee did!"

http://chrisholden.net/fitness/articles/healthy.jpg
It's named "Healthy" and the logo is even running!



In conclusion, inspiration is just that. The ripped guy selling the abs product didn't get there by using the product. The guy selling you the "300" workout never did it until the movie was popular. He was in shape before then. If the food is labeled "healthy" it probably isn't healthy. Love them or hate them, all these guys are great inspiration. Now, go find real information about real training and get the body you want

[warriorscholar]

Great post and oh so true.

[ABHPage]

I think you are wrong juggledex. I have never been in shape and when I bought the calvin klein underwear and put them on my body suddently changed and shaped itself like the guy on the package !!

[cheesedog]

Great rant!

Oh, and Mark Twight thinks the hype over the "300" workout is a bunch of crap. Although I'm sure he made a butt-load of money training those guys.

[bthammer455]

lol ya well put nothing in this world beats good old fastioned hard work and natrual food

and what the heck is that hawaii chair do

also look at this
http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2943304&cp=2367453.2622932

2000 dollars for that i think ill spend it on something more usefull like a jumprope or gas for my car :)

[timfortehwin]

great post.

Ad's would be telling the truth if they told you that there is no magic key to keeping fit and healthy (..I believe in resistance training though!), and just sticking to a routine and/or a diet regime is the best thing a man or woman can do.

[Fatman]

LOL...

Yeah, one does get a lot of that marketing crap. Theoretically I know how it works - I got a degree in marketing in college, but never really worked in the profession (unfortunately- if Ihad, right now I wouldn't be crunching numbers in a factory situated in a small town that looks like one of those places from American teenage horror movies).

And it all WORKS! People are always wondering about "the Spartan Workout" and "the Zone Diet", and whatnot. Society has locked us into a vicious cycle of work 10+ hours a day - earn more - spend more - work more, etc. We're getting more disposable income, but spending more on useless stuff too, so in the end we're no better off than before. The developing world is even worse off than the West - we're getting stuck in the early phases of merciless capitalism (kind of what the US and the other developed countries were going through in the late 1800s-early 1900s), only the drive to earn more and lack of basic workers' rights are even more profound in this day and age.

Okay, didn't want to add on to a rant with a rant of my own. Apologies.

[ABHPage]

''We could build a factory, and make misery
We'll create the cure, we made the disease
Frustrated Incorporated, Frustrated Incorporated''

Two kudos to the first one that can find from which song these lyrics are.
But you're right about it all, Fatman... This is why I dropped my weekly working hour from 65 to only 22. I'm poor in a sense but richer in the other. I could never pull off my current training program while working 65 hours. And I couldn't have friends. At least I have a couple now. heh.

[Erik]

''We could build a factory, and make misery
We'll create the cure, we made the disease
Frustrated Incorporated, Frustrated Incorporated''

Two kudos to the first one that can find from which song these lyrics are.

"Misery" by Soul Asylum

[ABHPage]

You are certaintly surprising Erik.

Two kudos for you .

[Erik]

Yay! I get two kudos!! :)

[ABHPage]

Seriously, you knew the song or you googled it ?

I can raise the difficulty. Which epic classic badass movie had this song as the ending song ?

[Erik]

I googled it. I'm a researcher as well as a writer.

And the song was featured as part of the closing montage of "Clerks II," which I'm not sure qualifies as epic or badass. However, they also contributed to the first "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy."

They must get on well with Kevin Smith.

[cheesedog]

Soul Asylum is an old fav of mine. I saw them in concert in the mid 90's, good show!

[ABHPage]

Erik, it is blasphemy to remove any honors or rewards that are due to either Clerks or Clerks II. These are both awesome movies reflecting with great precision what it is like to live the life of a clerk such as these two guys and the dialogues are simply brilliant. The only lacking part of the movie is actually the budget, but I think it gives a ''cachet'' to the whole picture.

Only by listening to both movie one after the other and paying attention can one aspire to understand the true meaning of the hidden sense behind all the Jay and Silent Bob dancing, smoking and dirty talk. Dante and Randall's message is simply that in life, it doesn't matter what you do but simply who you do it with.

His name is not Kevin Smith it's Silent Bob ! :eek:

[Erik]

Ah, but have you seen Dogma?

[ABHPage]

Yes, along with Jay and Silent Bob strike back, Dude Where's my car, etc, actually I think each movie of the likes.

But there's hasn't been any new one in the last years... I hope they plan on making more.

[Erik]

I think Jay and Silent Bob have run their course. It will be interestingto see what new projects Kevin Smith comes up with. He is a primo filmmaker.

Is it me or have we hijacked this thread?

Back to the point:

COMMERCIALISM SUCKS!!!

:)

[skygod]

whats a kudos and how does one aquire them? Is it like a sexual favour or something? [I hope their not for your sake eric!]

[DiBo24]

Have you ever watched one of those late night infomercials about the latest piece of bent plastic, diet or fruit juice that was going to give you the hot body you've always desired? I bet you laughed and shrugged it off just like last month’s hot new scam.

http://chrisholden.net/fitness/articles/chair.jpg
Hawaii Chair, they are going to make more money than all of us combined.



So why is you're trying to be a Spartan now or think you can have Bruce Lee's body? Both of these were movie stars. Sure they worked hard to look great in their films, but Gerard Butler didn't stop smoking cigarettes throughout his training and Lee dropped dead at age 32. We love them to death, but they weren't exactly living the healthiest lifestyles.

http://chrisholden.net/fitness/articles/blb.jpg
The ultimate badass?



The truth is, they're great marketers. They're targeting exactly what you want and you're buying. All these people selling you '300' and 'Spartan' workouts are all full of crap. Their workouts might not be bad, but it was the same old workout with this new name attached to it so you'll buy it.

http://chrisholden.net/fitness/articles/twight.jpg
I wonder what Mark Twight thinks about all this 300 business?



We all know it's superficial. You want to look hot, and be ripped. If you weren't you'd be asking questions about guys like Hoyce Gracie. He never looked great, but he and he family won countless fights and tournaments. Don't think for a second they weren't great at marketing either. Ever heard of the UFC? The Gracie family helped start that to promote their style of Jiu-Jitsu, but this rant isn't about what style is the best.

http://chrisholden.net/fitness/articles/gracie.jpg
Who needs movies when you've got PPV?



If the point hasn't been beaten into your head, I have one more example. Product after product states that it's "diet", "low-fat" and "healthy!" Does this not set of an alarm in your mind that tells you it's obviously NOT healthy at all? Healthy foods don't have to tell you they are healthy. They sell themselves! Keep these things in mind next time you check out a workout for "abs", "300", "Spartan" or “what Bruce Lee did!"

http://chrisholden.net/fitness/articles/healthy.jpg
It's named "Healthy" and the logo is even running!



In conclusion, inspiration is just that. The ripped guy selling the abs product didn't get there by using the product. The guy selling you the "300" workout never did it until the movie was popular. He was in shape before then. If the food is labeled "healthy" it probably isn't healthy. Love them or hate them, all these guys are great inspiration. Now, go find real information about real training and get the body you want


Everyone's trying to a make a dollar. The sad thing about these infomercials is they target the weak and vulnerable. Little do people realize down at the bottom of the television screen is a miniscule caption that says, results not typical, diet and exercise recommended! WOW! Whoever thought that with diet and exercise you too could look like that?! I guess instead of ragging on these people for being suckers perhaps we should educate them and guide them towards a healthy lifestyle the right way...I think people are bombarded with information they read on the internet and magazines as well as seeing things on television...it's very hard, unless you have a background in this field, to distinguish what is right for you and how to achieve desired results...one thing says this and another refutes that...i spent a lot of money for my education, but one thing someone told me stuck with me forever...strip it all away! Eat like a caveman and exercise like an animal! (Results typical)

[TheMasterKey]

Juggledex, great post! All the talk of infomercials reminds me of that old lady in Requiem for a Dream :shock:

And yes, Kevin Smith movies are awesome.

[Raja]

Good post. Get fit quick as well as get rich quick schemes should be avoided. I've even got a friend selling get laid quick schemes as well :p.(no not prostitutes) Always use your head.

[shunt73]

I think you are wrong juggledex. I have never been in shape and when I bought the calvin klein underwear and put them on my body suddently changed and shaped itself like the guy on the package !!

That's what I've been doing wrong! I get the fruit of the loom brand and my body transform into the dude dressed up like the apple!

But, I am definitely getting my wife some Victoria Secret britches tonight.

[JuggaloVash]

i always see something about losing fat magically but it was only 78% body fat lost.....what the hell is the other 22% i dont really care but i feel sorry for people who bought it in search for a easy way out and got raped by a evil scientists creation of sexy body formula plus!

[Little Luey]

Good post, I have to say I do occasionally watch the infomercials at night when I can't fall sleep. I use them as inspiration and some of those people have very strong wills to be able to stick with the exercise program and diet. I am thinking "if they can do it, so can I".
I know I have to take it in with a grain of salt because more than likely they are not telling the whole story and put a lot of effort in selling the product.
there are some good marketing people out there. I never tought McDonals made the best burgers, but they do maket the hell out of it.