Who Can You Trust?

During the past few weeks I've spent a lot of time listening to you. January is the most important time of the year in health and fitness, as it’s usually the greatest opportunity to make lasting change. And yet every year healthy intentions transform into missed opportunities by December.

 

This was the motivation for our "Become Unstoppable" campaign. It's a dedicated approach to helping you believe in change, and then using that psychological advantage to create results that last.

Your ability to change is an issue of confidence. And as I listened to your complaints, I realized the severity of the problem: When it comes to health information, who can you trust?

As I mentioned at the beginning of the year, 2012 has to be the year when you throw out excuses and look inward. It’s time to recognize that if you’re ever going to see results, it’ll be because you pushed yourself harder and let go of excuses.  

But I’ve also acknowledged that education is the foundation of any effective plan. And the internet has created an illusion that makes it harder to put information into action. While no one will ever doubt that the internet is a good thing, in the world of health and fitness it has become a dangerous tool. Everyone is a publisher and all content looks the same. So how are you supposed to know what’s accurate and what will actually work?

Good content can be easier to identify if you know what you're looking for: Good sources, deep research, and a library of results that provide proof that the advice offered works. (and not just empty claims and faceless advice)

 

My goal in 2012 is for you to see the type of results using you want, so you can know that LIVESTRONG.COM is your trusted source. I want to walk the walk. And with more than 22 million pounds lost on the site, it makes it easier to talk confidently that we've found a formula for success. But it’s important that you understand what this site is, so you can take full advantage of the information, tools, community, and content.

LIVESTRONG.COM will find the best experts and information, but we won't preach a one-size-fits-all approach. That’s the problem with health in the first place, and the reason why so many people are frustrated with the industry and fail to achieve success. Fitness and nutrition is a very complex science, but we make it more complicated than it needs to be. 

After I wrote my last article about “The Dirty Diet Lie” people could be split into 2 camps: Those who thanked me for speaking the truth and those who criticized me for making "unfounded" health recommendations without a medical license.

It’s true: I’m not a RD or an MD. 

But I do speak to the leading researchers, doctors (MD) and nutritionists (RD) on a daily basis and use their information as the foundation of all my articles. 

I do not run a gym.

But I work closely with trainers, exercise physiologists, kinesiologists, and doctors to provide suggestions that are backed by science, and test the programs to make sure they work.

I am a filter for information. Prior to my days as an editor, I worked as a university researcher for years. The published studies that people like to read and dissect? I used to design them, gather and analyze the data, and then published the results. 

I am a seeker of truth. A messenger for change. A mouthpiece for those who are smarter than me and who I learn from daily. And the information we share on the site has been vetted by those experts and then shared in such a way that you can take action and see results.

I’ve spent the last 13 years learning from the brightest minds in the industry. I am a byproduct of their knowledge. I take something from each of them, question what they share, and then continue on my search to determine what is right, what is wrong, and what can help people. That is the heartbeat of LIVESTRONG.COM and part of what makes us different and more effective.

Your health is not black and white. It is true that some diets and workouts are based on pseudoscience, broscience, lies…call it whatever you want. It’s a black eye for the industry and the white elephant in the room: Too much health content is grandfathered information that is passed down. It’s assumed correct, not challenged, practice by many and the real reason why so many people struggle with their health. But we’re going to change that.

This is not a condemnation of everyone else. We start with our own site, reviewing our content and making sure that the information is accurate. And if it’s not, we’ll make the changes and remove what's wrong or outdated.

That’s why we’ve created our advisory board. These are some of the brightest minds in health, fitness, and nutrition. They are the back-bone of our content and the experts you desire. They are doctors, trainers, and nutritionists who are out in the real world, dealing with real clients, analyzing real science, and coming up with the solutions that you need. And we offer you unparalleled access to them and our editors (including myself). If you have questions, ask us and we'll take them head on.

But all of our experts don’t see eye-to-eye. They’ll disagree on the “best” diet or workout, but understand that there are many legitimate ways to achieve good health, provided that it's foundation is not based on hearsay and speculation. 

That's how we arrived at the breakfast debate. As many of you have already pointed out, we have articles that say to eat breakfast. That is just one healthy option, but it's not the only one. As you can find from reading about the simplest diet ever created, your macronutrient consumption and calorie intake is what determines your success. 

Providing options does not create trust issues because the suggestions don't occur in a vacuum; it’s a matter of personal preference. We will vet and review the information, but at some point you have to become an active participant with the content on the site and select what's best for you.  

I have said it before and I’ll say it again: Your goals are personal. There is no place for health dogma, or a one-size-fits-all approach. Would you rather be told what you must do, or select from a variety of options that will all lead to better health? We are the choose-your-own adventure of health sites—but with one caveat: Each route you take will lead to success.

Healthy living is not about who’s idea is practiced by the most people. It’s about what is safe, what is effective, and what provides consistent and sustainable results. Those three tenants are the foundation of our content strategy and the way that we’ll earn your trust.

But we realize that with all the content we offer you might still have questions. With that in mind, we’re bringing back our series “One Great Answer.” This is your chance to be featured on the site and have your most pressing health questions answered. It’s the one additional step we’re happy to take to build your confidence and make change. 

Leave us a question in the comment section below, and we’ll take that information to our advisors for personalized solutions. 

At times it might seem like we’re making noise and creating controversy. In reality, we’re just drowning out the dangerous information that shouldn’t be part of the conversation so you can have faith in what you read. And we won’t stop until the content you find is the best solution for you.