Things You DON’T Have to Do to Be Healthy!

To feel better, perform better, and make more progress…

STOP taking extreme measures!

Last week, I shared some tips for getting back into an exercise routine after a break. 

Whether you're just getting started, starting over, or you've been in the fitness game for awhile, it can be really frustrating when you don't see results or hit your goals according to the timeline you wanted. 

I get it -- you feel like you're working hard at the gym and paying attention to your nutrition, and you want to feel like you have something to show for it! 

In those moments, it can be tempting to hop on Instagram, TikTok or the Google machine looking for a solution, and let me tell you, there are plenty of people who'll claim to have them.

Before you spend your hard-earned money on a quick fix that won't fix a darn thing, keep reading for a list of things you don't actually need to do to continue improving your health and fitness.


1. Detox Diets / Cleanses

Got a functioning liver and kidneys? Congratulations, you already have everything you need to detoxify your body. 
Pro-tip: If you don't have functioning organs, a cleanse will not fix it. Please seek medical attention. 

1a. Colonics

Many people who promote the myth about our bodies needing to be detoxified also push the concept that people have lots of waste backed up in their intestines, collecting bacteria and allowing toxins to seep into the bloodstream. Their solution is to flush it all out with colon irrigation aka a colonic. 

This just sounds terrible. It's not the same as a colonoscopy but it's close enough, and does anyone jump to sign up for those? 

Sometimes waste does get backed up in the intestines; it's called constipation. Increasing fiber and water intake is a good first step to easing constipation, and over-the-counter remedies might also help. If it's a recurring or frequent issue that disrupts your lifestyle, see a doctor before cleansing your colon.

2. Restrictive or Trendy Diets

If you're not seeing results, or if you just don't know how to eat healthy, it can be tempting to just follow a diet that promises rapid weight loss. As a nutrition coach, I cannot stress enough that this is NOT the answer. 

Programs like Optavia, Noom, WW, and many others have fantastic marketing, but their intake recommendations are often entirely too low. Optavia, for example, discourages exercise in certain phases of the program because calorie intake is so low. 

If you cut calories that severely, you might see a difference in scale weight short-term; however, pounds lost are generally water weight, not actual fat mass. Returning to a normal way of eating will usually reverse any weight loss. 

And here's the other drawback: When calories are extremely low for an extended period of time, our bodies will adapt so they don't need as much energy to function. When our bodies adapt to very low caloric intake, that means our metabolic rate drops lower, and we have to cut even more to continue seeing progress. 

The solution is not to eat less, but to increase intake and physical activity so we can once again burn fat more efficiently.

3. Loading up on Supplements

There are some supplements, like protein powder or a general multivitamin, that are typically recommended for many people. There are many supplements that are recommended for certain individuals based on health conditions and nutrient deficiencies. 

And there are so many supplements that are untested, unproven, and marketed like wildfire with claims that have absolutely no supporting data. 

Bottom line is that unless you're deficient in a vitamin or mineral, supplementing won't help. At best, you'll waste your money and have extra expensive urine. At worst, you could get sick or have an interaction, since supplements aren't required to be tested and often contain things that aren't on the label.  

Proceed with caution, check with your doctor before taking something new, and remember that while they can be beneficial, they're generally not necessary. 

4. Wearing Waist Trainers & Sauna Suits

A waist trainer is not going to train your waist to be smaller or redistribute fat cells. Those are some of the claims made by people like the Kardashians, but it's bull. 

A waist trainer is essentially a corset that will uncomfortably squeeze your midsection. It's actually not good to have anything that tight compressing your internal organs all day, and exercising in one could be dangerous by preventing appropriate core engagement and breathing. 

A sauna suit could help you drop scale weight fast because it makes you sweat profusely, but again, that's not actually changing body composition and burning fat. It can also be dangerous because of the risk for elevated heart rate and dehydration. 

5. Excessive Cardio

More cardio is not always the answer. 
In fact, the answer to feeling better, being stronger, having less joint pain, more endurance, and a leaner physique isn't cardio at all: It's strength training. 

Cardio is important for heart, lung, and overall health, but ramping up the time on the treadmill or elliptical to try to burn more calories isn't the way to go. Pick up some weights in addition to cardio and that's when the magic happens. 

5a. Running

You don't have to run to get in shape or lose weight. Full stop. 
You can run for those reasons, and for a lot of others, but if you hate it, you don't have to do it. 

There are so many other ways to pursue fitness, and the best way to stick with it is to find one you like. 


6. Eating Only Plain Chicken, Eggs, and Broccoli

Eating healthy doesn't have to be boring or gross! If you think you just don't like how nutritious foods taste...you probably haven't had them prepared well. 🤷‍♀️

Like chicken, eggs, and broccoli? Great! Eat them! But you can also mix it up, add some seasoning, AND still reach your goals. Not sure how? That's literally what I help people figure out in 1:1 coaching, so get in touch!


6a. Eating Raw Liver & Testicles

Yup, you read that right. If you thought plain, unseasoned chicken was hard to stick with, what's your take on raw liver? Liver is extremely healthy, but eating large quantities raw like one popular social media personality is actually not great for you. (Note: Said personality preaches an "ancestral" lifestyle...while selling very modern supplements. Huge red flag.)

There was also a video circulating about using sliced lamb testicles instead of mozzarella in a caprese salad, which is entirely unappealing and ridiculously unnecessary. Protein is important, but let's not go overboard here. 


7. Making Fake Soda out of Balsamic Vinegar and Sparkling Water (and other weird "healthy swaps")

So this is apparently a thing this week. I promise you it is not necessary. 

Soda isn't great for you, but if you want a Coke so badly that you're mixing balsamic vinegar and sparkling water, just drink a Coke. The problems arise when people are drinking large quantities of soda or other sugary beverages, because they're high in calories without contributing any valuable nutrients. Cutting back on soda is a great idea for improving overall health; however, you don't have to replace it with weird TikTok concoctions.

When you are really craving something -- and I can attest to this from personal experience -- trying to "fix" the craving by eating or drinking a knockoff of the thing you actually want is not going to cure your craving. In fact, many people end up consuming more than they would otherwise because they're trying to satisfy the craving with something that's just not going to do it. 

If you truly like drinking balsamic vinegar mixed with club soda or sparkling water, it's not going to hurt you (but I'm going to call you a liar 😜) but if you're just doing it to "be healthier" and you actually don't like it, drink an actual soda (or not) and move on. 



Lots of us, myself included, have taken very extreme and strange measures in the name of "health." The good news is, we don't actually have to do that!

Creating a nutrition and exercise routine that works for you AND makes you feel better and improves your health is usually a lot more simple than most people think, because if you're confused, you're more likely to buy products that promise fast results. 

Is there anything you've heard about or tried recently that you think could go on this list, or you're not sure about?

What's the most extreme thing you've done or considered because you thought it was "healthy?" 

Let me know: coachjustineh@gmail.com