Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics

The Fifth Lie: Social Media Helps You

We’ve all heard the four big lies:

• “The check is in the mail.”
• “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”
• “This won’t hurt a bit.”
• “Of course I’ll still respect you in the morning.”

Well, buckle up—there’s a fifth lie these days: social media is good for you. It claims to guide you, but it actually messes with your head. Over half of everything on social media is misinformation. That means you’re more likely to see nonsense than anything rooted in evidence. And nowhere is that more glaring than in the realms of health and wellness.

Social Media: A Damn Minefield

TikTok and Instagram promise miracles but serve up snake oil. Their so-called health and fitness gurus are fake gods wrapped in filters and lies. They’re not giving you truth—they’re selling illusions. And it screws with your head if you’re not careful.

The Lure of Lies

There’s no freaking magic in celery juice. Turmeric isn’t salvation. But these loud-ass frauds shout their bullshit for likes, and people eat it up. Quick fixes, instant transformations, miracle cures—it’s all a lie. Those shredded abs? Half filters, half Photoshop, zero honesty. Don’t compare yourself to that fake-ass perfection. It’s just clickbait dressed as hope, and hope isn’t a stand-in for science, hard work, and consistency. The louder the claim, the bigger the crock of crap. Getting and staying healthy is frikkin’ hard work, with no shortcuts.

Old Lies, New Voices

Carbs aren’t the enemy. Superfoods won’t save your life. But myths keep rolling because simple lies sell better than complex truths. Real nutrition is boring as hell: eat veggies, get protein, drink water. That doesn’t make for flashy posts. So, social media screams nonsense at you instead. Ten-minute workouts aren’t going to hand you a six-pack, and booty bands won’t make you a powerhouse. These trends can be useless or even dangerous. Injuries happen when you chase shortcuts, and shortcuts don’t last anyway.

The Toll on the Mind

Every post or story chips away at your confidence. They scream, “You’re not good enough,” and you start to believe it. What good is looking healthy if your mind’s in the gutter? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Real progress takes time—there’s no magic hack.

Find the Right Guides

Stop listening to random influencers with no credentials. Find scientists, certified trainers, dietitians—people who actually studied this stuff and earned degrees from real colleges and universities. Eat real food (in a calorie deficit), move your body (for a bigger calorie deficit), and get some damn sleep. It’s not rocket science.

Clean Your Feed

Unfollow every asshole who makes you feel like crap. Follow people who lift you up and tell the truth. TikTok and Instagram aren’t your trusted advisors; they’re distractions. They don’t care about your happiness. Don’t let them steal your peace of mind. Stick to what works, cut the noise.

Own It

Remember, health isn’t a sprint. It’s a long-ass journey that’s yours to own. Don’t let social media’s fifth lie—pretending it’s here to help—derail your progress or rob you of your sanity.

Own it!