Real-live exercise professionals have a lot to say about fitness celebrities on Instagram. Much of it isn’t good. “I have a hard time taking them seriously,” since their advice isn’t always on point and their credentials are difficult to verify, says Felicia Stoler, an exercise physiologist and registered dietitian nutritionist in Red Bank, New Jersey.
Brynn Putnam, a former professional dancer and founder of Refine Method, a high-intensity interval training studio in New York City, has a similar reaction. “Just because someone looks incredibly fit in their Instagram posts doesn’t mean they’re qualified to prescribe workout advice,” she says.
[See: 7 Exercises Trainers Wouldn’t Be Caught Dead Doing.]
Then, there are the gripes about Instagram’s ability to beautify reality. “Ever take or see a horrendous picture of yourself that you hate and then immediately post it on social media?” asks Rebecca Weible, founder of Yo Yoga! in New York City. “Probably not — and neither do fitness stars whose fame is based on social media.”
Even highly qualified, honest celebrity trainers on Instagram should be followed for their motivation quotient, not for personalized exercise advice, experts say, since everyone’s goals and capabilities are different. “Your fitness program should be developed by a trainer who is able to engage with you in a conversation about your specific goals, address any limitations or injuries that you might have and clearly explain how the program will be tailored to fit your needs,” Putnam says.
Understood. But don’t exercise pros get happily sucked in by some fit folks with good, healthy messages on Instagram, too? You bet. “It’s an incredible place where clients should seek advice on how to be confident in their bodies and stay motivated in their fitness journey,” Putnam says. Get started by following these expert picks:
1. Jessi Kneeland (@jessikneeland)
As a New York City-based certified personal trainer and creator of Remodel Fitness, Kneeland is qualified to dish out fitness advice — but chooses not to. “On her Instagram, you’ll find smart, science-based information about fitness, but she purposefully doesn’t post specific recommendations related to workouts or fitness,” Putnam says. “She uses her account to inspire people broadly to be confident in their bodies.” Need such a confidence boost? Try setting a performance-based goal — say, to squat 50 pounds — rather than an appearance-based goal — like to lose 50 pounds, Putnam suggests. “Reflecting on what your body can accomplish, instead of obsessing over aesthetic flaws, can be an incredibly liberating process,” she says.
2. Gunnar Anderson (@theonepecwonder)
Anderson was born with only one pectoral muscle. And what did he become? A bodybuilder and personal trainer whose message motivates JR Reis, signature program manager for the indoor cycle class AMP Cycle at Life Time Fitness in Minneapolis, when he leads classes and exercises on his own. “Every time I think I can’t do another rep, his motivation pushes me harder,” Reis says. Anderson’s story can inspire you to achieve something you didn’t think was possible, too, Reis believes. “When he decided to give weightlifting a try, he fell in love — despite his fears and intimidations.”
3. Rachel Brathen (@yoga_girl)
If you’re looking for a preachy yogi to follow on Instagram, don’t bother following Brathen, a Swedish yoga teacher living in Aruba, who presents her philosophy on issues like love, acceptance and letting go “in a way that is secular, straightforward and doesn’t feel soapbox-y,” says Weible, who most appreciates how Brathen encourages followers to embrace their feelings, even the bad ones. “The message is not to wallow,” Weible says, “but to acknowledge what you feel and why to help you grow and learn more about yourself.”
4. Jamie Eason Middleton (@jaimieeasonmiddleton)
Sometimes, you just want to eat a slice of pizza, or two, or three. Middleton, a fitness model and writer, gets it, says Jim White, an exercise physiologist and registered dietitian with studios in Virginia. “She is not afraid to … post to her fans that she has cravings like the rest of us,” says White, who’s both a friend and admirer of the trainer and mom of two. If you want to boost your body image, Middleton’s feed — which features her children as often as it does, say, ideas for incorporating exercise into your TV-watching routine — is a match, White says. “Jamie’s message of being confident in your own skin is really important,” he says. “Take the shape of your body and work as hard as you can.”
5. Erin Dimond (@erindimondfitness)
Considering finally making a healthy lifestyle change? Recruit Dimond, an online personal trainer based in Columbus, Ohio, to your feed, suggests Sara Cully, a personal trainer and nutrition counselor in Virginia Beach, Virginia. “Her messages of small, consistent changes is really what she has taught most of her followers,” says Cully, noting that Dimond is open about the reality of weight loss and other daily struggles. “Enjoy life throughout the journey rather than seeking perfection.”
[See: Mantras That Get 11 Diet and Fitness Pros Through Their Toughest Moments.]
6. Matt Giordano (@theyogimatt)
Yes, Giordano is a dude — and a yogi. That alone makes the traveling yoga instructor worth following, says Anna Farkas, a yoga teacher in New York City. “There’s still a prominent mindset that yoga is more for women or all about stretching,” she says. “Matt combines really clean alignment, strength and a warmth that inspires people and makes them want to work toward more challenging poses.” Inspired yet? Don’t be shy, Farkas suggests. “It’s fine to want to ‘get’ a certain pose,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to ask a yoga teacher what you can do to set yourself up for success.”
7. Emily Skye (@emilyskyefit)
With 1.8 million Instagram followers, Skye has an impressive virtual presence. But she has a warm in-person presence, too, says Chris Mohr, an exercise physiologist and registered dietitian in Louisville, Kentucky, who met the Australian personal trainer in June. “She trains hard, but her training isn’t about ‘kill you until you can’t walk anymore,'” says Mohr, who recommends taking small steps, rather than an all-or-nothing approach, to improve your health.
[See: How to Make Healthful Dietary Changes Last a Lifetime.]
8. Misty Copeland (@mistyonpointe)
Copeland encourages followers to embrace what makes them different — something she knows a thing or two about as the first African-American female principal dancer with the American Ballet Theater. “She is strong, confident and independent, and radiates that in everything that she does,” says Mimi Benz, owner of The Sweat Shoppe, a heated spin studio in Los Angeles. To apply Copeland’s message to your fitness goals, Benz suggests “challenging the standard ‘norms’ that may be blocking you from accomplishing your goals. [Attack] those goals with strength and perseverance.”
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8 Legit Fitness Stars to Follow on Instagram originally appeared on usnews.com
