Navigating the minefield that is social media.

This week a member at Elevate98 asked me a question that really got me thinking.

She said:

‘How do we navigate all the conflicting opinions and insight on social media?’

Now I think we are all at a stage where we know not to believe everything we read on social media but actually deciphering what we should and shouldn’t take on board is a different question entirely.

Unfortunately the opinion I have arrived at over the weekend is that there is no full proof strategy for filtering the good stuff from the BS.

A big part of the reason for this is because of sponsorships.

A few podcasts or influencers I used to follow religiously and hold in high esteem have either diluted or entirely changed their opinions on things as they become sponsored by companies who their previous messaging may have conflicted with.

Now I am not going to sit here and blame them because of course they have commercial realities and targets to hit, we all need to make money after all, I am simply stating some opinions as to why their messaging may have changed.

Similarly we need to watch out for promo clips.

Very often a promo clip is a ‘hook’ to get you to watch (which we do ourselves with Elevate98) however the problem is that what is suggested in this short form clip is actually only a small part of a nuanced and longer answer given.

If we watched the full episode we may understand the nuance behind that tiny clip.

In terms of actually helping you navigate it I’m not all doom and gloom. I have came up with some guidelines and frameworks that may help:

1. Have 3-5 go to sources who aren’t worlds apart. If you follow bodybuilders, athletes and menopause specialists the reality is you will be confused because they will be talking about nutrition or health with different end goals in mind. Have 3-5 people you go to that relate to where you are in your fitness journey at this moment. The 3-5 is important too as if you are following hundreds of people it will be too much to filter through.

2. Be wary of ‘headline’ statements. Generally the nutrition principles that are worth following don’t make for an eye catching headline statement. So when an article says dairy milk is killing you there may be questions around it…

3. Remember nutrition is such an individualised thing. What works for one person doesn't work for another. Of course there are many scientific principles and laws that are universal but a lot of the best stuff is anecdotal. It’s okay to want to know what works for other people but just remember that doesn't mean it will work for you.

4. Be wary of someone who changes their view or opinion super regularly. If someone is promoting becoming vegan one week but discussing the benefits of red meat the next then you may be right to question what their ulterior motive is…

5. Be wary of someone who never changes their mind. Yep a total contradiction but equally if someone never changes their mind or opinion it COULD mean they are quite closed minded and not keeping on top of research and changes the modern world is brining about.