Hi, 

Let me just say that for the most part, I really love the fitness industry. It's mostly filled with great people trying to do their absolute best to help people change their bodies and their lives. And I'm proud to be a part of that.

But there is a problem in the industry, and it's been growing bigger and bigger for some time. And now, it's gotten so big a lot of people aren't sure we can actually fix it.

And that problem is pretty obvious: the way women are portrayed, packaged, and marketed when it comes to fitness. And there are finally some people who are ready to push back.

Lemme explain...

Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've definitely seen what I'm talking about. If you open any magazine, whether it's fashion or fitness or anything else, you see women in hyper-sexualized ad campaigns who are photoshopped beyond all recognition.

And not just "regular" women. I'm talking about women who are models or professional athletes, beautiful women who are being subconsciously told they aren't good enough as they are, so they need to be digitally enhanced.

It's not hard to see how this affects the rest of society: if Heidi Klum or Scarlett Johansson isn't good enough, then a "regular" person has no shot at being considered beautiful. 

Well, let me just tell you that is CRAP.

These magazines are being dishonest. They are lying. Not because of the photoshop--but because of the message that "needing" the photoshop sends: that a natural, untouched woman can't be beautiful.

Again: That is pure CRAP.

In the fitness industry, I'm kind of ashamed to admit that it's even worse. Magazines take these models who are already impossibly fit (well, fitter than 99% of us will ever be) and then digitally alter them even further.

But you want to know the truth? It's NOT the pictures that bother me the most. It's the words. The text. The way we talk to women.

Here's the truth: a good part of the fitness industry is in the business of profiteering from pain. That is, fitness companies write marketing copy in a way that is specifically designed to play off people's emotions and make them feel bad about themselves.

The message SHOULD be, "if you want to get in shape, this equipment/program/app can help you."

INSTEAD, it's presented as, "Of course you want to get in shape! If you don't, you'll be unhappy forever. ONLY this equipment/program/app can help you."

Okay, it's not THAT bad, but the message is pretty clear: if you need to lose 5 pounds, you should feel awful about that. And if you want to stop feeling awful, you'll buy whatever they're selling.

Now, I'm not denying that marketing like that is effective. It is undeniably effective. That's part of the reason that the supplement industry (for example) is a 9 BILLION dollar a year business.

A lot of marketers try justify this; they say that you have to "sell your customers what they want, and give them what they need."

Translated, that means, "make your customers feel bad, then convince them via salacious marketing that they WANT your product; THEN, it magically turns out that your product is actually this amazing thing that will change their life!"

Which sounds nice. Do a little bad to do a lot of good, right? If you believe your product will change their life for the better, convince them to buy any way you can, because they really need it!

Very Machiavellian.

And, on some level, I get that. And I can't say that no part of me understands that rationalization. The problem is it usually doesn't work...because those products are usually not amazing. And they usually won't change your lives.

Now, before I go any further, I must mention there are pockets of positivity out there--websites and businesses run by well-intentioned, high quality individuals who genuinely care about helping people, and who market great information in an honest way. The people whose programs I recommend to you fall into this category.

But those people are the minority.

You see, a lot of these big fitness companies don't just want to make you feel bad so you buy one product...they want to keep you feeling bad so you continue to buy other products.

(I'm sure you're already thinking of a ton of examples as you're reading this. Scary how accurate it is, right?)

All of this is true for fitness marketing in general, but it's ESPECIALLY true when it comes to the way we market to women.

Why? Because market research has shown again and again that not only are women more active buyers, they are also more responsive to pain-based marketing.

How messed up is that!?

So, when I say the state of female fitness is NOT GOOD, I'm not talking about how fit people are or aren't. I'm not talking about the problems with obesity or anything else.

I'm simply talking about the way certain companies and magazines in this industry portray individual women, package the idea of what women "should" like, and market to women at large by making them feel bad.

It's terrible, and it has to stop. Thankfully, there is push back. More now than ever before.

On social media networks, there are all sorts of initiatives and movements that aim for body love and body acceptance, and fight hard against body shaming.

And, thankfully, there are a lot of really amazing, world-class female fitness professionals who are leading the charge to change the messaging, actively fighting to disrupt the negative marketing you see every day.

They do this buy showing progress pictures that aren't digitally doctored. By posting pictures of themselves as they look every day, instead of only when they're ready for a photo shoot. They do it by spreading a message of changing your body because you love it, not because you hate it.

And I have to believe they are making a difference.

One such amazing woman is my friend, Neghar Fonooni. Neghar is an author, fitness and lifestyle coach, and international speaker who has helped thousands of women all over the world with their fitness, mindset, and lifestyle.

By, that I mean that she isn't just helping women get into amazing shape; she's helping them realize that they're beautiful before they step into the gym, and that while losing weight is great if that's what you want, it's not the key to happiness.

This is a really, really important point. Neghar is not one of those "anti-fitness" or "anti-weight loss" fitness professionals who thinks that anyone who wants to change their body is making a mistake.

Instead, she thinks that anyone who wants to change their body should do it the right way, and for the right reasons: because YOU want to, not because you're trying to conform to some societal standard, or because you think it will make you happy.

Neghar believes that you should cultivate a positive mindset and an attitude of body-love...but that wanting to change your body doesn't automatically mean you don't love it and accept it as it is.

It's all about getting better for the right reasons, and changing the industry for the better by spreading that message.

For that reason (and so many others), Neghar Fonooni isn't just one of my go-to coaches when it comes to women's fitness; she's one of my heroes in this industry.

And that is why I am SO excited to tell you about her new book, Lean & Lovely - because it literally encapsulates her amazing message, and puts all of her incredible information in one place.

Unlike most fitness programs, Lean & Lovely isn't designed to convince you that you "need" it in order to get fit, or to be happy. And when you go to the website, you'll see that right from the get-go.

And unlike most fitness programs, Lean & Lovely isn't all about trying to burn fat and lose weight so you can look like some photoshopped model in a magazine, or to impress someone else. That's not what it's about.

Lean & Lovely is different because it's about making a complete body, mindset, and lifestyle transformation. It's about taking control of your body and the way you think about it, and changing it in the way you want to because that's what YOU want.

Neghar doesn't believe in trying to make women feel bad in order to help them feel good. It doesn't make sense.

She also doesn't believe in trying to sell sex just to get people to order a book. Because she genuinely wants to help people for the right reasons--and that starts with getting people to want help for the right reasons.

That's why I love Lean & Lovely - it's pretty much the ONLY fat loss/body transformation system I have seen with a message that I can 100% get behind; a message that I ardently believe is going to help reshape the industry.

But you know what? It's really not just about taking a stand and shaking things up. Obviously, I wouldn't bring it up unless it was also an effective program that I know for a FACT will help women everywhere.

Neghar's clients get into amazing shape. In fact, when you go to the website, you'll see a whole bunch of them: women who used the program to look great for a wedding; women who used the program to restructure their relationship with food; women who are in the best shape of their lives; and women who have lost 20, 30 or even 40 pounds. 

So, Lean & Lovely is absolutely an amazing fitness program. My point is that it's not JUST an amazing fitness program. It's a complete transformation system for every part of your life.

And it is also an amazing step on the part of Neghar and anyone who uses the program towards changing the industry--towards FIXING the horrible state of things when it comes to how women are portrayed and marketed to.

You really can't say that about many programs. In fact, I don't think you can say that about any other program. Which is pretty incredible, if you ask me.

Lean & Lovely is being released today, and is on sale for 50% OFF for the entire week. Neghar believes so strongly in changing the message that she's keeping the sale going until Friday at midnight.

Every part of this program is incredible, and every part will help you in some way. Here's just a few pieces...

·     Firstly, there are 12 full weeks of amazing, fat burning workouts

·     Then there's the comprehensive Nutrition Handbook, which will teach you how to lose fat without dieting

·     There are over two dozen bonus "sweat session" workouts to do whenever you like, with minimum time and equipment

·     Instructional videos to teach you how to do every exercise in the program

·     A series of MINDSET exercises and strategies to help you be happier, more positive, more productive, and make the program more effective.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Lean & Lovely has so much more.

As you can tell, I really and truly believe in Lean & Lovely. And I really and truly respect Neghar Fonooni. Perhaps more than anything, I really and truly believe it is time for a change in the way we speak to women about fitness.

All of which makes me really and truly hope that you take this opportunity to join Neghar and the Lean & Lovely movement--because it needs us as much as we need it!

I've recommended other fitness programs over the years. And they've all been great, in different ways. But Lean & Lovely is the first one I'd ever recommended that isn't just going to help you change your body...it's going to change the entire dialogue. And that is more exciting than I can say.

And when you pick up Lean & Lovely this week, you'll be helping yourself, and the cause, and you're going to be saving 50% as you do it.

Sooooo I know, I know. This is VERY different that the emails I normally send you, with tips and info and strategies. Later today, I'm going to be emailing you some important fitness tips, and actionable stuff I know you'll be able to use. I just wanted to get you this message first, because it's vital to have the discussion.

By now, I'm sure you can see how important this is, because as I've mentioned a few times, the state of women's fitness is pretty upsetting. But we can change it, together.

Until later, then.

Talk soon,

Brian 

FitnessAtlantic.com