Exercise trends come and go, but one that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon is the growing reliance on fitness influencers. Social media is a firestorm of information and conversation surrounding fitness, and Eugene Pallisco is a firm believer in using this power for good — while highlighting how it can be used in negative ways as well.
Here’s a brief look at how social media influencers are shaping the online fitness landscape into something new and unprecedented.
The Rise of the Fitness Influencer
Social media is more accessible than ever. Thanks to apps like TikTok and Instagram, reaching thousands or even millions of people with short-form fitness content is as simple as posting a 15-second video.
Fitness influencers have a virtually unrestricted platform for promoting new workout routines, supplements, and dietary trends. This may seem like a net positive, and it is, for the most part — free content of this kind can give people the tools and motivation they need to meet their fitness goals.
However, longtime fitness industry figures like Eugene Pallisco believe that this visibility is a good thing only when it’s in the right hands.
Why Influencers Are Good for Fitness
Fitness influencers can promote exercises and styles of working out that some people might not otherwise be exposed to. Thanks to influencer endorsement, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and yoga have become infinitely more popular. The ability to introduce exciting new concepts and trends is part of social media’s irresistible pull.
Social media fitness influencers can also create community among their followers. For example, an influencer might post a video sharing a recent failure in an attempt to let others know they aren’t alone in the journey.
An influencer being so candid about their experience might make anyone intimidated by traditional fitness environments like gyms feel encouraged. Just knowing that high-level fitness professionals also struggle to achieve their fitness goals can motivate followers and help them keep their workouts on track.
Where Influencers Can Get It Wrong
The visibility and sway that online fitness personalities enjoy also come with a few drawbacks. One of Eugene Pallisco’s main concerns is how some influencers promote unrealistic body standards, even if they don’t mean to.
Influencers often showcase curated photos and highlight reel videos of themselves. While this isn’t problematic in itself, it can leave followers feeling inadequate without proper context. Many people compare themselves to others on social media, which is a more pervasive problem that isn’t exclusive to the fitness industry.
Some influencers feed this negative dynamic by prioritizing aesthetics over physical health. Promoting quick-fix solutions like extreme workouts or unorthodox diets can be irresponsible and even harmful. But it’s a two-way street — followers should resist the instinct to take everything they see on social media at face value.
Using Social Media Responsibly to Promote Fitness Positivity
Eugene Pallisco believes that influencers who regularly deceive followers with too-good-to-be-true promises or flat-out misinformation aren’t reputable and are likely vying for internet clout.
Fortunately, many influencers are counterbalancing these less-trustworthy accounts with transparent, informative content. More fitness enthusiasts are seeking out authentic influencers rather than those who sell impossible solutions and empty promises.
About Eugene Pallisco
Fitness expert and licensed trainer Eugene Pallisco works in Dallas, Texas. Since he began working with motivational fitness mentors in high school, Pallisco has devoted a significant amount of time to sculpting and molding his training philosophy, which is centered on improving others. Before starting his private training firm in the fitness industry, he gained more expertise by working one-on-one with gym patrons after beginning as a group fitness teacher.