Michelle Bridges recently featured in a Woolworths advertisement about health “freaks” and eating a “healthy” diet, that apparently comes out in a package!! Have to say it… sell out!!

Michelle Bridges has built a good reputation in the health industry as an activist for… health. But this latest stunt has her declaring that growing your own veggies makes you a “freak” and that health comes from a packet.

When it comes to HSC PDHPE, Michelle Bridges sell out is a reminder that we need to examine those form whom we take health advise. Michelle has a massive following, both through her website and her twitter and Facebook accounts. She shot to fame in 2007 when she begun her role on The Biggest Looser Australia as a person trainer. She has worked in the training industry for over 20 years, but what exactly are her qualifications? Why should we… wait… should we listen to her?

As far as I could find (found at http://fitness.edu.au/the-institute/people/michelle-bridges/ not on her website), Michelle Bridges has the following qualifications:

  • Certificate III in Fitness (gym floor instructor)
  • Certificate IV in Fitness (personal trainer)
  • Master Trainer (which apparently means she has the above qualifications)

These qualifications are in fact just a single course for master trainer through the Australian Institute of Fitness. This course is a total of “45 sessions” which can be completed in as little as 10 weeks, but you are allowed to take 2 years. This is a far cry from anyone with a diploma, let alone a bachelor or masters degree.

There are, therefore, many more highly qualified professions from which we should be taking our advice on health: Nutritionists, Dietitians, Exercise Physiologists, Osteopaths, Physiotherapists, Naturopaths, General Practitioners, etc.

Our society tends to hold many people up to provide advice on health. Master Trainers, chefs, or even television show hosts, but rarely do we hear from those we should. It is not often that the health professor or even just a health professional with university qualifications gets to speak about health and how to achieve it.

Our culture confuses beauty with health and they are far from the same. Just because someone is beautiful, does not mean we should take health advice from them. We should consider their qualifications, registration, years of experience and success in their field (not measured by wealth or fame, but by results).

Thi post is not intended to slag Michelle Bridges, she is a great Master Trainer and if you want to loose weight or improve fitness, she can give good advice. She has 20 years experience and plenty of results in both areas. She would probably even say that growing your own veggies is a good thing and that eating packaged foods is not. But the add highlights our lack of thinking when it comes to health advice… especially from Woolworths the “Fresh food people” I guess you can get fresher than that… straight from your own garden 🙂