BEFORE I START, THANKS MACFitnessOnline FOR EDITING MY COMMENT ON YOUR “FITNESS BREAKTHROUGH” BLOG BY REMOVING VALID POINTS THAT MADE YOU LOOK UN-PROFESSIONAL! WAY TO GO! THANKFULLY I ALSO POSTED THE FULL VERSION ON MY BLOG (9 July 2008) SO EVERYONE CAN SEE WHAT I REALLY SAID.

OK, firstly I’m glad you found my post entertaining if nothing else - genuinely. I DID also post a comment to your reply (RANT, SCHMANT, I believe) but it would appear that you haven’t yet had a chance to edit it to suit your needs or have declined to approve it. After re-reading your RANT SCHMANT post, it was clear that you ARE making this personal, and so in some instances my reply here will respond to that. I had tried to explain that my blog wasn’t a personal attack on your business but that I didn’t like the way that your blog had tried to mislead people. So I’ll take my chances on replying to you here on MY BLOG.

But before I even reply to your Rant Schmant post (quoted in FULL so we are clear), you NEVER addressed my major problem with your advert, ahem, blog post (bravely titled Fitness Breakthrough: ONLINE PERSONAL TRAINING) from which I also quote here AGAIN seeing as you removed my comments regarding this. (MACFitnessOnline):

MACFitnessOnline: regular font

FITBIT: bold font

(MACFitnessOnline)FitBit,

Your post is actually pretty entertaining if nothing else. Anyways, I have so many things to say that I'm positive I'll leave some things out, but I'm sure you'll get the idea (well probably not you since you're so set against it already, but other people may).

(FitBit) Again, glad you found my blog entertaining. You already know what I think of your advert. And please, say all you need to (I for one, believe in the freedom of speech), as long as you don’t misrepresent anything, I won’t get back up on you.

First of all, the majority of my advice and training IS free.

Tell me, if the majority (your word) of your advice is free, how do you make a living – do you perhaps save the ‘real’ advice for your clients? I’m genuinely intrigued and don’t mean that sarcastically at all.

If I just threw myself out there with prices everywhere do you think I would ever make a living?

Yes I do. Tell me what is wrong with being upfront about the cost of your services? Everyone understands that a business is there to make money by CHARGING for services; otherwise it would be called a charity (which ASKS for donations). If you believe in what you are selling as being worth $X (obviously all businesses have costs), then you believe that, no-one else can argue with that – they’ll either buy or they won’t. SIMPLE.

People need to trust me and try things out before paying me for my services.

Hmm, so you do have at least an abstract awareness of the concept of and importance of TRUST. This is getting tiresome but again, how do you think misrepresenting Online Personal Training as behavioural therapy is going to gain you trust?

Thats why I offer so many FREE products such as newsletters packed with info and recipes etc, FREE trial sessions, and your favorite, FREE ONLINE TRAINING TRIALS. Did I mention this stuff is FREE? Next.

Why do you think we need YET another GENERIC newsletter – that’s not the personally targeted service that you were talking about is it? Or is it now ok to use those generic, non-personalised pieces of SPAM that might contradict with a personal plan you’d set up for me? Doesn’t sound so personal anymore, does it, if the advice applies to all? And I quote from YOUR Fitness Breakthrough ADVERT, my favourite part in red (MACFitnessOnline):

“When you pick up the latest weight-loss book or fitness magazine from the store and check out the magical write-ups that read "Flat Abs in 2 Weeks!" or "Build Your Beach Body FAST!", do you think that program was written up exclusively for you and your body? Guess again. If those articles were all true for everyone out there don't you think everyone would look like Angelina and Brad? Everyone's body, health status, schedule, and resources are different and demand a program that is designed just for them”.

If that isn’t contradiction, then tell me what is – oh wait, you already tried to further down. Again, I’m not selling anything, so it’s your reputation on the line here, not mine. I can voice whatever opinion I like and give out more than one point of view (sometimes called alternatives) to round out an argument – something you don’t appear to enjoy. Keep going.

You say it's not cool that I quoted a university study. Maybe we should go around to all writers of newspapers, magazines, TV shows, etc and shake a finger in their face for quoting university studies. After all, what do universities know, right?

GET THIS STRAIGHT. I said it wasn’t cool to quote a university study on the effects that BEHAVIOURAL THERAPISTS can have on WEIGHT LOSS and passing off Online Personal Training as the same thing.

OK REPEAT: BEHAVIOURAL THERAPISTS NOT ONLINE PERSONAL TRAINERS. Surely you can see that they are DIFFERENT PROFESSIONS, and that you are trivialising BOTH! That is what all the fuss is about not your actual business.

Yes, maybe we should take EVERYTHING a newspaper, mag or TV show says as gospel. You know how they get these stories, right? FROM PRESS RELEASES!!!!! WRITTEN in the large part BY PEOPLE TRYING TO GET PUBLICITY. Do you believe EVERY product review you read? If so you are truly a Marketers dream!

A university study is in the large part totally different (and they are NEVER completely conclusive – if you need to know why ask, but I suspect you won’t).

By all means QUOTE UNIVERSITY STUDIES - ABSOLUTELY use them to your advantage IF (and this is important) they refer to you and validate what you are saying/selling. DO NOT USE THEM TO MAKE FALSE CLAIMS OR MISLEAD. I’m sure Brown would be the first to set you straight if you sent the researchers your release. In fact, try it and see what they say – I’d be interested to see what they think of how you are skewing their research findings. If you won’t do it, then I’d be happy to, that way I can report back correctly their opinions.

You also rant that people need to do what works for them.

Yah, I don’t deny it.

Yet, you just completely put down online personal training because YOU don't like it.

Again, yah I don’t, what of it? It’s MY OPINION which I am entitled to voice on MY BLOG. Well kinda anyway – I NEVER anywhere said I DON’T LIKE IT. Like I said, it has A place, just not the one you are trying to claim for it through nefarious means. If you had been a little more straight about what Online Personal Training has to offer without using a study incorrectly to validate it, then you wouldn’t have got my blog post – I would have ignored it and let you go on your merry way. Do you really need to go to such lengths to sell something if it really is that fantastic? How many times do I need to say this??????

So what about the people I've trained online and have helped achieve their goals? Have you talked to them? You don't call that "working" for them? Just because YOU don't like the idea doesn't mean someone else can't get great results from it.

Like I said, it has A place. Just like I have a right to voice my OPINION in response to an advert placed as if it were a blog. People comment on blogs –were you aware of that? People are also ENTITLED to comment. If you really think I have nothing valid to say, then let me say it as no-one should listen to me and will flock to you anyway. Or if you are going to respond, try to represent your professionalism rather than get personal. You are looking for business from users on this site, remember?

I could have some of them come on here and give testimonials, but you would probably just accuse me of lying and say that it was me writing the testimonials.

Now why would I have cause to accuse you of lying or being dishonest? Hmmmm. Ok sarcasm apart, I don’t doubt your qualifications as a trainer – I’ve already said as much (whilst all you have done is tried to belittle me). I also don’t doubt that some people may have benefitted from your service (Again, ‘A’ place for this service). I merely suggested that there are other ways. Sounds like that is your problem with my post – your way or the highway. Not only do you try to confound your potential audience, you TELL them what to believe. You can’t get to everyone. Even Hitler learnt that. If a client disagrees with you for whatever reason, do you do the same I wonder?

You also contradict yourself A LOT in your post (feeding the level of entertainment I get from your write-up, especially since you say you worked for some multi-million dollar company).

Again, whether you believe my career history or not is irrelevant, I’m not the one trying to prove my credentials as fitness professional here. What has my working on, (let me correct you here AGAIN) $multi-million dollar accounts got to do with me contradicting myself? If you ever find me on a marketing / PR site trying to sell my services using your methods, get back to me. That’s if I don’t get laughed out of town first.

You say online training is dumb but online support isn't?

No, I never said Online training is dumb – try not to misquote me in the way you misquote University studies – that is just sloppy. Actually, keep misquoting me. It just adds to your obvious talent for assimilating information and imparting it correctly. I said, and I re-quote:

“Show me the study that says Online Personal Training works better than finding a support site like this where you can build working supportive relationships and I might recant some of what I'm saying, until then...all humans are humans.”

So what if ALL of my training services were free and this site cost a monthly fee of $50?

By this site, do you mean FITnrg or your site? Clarify. Either way, if that was the way things were and it WAS MADE CLEAR instead of being hidden 10 paragraphs down then I as a consumer would be able to make that choice wouldn’t I? Or is that another problem for you – you think if I know what the costs are straight off, I’m going to laugh and walk away? I’m not convinced you believe in your little venture any more than I do.

Would you still say that? Would you still be here? It sounds like you're wrapped up in the money side of things here.

Not sure as you haven’t made yourself clear so I don't really know what you are asking, but again, that would be up to me, surely? As for being wrapped up in the money side of things, it clearly is up to you to try to take that money from me, just don’t treat me like a mug and expect to get away with it.

NEWSFLASH: Money is important to people, and they only want to spend it if they HAVE a good reason to, otherwise we’d all burn cash for fuel in the winter, wouldn’t we? From that really intelligent statement you made up there about being wrapped up in the money side of things, money clearly isn’t an issue for you. I’LL SPEND MY MONEY AS I WANT. AM I STUPID IF I FIND A FREE WAY TO ACHIEVE MY GOALS? Come on, I already answered this earlier but I’ll re-state it again (FitBit):

“WHY should I trust a guy to get my fitness right if he can’t be straight with me about the whole premise of his FITNESS business? ANY money spent on something like that is a waste and yes, I AM HUNG UP ON MONEY when people like you try to get it from people like me through dishonesty. YOU are also hung up on money as you didn’t set up a business from the goodness of your heart, did you? Oh yeah, one free week trial. I’m tempted to suggest ALL FITnrg members take advantage of this offer. Maybe we can all COMPARE how personalised everyone’s computer-generated fitness programme really is! DIFFERENCE is you are trying to TAKE MONEY, I AM NOT. SO I WILL COMPLAIN if I want to OK? All clear?”

By the way, I am not going sign up to your free trial as this would mean giving my personal information to someone who clearly has a penchant for  manipulating anything that he gets his hands on in the quest to obtain (after the FREE trial) that money that I am so hung up on keeping. How free are we really talking? Do you want to be bombarded with emails by this guy once the trial is over? He will have your PERSONAL information people, someone you have NEVER met. Think about that.

You imply several times that personal trainers are nothing more than motivational partners, yet you state that the support and motivation you can get from the internet is all one needs. Hmm.

Did I? Let me set the record straight, Personal Trainers (NOT Online ones) are VERY valuable, if you can get a good one and IF you utilise them correctly. At the same time I stand by my claim that you CAN achieve fitness and weight loss BY YOURSELF, and that reaching out to other people with similar goals is VERY useful in achieving that goal. That person doesn’t have to be a Personal Trainer. Your problem with that is what exactly? Have I just invalidated your entire reason for existing by making that OUTRAGEOUS claim? Even I would hope not. My rant was not a personal attack on Personal Trainers. It was a rant about someone selling Online Personal Training using deceitful means. You made it VERY personal.

How is it that personal trainers make any sort of living if you can get a beach body just from conversing with some lady named FitBit over the internet for free.

And not all Personal Trainers are worth their weight in gold or reputable as demonstrated quite clearly – yes you have put your reputation on the line for anyone to address most publicly. Oh and are you promising people a beach body? I'm not promising anything. Like I said, I CAN'T make anything happen for someone else, but I can support them. You're on to a winner if you can promise everyone a beach body via your ONLINE service, where you get to keep such a close eye on everything they do, eat etc.  Personal Trainer, maybe yes, ONLINE Personal trainer, get OUTTA here!

Oh and this one actually made me laugh. You say save the money and go spend it on workout clothes. Now that'll get you fit! Next.

Again, THIS is what I REALLY said (FitBit):

“Go spend that cash on workout clothes or better still, HEALTHY FOOD!”

Did you REALLY think I wasn’t going to correct the imbecilic way you misquote (especially me) by leaving out anything you can’t argue with to make some invalid point? Clearly you have tapped into your female market by understanding the intrinsic link between clothing and fitness/beauty. We all want to look good in our clothes and fitness clothes are great motivators to that end. Clear enough for you? OH and did you know that healthy food WILL help get you fit? This is what you get from MACFitnessOnline people.

Umm, show me where I advertise that the main reason anyone should sign up with me is so I can organize their daily schedule for them.

Man, just re-read my post will ya!? I said that no-one will get fit unless they work out a time schedule for themselves instead of relying on a trainer to do so by fitting in around them. They have to realise that they have to make it a part of their life, and you working around that then becomes a little irrelevant doesn’t it – because a real-life personal trainer will do the same. DO NOT make me tell (YES, that’s right) you again that there is no comparison between a real-life Training Session and an even 4 online ones. In fact IN MY OPINION (whoop there it is!) go buy ONE REAL Personal Training session rather than getting however many online ones you can get in a month. Have you heard of QUALITY v. QUANTITY? Apply that adage to fitness and you’ll go far. Dispute that. Eat junk, look like junk. Use junk, look like junk...well you get the drift.

I say that I construct my programs to fit into one's schedule. I'm so surprised that anyone, let alone a marketing genius like yourself, could misunderstand what I meant there that I'm going to just move on.

Do you mean you use a computer algorithm to construct a program for people? Nothing ground-breaking there. If I misunderstood you, could there be any chance that you weren’t particularly clear, or is it just my error? In any case, you aren’t getting your message across and that’s what you need to address rather than getting personal AGAIN.

Oh another contradicting statement and probably a good one to go out on; you say its not your place to suggest that people don't try online training out? WHAT DO YOU CALL YOUR ENTIRE WRITE-UP? (I should put these on my website, I might get more business)

How many times do I have to say this: I call it MY OPINION!

Now I've already spent waaay more time on this than I wanted to, but this one just couldn't go without a response. If I have any piece of advice for you (which I have a lot of but "its not my place") I say let people try things out for themselves and don't act like you know it all. You clearly don't, and if you think you do, go write a book. When I get my first complaint from a client I'll let you know.

Such a shame that you think you shouldn’t spend that much time defending something you supposedly believe in (and your livelihood!)– We clearly differ there and I for one don’t have any regrets about where I’m coming from. I’ve spent long enough writing this and I’m not trying to sell anything. You can give me your advice if you like – it might be valid, it might not, just know that I am entitled to my own opinion whether it coincides with yours or not.

As for not getting a complaint from a client that’s great for you! I could counter that with saying that your business hasn’t been around that long, and most people can’t be bothered to complain, they walk away and you never hear from them again, but I won’t as you clearly know better than I do.

As for knowing it all MR FITNESS BREAKTHROUGH, how many times do you need to hear that just because someone writes a book/article or makes a show, it doesn’t mean that what is contained in it is the ultimate in knowledge/beauty/truth etc, just as anyone who sets up an online business doesn’t necessarily have a better way than someone who doesn’t. To that end, you write that book, you’ve already got the qualifications and website so you MUST be the expert.

Some FITnrg members are consciously trying to foster a positive community here - not a gathering net for sharks to go hunting in. Want to go shoot fish in a barrel? Unless Jim (you know, the site creator I told you about that you should approach about advertising)tells me otherwise, I'm going to suggest you do it elsewhere. If you want to join the community without EXPECTING to bleed it for financial gain, then I for one will welcome you, otherwise, expect what you got. Apparently you joined 2 days ago, didn't bother to find out about the community but saw it as an opportunity to treat others like idiots. 

 This was a chance for you to respond with some valid points countering my arguments/concerns as a potential consumer (by virtue of the fact that you advertised on this site, and my being an active member), instead you made it personal. I’m sure your knee-jerk viciously personal attack on my opinion has definitely had some impact for some people on this site. Believe me when I say I had no intention of demolishing any standing you have as a PROFESSIONAL Fitness Business Owner, in fact I didn’t even have to – you did a pretty good job yourself, don’t you think?

Get as personal as you like from here on in (as I expect you will), but I have made my point. Deceive and expect to be caught out. Kicking out at that person is the standard response, a professional response could have changed my opinion. I stand firm, and I’ve given your scam enough visibility.